[dellllta]

I inherited my uncles large (113 in total) mil-surp collection a few years ago and have been learning about the various pieces ever since. Most pieces in the collection are complete and in good condition a few however, are not so nice and/or are missing parts. I have two Ross M1910 rifles that are both missing the handguards (other then that they appear to be in pretty good shape). Does anyone know of a source for these parts? I can't find a Ross rifle forum and they (rifles and/or parts) don't appear to come up for sale on the auction sites.....orphans?......any ideas? -John

 

[Vaarok]

Well, the thing about Ross Rifles is they're about the scarcest major national combatant WW1 rifle that was mass produced and widely issued. Because of their recall from service on the grounds of various faults, they never had the reservoir of replacement parts that other rifles relegated to second-line service would've had. And then consider the number that fell to Drill Purpose deactivation or were cannibalized for parts...

Basically, you should be incredibly proud to have one in any condition, much less two almost-completes. I've never even seen one in person, and the few I've seen sporterized started in the half a grand range and just went up from there. You could probably have a stockmaker make you a replacement, if you can find someone to loan you an original for a pattern, but it won't be cheap.

 

[Spetznatz]

Can you post a pic of the rifles? Like Vaarok I have never seen an uncannibalized or unsporterized Ross M1910 rifle.

 

[ncthorn]

When you get a chance I'd like to see a few pics of the collection. 113 guns is quite the inheritance!

 

[JIMMY C]

That Ross is one rifle that has alaways eluded me. I would love to find one.

Dellllta, Cheers to your Uncle to pass his collection to you to be it's steward.

 

[mawkie]

Wow, an instant collection and one that not only has monetary but emotional value! The tough thing about collecting Rosses is that, if kept in good condition, they're VG shooters which makes them catnip to Bubba. So finding replacement wood is a challenge 'cause you're not the only collector out there looking to restore a Ross. The MKIII is a special challenge for the reason Vaarok mentioned. They didn't make it to the US in any significant numbers unlike the MKII. I asked a stockmaker about replicating Ross MKII and MKIII stocks and it was a job that he didn't want to touch, too difficult. But I seem to remember that he mentioned handguards being a different matter. I'll probably see him again if he's at the York show at the end of the month. If I remember I'll pull a HG from one of my MKIIIs and have him take a look at it. I'm at work and don't have access to my collection but I'm certain that the MKIII and MKIIIB use the same HG.

 

[AMMOe]

I picked up an unaltered, as issued 1910 rifle about 7 years ago. Many of the Ross rifles had the chambers enlarged to handle poor quality .303 ammo issued in WWI (gritty, poor quality ammo) but my rifle never got that treatment. The fired rounds come from the chamber looking fine. I shoot cast bullets from it now and it is perhaps the most accurate 303 I own. The last time I shot it I had my (then) 15 year old son shooting milk jugs filled with colored water at 200 yards from a bench. He didn't miss one of them.

There used to me some Ross Rifle sites on the Net. YOu might look if you haven't already.~Andy

 

[dellllta]

Ross Rifles

I'm a bit new at posting photo's but hopefully all we'll be able to see the photo. Looking at the two Ross rifles (M1910) one is complete except for the handguard while the other has had the stock modified (and is missing the handguard, site hood, and barrel clamp. The one with the modified stock still has very good bluing on the metal parts. The other, while the bluing is not as good still isn't bad.

More to the story on the inheritance. I actualy inherited 1/3 of the collection (my two brother and I divided up almost 400 pieces!). We were/are fairly ignorant to the rarity/types/values of the items in the collection. We transported the collection to my brothers house (that was a job!), laid them on his garage floor, and then started picking; one at a time. When we got down to about the last 50 (which to us looked to be in bad shape missing parts, etc.) I and one brother both said we had enough (113 each is still a lot!). And we left the "remnants" with our other brother (by default because it was at his house). As I have become more educated in the collection it appears that the "bad shape" rifles (Krag's, Ross', Early mauser's, etc.) probably have as much or more value then the "nice" pieces. At least they stayed in the family!

I have the 113 pieces scattered all over my house; in gun cabinets, in my garage, under my bed, in the closet, etc. so it's not easy to take a picture of them in entirety. -John

 

[YoungSurplusNut]

I have been searching for a M1910 Ross for years to go with my Ross Mk.II, all I ever find are badly butchered ones with $500+ price tags...

 

[Randy45]

jealous....I inherited a remington .22 model 514 single shot bolt action..it was my dad's ...I think he got it for $15 when he was 12.....lots of memories of shooting beer cans though....you and your brothers are lucky your uncle left them in your care. Enjoy them and you always have memories of your uncle as well.

 

[Vaarok]

Holy crap. I have a barrel band for one of those!

I bought a giant bin of rifle parts a gunsmith had kept from sporterizing numerous rifles, and there's some mysterious bits left over. I swear there's one barrel band that's been sitting on my desk for a month that looks suspiciously like the midband on your Ross.

 

[Spetznatz]

Very nice looking rifles.

 

[Clay]

Wow, an instant collection and one that not only has monetary but emotional value! The tough thing about collecting Rosses is that, if kept in good condition, they're VG shooters which makes them catnip to Bubba. So finding replacement wood is a challenge 'cause you're not the only collector out there looking to restore a Ross. The MKIII is a special challenge for the reason Vaarok mentioned. They didn't make it to the US in any significant numbers unlike the MKII. I asked a stockmaker about replicating Ross MKII and MKIII stocks and it was a job that he didn't want to touch, too difficult. But I seem to remember that he mentioned handguards being a different matter. I'll probably see him again if he's at the York show at the end of the month. If I remember I'll pull a HG from one of my MKIIIs and have him take a look at it. I'm at work and don't have access to my collection but I'm certain that the MKIII and MKIIIB use the same HG.

ROSS RIFLE...CATNIP to BUBBA!
that one got me......

 

[Tiledude]

The most consistantly accurate milsurp that I've ever owned was a Ross M1910 MKIII rifle in .303. The M1910 shot much better for me than the M1905. 1907 Sporter in .280 Ross shot well too. Used to collect them - Wish I'd kept them.

It is hard to find any parts for Ross's other than posting what you need online or finding another Ross at a gunshow. About half that I've seen have been cut-down and sporterized.

Keep looking - They are out there, just not that many.

Tiledude

 

[Essex]

You can make the handguard from something else if you want. Go to gunshows or call stock makers and get a chunk of stock that has the same barrel channel as the handguard. Then carve the outside and use a file or rasp and belt sander to get the proper curvature. It may take some time but what else do you do when watching the game on TV. I needed a handguard for my Hungarian M35. A broken M95 stock is what I started with. Just remember our forefathers with just a tree branch and hand tools
made some very nice Kentucky rifle stocks.

 

[Robus]

I was going to suggest the same. If it were mine, I would have a handguard made for it. There's nothing wrong with that as long as it isn't mispresented. If and when you ever find an authentic handgaurd, just switch out the repro.