.280 Ross Rifle

[TariqPathan]

Hi,
A friend of mine suggested that i purchase a .280 Ross Rifle once i get my license!!!!!!
Please advise:
1)Whether it would be a wise decision?
2)Whether the ammo is easily available?
3) Is it fun shooting it?
4)Also, if i wanted to sell it after some time ,would it sell easily?

Suggested price for the same was Rs 40,000/-

[xl_target]

Umm! A very emphatic NO.

The cartridge is long obsolete and you will never be able to get any ammunition.
While it is an interesting rifle for a collector of militaria, I wouldn't want to use my license on it.

You can read about the Ross Rifle and the .280 Ross ammo on Wikipedia

[TariqPathan]

Thanks

[TwoRivers]

NO. Unless you...

1. Live in the US

2. Are an experienced handloader and don't mind paying for expensive special custom case and bullet forming dies

3. Like the challenge of an unavailable or very expensive cartridge, and bullet diameter that differs from those readily available.

[TariqPathan]

thanks,
none of the above

[marksman]

Also not unless you are thoroughly proficient in disassembling and reassembling the bolt mechanism. The straight pull bolt mechanism has killed many soldiers while shooting the Ross rifle. The bolt if not properly assembled can shoot backwards through the aiming eye and cause major injury or even instant death.
Marksman

[TwoRivers]

"A few" would be closer to the truth. The story has been vastly exaggerated; and the Ross has become more dangerous with every retelling. In a recent experiment the bolt was actually stopped by the bolt stop. But if the bolt stop would shear or were turned, things would be different. But, the danger is there, and anyone owning a Ross Mk. 10 rifle needs to be aware.

[xl_target]

I believe this is the experiment that Two Rivers was talking about.

[miroflex]

A very interesting and informative video. Thank you for posting it.

As an aside, I have been searching for .280 Ross cartridges for my father's rifle for nearly 35 years .i.e. since 1980. A dealer in Allahabad told me that he had some but they turned out to be .280 Rimmed.

A dealer in Kanpur told me that he can source me ammunition from Kerala at Rs 2000 per cartridge but with no guarantee that they will fire. If rifle primers were available in India, an attempt could have been made at reloading them.

[TwoRivers]

Miroflex: Even if primers were available in India, a Berdan primer would be required to fit these old cases. Size of Berdan primers also differed, British and continental European primer size was not the same. Just about all modern sporting cartridges are loaded with Boxer type primers; those are the primers commercially available. Not to forget the special .288" bullet size. The case can be formed from the .300 H&H Magnum case as a makeshift, but requires special dies.
Even here in the US the .280 Ross cartridge is a collector's item; but would probably go for less than 2,000 IRs a piece. Seemingly more so than other old cases, the .280 Ross cartridge has a tendency to have split necks.
Wish I could be more encouraging, the .280 Ross was a fine cartridge, ahead of its time. The Ross sporters are beautiful and well built rifles. But their days, I am afraid, are over.