Ross M-10 Sporter
Ross Rifle Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1910
Also known as: Ross Model 1910 Sporter, Ross .280 Sporter, Ross M10 Sporting Rifle
Overview
The Ross M-10 Sporter is a Canadian straight-pull bolt-action sporting rifle built by the Ross Rifle Company and chambered primarily in the high-velocity .280 Ross cartridge. A civilian refinement of the Model 1910 (M-10) action that also served as the basis for the Mark III military rifle, the Sporter paired Sir Charles Ross's smooth straight-pull bolt with a finely finished walnut sporting stock and a 24-inch barrel. The .280 Ross was among the first commercial cartridges to push a spitzer bullet to roughly 880 m/s, making the M-10 Sporter a favourite of deer stalkers and long-range target shooters, and it won the Bisley King's Prize in 1912 and 1913. The rifle is widely regarded as the finest sporting arm Ross ever produced.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3600 g (127.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1168 mm (45.98") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Straight Pull |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Fixed Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 884 m/s (2900 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3544 J (2614 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .280 Ross · primary — also known as .280 Ross-Eley, .280 Rimless Nitro Express Ross, .28-1906
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Straight Pull Bolt, Sporting Stock, Open Sights, High Velocity Chambering
Service history
Operators
- Civilian sport shooters and hunters
- British competitive target shooters
Production
Production years: 1910-1917
Commercial sporting production ended when the Ross Rifle Company's Quebec plant was nationalized in 1917.
Origin
Country of origin: Canada
Designer: Sir Charles Ross
Discontinued: 1917
Notes
The straight-pull bolt can be reassembled incorrectly after disassembly, allowing it to fire out of battery; M-10 actions should be inspected by a gunsmith familiar with the Ross design before firing. The same M-10 action underpinned the Canadian Mark III service rifle of the First World War.
Background
The .280 Ross and the Ross rifle dominated international long-range target shooting before the First World War, winning the Bisley King's Prize in 1912 and 1913, yet the cartridge's reputation suffered after high-profile African hunting failures on dangerous game, where its lightly constructed bullets sometimes failed to penetrate.