Looking for a Ross...which one to get?

[Gustro79]

I have a mission to acquire a Ross this winter prior to the next competition shooting season. I think it might be fantastic for vintage high-power matches. I need a very good bore and non-sporterized military configuration.

What would be the best model for that purpose? I do like small peep sights for slow fire and an open sight for rapid fire.

Also... where does one obtain one of these elusive rifles?

Thanks!!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[tiriaq]

Elusive, yes.
A MkII** would be ideal. Mine shoots like a house on fire.
Barring that, most any Ross in sound condition with a fine bore.
All Mk. III rifles will have an aperture sight. If you can find one, a Mk. III Home Guard rifle would be excellent. These are generally in better condition than service Mk. III rifles, and will have the small rear sight aperture.
Some Mk. II service rifles have aperture sights; others have only notch sights.
Good luck, though, finding a Ross with a crisp bore at a price that won't bring tears to your eyes.
The Ross most commonly seen in the US is the Mk. II***, as supplied to the US as training rifles.
Even here is Canada, clean unaltered service rifles are not often seen.
You might consider a rifle that has been sported, with the fore stock cut beyond the band. These can be restored with the splice hidden by the band. In this condition, the selling price is a small fraction of the price of an unaltered one. Perhaps 1/5th.

[Gustro79]

Elusive, yes.
A MkII** would be ideal. Mine shoots like a house on fire.
Barring that, most any Ross in sound condition with a fine bore.
All Mk. III rifles will have an aperture sight. If you can find one, a Mk. III Home Guard rifle would be excellent. These are generally in better condition than service Mk. III rifles, and will have the small rear sight aperture.
Some Mk. II service rifles have aperture sights; others have only notch sights.
Good luck, though, finding a Ross with a crisp bore at a price that won't bring tears to your eyes.
The Ross most commonly seen in the US is the Mk. II***, as supplied to the US as training rifles.
Even here is Canada, clean unaltered service rifles are not often seen.
You might consider a rifle that has been sported, with the fore stock cut beyond the band. These can be restored with the splice hidden by the band. In this condition, the selling price is a small fraction of the price of an unaltered one. Perhaps 1/5th.

Is the MKII** a military or commercial variant? And why that over a MKIII?
I find it hard to find info which explains the differences between these variants.
(I expect this to be difficult to find and pricey. I am considering offering a very rare Swede variant as trade bait to try to lure one out of someone's collection.)

[Gustro79]

Elusive, yes.
A MkII** would be ideal. Mine shoots like a house on fire.
Barring that, most any Ross in sound condition with a fine bore.
All Mk. III rifles will have an aperture sight. If you can find one, a Mk. III Home Guard rifle would be excellent. These are generally in better condition than service Mk. III rifles, and will have the small rear sight aperture.
Some Mk. II service rifles have aperture sights; others have only notch sights.
Good luck, though, finding a Ross with a crisp bore at a price that won't bring tears to your eyes.
The Ross most commonly seen in the US is the Mk. II***, as supplied to the US as training rifles.
Even here is Canada, clean unaltered service rifles are not often seen.
You might consider a rifle that has been sported, with the fore stock cut beyond the band. These can be restored with the splice hidden by the band. In this condition, the selling price is a small fraction of the price of an unaltered one. Perhaps 1/5th.

Small aperture sight: So I did some reading and if they only made 1000 Home Guard rifles I believe the odds of finding one of those is highly unlikely. I would however like a small rear aperture sight. If there is one initial "negative" on this issue MKIII it is that the rear aperture sight is quite large compared to a Krag or a 1903. Good for a battle sight though.
Is the small aperture interchangeable with the issued MKIII and are those ever seen for sale? Thanks!!

[browningautorifle]

I have a mission to acquire a Ross this winter prior to the next competition shooting season. I think it might be fantastic for vintage high-power matches. I need a very good bore and non-sporterized military configuration.

Good luck on all of that. Should be like searching for hen's teeth...

[Ax.303]

As stated above, The Mk II** or Mk III with the heavier barrels can be fantastic shooters.
The other military Mk IIs with the coarse left hand threaded, thin profiled barrels are not usually overly accurate.

[Gustro79]

As stated above, The Mk II** or Mk III with the heavier barrels can be fantastic shooters.
The other military Mk IIs with the coarse left hand threaded, thin profiled barrels are not usually overly accurate.

I just shot the 1905 today. I was able to get a little 100yd range time in after work but before it got dark.

