Ross Rifle Rejected?
- Thread starter skirsons
- Start date
You have to be pulling our leg....right? You can't be that far behind in your news? Most accurate miltary bolt action rifle of any era...The Ross. Didn't function well with the incorrect ammo or with mud and slime in the action.
Yes, nice find.
I've gotten to like Ross rifles more and more as an interesting piece of Canadian manufacturing history.
Doesn't mean I'd wish to be in a trench with one...but for my purposes they work just fine.
If they'd stuck with them the bugs were almost worked out but by then all faith had been lost...
There was a member's post on CGNTZ about a year ago...he said he spoke to two WWI veterans, who said the things they hated the most were the Huns and the Ross Rifle...took three people to keep one Ross working...sigh.
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Slander. Just because an ammo boot was often needed to kick the bolt open is no reason to reject a fine rifle
The Canadian troops should have found a dry spot in the trenches and all would have been well.
Of course thare was that little bit of changing specs while on the production line.
The fact that the troops requipped themselves without waiting for orders to do so, says a lot.
I am sure the Ross was a fine target/sniper rifle. I have certainly found them to be quiite accurate.
As for "incorrect ammo" the Lee functioned quite well with British .303, and I do believe that's the calibre the Ross was supposed to use.
The Canadian troops should have found a dry spot in the trenches and all would have been well.
Of course thare was that little bit of changing specs while on the production line.
The fact that the troops requipped themselves without waiting for orders to do so, says a lot.
I am sure the Ross was a fine target/sniper rifle. I have certainly found them to be quiite accurate.
As for "incorrect ammo" the Lee functioned quite well with British .303, and I do believe that's the calibre the Ross was supposed to use.
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- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
Actually about 1 in 4 canadians were allready carrying enfields, picked up off British cassualties on the battlefield (not really stealing) when it was decided to offically replace the Ross.
Only thing they would be charged with would have been the loss of their Ross rifle.
That's when you reach down into the mud in the trench bottom and pull the Ross out...oh, that's where you were hiding!
It's a good point though...punishments were pretty draconian.
