Forced-Air Cooling in an Experimental Ross Machine Gun
Canada
•
7m 49s
In addition to building three main patterns of straight-pull bolt action rifle for the Canadian military and the commercial market, Sir Charles Ross also experimented with self-loading rifles. Starting with a standard Ross Mk III, this experimental rifle has a gas piston and trigger to allow automatic fire and a very neat forced-air cooling system. A one-way ratchet mechanism (now broken, unfortunately) spins the fan when the bolt cycles, pushing air into a barrel shroud similar to that of a Lewis gun. This rifle was most likely made in 1915 or 1916 with an eye to a military light machine gun or automatic rifle contract - which never happened.
Thanks to the Canadian War Museum for providing me access to film this Ross for you!
Up Next in Canada
-
Canadian Ross MkIII Sniper Rifle with...
The Canadian infantry that went to Europe in the early years of World Wa rOne were equipped primarily with the Ross MkIII rifle. The Ross would become quite the scandal, and was replaced in service with the SMLE in 1916 - but as a sniper rifle the Ross excelled. Its problems in service were large...
-
"Ross" Semiauto Prototype Rifle
See more photos and a full description at:
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/early-semiauto-rifles/anonymous-blishross/
-
Myth and Reality of the Ross MkIII Rifle
There is a long-standing urban legend about the Canadian Ross rifle, a straight-pull bolt action that was used in lieu of the SMLE by Canadian troops early in World War One. The story is that the Ross would sometimes malfunction and blow the bolt back into its shooter's face, with pretty horrible...
