Ross Questions???

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sully015

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Edmonton
I have inherited a Ross Rifle from my grandfather. I have no info about this rifle other than rumor and speculation. There is no serial number other than the sticker the CFC gave me. The receiver is stamped;
ROSS RIFLE CO.
CANADA
M-10
PATENTED
There are numerous other stampings on the rifle;
1. On the top of the bolt, and twice on the left side of the receiver, a crown with "BM" underneath.
2. On the left side of the receiver, and on top of the receiver, a crown with crossed swords beneath it, and D, C, P stamped in order from left to lower center to right.
3. 303 Nitro stamped on the forward left side of the receiver.

I do not know if the rifle has been "bubba'd", but the stock is not a full length stock.

Any history buffs that can provide any information about this rifle, I would appreciate any info you can come up with.

I AM NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING AS THIS RIFLE HAS SENTIMENTAL VALUE TO ME.
 
It sounds as if you have a sported Mk. III rifle. D C P is the normal proof mark. If it were an original sporting rifle it should have a serial number stamped with small figures on the left side of the breech of the barrel.
 
If you could attach photos to your post, people would be able to give you more explicit details. If it has a flip-up rear sight with adjustments for distance it is a MkIII military model that has had the stock cut. An original sporter which is much rarer, will likely have open rear sight. The original barrel length on a MkIII should be 30.5". Many of them have been shortened. The serial number and military unit markings were on the right side of the butt on military Ross'.
 
bushwhacker said:
If you could attach photos to your post, people would be able to give you more explicit details. If it has a flip-up rear sight with adjustments for distance it is a MkIII military model that has had the stock cut. An original sporter which is much rarer, will likely have open rear sight. The original barrel length on a MkIII should be 30.5". Many of them have been shortened. The serial number and military unit markings were on the right side of the butt on military Ross'.
Click to expand...

Pics would be nice.

BTW, Bushwhacker, how's your Ross coming along?
 
Ross Pic's

Here are the pics. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle021.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle020.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle019.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle018.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle017.jpg

As you can see in the pic's. The rifle has the "military" flip up sight. No markings on the buttstock. No serial number. Let me know what you think of my "inheritance".
 
sully015 said:
Here are the pics. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle021.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle020.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle019.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle018.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q246/sully1966/RossRifle017.jpg

As you can see in the pic's. The rifle has the "military" flip up sight. No markings on the buttstock. No serial number. Let me know what you think of my "inheritance".
Click to expand...

It appears to have a full length barrel, is it 30 1/2" long? It's a military Ross Mk III with cut down forend as many of them had done. Good points- Full length barrel, has middle band, has handguard, forend has enough left to make grafting an extension on easier than on some that have been shortened more. See Bushwhacker's thread, he's engaged in extending one like yours back to full wood as are several other people. Might be worth thinking about.

An interesting point about Rosses- In WWI, I've read that many of the snipers had the forend cut down. I wonder how many times someone has dismissed such a rifle as a cut down Bubbad hunting rifle?

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=298727
 
Sporterized Mk. III service rifle. The serial number, date of manufacture, any unit markings disappeared when the stock was sanded down. Barrel is full length.
 
cantom said:
An interesting point about Rosses- In WWI, I've read that many of the snipers had the forend cut down. I wonder how many times someone has dismissed such a rifle as a cut down Bubbad hunting rifle?
Click to expand...


Cantom, were you at the Woodstock gun show when that Enfield guy had the two Ross sniper rifles on display? One of them was an original with a cutdown forend and the other was a reproduction with an original scope I believe.

The one with the cutdown forend came to him very cheaply because the seller did not really know what she had. It was cut down but had the mounts for the externally adjustable American scope (not the side-mount Warner and Swazey kind). He got the rifle for about $130.00 and spent like $3000 buying the scope.

Edit: this type of rifle would be easily identified by the front mount base which goes through the handguard.
 
skirsons said:
Cantom, were you at the Woodstock gun show when that Enfield guy had the two Ross sniper rifles on display? One of them was an original with a cutdown forend and the other was a reproduction with an original scope I believe.

The one with the cutdown forend came to him very cheaply because the seller did not really know what she had. It was cut down but had the mounts for the externally adjustable American scope (not the side-mount Warner and Swazey kind). He got the rifle for about $130.00 and spent like $3000 buying the scope.

Edit: this type of rifle would be easily identified by the front mount base which goes through the handguard.
Click to expand...

I missed that show, and heard about it afterward. Clean forgot it was on. But, I know the gent in question and may be able to see them on another date.
 
Thanks to all who replied. Now I am really curious about this rifle. I had been told that my great uncle had carried this rifle during his WW II days. He was part of the Dieppe Landing. I am assuming because of the age of the rifle, that could not have happened. Correct me if I am wrong. Is there any way of tracking this rifle beyond what has been passed down from now deceased family?
 
sully015 said:
Thanks to all who replied. Now I am really curious about this rifle. I had been told that my great uncle had carried this rifle during his WW II days. He was part of the Dieppe Landing. I am assuming because of the age of the rifle, that could not have happened. Correct me if I am wrong. Is there any way of tracking this rifle beyond what has been passed down from now deceased family?
Click to expand...

I believe the Dieppe survivors all ended up prisoners of the Germans? Either way, Canadian vets weren't allowed to keep their rifles when discharged. After the war there were tons of surplus arms for sale really cheap.
 
skirsons said:
Cantom, were you at the Woodstock gun show when that Enfield guy had the two Ross sniper rifles on display? One of them was an original with a cutdown forend and the other was a reproduction with an original scope I believe.

The one with the cutdown forend came to him very cheaply because the seller did not really know what she had. It was cut down but had the mounts for the externally adjustable American scope (not the side-mount Warner and Swazey kind). He got the rifle for about $130.00 and spent like $3000 buying the scope.

Edit: this type of rifle would be easily identified by the front mount base which goes through the handguard.
Click to expand...

That would be a Winchester A5 scope if it was a WWI Canadian rifle. This sounds like a rifle that was described on another forum. $3000. for a WA5 scope is about $2000. too much, at least.

Ross was only used for militia, Home Guard and other misc. 2nd line units in WWII. If it was at Dieppe it would have been only there because your great uncle was determined to bring it. Unlikely Other Ranks would be allowed to do so, unless he was a sniper, and still unlikely even then.

Ross sniper rifles were used only for training in WWII in Canada, but 80 Warner & Swasey scopes were set up on P14 rifles and were used in Europe, according to "Without Warning" by Clive Law.
 
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Dieppe rifles

From what I have read and seen pics of, our boys werr still carrying MKIII*'s during Dieppe raid. No.4 Long Branch's came a little later.
Do correct me if wrong.
Cheers
Geoff
 
I'm sure you're right. I was just saying that the only way he could have had a Ross at Dieppe was by bringing it as a personal rifle. The same way Capt. Shore took his P14 ashore on D-Day.
 
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