Ross rifle
| Ross rifle | |
|---|---|
| Type | Bolt action rifle |
| Place of origin | Canada |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1905–1918 1939–1945 |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Charles Ross |
| Designed | 1903 |
| Produced | 1903–1918 |
| No. built | 420,000 |
| Variants |
|
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) |
| Length | 1,320 mm (52 in) |
| Barrel length |
|
| Caliber | .303 in (7.70 mm) |
| Action | Straight-pull bolt action |
| Rate of fire | User dependent |
| Feed system | 5-round stripper clip/charger |
The Ross rifle is a straight-pull bolt action rifle chambered in .303 British that was produced in Canada from 1903 until 1918.
The Ross Mk.II (or "model 1905") rifle was highly successful in target shooting before World War I, but the close chamber tolerances, lack of primary extraction and length made the Mk.III (or "1910") Ross rifle unsuitable for the conditions of trench warfare, exacerbated by the often poor quality ammunition issued.
The Ross Rifle Co. made sporting rifles from early in its production, most notably chambered in .280 Ross, introduced in 1907. This cartridge is recorded as the first to achieve over 3,000 ft/s (914 m/s) muzzle velocity and the cartridge acquired a very considerable international reputation among target shooters and hunters.