doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com John Ross SLE

Over the weekend I handled a very fine John Ross marked sidelock ejector. It most resembles a Purdey in fit, finish, and engraving. Probably made around 1900 or so. Does anyone know of this maker ? I didn't have my camera to take photos, but it was as good as any.

There are two "John Ross" listed in

http://www.internetgunclub.com/general/HistoryDetails.php


one at: 3 Wells Mews,Well Street,London...1896-1898

and one at: 18 St. John’s Grove,Richmond,Surrey...1917?

Regards,

Masterpiece?

Rocketman, well, if you like the way Purdey does their guns, then you would like this gun. My friend got it from a Canadian friend and that fellow said that he had had Purdey's , but this one [Ross] was better. Probably could be construed as seller's hype, but it was really a very fine sidelock ejector. The style of it all was like Purdey uses.

John Ross of 26 Stewarts Road, Battersea, London[Or,26 Stewart lane, Battersea Park Road,London] A gunmaker, was granted British patents #14866 of 1890, and #19395 of 1890. These patents refer to a hammerless shotgun cocked by a sliding rod system together with the associated ejector mechanism.In addition J. Ross was also granted British patent #1995 of 1890 this patent covers a design for an easy closing shotgun action. These patents can be seen in The British Shotgun vol;11 by Crudgington and Baker. It would be interesting to find out whether or not the Ross gun incorporates any of the patents listed above.
Despite the Canadian connection, there dose not appear to be any relationship with the, Ross rifle company of Montreal. One may speculate that such a gun might have attracted the attention of Sir Charles Ross the companies founder!

Was it on a Purdey-style Beesley action?


OWD

The Ross action, patents #19395 and 14866 of 1890 utilize a sliding rod to cock the gun more in the style of the Perks/Scott action and thus are an entirely different concept to the Purdey.The associated ejector systems,patent #1995 of 1890 is complex. In combination, the objective of the designs was to create an easy closing action.[ie Perhaps to offer an alternative to the Purdey action which some say is harder to close than other actions used on S.L.E. guns!]
According to Baker and Crudgington they have not as yet seen a gun built to the Ross patents.
It would appear that John Ross was an out worker to the London trade, who ultimately set up business on his own account.

I did not notice the type of cocking design, but will have photos in a couple of weeks when my friend gets home. Hopefully we will see some of the insides of the gun so we can identify the Ross patents if they are there. I did hear the Ross might have been an actioner for Atkin, but am not sure.

I was looking at a map of London and see where 3 Wells Mews is located. I will be staying not far from that location next month and will try to walk by. By the way, I see the term "Mews" in lots of British addresses. What is Mews ?

Daryl:
In the urban London sense a mews is (or was) a courtyard, lane, alley, ect., faced by a stable. While the stables are now gone, some side streets and alleyways still retain the name "Mews." The original meaning was a place where hunting hawks were kept, and modern falconers will still use the term to describe their hawk houses. For more info, Wickipedia has a superb discussion of the word "mews" that demonstrates the complexity and adapatbility of the English language--kifaru