The Ross MkII (aka Ross 1905) was a reasonably successful rifle design, but it lacked a few elements that the Canadian military would have preferred. Most significantly, it was not compatible with the charger clip that was introduced for the Lee Enfield rifles in 1907. The rifle we have today is a toolroom prototype Ross from about 1909 that was an experiment in adding clip compatibility. The receiver is a 1905/MkII type, but with a combination stripper clip guide and rear sight screwed onto the rear of the action. It has a 5-round staggered Mauser-type magazine box, a Lee Enfield style buttstock, a 1903 Springfield type bolt stop, and a thinner profile barrel than either the MkII or eventual MkII Ross patterns. The only marking on the rifle is the designation “H5” on the receiver and bolt. Ultimately, virtually none of this rifle’s unique features were included in the finalized MkIII Ross.
Book review
Book Review: Arms & Accoutrements of the Mounted Police 1873-1973
The Royal North West Mounted Police (later merged with the Dominion Police to become the RCMP – Royal Canadian Mounted Police) are an interesting and often overlooked element of the western frontier. We Americans tend […]
Bolt Action Rifles
Canadian Experimental Lightweight No4 Enfield at James D Julia
In 1943 the need for a lighter and handier version of the Lee Enfield rifle became clear throughout the British Commonwealth, and experimentation began in Canada, Britain, and Australia. The work in Britain would culminate […]
Competition
Greener MkIII Police in a 2-Gun Shotgun Match (Video)
Every few years, there is a special 2-Gun match at my local club, using shotgun and pistol instead of rifle and pistol. The rules of this match are a bit different than most multigun competition […]
My 1905 Ross is one of my favorite rifles. Too bad it’s next to impossible to find the .280 Ross ammo for it.
You can find it. But at almost $6 a round you have to really love that rifle.
I’m surprised that nobody thought to add a bolt cover or any feature to keep dirt out of the bolt track.