Canadian Straight Pull—-The Ross Rifle
The Ross rifle would be used by Canadian forces in first half of World War I. Chambered in .280 Ross, it used a small but powerful cartridge. It was also a straight pull, requiring the user to only pull back and forth to work the bolt. Unfortunatly the Ross rifle could not handle the mud and muck of WWI trench warfare. Its bayonet mounting was not very sturdy and often fell off during battle. It also had a design flaw where the bolt could be removed and reinserted without completely locking, yet still fireable. When fired this flaw caused the bolt to be ejected back at the operators face. After several complaints the Ross Rifle was recalled and Canadian soldiers were issued .303 British Enfields.
While the Ross rifle was removed from mainstream service, Canadian snipers continued to use it due to its superior accuracy. It would continue to be used as a sniper rifle in World War II.
The Grand Ducal Guard of Luxembourg used Ross rifles in 1945. I don’t know why.
Plus a lot of history too.
