Mattr82 Posted 4 October , 2023 Share Posted 4 October , 2023 I had a good recent couple of weeks with regards to rifle purchases. A nice early (1915 possibly?) Ross Mk.III and a ConD IV. The ConD IV has been a rifle I have wanted for a long time. I have my theories on how these rifles came into Australia with no Australian stampings on the receiver. This rifle was re-barrelled at the Lithgow factory in 1945. That’s pretty unusual considering there was a concerted attempt to remove them out of Australian service immediately after WW1. They were certainly unwanted per se. It would have been brought back into service when in December 1941, all .303 calibre rifles were to be tuned in to the nearest military depot from where they were located. At least 4 regiments of the light horse received “Mk IV” rifles in early to mid 1917 to replace the older rifles still sighted for Mk.VI ammunition. At the end of hostilities in 1918, most of the light horse regiments handed in their rifles to British ordnance staff. However, there was a flareup in tensions in Egypt and some of the Light horse regiments had to stay behind until early to mid 1919. Official records from 1919 show that the light horse regiments still in Egypt were to embark on vessels as soon as they could, and return to Australia with their equipment. That’s where I believe these rarely seen ConD IVs are from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 4 October , 2023 Share Posted 4 October , 2023 That Cond IV is a great example - congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattr82 Posted 4 October , 2023 Author Share Posted 4 October , 2023 (edited) Thanks mate! I was trying to find out more information on them online and see other examples and yours popped up on this website. I think yours is probably the nicest ConD IV I’ve seen online to date! Edited 4 October , 2023 by Mattr82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve1871 Posted 24 October , 2023 Share Posted 24 October , 2023 A little confused, what exactly does Cond. IV (4) mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 24 October , 2023 Share Posted 24 October , 2023 (edited) It’s an earlier MLE converted ( Con’d) into ShtLE MKIII format. the IV indicates it was the 4th approved conversion pattern ( previously there had been other Con’d Mks of older rifles into newer formats) Chris Edited 24 October , 2023 by 4thGordons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrylee Posted 24 October , 2023 Share Posted 24 October , 2023 The SMLE Mks II & IV Converted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangeRover Posted 6 November , 2023 Share Posted 6 November , 2023 (edited) As a Canadian…I’d like to find out more about your new Ross. Congrats! Any markings remaining on the butt stock? Edited 6 November , 2023 by RangeRover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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