I heard about this accident 2 or 3 years back from a reliable gun collector, who specialized in Ross rifles.  The victim was connected with Springfield Sporters (Correction: it was Sarco) and personally known by my informant.  I seem to recall that the fatal accident was related to the ammuniton (custom loaded of course).  I've been curious about the facts in this tradgedy.  Possibly some members of this forum know more of the real and whole story.  We could all profit from knowing what happened to take the life of a fellow collector/reloader/shooter (facts and not BS & myth).  Chuck

I personally know nothing more about it than do you.  I came onto the story while I was chasing about the Internet trying to find a Lee Navy. 

There was apparently some sort of modification to the bolt, probably made by Winchester.  Some of the bolts have an added piece of steel that looks like cap or end piece.  Others have the end of the striker exposed.  I assume that the modification was the steel piece.  The more learned people with whom I corresponded told me I should only shoot the rifles with modified bolts.  Sounded good to me, but that plus a $4000 bill for the rifle, probably of dubious accuracy, plus the difficulty in finding or making brass, plus the cost of dies led me to abandon this idea.

A book on the Lee Navy has been published. I have not seen nor read it.  It appears to be available at most of the usual arms books sites and costs about $30.  That may be a starting point if you want to find out the specifics.

I think the rifle action was quite strong.  Back when Charles Newton wrote a column in the gun magazines (pre- & post- WW1), there was much discussion of a cartridge called the .25 Souper and it's use in shot-out Lee Navy rifles.  This was very close to a 25-06 except that it used the Lee Navy case.  None of Newton's writings mentioned a modified bolt.

I know that it is easily possible to put sufficient powder into the Lee Navy case to run pressures very high.  A blown primer might well be the first step in blowing a striker out of the bolt.

If it is the same story I think it was the owner of Sarco that died. If I remember correctly it happened at a shooting range.

waterman:  Bruce Canfield (a founding member of this forum) did a book covering the Winchester-Lee.  I borrowed a friend's for a while and like all of Canfield's work it was an enjoyable read.  (I must get my own copy).  Gary James did a nice magazine article a few years back about obtaining an 1895 Winchester-Lee for his collection, making ammunition, locating some Clips, and his success on target.  I've had an interest in the Winchester-Lee since I was 17 years old.  Back around 1965, I purchased a commercial sporter for $20, while on vacation in Michigan's Keweenaw Pennisula.  The metal was painted with black stovepipe enamel and the pistol grip had been lightly 'checkered' with a pocket knife.  The bore was poor because the owner's son had put a box of ammo through it without cleaning.  At over $1 a round back then, I could not afford to shoot the sporter.   Probably a good thing since it does not look like the action/striker handles a case failure well and any ammo was antique.  There were quirks about the action I did not like (lots of fragile areas).  It could not have passed the testing the Krag was subjected to.  Thanks for bringing up the tragic and sobering accident.  Chuck  p.s.  I sold my sporter long ago for $60.

Ross rifles were mentioned in the first posst.  These Canadian infantry rifles were mostly dropped on the W.W. 1 battlefield by the Canucks in favor of the British Lee Enfield, of the same caliber.  Obviously the Ross rifles were no prize and not much admired by the Canucks.  The problem was they were very suceptible to malfunction due to dirt ingestion, etc. and were not the most accurate weapon in the War.

But, also, the Real Danger is that the revolving bolt head on these rifles can be assembled and installed in the gun so that the lugs will Not Lock Up when you fire the rifle.  Having a bolt shot back into your head could be a very fatal event!


Carl D.

There are several models of Ross rifles, just as there are several models of Winchesters.  The Model 1905 was the basis for the Canadian military rifle.  In original form, it was very accurate.  But it fared poorly in the trenches.  It could not be fired if incorrectly assembled.  The Canadians greatly enlarged the chambers of their military rifles, greatly reducing their accuracy.  But the mud of the trenches won.  The Ross stayed in service with the Royal Canadian Navy (in the original form) for years, even through WW2.  Not much mud in ships or at naval stations.

In "The Rifle in America", Phil Sharpe wrote about the much-modified military 1905 Ross then (1937) available as Great War surplus.  He wrote that they were safe, but that you could not reliably hit a flock of barns with one.

The Model 1910 is the model that can be incorrectly assembled and will still fire.  About 15 or 20 years back, I came home with a beautiful 1910 sporter in 280 Ross.  My youngest son, a mechanical engineer, spent most of a Saturday taking the rifle apart and putting it back together, measuring things and taking notes.  He returned the rifle to me, saying "please don't ever shoot it, Dad".  I was in need of funds and sold it on consignment in a local gun shop.  I have never felt very good about doing that.