.280 Ross

[6mm Remington]

So is this in your safe yet Mike? Safe and sound? :grin: Throw a picture of a .280 Remington case next to it for us who have never seen one before please.
David

 

[DrMike]

Will do, David. It will have to wait until later, however, as I'm on my way out the door right now.

 

[sask boy]

Hi Mike that is another beauty added to your collection.
Where abouts did you find the space for a safe in your room :wink: :?:
Well it will be fun getting the range reports & photos of the new toys that you will be working
with :mrgreen:

Blessings,
Dan

 

[FOTIS]

Beautiful rifle !!!!!!!!!!

 

[duckcreekdick]

I'm new here to this site but have owned my M-10 .280 Ross for some years. Dr. Mike, you may be aware that more misinformation has been printed about the "dangerous" Ross than any other rifle. I suggest you pick up the 2002 Gun Digest and read the excellent article by Jim Foral "The Model 1910 Ross 'The Best Rifle in the World' ". There is also a wealth of internet information on the Ross Rifle Forum. You have a fine looking rifle and I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it. If I can help you with any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[sask boy]

Hi DCD, welcome to the forum. I think that you will really enjoy it here as there are lots of great people and the knowledge on this forum is next to none. Hope you enjoy the discussions :wink: and join in...

Blessings,

Dan

 

[DrMike]

DCD,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your gracious offer. I am quite familiar with the Ross Rifle site (for those who may be interested, http://www.rossrifle.com/). This is my third Ross rifle. I have a .303, which I've shot quite a bit, and I had a military rifle which I cannibalised for parts. This is my first Model 10, however. The dies that accompanied the rifle were cracked. I'm waiting on some new dies to pull the trigger on this rifle. I am fully aware of the misinformation on the "dangerous Ross." I don't know that I'll have dies in time for the rifle to accompany me afield this year, but if so, it will be fun to again use the old firearm as it was meant to be used, taking a fine whitetail or even an elk. Otherwise, it may wait until next year to be blooded by my hands. Thank you again for your kind information.

 

[duckcreekdick]

Dr. Mike: I notice that your Ross has Weaver bases. Would you be so kind to give me the numbers of the front and rear base, since I plan to put a scope on my already drilled and tapped rifle? I have .500 hole spacing on the front receiver ring and .440 spacing on the rear receiver bridge. My front base should be .150 higher than the rear base to keep things level. Thanks!
My 67 year-old eyes require more than that little flip-up sight on the barrel. I figure a 6X Burris will help me out in my quest for the best reload for this old girl.

 

[Oldtrader3]

How is 300 H&H brass fireformed if it doesn't have a belt?

I am trying to remember because this cartridge is older than even I am! It would seem that two things are possible, find .300 H&H rimmed cases which are similar to the Ross in rim and case dimensions, plus they are long enough.

Secondly, the .300 H&H standard case belted rim dimension is .530 which is close to the .531 case base dimension on the .280 Ross. The issue would be extraction because the Ross case in semi-rimmed and the rim diameter is .556. I guess that you would have to form a .280 Ross case from a .300 H&H and try it for extraction?

 

[DrMike]

Charlie,

Buffalo Bore markets 280 Ross brass made from 300 H&H. It is possible to build the brass from that and from 348 Win. Though 280 Ross brass is pricey, it is available from Bertram and from Quality Cartridge. It seems rather foolish to spend almost the same amount of money to buy anything other than properly manufactured brass for the old lady. It's not as if I will be burning the barrel out.

DCD,

I just got in from a day of fishing. I will check the bases. They were on the rifle when I got it, and I will be scoping it with a new scope shortly. The previous owner that indeed used Weaver bases and rings to settle a Bell scope on the rifle. I'll give the scope away and put something worthy of the rifle atop it. I promise that I'll inform you as soon as I'm able to get some measurements.

 

[duckcreekdick]

Dr. Mike: Don't go to too much trouble of measuring. Just give me the little numbers stamped on the top edges of the base and we should be close. I was thinking that maybe the #61 rear and #46 front bases for the Savage 110 might do, since the Savage has a flat rear receiver bridge like the Ross. I'll check the heights tomorrow to see if these are anywhere close.
Oldtrader3: 300H&H cases will chamber and fireform just fine and work pretty well after they are sized down, trimmed and fireformed. The 300 H&H case has a lot of body taper to begin with, like the .280 Ross, so there is less working of the brass than, say, a straight-walled basic case. I've had better luck with Remington-Peters cases because they seem to be annealed more and easier to work with. You get some swelling just ahead of the belt but that is entirely safe and will not get worse. It is not incipient case head separation. The latest word is to make .280 Ross cases from .375 Ruger and that avoids the swelling issue completely. The rim diameter of the .300 H&H is smaller than the Ross case but I've experienced no extraction problems. Years ago I bought some pricey Bell basic brass and ruined about 6 out of the 20 in the sizing process.
.300 H&H is available, cheaper and quite useable but I'm going to try the .375 Ruger case next.
I'm glad I found this site and it's a pleasure talking with you fellows.