Sooo what's this about the thin 1905 barrels not being accurate?? I was rather blown away by its accuracy, especially considering the following factors:

1. It was low light. It was hard to get a consistent sight picture.

2. I was using factory PPU ammo with the intention of fire-forming brass.

3. The trigger is pretty stiff and probably needs to be cleaned up a bit.

I shot two groups, a 10 shot and a 5 shot. In the 10-shot group 8 of them are inside of 1.5". The two flyers are almost certainly me or the ammo. The 5 shot group is still good but a bit less impressive as the light got very low.

One very notable thing was the very minimal case stretch compared to Enfields. That blew me away.

I can't wait to try my neck-sized hand loads in good light after cleaning up the trigger assembly. And the expectations have certainly been raised on the 1910!!!

Just awesome rifles.

[Gustro79]

I just shot the 1905 today. I was able to get a little 100yd range time in after work but before it got dark.

Sooo what's this about the thin 1905 barrels not being accurate?? I was rather blown away by its accuracy, especially considering the following factors:

1. It was low light. It was hard to get a consistent sight picture.

2. I was using factory PPU ammo with the intention of fire-forming brass.

3. The trigger is pretty stiff and probably needs to be cleaned up a bit.

I shot two groups, a 10 shot and a 5 shot. In the 10-shot group 8 of them are inside of 1.5". The two flyers are almost certainly me or the ammo. The 5 shot group is still good but a bit less impressive as the light got very low.

One very notable thing was the very minimal case stretch compared to Enfields. That blew me away.

I can't wait to try my neck-sized hand loads in good light after cleaning up the trigger assembly. And the expectations have certainly been raised on the 1910!!!

Just awesome rifles.https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...45842e77-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...02778680-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...88a8f2bc-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...43f56eef-1.jpg

Correction on case stretching: the body of the brass shows almost no stretch but the shoulder moved forward and the neck opened up considerably.

[tiriaq]

Mk. II** rifles can be issue or private purchase. If issue, there will be stampings on the buttstock. Private purchase rifles were intended for service rifle target shooting, under the auspices of the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association. Same idea as NM Springfield rifles.
Mk. II** rifles were intended for range use. These were the .303 rifles that swept Bisley, resulting in complaints that they were not actually "service" rifles.
There are variations in rear sights, and in the end of the forend, with different lengths, nosecaps and bayonet mounting provisions.
Mine is a fairly late one. It has a BSA Martin finely adjustable rear aperture sight, never had a barrel mounted sight. The bedding surfaces still show the carbon/soot from the hand fitting that was done when the rifle was set up in the Ross custom shop.
Mk. III rifles, apart from the Home Guard ones, are service rifles. Their rear sights are basic, compared with something like the BSA Martin.
As far as availability goes, think in terms of finding a low number Springfield rifle with a crisp bore, or an early NM springfield - only with much smaller production numbers.
If you look around this site, you will find photos of a Mk. III HG, a Mk II**, and a Mk. III sniper rifle.

[Gustro79]

Mk. II** rifles can be issue or private purchase. If issue, there will be stampings on the buttstock. Private purchase rifles were intended for service rifle target shooting, under the auspices of the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association. Same idea as NM Springfield rifles.
Mk. II** rifles were intended for range use. These were the .303 rifles that swept Bisley, resulting in complaints that they were not actually "service" rifles.
There are variations in rear sights, and in the end of the forend, with different lengths, nosecaps and bayonet mounting provisions.
Mine is a fairly late one. It has a BSA Martin finely adjustable rear aperture sight, never had a barrel mounted sight. The bedding surfaces still show the carbon/soot from the hand fitting that was done when the rifle was set up in the Ross custom shop.
Mk. III rifles, apart from the Home Guard ones, are service rifles. Their rear sights are basic, compared with something like the BSA Martin.
As far as availability goes, think in terms of finding a low number Springfield rifle with a crisp bore, or an early NM springfield - only with much smaller production numbers.
If you look around this site, you will find photos of a Mk. III HG, a Mk II**, and a Mk. III sniper rifle.

Thank you all!! The rifle needs to be as-issued per CMP vintage rifle match rules. If the rifle has "upgraded match sights" or anything that wasn't issued to troops then there might be an argument for disqualfication. From your statement I take it that there are MKII** in existence that are set up like match rifles and then actually issued that way.
Due to the scarcity, I think I will grab the first decent Ross that crosses my path, which will likely be a MKII*** and then work on upgrading it to a heavy barrel variant with reciever mounted sights.