Front sight and missing Canadian proofs (just London proofs) seem to indicate that this caliber .280 rifle was sent to England/Scotland in the white and finished in country. Can you identify the scope mount base and indicate a direction one might follow to find the mating rings w or w/o telescopic sight.
Attachment 103536Attachment 103537Attachment 103538Attachment 103539Attachment 103540
Any help form anyone would be appreciated.
Beautiful looking rifle!
I was very surprised that no one seemed to understand what it was. It has a M1905 action and magazine mated with a forerunner of the M1910 interrupted thread bolt. These are not that all common.
This is a carry-over from: 1905 Ross 280 Sporter: Gun Broker
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=68643
Lovely rifle, wrong forum!
Hi Paul,
Sorry for the slow response, but I've been over on the Somme again for the last week. Getting interesting now as the farmers are ploughing again! I'll contact you separately, although off the top of my head it is not one I'm familiar with, but I can cast the net for you....
I posted as Off Topic on the Enfield forum as I knew you monitored it. I was not sure you would look at the Ross forum. Thanks, p.
I guessed that Paul......& you were quite correct.
The rifle is known as a "Scotch Deer Stalker": the first .280 model put in production by Ross. The bases may be Gibbs or perhaps Alex. Martin; they both used a similar system. From what you have there, I would guess it was a "hook and peg system" - to coin a phrase(?) - whereby the hook would be a typical single claw and the "peg" a round lug with relief cut for the locking crosspin. The adjustable blocks those fitted into have been removed from this base unfortunately, but a skilled smith could reproduce them to match whatever scope might be found to fit.
If there is a "B----" number on the guard or receiver this will almost certainly be a Geo. Gibbs fitting. Is that what we see on the barrel over the chamber?
If not, probably Alex Martin. Martin seems to have supplied a similar system to the WD for use on the SMLE in WWI.
Of course it's possible this is some unknown gunsmith's copy of a Gibbs or Martin fitting as well.
Edit: looking at the auction photos linked above, I see it does indeed have a likely Gibbs serial number of B5506 on the barrel and trigger guard. Of course that doesn't guarantee they fitted the scope base.