 

[Oldtrader3]

DrMike, I absolutely agree with buying Ross cases if you can, especially for a lady as old as the Model 10 Ross. The .300 H&H would be an emergency measure only. Are the .348 cases long enough (2.26 inches vs. 2.59 inches)?

 

[nvbroncrider]

DCD,

Welcome. There is a bunch of great guys here with a vast knowledge base that aren't afraid to share ideas and opinions and answer questions. It's by far the best forum I've been on.

 

[duckcreekdick]

Fellow reloaders: I'm the new guy here and I don't want to step on any toes by adding my two cents worth. Making .280 Ross cases from .300 H&H or .375 Ruger cases is no more of an emergency thing than making .33 Winchester cases from 45-70 cases or .256 Newton cases from .270 Win. It is entirely safe and you either do it or not shoot your rifle, since factory ammo is no longer available. I have a few original Kynoch .280 Ross rounds and some empty brass but the brass is old and berdan priming is something I don't want to tackle just yet.
I might mention a great source book on this topic, "The Handloaders Manual of Cartridge Conversions" by John J. Donnelly, Stoeger Publishing Co.
I've laid in a supply of the hard-to-get .348 Winchester brass for my Model 71 Winchester, just in case that dries up. Sorry, but there is no way that a .280 Ross case can be made from the short, fat, rimmed .348 Winchester.

 

[DrMike]

DCD,

You're not stepping on any toes that I know of. I am familiar with making the Ross cases from various other brass cases. I have some cases made from 300 H&H and from 348 Win. The remainder of the 348 Win brass that came with the rifle will be reserved for a Model 71 (I acknowledge that brass lying around is a dangerous thing--it attracts rifles). I do have small supply of properly head-stamped 280 Ross brass, and I will likely be ordering a supply of either Bertram or Quality Cartridge brass. I prefer, whenever possible, to use properly headstamped brass, though I have converted other brass to meet my needs when necessary.

 

[SJB358]

The remainder of the 348 Win brass that came with the rifle will be reserved for a Model 71 (I acknowledge that brass lying around is a dangerous thing--it attracts rifles).

Now your talking! I have a set of dies for the 348... It is touch and go sometimes.. Those M71's are some awesome rifles. Hopefully Winchester puts a few out this year!

 

[DrMike]

I may yet own one, Scotty. Though I tend to age a little more each day, it is still something that should (even if for a short while) be used by this old shooter. However, so long as I continue grabbing other "needed" rifles, it keeps getting shoved to the back of the acquisitions.

 

[SJB358]

I may yet own one, Scotty. Though I tend to age a little more each day, it is still something that should (even if for a short while) be used by this old shooter. However, so long as I continue grabbing other "needed" rifles, it keeps getting shoved to the back of the acquisitions.

I am glad you aren't the only one. I hate when other needed rifles pop up. I have such a good plan in my head most days and they are usually shattered by a good looking Winchester!

 

[DrMike]

Lookit, I don't even have a Model 1886 at this point! There is still an extra Featherweight stock lying unused in the gun room! Now, I've receive a bunch of 300 H&H brass and 348 Winchester brass. There are several new rifles threatening to appear in my gun room. :shock: I'm feeling desperate! :twisted:

 

[duckcreekdick]

Some progress made this morning shooting my 1910 Ross. The rifle purchased decades ago from a gunshop in Grand Coulee, Washington had already been drilled and tapped for scope bases. I recently installed Weaver bases and a 6X Burris scope. I am trying to get the rifle to group and to give me modest velocities of 2500-2650fps. Today I shot six rounds loaded with 52 gr. of IMR4350 with the 175 gr. Hornady spire point. Cases were reformed Remington-Peters .300H&H brass. Velocities on my Beta chronograph averaged a little over 2500fps. Extraction was normal with no excess pressure indications.
My backyard range is 65 yards. As they say, "a good time was had by all." Thank you, Sir Charles Ross and your skilled craftsmen who made this fun possible. I tried to attach photos but I am told the "quota has been reached."