Sporterized Ross M10 - what to do...

Puffie40

Puffie40

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I picked up this Ross rifle at the Kamloops gunshow the other day. I have a thing for straight-pulls, so when I saw this at an attractive price, I couldn't resist.







Yuck. The ladder sight was taken off and a piece of spring metal wedged and soldered in there to form a rudimentary buckhorn sight. The front sight is loose, and all around it is chewed up from someone trying to keep it on. The stripper clip tangs were ground off, and the barrel hacksawed to around 21 1/4". For some reason, it does not have a serial number anywhere, and the stock was oversanded. some markings left on the stock indicate a date of 1916. Probably the only things going for it is so far is the bolt has the "Pin mod", the barrel rifling is very clean, and the action is undamaged and appears mechanically sound.

I have done a little research on Ross rifles, and know enough about them to feel confident it's not going to murder me in my sleep. What I would like is some input on what should I do. Restoring it would be an really expensive endevour, considering I would have to rebarrel it and find all the parts, but possible if I span it over a few years.

Right now, I'm leaning towards improving what I have, and turning it into a decent hunting rifle - clean up the finish, replace the stock, and mount a scope.
 
Puffie40 said:
Right now, I'm leaning towards improving what I have, and turning it into a decent hunting rifle - clean up the finish, replace the stock, and mount a scope.
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Probably be your best bet overall. Ross rifles are not economical to restore, and to do so one must start with an uncut specimen. However, Ross Rifles are fantastic rifles as they are rugged and very well made. Seeing as you rear bridge is already butchered, taking it to a welding shop to have the spring slot filled in would be your best bet. Once that is done, either adapt or custom make a scope base(s) or rail to bridge the bridge and the front receiver ring. A rebarrel will be your best bet if you reload, as most chambers were enlarged at some point, but if you're thrifty, you could simply have the barrel set back a thread or two and re-cut the chamber to minimum spec.

I have three Ross's. One is magnificently sporterized and put in a very nice stock, one is a former Royal Marines rifle (supposedly) and the last it a mechanically perfect, but heavily sporterized Rangers rifle. I plan on turning the last rifle into some sort of target rifle, but haven't quite decided what to do with it yet.
 
Okay, we know the BAD points.

Here are a couple of GOOD points:

1. you will never find a smoother trigger than on a Mark III Ross. Try it half a dozen times and you will fall in love.

2. So your barrel has been chopped. Too bad. But the .303 has the same case capacity as the .308, which was designed for a 20-inch to 22-inch barrel.

3. The Ross mark II was rated at 100,000psi and the Mark III is an IMPROVEMENT on that. Nobody really knows just how much pressure a Mark III can handle. Ross himself gave up somewhere over 125,000. I think it would be safe to say that this rifle should be safe with .308-class loads.

4. short barrels call for FAST powders: nothing slower than 4064. Your powders for this one are RL-7, 3031, 4064, perhaps 4895.

5. rifling is a Ross special type, very like Mauser but Left-hand. The Lands are slightly different shape; it was designed to outlast anything else made.

6. serial number was on the STOCK on this model. You mention a "1916". If you can see THAT, you might be able to 'raise' the rest of the Serial with a Black Light bulb, 75 cents at your local Dollar Store. SHIELD your eyes from the direct rays: lots of UV is NOT good for your eyes. Use a trouble-light housing.

7. use an O-ring or pony-tail tie when you fire your casings for the first time. After that, neck-size only and they will LAST and last and last. Anneal every 10 rounds. Couple or 3 boxes will last your lifetime.

8. rifling pitch is 1 turn in 10 inches. it should stabilise anything from a 150 through to a 220. My Rosses tend to like the Sierra 180 Pro-Hunter and the 150 Hornady Spire Point, seated 'way out so that the cannelure shows above the case-mouth.

9. you will also find that, with a Ross, recoil tends to be somewhat on the mellow side. they are NOT kickers at all.

10. should you decide that you NEED charger-loading capability, you will find that the charger guide is an integral part of the rear-sight base. it replaces easily by removing 4 tiny screws.

11. I have a scrood Ross here which I have scoped using standard Weaver bases. I have a 10-power scope on the beast and it shoots better than I can hold it.

Welcome to The Club!!
 
Thanks guys. For the scope, the receiver profile looks close enough to a SMLE Mk 3 that I think I could modify a Weaver TO-10 base to fit (Though I hate the thought of ruining the front band markings)

I'll have to fire a few rounds off to find out about the condition of the chamber. The fact the finish on the barrel is different than the rest of the action has me scratching my head a little. It could be the seller was looking for markings on the reciever with sandpaper or steel wool, but I keep having this thought the barrel was changed out. Since there is no crown on the barrel, and the hacksaw job was not very straight, I figure I'll trim the mess of a front sight off when I re-crown the barrel. I could perhaps fill it in with weld, but the heat could affect the barrel's metallurgy.

