Thread: Pair of Ross Rifle projects

Hi all,

Thought I would show off a couple of projects I have been working on over the last wee while,

First is a MKIII Ross that I received as a barreled action with no stock. It has been rebarreled in 30/303 and fitted to a Boyds uninletted stock. The scope mounting was a trial and error job as I didn't want to damage the action. Shoots well now and has taken a few deer.





The second is a M-1910 Sporter in .280 Ross, this one has had the original stock refinished, checkering recut, and the metalwork all reblued. This has been a labour getting it to the point I can shoot it. .287 projectiles from Woodleigh in OZ, brass resized from .375 Ruger. Going to work up the load using 7X64S&H data as a base as they have similar case capacity and size.






I have a few more pictures of the process if anyone is interested!

Very nice. Please share as this an “all about guns” forum and lot of us enjoy the interesting and different.

Yep, interested. They're both very unusual rifles and it's brilliant that you're restoring the them to use and not just to look at!

Would like to hear as many more stories about the process as you're willing to commit to (virtual) paper. Case forming for that 280 looks arduous - there's a lot of taper to the finished case compared to the straight-sided 375 Ruger base.

My dad has/had one. 280
Not sure. Dont talk that much and not that close.
Good to see

No worries, I'm pleased with how they both turned out.

The case forming, that was a research exercise largely, not as hard as sourcing the projectiles, obviously there is no factory cartridge that comes really close in dimensions the original has a semi rebated rim, and the long taper that allows easy feeding in a straight pull. In the hunt for a case I did a fair bit of research, the prevailing strategy was either to neck down a .375 H&H or size and fireform a .300H&H. My special brain didn't like the idea of having a belted case used for that job, mostly from an aesthetic point of view (although only I would really be seeing it) and fortunately someone had used the .375 Ruger for donor cases and it works. A search in NZ revealed that no-one had it in stock but thankfully someone was selling 50pcs hornady brass on the yellow site. To form the cases is pretty simple, full size .280 Ross die and case lube taken in very slow bites.




As you can see there were a few collapses, I expected this and got away with 45 formed cases. Have tested them and they fit & feed well.

I will say, I have fired and used a fair few straight pulls, including some very high end ones, the Ross action is as smooth if not more smooth than all of these. Pretty impressive for 100 years old, I'll update more about the ammo situation when I have a bit more time.

Nice job! Good to see something a bit different, and fully functioning and working.

The .287 projectiles were the most difficult thing to source as only two manufacturers make them, Hawk Bullets in the US and Woodleigh in Australia. They are only still made as the .275 H&H uses them as well as the .280 Ross.

An email to both people advertising Woodleigh in NZ told me that they were not planning on importing more in the near future. I contacted Woodleigh directly and they informed me that they didn't have a licence to export to individuals from Australia. They were extremely helpful and put me in touch with one of their stockists in OZ that could. Once that was sorted I ordered two boxes of 50 and they came pretty quick.

This was over a year ago, does anyone know what the status of importing projectiles is now? Would be keen to get some more.

I also have a MK2 Ross action with a poked barrel I am looking at doing, that will be a lot of work as the barrel has a very fiddly square cut 3 tip left hand thread!

Originally Posted by kip13

No worries, I'm pleased with how they both turned out.

The case forming, that was a research exercise largely, not as hard as sourcing the projectiles, obviously there is no factory cartridge that comes really close in dimensions the original has a semi rebated rim, and the long taper that allows easy feeding in a straight pull. In the hunt for a case I did a fair bit of research, the prevailing strategy was either to neck down a .375 H&H or size and fireform a .300H&H. My special brain didn't like the idea of having a belted case used for that job, mostly from an aesthetic point of view (although only I would really be seeing it) and fortunately someone had used the .375 Ruger for donor cases and it works. A search in NZ revealed that no-one had it in stock but thankfully someone was selling 50pcs hornady brass on the yellow site. To form the cases is pretty simple, full size .280 Ross die and case lube taken in very slow bites.

Attachment 227612
Attachment 227613

As you can see there were a few collapses, I expected this and got away with 45 formed cases. Have tested them and they fit & feed well.

I will say, I have fired and used a fair few straight pulls, including some very high end ones, the Ross action is as smooth if not more smooth than all of these. Pretty impressive for 100 years old, I'll update more about the ammo situation when I have a bit more time.

@kip13 You are annealing the case necks before reforming ?

No I didn’t anneal them, probably part of my problem. Although as they were new and Hornady supposedly do it at the factory I wasn’t too bothered. Might try it next time though!

Originally Posted by kip13

No I didn’t anneal them, probably part of my problem. Although as they were new and Hornady supposedly do it at the factory I wasn’t too bothered. Might try it next time though!

@kip13 Annealing is absolutely essential before sizing and after sizing

The sizing will work harden the brass and annealing afterwards will give you better life on the brass
Annealing again ever 3 firings will also help extend their life

I run some pretty unobtainium brass cases and form some down massively.
It would be impossible without proper annealing

Cool thanks for the tip, I will do that from now on!

Don't do it with primed cases

Some useless info (now)
The B.E.L.L. referred to went out of business years ago. They were a source of various base cases that could be formed into other rarer cartridges. Some of the forming required several steps with annealing done before each step. Annealing always done.

Great info to have though, thanks for sharing!

Very nice! I really like the Ross, I think it’s a great design.
I have a model 1910 with a shot out barrel that’s begging for attention. Just don’t know what to do with it (that I can afford)