Printable View
I was always under the impression the Ross 10m (the one that looks like a Scottish stalking rifle and has no protrudung magazine beneath the action) was only offered in .280. No hard evidence just never seen any but 280 chambering. I have seen E models in .303 and heard of one in .35 Winchester. Recently saw one advertised as a 303 British but looks like every other 280 M model I have seen. I was so curious I bought it and am now waiting for it to arrive. Any thoughts on the matter?
No comments?
Mike
You may want to find the Museum Restoration Service monogram on "Sir Charles Ross and his Rifle" by R Phillips and J Knap. It appears that the Model R and E was apparently available in .303 British and .35 Winchester. Apparently, the Model R-1910 and E-10 were only available in .303 British and have the extended magazine. No mention is made of any rifle with a flush magazine based on the later action in anything other than in .280 Ross.
Thanks for the reply. Read a tidbit on line that a few M10's were made in .303 and command a premium. Don't know the veracity of that. I should receive it by the end of the week. Will post pics.
Rifle arrived. Bubba has gotten to it but I think I can make a decent hunting rifle out of it. Some moron tried to mount sights that are dovetailed in the barrel. Rear is a botch job that I will have to fill. Front sight is worse. Barrel is 26 inch and is in fact a .303 British. Due to buggy whip contour of barrel barrel wall is too thin for the dovetail, the exact reason that originals had a banded front sight. Will remove 1.5 or 2.0 inches from barrel and recrown. From what I can see it is an original M10 SPORTER cambered in .303 which is unusual. Stock is cut out for the original M10 rear sight but long gone. Will try to mount scope, bore is very good. Action is very slick. Not very Christian but I hope something bad happens to the guy who hacked it up. Apparently can't post pics directly only attachments.
If you need to post pics there are tutorials here or you can just email them to me and I'll post them. See PMs...Quote:
Originally Posted by mike webb
Here are the OPs pics...
Thanks Jim
Just curious whether it is factory or some made up thing. REALLY wish someone had taken the file away from the unknown assailant before he went at it. Would have liked to keep the original 26 inch barrel length but it is what it is. A fine and unique hunting rifle when I get it finished. Stock will be redone and scoped as well. Already drilled so no harn done there plus checkering is clogged with old varnish.
It's never that way. At the time there were lots of them and they meant nothing to time or space and it was convenient to use an "Old .303" for a hunting rifle.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike webb
If it`s a factory sporter it will have the serial # and made in Canada stamped on the barrel along the left stock line.
It will also be marked 303 ROSS above the chamber.
Overall it appears to be an M10 .280, even to the barrel profile, but clearly those markings on the barrel don't fit that hypothesis.
Is there a serial number on the barrel just above the stock line and just ahead of the reciever (offhand side)?
At a guess I'd say you may have a .280 that was later converted to .303 using a re-profiled and shortened Mk.III .303 barrel.
Trouble is, you don't have a .303 magazine there - or at least not the factory one - what does the feed ramp look like?
What type of butt plate does it have?
The stock is either a copy of an M10 stock, or someone has crudely recut the chequering. I expect it is the real thing, but it looks like a Mk.III butt plate might be fitted?
It has obviously been together for a long time, and it is known that a few Quebec City gunsmiths assembled Rosses from leftover parts into the 1930s even, so that is another option.
Commercial stocks, at least on the 1905s, have the serial number stamped under the butt plate and, as I recall, the serial number is also on the inside face of the butt plate.
Will check for serial number. Don't think there is one from memory. Buttplate is M10, Checkered steel with spur on top. Stock has two lightening holes drilled under buttplate and is marked M10 in ink under buttplate. Has the M10 mag and floorplate. Magazine is blocked internally at rear to accomodate shorter 303 round. I'm thinking a made up job but done by someone who knew a thing or two about Ross rifles. Contour of barrel is identical to the .280 which would involve a fair amount of lathe work. Anyway no one else will have one just like it at deer camp. Something to be said for that if you are a rifle nut like me. In the process of redoing the whole thing. Sourcing a long tube Weaver K to suit wide spacing of rings and for a more period look. Will post pics as it evolves if anyone is interested. Thanks for the input, Mike
Of course we'll want to see it...Quote:
Originally Posted by mike webb
The last two digits of the serial number for the M-10 is stamped in the wood in the barrel channel and on the butt plate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluenoser
There is a 60 stamped in the barrel channel just forward of the notch inlet for the rear sight in the barrel channel, ditto for buttplate.
Can you post a photo of the foresight base?
Does it have a concave/half round groove in one side?
If so, that also suggests a made-up piece as those bases were made to accept Gallilean sights as seen on the .280 back position target rifles.
No foresight present. Some moron filed a 3/8 dovetail for a front sight probably leaving about .050 barrel wall thickness to the bore. Barrel is too light for that , the reason they were made with a banded front sight in the first place. I have to cut 1.5 inches off barrel and recrown. I am pretty certain someone had an M model in .280 and decided to rebarrel in .303 due to ammunition availability.
Sounds like it will be a fun project.
If you look at the feed ramp, it will give you a better idea of whether it is a Mk III action or M-10 .280 action.
If there is a notch cut in it was from a rifle meant to be fed from the protruding .303 magazine.
If the action was originally from a M-10 280 there will be no notch cut.
Does this rifle have a two or three position bolt stop?
The 280 rifle would normally have a two position bolt stop, as opposed to the three position found on the Mk III.
Been a few weeks. Barrel shortened about 1.25 inches and recrowned. There is no notch cut in feed ramp. two position bolt release. Stock stripped, sanded(lightly) and received about 12 coats of tung oil. Got a 45 weaver base which is very close for contour on receiver ring. Put a 48 weaver base on rear bridge, mount way too high for front so milled rear base down little by little until straight edge showed same elevation as front base. Rifle already drilled and tapped for weaver bases so nothing lost. Got to fill rear dovetail some donkey added and file/ emery down to original contour.
Found an old weaver K4 in excellent shape(need a long scope tube for ring spacing) will mount in weaver grand slams(medium).
When mounted will post pics. Bore is excellent so should shoot well.
A couple pics of Ross, (I hope). Just need 3/8 dovetail blank and sling swivels. Mounted old Weaver in Grand Slam rings. I think it looks pretty sharp personally.
Looking good.