Sported Ross rifles

[RRCo.]

A phenomenon observed on large guns, when first made as breech loaders, was that of self-opening This was disastrous as many people were injured. In the United States, the phenomenon was incorporated into what was known as the Blish system and was pursued by General John T. Thompson. The principle was based on the drop in pressure occurring when the projectile had advanced well up the barrel. At this point the interrupted screw thread would turn, unlocking the breech.....An interesting feature about all this was that when Thompson began experimenting with the Blish principle he found it would not work with high velocity rifles. This problem however, was overcome when Payne & Eickhoff modified a 1910 action Ross rifle to attain a true and successful Blish application. Reference is found to this in US Patent number 1,347,943, wherein rotation is accompanied and facilitated by a drop in pressure...

The Ross Rifle Story, page 411.

So what did Messrs. Blish & Eickhoff do to a 1910 Ross action to make it self-open? I really wonder. They couldn't have changed the size or pitch of the bolt threads, as that would have meant junking the bolt head and entire receiver.

What else prevents the bolt head from unlocking? The bolt sleeve does. If the bolt sleeve also moves backwards then the bolt head can unlock. Why did Ross add those pawls to his trigger mechanism which when the trigger is pulled, move up and engage two lugs on the underside of the bolt sleeve to stop it moving rearward? If there was no possibility of the bolt head "self-unlocking" what need was there for those pawls and lugs?

Herbert Cox welded the pawl in position on his rifles so that the trigger could not be pulled until the bolt was completely closed

The Ross Rifle Story, page. 412.

If you examine those lugs and pawls closely, on some rifles they look like they've taken quite a pounding over the years.

What is actually going on when one of these rifles is fired, would only be revealed by high speed photography. It may well be that at some point in the firing cycle, the bolt head does indeed start to rotate out of battery and it's travel is arrested by the pawl and the lugs on the bolt sleeve.

Might be a good one for the myth-busters.

 

[flying pig]

Sportered Mark I, also called the 1903.

When you hit it right, you hit it right!

They are VERYVERYVERY scarce, believe me!

And the BARREL hasn't even been cut. This one is restorable into the centrepiece of a fine collection.

Congratulations on such a FINE find.
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Note the heavy shroud on the Bolt.

It will have a very narrow Extractor.

Cut-off is a SWITCH below the Triggerguard.

Bolt-handle swept DOWN. These are all the identification points to a Mark I. Built 1903 to 1905 only.

Ergonomically the finest military bolt rifle EVER.
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Thanks! I'm really excited about this one, seems like my luck has been down right crazy good lately

I know to buy the rifle not the story, but the story on this one has me crossing my fingers. Story goes it hasn't been shot in 60 years, hoping the patina on the bolt makes that a true story. Maybe the barrel will look like Cantom's inside. Just really hoping it has been stored in the right conditions all this time, but beggers can't be choosers and I'll take a 1903 in any condition!

When it arrives I will take it out in the light and get some much better photos. He said it was missing a bolt in the stock, so I'd imagine I'll have some real digging to do to find a replacement for it and the other bits.

Does the front sight look like it has been altered? Or is this what they looked like without the hood?

You've got me REALLY interested in Ross rifles now Smellie!

 

[RRCo.]

Well, it's gone awful quiet around here. Everyone checking their bolt sleeve lugs and trigger pawls?

I'm just thinking out loud on this, so if anyone can satisfy those questions, I as a Ross rifle owner and shooter would be interested to hear their perspective.