sporterized 1905 ross rifle in 303

[Marcus2492]

what would a sporterized 1905 ross rifle in 303 be worth? wood has been cut forward the first barrel band but no metal has been cut from barrel. rest of rifle is there but stock has been sanded. Don't know much about these rifles and just trying to get some general information.

 

[Coup d'etat]

They were issued to Canadian soldiers during WWI, and are very accurate rifles, more accurate than the Lee Enfield No1 MkIII. In fact the Ross rifle was more often used as a sniper rifle.
They did not like to get dirty, such as mud and sand, so they were a nightmare to maintain in the trenches. They were made with tight tolerances and debris would render the action inoperable.
They are a true "straight-pull" action, and if the bolt is removed for cleaning or service, it is critical to re-assemble the bolt head correctly.
If the bolt is incorrectly assembled and put back into the action, the bolt more likely than not, will not lock when fired, and subsequently travel through your skull. A most unpleasant experience.
It would be a great weapon to restore if you could find original wood (stock and hand guard).

Cheers, Coup

 

[Marcus2492]

just an update I purchased the rifle and shot it this past week and it shoots very well and action is very smooth. the rifle was very accurate and I am only 300$ into the rifle.... I don't normally purchase sportified rifles but with one this rare/unusual I couldn't help myself.

 

[Felid'Maximus]

As a not very rich person who loves mechanisms, I love bastardized, sporterized, refinished, and cosmetically damaged old guns.

It allows me to enjoy designs that I would otherwise be priced out of.

 

[lemmonhead]

That is about the correct price. Looking at some different gun auctions over the past 3-5 years. These come up every once in awhile for auction. The rifles that have cut barrels and cut stocks range in the $200-350 range. Rifles with just a cut stock range from $300-550.
That looks like a decent rifle.

 

[lemmonhead]

And if you have a wild hair to restore it
https://rossriflerestoration.com/Ross-MKIII.php

 

[Marcus2492]

That is about the correct price. Looking at some different gun auctions over the past 3-5 years. These come up every once in awhile for auction. The rifles that have cut barrels and cut stocks range in the $200-350 range. Rifles with just a cut stock range from $300-550.
That looks like a decent rifle.

It’s a good shooting rifle and has a nice rear sight adjustable for elevation and windage. But the cost of those stocks and the one barrel band I’ll need will put me over 1000$ into the rifle…a little too much for me.

 

[MAC702]

It’s a good shooting rifle and has a nice rear sight adjustable for elevation and windage.

Hey, Lemmonhead, would a correct as-issued one be a good rifle for CMP's foreign military match?

 

[lemmonhead]

As long as the barrel is in good condition, would be an excellent rifle for CMP matches. These rifles have some good accuracy potential.

A good military configuration 1905 is worth $1200-1600, if not more. There are far more sporterized rifles than there are full military.

Problem is, some of the chambers were re-reamed very generously and will stretch brass. The other is problem is the bores tend to be rough because of the corrosive ammo used during this period.

 

[Coup d'etat]

If your Ross has a nice clean bore, that's a plus. British WWI 303 ammo was loaded with cordite strands and had corrosive primers.

The rounds below are dated 1905. It is also lhe correct ammo that would have been used in the 2nd Boer War in South Africa, for the single-shot Martini-Henry lever rifles.

 

[Coup d'etat]

Early British 303 such as pictured above is quite scarce and usually sells for $5.00 per round.

 

[Marcus2492]

This one I got has a very nice bore and crown I don’t think it was shot much mostly carried as a hunting/sporting rifle.