Rifle, Ross Mk I
This was the first production military model Ross Rifle. The first few hundred were fitted with the full-length folding Sight, Ross Mk I. Before any were delivered, the sight was replaced with a shorter version graduated to 2,200 yards rather than 2,500 yards. Years later, this sight would be designated Sight, Ross Mk I*. Many weapons would have this replaced with the Sight, Ross Mk II, a curved sliding “Lange Vizier” type. The barrel was 28 inch long, and the fore-stock ended 4 inches short of the muzzle. The front band had a bayonet lug. The safety was a sliding flat plate on the back of the bolt handle operated by pushing a square button on the plate. The magazine cut-off was on the lower right of the magazine protruding through the stock, and pressing it down engaged the cut-off. The magazine cut-off release was inside the front of the trigger guard, and depressing it would disengage the cut-off. A large lever was on the right side which was used to depress the magazine follower for “dump loading” all five rounds at once. The weapon was a straight-pull cock-on-close design. There was a sliding trap in the butt-stock for cleaning tools. A total of 10,500 were manufactured. A number of the original 500 were re-purposed as training rifles and fitted with longer front barrel bands as used on later production Rifle, Ross Mk II. This was done so they could more easily endure the stress of constant bayonet practice.[1]
Carbine, Ross Mk I
The RNWMP purchased 1,000 shorter versions of the Ross Mk I. The main difference was the barrel length of 26 inches. The full stock of the rifle was retained, and the barrel projected only 2 inches past the forestock. As presented for inspection, the carbines used the shorter version of the Sight, Ross Mk I. However, at the inspector’s request, the weapons were delivered fitted with the Sight, Ross Mk II.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II
This designation was a 1909 re-designation of those Mk I rifles that had been fitted with the Sight, Ross Mk II.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II/Rifle, Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk II
After various complaints had been received, the weapon was re-designed to address the issues. The 28 inch barrel length was retained, and the Sight, Ross Mk II was used. The most noticeable change was the replacement of the side-mounted magazine cut-off control and trigger-guard mounted cut-off release with a single hook shaped control inside the front trigger guard that performed both functions. The action was also changed to cock-on-open. The safety was similar to the earlier model’s, but the slider was more solid and inside the bolt handle, moved by pushing a round button on the back of the bolt handle. Changes were introduced in production without change in designation until the introduction of the Sight, Ross Mk III when the nomenclature of the earlier rifles was expanded to Rifle, Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk II.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk III
The “Sight, Ross Mk II” proved more fragile than desired, and it was replaced with a simpler version, the “Sight, Ross Mk III”. Instead of a curved bend to the slider, they employed a straight slider with curve-cut sides bent down. The official nomenclature for this model was “Rifle, Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk III”. The 28 inch barrel was retained, the sight change being the difference. Further improvements would be introduced to production without changing the designation.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II*
In early 1909 it was decided to adapt the Rifle Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk II for cadet use, doing full maintenance and upgrading components to later production changes. The Sight, Ross Mk II was retained, however. 5,800 weapons were so converted from late 1909 to mid 1910. The weapons were designated Rifle, Ross Mk II*. This designation identified specific conversions of older weapons and did not reflect any changes to new production.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II**
Development of this weapon began in the spring of 1908, and the planned designation was Rifle, Ross Mk III. This model was intended as a major improvement over the previous Rifle, Ross Mark II with Sight, Ross Mk III. The barrel length was extended to 30.5 inches, the rear hand-guard was simplified, the safety was replaced by a completely new flag-type safety, and the rear sight was changed to the third-party Sight, Sutherland Mk I. The magazine cut-off was dispensed with entirely. By the time it was ready to be produced in numbers, an even more radical design change was in the works to become the Mk III, and this model was designated Rifle, Ross Mk II** instead. In May 1909, it was decided to convert some 500 of the Rifle, Ross Mk II, with Sight, Ross Mk III to the new design for field trials. This was increased to 700. While these weapons were being trialed, production of the shorter “Mk II” continued, with some of the “Mk II**” changes being introduced. In 1911, the Rifle, Ross Mk II** became the standard Canadian issue, and production began. Some 13,000 were newly manufactured before this model was superseded by the Rifle, Ross Mk III in 1912.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II3*
This rifle was an adaptation of the Rifle, Ross Mk II to use the Sight, Sutherland Mk II. Some internal improvements were made as well. The original sliding button safety and the magazine cut-off were retained, along with the 28 inch barrel and the stylish older rear hand-guard. None of this model were newly manufactured. All were converted from Rifle, Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk III or the later Rifle, Ross Mk II4*. Some 26,000 were converted from 1910 to 1912. 20,000 were sold to the United States in Nov, 1917. In 1911, the shorter variants were replaced by the longer Rifle, Ross Mk II** as standard Canadian issue.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II4*
This rifle was a simple upgrade of the last 4,000 manufactured Rifle, Ross Mk II with Sight, Ross Mk III to include the new larger extractor introduced with the Mk II**. The 28 inch barrel, stylish rear hand-guard, sliding button safety, and magazine cut-off were retained. They were completed in the early summer of 1910, then all 4,000 were immediately converted into the Rifle, Ross Mk II3*.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk II5*
The last of the shorter (28 inch barrel) Mk II line would be produced using the “Sight, Sutherland Mk I” and simplified rear hand-guard of the Mk II**. The 28 inch barrel, sliding button safety, and magazine cut-off were retained. Starting in 1910, some 15,000 were manufactured. In 1911, the shorter variants were replaced by the longer Mk II** as standard Canadian issue.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk III
For all practical purposes, the Mk III was an entirely new design. It incorporated the 30.5 inch barrel and flag safety of the Mk II**, taking that re-design much further. The internal double-stack magazine was replaced with an exposed single-stack magazine. The “dump loading” lever was gone, and a charger guide was added for loading with stripper clips. A magazine cut-off was employed, but the design that lowered the magazine shell was discarded and replaced by one that restricted the rearward travel of the bolt. The bolt-stop plunger was replaced by a flag lever with three positions (cut-off enabled, bolt release, cut-off disabled). The bolt was far sturdier and had multi-thread locking lugs. A new rear sight designated the “Ross Battle Aperture” was installed on the bridge of the receiver rather than on top of the barrel. World War I increased demand, and at least 235,540 were produced for Canadian forces.[1]
Rifle, Ross Mk IIIB
The British government chose to purchase a version of the Mk III with a far simpler rear sight known as the “War Office Pattern Sight”. The stock was also strengthened. Some 66,590 were produced.[1]
A “Rifle, Ross Mk III*” may have existed, employing a strengthened action, new front barrel band, and different front sight. The one source mentioning it considers the designation dubious.[12]
. Canadian Military Ross Model 1903 Mk. I Rifle
. Rare Canadian Ross Mk II Rifle 1905
Firearms - Ross Rifle, Sniper MK III. 1910
WINCHESTER A5 SCOPE
Two types of Mark III sniper rifles are identified by different telescopic sights. Five hundred rifles were fitted with 5.2× Warner & Swasey Company Model 1913 prismatic telescopic sights manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio. Serial numbers for rifles manufactured in 1915 have a FK prefix; while those manufactured in 1917 have a LU prefix. Another 907 rifles were fitted with Winchester Repeating Arms Company A5 telescopic sights. Both telescopic sights were mounted offset so the iron sights were usable and the rifle could still be loaded from charging strips.[13]
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