1905 Ross MkII w/MkIII sight

[Surpmil]

Ross rifles do not have good primary extraction. As I understand it, the Mk II/1905 chambers were not reamed out. They were chambered with loose tolerances when built in order to aid primary extraction. The Mk II** are a different story. They are chambered to a tight tolerance. The Mk IIIs are the rifles that had their chambers enlarged as an after-thought.

I'll let those with larger Ross collections speak to that, but myself I don't remember seeing cases like that out of a commercial Ross before.

The info from the IODE is not clear on whether this was a one time prize rifle or not, but unless they gave more than one, it would seem more likely to have been a rifle awarded annually. When I was in school there were two Ross rifles with little silver shields all down their stocks commemorating those who had won them. (Not at UCC I hasten to add!) Perhaps Palmer won the prize several times and so was given the rifle to keep?