1910 280 sniper

[AGB-1]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/935633965

sold for $1425.

Information

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[mike webb]

Rather fanciful description. A nice sporting rifle 1910-M but not a sniper rifle. The Canadian Expeditionary Force used 1910 Ross rifles (usually with wood cut down) long after the Ross was withdrawn from infantry use but to my knowledge never in .280 Ross.

[AGB-1]

It is possible that some Officers had 280's as a personal weapon.

[mike webb]

If so, I have never heard or read of any such instance. Generally snipers were enlisted men who worked in 2 man teams and used issue rifles and ammunition. Plus the example shown has never seen the mud of Flanders judging by its condition.

[AGB-1]

Although not adapted, have you ever heard of this????

[mike webb]

Yes, the Ross consistently outshot Lee Enfields pre WW1 at Bisley chambered in .280. Then the British decreed that service rifles competing had to be chambered in .303 British. Surprise! The Ross rifles chambered in .303 outshot the Lee Enfields still. Ross rifles were and still are a highly underated rifle. Not the greatest combat rifle but a superior target and hunting rifle. Most of the reliablity issues in combat were related to lousy British ammunition. This is historically proven to be factual.

[Surpmil]

Yes, the Ross consistently outshot Lee Enfields pre WW1 at Bisley chambered in .280. Then the British decreed that service rifles competing had to be chambered in .303 British. Surprise! The Ross rifles chambered in .303 outshot the Lee Enfields still. Ross rifles were and still are a highly underated rifle. Not the greatest combat rifle but a superior target and hunting rifle. Most of the reliablity issues in combat were related to lousy British ammunition. This is historically proven to be factual.

The .280 single shot back position rifles were used in different matches from the .303s. There was never any issue with the .280 except when a barrel was found to be a few grains over-weight and F.W. Jones returned the prizes he had won with it.

The objection that was made to the Ross .303s at one point was based on the question of whether the sights used at Bisley were the same sights as on issue to the Canadian Permanent Force and Militia at that time. There was some grounds to the objection, though it is debatable whether the sights made much difference to the outcomes as the Rosses were routinely taking most of the prizes before WWI.

The .280 on auction is just another case of fitting the word "sniper" into the listing title to attract buyers. The best we can say about that assemblage is that they tried to avoid drilling holes in the receiver and tried to find a somewhat contemporaneous scope to use!

AFAWK, only Lt. Greener used a .280 Ross in France; that has been posted about previously.

This is the only other account of such I have heard of:

[Promo]

Well, at least the checkering was really skillfully done.