Any idea on where to find a stock?
 
You could do very beautiful things with that one very easily. When it's chucked up in your lathe for the re crown simply turn that sight off and clean up the profile. Easy peasy and the front of the barrel is clean and tidy to compliment your scope job. A nice rust blue and a replacement stock (rumor has it they WILL be available soon!) and you have a beauty to treasure.
 
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Also, add to the positive points that your rifle has been proofed at Birmingham Proof House. The "BM-Crown" on the bolt carrier and the ".303 - Nitro Proof" on the right side of the barrel shows this.

I agree that your best option at this point is to make it over into a nice sporting rifle. Pay attention to the reply made by SMELLIE and you should have no problems if you reload, keep your brass segregated for this rifle, and DO NOT full length resize your cases.
 
I had a very badly butchered 1910 Ross. The barrel had been cut with a hacksaw just below the front sight. The rest of the metal was scraped, scratched and filed. I cut the barrel back to clean it up then took a bit off the od and installed a #4 front sight band. I topped that with a sporter ramp sleeve. I polished the barrel and receiver, cold blued it and left it. After redoing the stock and making a copper butt plate, I have what I would call a beautifull sporter. You can do anything with these things.
 
You could sell it to me if you get sick of it!

That thing doesn't look as bad as the 1905 I got my hands on. Good luck with it though! After I got my hands on 1 straight pull bolt, I want more!
 
Blastattack said:
Pics please!
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Here's my Ross, with a 4-12 Vortex Diamondback on it. I bought it with the bases already on, and just added the Diamondback and a set of Weaver Grand Slam rings.

Shoots wonderfully, though the scope is giving me grief since I apparently suck at mounting scopes...

IMAG0020_zpszkcvosu6.jpg


IMAG0021_zpsldwjf6qk.jpg
 
A show me thread
Here's my 1910. I polished the bolt to a mirrror shine. It doesn't show that well in the photos. Note the #4 front sight. I carved the stock down to make it slimmer and left the colout natural to show off the grain.




I left the original rear sight because I like the look. I may have to scope it though because my eyes just don't work that well anymore.
 
I have one that I was given in 1967 at 13. It still looks the same as the day i got it, with chipped black paint on the barrel, hacksawed off barrel to 22-inches, one half of the forend and pistol grip kind of hand checkered, but it killed my first few deer so I keep it and shot it every five years whether I need to or not.

It still has the issue sights though.

If I had yours I'd clean it up and put a scope on.
 
buffdog said:
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Also, add to the positive points that your rifle has been proofed at Birmingham Proof House. The "BM-Crown" on the bolt carrier and the ".303 - Nitro Proof" on the right side of the barrel shows this.
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A big bunch of the actual "sporters" we see now were, actually, sold as modified by British firms such as this one below. Those all have the Birmingham or London proof mark, from the late '40s and '50s.

This is an ad in The New Official Gun Book, 4th Edition, 1953 for "Target Sales"

1953-RossTheNewOfficialGunBook4th_zpsd70db6c0.jpg
 
I did not take any pictures of them, but on both the barrel and receiver ring is the stamp "Not British Made"

That probably explains the proofmarks, but not the hack job on the sights and barrel. I guess if it was a longer barrel model?
 
Baribal said:
A big bunch of the actual "sporters" we see now were, actually, sold as modified by British firms such as this one below. Those all have the Birmingham or London proof mark, from the late '40s and '50s.

This is an ad in The New Official Gun Book, 4th Edition, 1953 for "Target Sales"

1953-RossTheNewOfficialGunBook4th_zpsd70db6c0.jpg
Click to expand...

There was one identical to the one you pictured at the DC gunshow. Probably should have picked it up I guess!
 
The military Ross Mark III rifle was built only with a 30.5" barrel.

Anything else is chopped.

Army practically begged for a shorter rifle. Ross made one with a 26" tube, Standing Small Arms Committee refused even to consider it.
 
I just bought this exact rifle from ellwood epps. same buttpad,

Baribal said:
A big bunch of the actual "sporters" we see now were, actually, sold as modified by British firms such as this one below. Those all have the Birmingham or London proof mark, from the late '40s and '50s.

This is an ad in The New Official Gun Book, 4th Edition, 1953 for "Target Sales"

1953-RossTheNewOfficialGunBook4th_zpsd70db6c0.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Nice job on that one, points! Seeing as how the vast majority of Ross rifles seem to be sporters, there should be a sticky for showing them off!
 
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