- Location
- Atascadero, California USA
Greetings! This collector has just now finished maintaining another piece of Candadian/US firearms history. I had purchased a bobbed stock 1905 rifle that had an uncut barrel with nice bore and tight action. As time went by I located an uncut ( gasp! ) 1905 stock and after some pleasant time spent fitting and cleaning and assembling I now have a complete and very serviceable Ross M1905 Mk.II**. The right side of the butt stock is heavily stamped with reissue numbers and is also marked for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and then the later US purchase surcharge and issue numbers. Anyway it is a very nice, fast pointing rifle and from a rest I was able to shoot 2.5" best ten shot group which is pretty good for me as I am sometimes an indifferent marksman. The rifle functioned very well, fed smoothly, ejected crisply. The Sutherland sight gets pretty warm during firing so you have to watch where you put your fingers. Compared to my 1910 Mk.III* the 1905 is almost elegant in it's lines. The stock is rather delicate for a combat rifle but it also makes for a lighter weight rifle than the 1910. Fit of the bayonet is a bit sloppy but stays secure and is no looser than some others I have had. I have found Canadian marked oilers and pull throughs for both my rifless. Personally I like the 1905 over the 1910, but that is purely a subjective evaluation. I had no empty case deformity although I notice that the shoulder moves forward about a 1/16th. of an inch upon firing. No swelling of the case anywhere else. No primer set back or scratches noted on case exterior. There are no stamps indicating that the rifle has an enlarged chamber but if they were there they may have been lightly stamped or omitted. I am very pleased with this rebuild/restoration job and would like to thanks you folks on ths board and forum for helping me with information and parts sources. I will have my wife send pictures in when she gets home. Thanks again for all your help. Sure like my Rosses! Joe
