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Thread: Ross Sniper

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    Ross Sniper

    Stumbled across some interesting photos and information. I knew that the Ross rifle failed to stand up to the rigors of war time conditions in WWI, however I didn't know that it was the choice weapon of many snipers in that conflict.

    Thought I'd share some cool photos of this rare rifle.







    "For famous men have the whole earth as their memorial: it is not only the inscriptions on their graves in their own country that mark diem out; no, in foreign lands also, not in any visible form but in people's hearts, their memory abides and grows. It is for you to try to be like them. Make up your minds that happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous." - Pericles

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    Team GunsNet Gold 07/2012 / Super Moderator Gunreference1's Avatar

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    That's a Ross Mark 3 Sniper rifle. It had a 30.53" (775mm) barrel and the optics were made by the Warner and Swasey Company of Cleveland, OH. Some of these were supplied to the Soviet Army in 1940 and later rebarreled and chambered to 7.62x54R for use by the Soviet 'Running Boar' shooting team to win gold in the 1954 World Shooting Championships.

    Steve
    After today, it's all historical.

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    Team Gunsnet Platinum 06/2016 ltorlo64's Avatar

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    That is one ugly scope.

    I didn't even realize they had snipers in WWI. I thought we barely had them in WWII.
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    Team GunsNet Gold 07/2012 / Super Moderator Gunreference1's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by ltorlo64 View Post
    That is one ugly scope.

    I didn't even realize they had snipers in WWI. I thought we barely had them in WWII.
    Snipers have been around for a long while.

    http://www.snipercountry.com/sniphistory.asp

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    Team Gunsnet Platinum 06/2016 ltorlo64's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunreference1 View Post
    Snipers have been around for a long while.

    http://www.snipercountry.com/sniphistory.asp

    Steve
    I said that wrong, I didn't know that the military was training and equiping snipers. I knew that we had them but I thought until more recent times they outfitted themselves. Cool link, thanks.
    "Nothing ever gets so bad that government "help" can't make it worse." Pat Garrett, March 22, 2014

    "HATE IS GOOD, WHEN ITS DIRECTED AT EVIL." PROBASCO, April 20, 2012

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    Senior Member Penguin's Avatar

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    The Ross was a acurate rifle. More so than the SMLE from what I have heard. The problem was that it didn't like the mud and dust of the trenches. I would like to get a Ross rifle one of these days.
    Doobie Doobie Doo..

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    Yeah those optics are quite something aren't they?

    I've heard that Canada, more than some other nations, embraced the idea of snipers in WWI, and in WWII was the first country to cross train their snipers as scouts as well. Kind of hersay information though, haven't read it in any authoritative sources.
    "For famous men have the whole earth as their memorial: it is not only the inscriptions on their graves in their own country that mark diem out; no, in foreign lands also, not in any visible form but in people's hearts, their memory abides and grows. It is for you to try to be like them. Make up your minds that happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous." - Pericles

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    That's a new one on me, the Ross Rifle. Nice photos, ejoyed the post a lot.

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    Team Guns Network Silver 04/2015 mrkalashnikov's Avatar

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    The adjective "ungainly" immediately comes to mind.

    The Ross had a great reputation for accuracy but a terrible one for reliabilty. They were badly prone to jamming issues due to the overly-complicated bolt design. I've read it was common for Canadian soldiers to ditch them in favor of American Springfields or British Enfields.

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    Worse they were dangerous. If you improperly re assembled the bolt (easy to do) I could come flying back into your face on firing. It was a flawed design attempting to imitate the austro hungarian M95 straight pull.

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    Senior Member Dr. Gonzo GED's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by ltorlo64 View Post
    That is one ugly scope.

    I didn't even realize they had snipers in WWI. I thought we barely had them in WWII.
    They had sharp shooters who became quite good at taking out heads above the trenchline. It was the first conflict where people started actually taking notes on long distance shooting in different conditions and developed the begginings of sniping as a skillset.

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    Senior Member Penguin's Avatar

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    For some interisting information on the Ross I would read a Rifleman Went to War. That is a pretty good read.
    Doobie Doobie Doo..

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    Senior Member Durangokid's Avatar

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    They do very good in Milsurp matches.

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