Ross Restoration Thread *pics*

[skirsons]

I received this Ross Cadet recently from another CGNer. The bolt was missing the operating pin, the leaf spring was broken along with the rear sight and take-down swivel... oh and the stock was broken in half at the wrist and hastily glued back together. So, yes, it was basically the parts rifle I've been looking for all these months. However, I decided that instead of parting it out and allowing the loss of another one of these rare World War I trainers, I would restore it to a semblance of its former glory.

What I've done so far:

Broken swivel/take down screw:

Repaired:

I fabricated a new bolt pin:

A new leaf spring. The middle prong always breaks off. There should be three!

The stock crack is a story in itself. You cannot re-break it because the glue will likely pull off more wood and there's really no chance of getting it back together. My repair, which adds a mechanical bond to the glue and should make the stock stronger than it was even originally involved gluing two pins at a slight angle within the area of breakage.

Before:

Pins:

I then filled the visible crack with a polymer compound mixed with wood fibres.

After staining. Still needs linseed oil and wax treatment:

I will update this thread periodically. I still need a rear sight and extractor - both of which are being custom made.

 

[louthepou]

Your wood repair makes me blush! Way to go skirsons!!!

Lou

 

[desporterizer]

Looks nice! Btw I have run into the bad glue jobs myself & have found a good soaking in water will allow the glue to come apart. A toothbrush & some cold water will get rid of the residuals.

 

[skirsons]

Your wood repair makes me blush! Way to go skirsons!!!

Lou

Praise from Caesar! Thanks!

 

[skirsons]

Looks nice! Btw I have run into the bad glue jobs myself & have found a good soaking in water will allow the glue to come apart. A toothbrush & some cold water will get rid of the residuals.

That's a good tip. Does it matter what type of glue they used? This looked like a completely transparent-drying glue like weldbond.

 

[desporterizer]

If its an older repair, it almost always water based. Remember, white glue dries clear.

 

[skirsons]

Weldbond is white and dries clear. I can't say the repair was too old because the edges of the crack were still quite sharp and there wasn't a lot of wear. I was wondering if it was water based like a carpenter's glue, but I don't think it was. Anyhow, it's too late to change my mind now. I will try the water soaking sometime in the future, though, it sounds like a much better solution. I would still pin it like I did but I would have liked to bring the edges together instead of filling them.

 

[goldidig]

Nice job! The old girl is looking good! That stock repair looks very impressive too.
Al

 

[skirsons]

Alright, she's almost finished. I just have to get the extractor to full functionality and she will be ready to go!

I did one more repair. I noticed that the bottom buttplate screw was turning and the hole was stripped so I drilled it out and inserted dowel and the screw locks up nice and tight. The rear sight pictured is a modified sight taken from another Cadet.

There's also been a few coats of Linseed oil, Beeswax and Carnuba Wax!

A special thanks to Tiriaq who is helping me with some of the more difficult parts of this project.

 

[longbranch*]

Outstanding resto there Skirsons. Great you chose to fabricate required parts instead of "parting it out". Hows the bore? The two I have are rough, but still shoot well and most others I have seen had pitted bores as well.
Geoff

 

[cantom]

Outstanding resto there Skirsons. Great you chose to fabricate required parts instead of "parting it out". Hows the bore? The two I have are rough, but still shoot well and most others I have seen had pitted bores as well.
Geoff

Agreed, most of these Ross Cadets have hurting bores. For some odd reason, I got lucky, mine has a nice shiny bore. I think all the .22 ammo was corrosive back then.

 

[skirsons]

Outstanding resto there Skirsons. Great you chose to fabricate required parts instead of "parting it out". Hows the bore? The two I have are rough, but still shoot well and most others I have seen had pitted bores as well.
Geoff

The bore is OK. Like Cantom said, they were built and used in a time where corrosive ammunition was ubiquitous due to the black powder .22 rimfire used then.

I have one with a very nice unpitted bore. This one has pitting but the rifling is still very strong and it should make a good shooter!

 

[LawrenceN]

Many moons ago (before the dead sea was even sick), I had several Ross rifles pass through my hands, including a cadet model. You've done a lovely job!!! Kudos to you for bringing back a nice piece of Canadian military history! FYI, if you ever have to dissolve old wood glue, plain old vinegar will eat the glue, and turn it into a soft pasty consistency which can be easily peeled and/or easily scrapped off.

 

[Rossguy]

Nice save there.....but if it was a Military Cadet to begin with, all the stamps have been removed from the right side of the buttstock- If there's a serial number on the left side of the barrel just ahead of the receiver, it's Commercial.
If there are enough original Military Cadets out there still,it would be interesting to run a type of competition for the most Cadet Corps and/or Batt'n stamps on the buttstocks- one of mine even needed room on the left side!

 

[scruffee]

nice job it looks great