Rigby would like to know your caliber preference(s) for a Highland Stalker model without iron sights

What caliber(s) would you like to see offered in a Rigby Highland Stalker without iron sights?

  • Total voters
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I'd want iron sights regardless of the chambering.

Everything has a potential for failure and optics are no exception. Having backup irons is a must for any of my rifles. Two is one and one is none.
 
A rifle without iron sights looks naked....just not proper....
 
migrabill said:
They already have the Rigby Highland Stalker available in 5 of those calibers with the irons, so you already have that option. These would be without.
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I suppose more choice is never a bad thing. For fellas who find rifles with scope & irons inferior or less attractive I guess its a good buy.
 
These are not just working rifles for anyone. You need to have a precise concept of what a classic deer stalking in the Highlands should be, for example.

That is why there is no reason for Rigby to build something like the rifle down there, too.

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I would say there is a market for a rifle without iron sights, but those would mostly be long range rigs.

Cartridges like 6.5CM, 7PRC and 338LAPUA…etc. on rifles designed for long range work where iron sights would be nearly useless. And that doesn’t sound like a Rigby.
 
RIGBY said:
Rigby is considering developing and offering a Highland Stalker model without iron sights and would greatly appreciate the opinion of the community on what calibers it would prefer in such a model. Thank you in advance for your contribution!
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Iron sights or no? Its always seemed sort of silly to me to see a scoped rifle with iron sights. That said, it doesn't really bother me either to see them on there. I guess my question to you is why do you ask? I can think of only two reasons:

1. Aesthetics - It would work for me. With soon to be 59 year old eyes, I can't imagine ever hunting without a scope on the rifle. Yes scopes fail, have had it happen, but that's why I carry a backup scope with me on all of my trips. So for me, I just as soon not have them on, I prefer the cleaner lines and nothing to hang up on in a soft case.

2. Cost Reduction - This isn't making much sense to me. For what one spends on these rifles, I find it hard to imagine that one without iron sights is going to be that much more affordable to convince me to buy one. While I don't normally buy a rifle with resale value in mind, I would think that not having them may cost you more in the long run if you do plan to sell it at some point. Even if that means it is sold by someone who inherits the rifle from you.
 
@VertigoBE -Respectfully, Sir, in your previous post you described it as a matter of personal taste. In this post, however, you seem to suggest that having a proper understanding of what constitutes a stalking rifle is also important.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your point, but those two positions seem slightly difficult to reconcile. Surely, if the choice is ultimately one of personal preference, there should be some room for different interpretations of what makes a rifle “proper” for stalking.
 
Irons or not how about a little more leade in the 275 chamber? I don't have a dog in this fight but asking for a friend.
 
As an irons shooter I would say don’t do it but that’s only personal preference.

As someone who loves the romance, history and everything associated with Rigby being a classic stalking rifle maker I would ask why? Who would be the target audience? In my experience the guys who are buying non iron sighted rifles are generally not going for a classic stalking rifle.
My friends, family and the local gun shop folks are all modern hunters (I.e. scopes only), each one of them thought I was mad buying a Rigby and several made comments about it not being synthetic or not stainless.

I would have thought it’d be a very small niche of people that want a classic stalking rifle but don’t want irons attached (whether they use them or not).
 
For me it would be the 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag or .338 Win Mag. For UK use the 7mm Rem mag is perfect and I have shot lots and lots of Roe Fallow and Red deer with a 7 RM without it being massively overgunned. For Africa the .300 and .338 make more sense
 
RIGBY said:
Rigby is considering developing and offering a Highland Stalker model without iron sights and would greatly appreciate the opinion of the community on what calibers it would prefer in such a model. Thank you in advance for your contribution!
Click to expand...
I would rather have it factory threaded for supressor as an option
Vs irons no irons

If no iron option 338 lapua mag
 
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I would only be interested in buying a rifle without iron sights if it was a dedicated long range set up, and for that I would not look to a Rigby HS.

In my humble opinion, such a move would be borderline sacrilegious. The Rigby website describes the HS as follows:-

“Hailed as a traditional deerstalking rifle, the new Highland Stalker is inspired by the same smaller calibre rifles Rigby produced at the turn of the 20th century that were used by iconic British adventurers such as Karamojo Bell and Jim Corbett. Rigby regards the Scottish Highlands as the birthplace of stalking and the title befitting the rifle”

Hard to accept the idea of an HS without iron sights being compatible with @RIGBY ’s own vision statement as set out, let alone be discussed in the same paragraph as the likes of Bell and Corbett.

Just my two pence worth.
 
grand veneur said:
One can built very nice rifles without iron sights. It is all a matter of taste and style.

View attachment 791039
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David Lloyd was a bit different ,he had an obsession with making the scope part of the rifle action ,his bases would actually sleeve the front ring and sometimes barrel the guy wouldn't dream of open sights but I say rigby is different tho in the 70,s some Roberts rifles were built sans barrel sights
 
JPbowhunter said:
As an irons shooter I would say don’t do it but that’s only personal preference.

As someone who loves the romance, history and everything associated with Rigby being a classic stalking rifle maker I would ask why? Who would be the target audience? In my experience the guys who are buying non iron sighted rifles are generally not going for a classic stalking rifle.
My friends, family and the local gun shop folks are all modern hunters (I.e. scopes only), each one of them thought I was mad buying a Rigby and several made comments about it not being synthetic or not stainless.

I would have thought it’d be a very small niche of people that want a classic stalking rifle but don’t want irons attached (whether they use them or not).
Click to expand...
Id love to get a break action/side lever single shot stalking rifle that would be interesting. Say 18/20 inch barrel

I also feel like going with a no sight rifle its starting the race to the bottom competing with everyone else with a lower craftsmanship rifle.
Id stick with quality and unique models that can be semi mass produced
 
Of those .300 WM...it truly is a great round with 200gr + pills and ammo is everywhere.

The .300 H&H is a beautiful looking case...I'd like to won one eventually.
 
farmer_john said:
Id love to get a break action/side lever single shot stalking rifle that would be interesting. Say 18/20 inch barrel

I also feel like going with a no sight rifle its starting the race to the bottom competing with everyone else with a lower craftsmanship rifle.
Id stick with quality and unique models that can be semi mass produced
Click to expand...
My friend bought a Mauser m18 because he wanted a Mauser I guess. I had a play around with it and while it has Mauser stamped on it, that gun is no Mauser.
 
If the cartridge is long action & was designed 100+ years ago, it needs to have iron sights. This is not debatable. ;)

If it is short action or was designed after I was born, then I'm somewhat indifferent to it's existence since it doesn't have the right amount of nostalgia for me. So I'm fine with the 308 Win and the three magnums not having irons. I have three 30-06's: Two with irons & one without. So I can see why some people might not want sights if they know they will never ever use them.

Having said that, I would never buy a Rigby that didn't have iron sights. I would want it as classic as possible. The vast majority of my rifles have iron sights (the one 30-06 & my 22-250 varmint rifle being two exceptions).
 
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