The Clash of the Titans: Heym Martini Express VS Rigby Big Game

Heym Martini Express or Rigby Big Game in your choice of DG cartridge

  • Heym Martini Express

    Votes: 52 57.8%

  • Rigby Big Game

    Votes: 38 42.2%
  • Total voters
    90
Slightly off topic but people have asked...
For curiosity sake I decided to spec out a Parkwest Dark Continent in a 404 Jeff. I added everything that I wish for - CCH, bolt chequering, premium walnut, bluing....dada dada and it topped out at 14 K with a 1 year wait give or take...
American made, custom length stock fit to your size, excellent customer service whats nt to like. I think I'm clear on my choice for the future..
 
SStomcat said:
Slightly off topic but people have asked...
For curiosity sake I decided to spec out a Parkwest Dark Continent in a 404 Jeff. I added everything that I wish for - CCH, bolt chequering, premium walnut, bluing....dada dada and it topped out at 14 K with a 1 year wait give or take...
American made, custom length stock fit to your size, excellent customer service whats nt to like. I think I'm clear on my choice for the future..
Click to expand...
Interesting. Just went to their site and built a Parkwest Dark Continent to my specs in 458 Lott. Price $13,220. My thoughts were potentially waiting on a double square bridge Rigby P.H. 458 Lott or 450 Rigby and deal with the pain of obtaining ammo. I think a couple guys on AH just pulled the trigger on those Rigby P.H. 450 Rigby rifles from Cabelas.
 
SStomcat said:
Slightly off topic but people have asked...
For curiosity sake I decided to spec out a Parkwest Dark Continent in a 404 Jeff. I added everything that I wish for - CCH, bolt chequering, premium walnut, bluing....dada dada and it topped out at 14 K with a 1 year wait give or take...
American made, custom length stock fit to your size, excellent customer service whats nt to like. I think I'm clear on my choice for the future..
Click to expand...
I might be wrong but one thing to watch on Parkwest is they tend to run light and if you read the options usually include a mercury reducer to get the weight up. One of the advantages of the bigger magnum actions is weight vs the more American style actions
 
mms45 said:
I might be wrong but one thing to watch on Parkwest is they tend to run light and if you read the options usually include a mercury reducer to get the weight up. One of the advantages of the bigger magnum actions is weight vs the more American style actions
Click to expand...
They weigh 9.5 pounds without scope which I feel is a good wt for a 404. They add mercury reducers, I read here it seems to work well. Do u see any issues with mercury reducers ?
 
SStomcat said:
Slightly off topic but people have asked...
For curiosity sake I decided to spec out a Parkwest Dark Continent in a 404 Jeff. I added everything that I wish for - CCH, bolt chequering, premium walnut, bluing....dada dada and it topped out at 14 K with a 1 year wait give or take...
American made, custom length stock fit to your size, excellent customer service whats nt to like. I think I'm clear on my choice for the future..
Click to expand...
I ordered one in July after also considering the Heym and Rigby.
 
SStomcat said:
They weigh 9.5 pounds without scope which I feel is a good wt for a 404. They add mercury reducers, I read here it seems to work well. Do u see any issues with mercury reducers ?
Click to expand...
I have one in a 470 I don’t love the water sloshing around noise they make

Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t or can’t fly with them.
 
mms45 said:
I have one in a 470 I don’t love the water sloshing around noise they make

Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t or can’t fly with them.
Click to expand...
I've had them on a number of rifles and haven't had the experience of being able to hear the mercury moving. But maybe my ears are just thrashed. Fwiw I took a rifle to TZ with a reducer this summer with no issues.
 
Garciamarquez1918 said:
I've had them on a number of rifles and haven't had the experience of being able to hear the mercury moving. But maybe my ears are just thrashed. Fwiw I took a rifle to TZ with a reducer this summer with no issues.
Click to expand...

I am of the camp that it’s totally fine to travel with to but you will see people debate it.

Interesting that when holding your rifle and you move it you can’t hear the mercury moving? It sounds like water sloshing it’s not loud but it’s there. I thought that was normal and part of how it works it need spaces to “move” and they all sounded like that
 
mms45 said:
I have one in a 470 I don’t love the water sloshing around noise they make

Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t or can’t fly with them.
Click to expand...
IDK but I have not heard this from those that have flown with them. The tube that contains the mecury, led, tunstein etc needs to be properly sealed so that the stuff has no place to move and create a swoosh sound..IMO ofcourse.
 
SStomcat said:
IDK but I have not heard this from those that have flown with them. The tube that contains the mecury, led, tunstein etc needs to be properly sealed so that the stuff has no place to move and create a swoosh sound..IMO ofcourse.
Click to expand...
I mean before I installed them I shook them and could for sure hear them. But just in the course of like carrying the rifle, uncasing it etc no I don't hear it.
 
This is somewhat off topic but I surmised that if anyone on this site knew him they would likely be in this discussion. Gary E Duffey who was NAmer rep for Rigby and retired in July, is in ICU at Dallas SW with a variety of issues all trying to kill him. He (and I) and his family would appreciate your prayers.
 
rsmurray said:
This is somewhat off topic but I surmised that if anyone on this site knew him they would likely be in this discussion. Gary E Duffey who was NAmer rep for Rigby and retired in July, is in ICU at Dallas SW with a variety of issues all trying to kill him. He (and I) and his family would appreciate your prayers.
Click to expand...
Prayers, met him at HSC and he showed me the 500 Shikari he was promoting
 
rsmurray said:
This is somewhat off topic but I surmised that if anyone on this site knew him they would likely be in this discussion. Gary E Duffey who was NAmer rep for Rigby and retired in July, is in ICU at Dallas SW with a variety of issues all trying to kill him. He (and I) and his family would appreciate your prayers.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Praying for Gary to pull through.
 
uplander01 said:
I doubt the viewpoint of either being a very good “investment” in the standard grades, especially with the Rigby. They are literally flooding the market with 15-20k bolt guns. Scarcity holds value.
Click to expand...
So does marque, even where abundant. Witness Harley Davidson back when all the boomers desperate to lacquer a patina of wild over their terminal mild were still limber enough to get a leg over one, to lift one off a stand without slipping a disc. Hell, i even bought one, and i only just squeaked-in under the Boomer bar. Shoulda bought a Rigby.
 
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We have a master gunmaker here in my malcontented backwater of Alberta of all places who trained under Martini. His rifles are very much of that stamp, and to my eye an evolution beyond, i've handled some of his and examples of Ralph's side-by-side in his shop. Really lovely, flawless. I'd say them over Rigby or not is a matter of your style preferences. Their lines are a very different statement to my eye. I like them both, but i can imagine it being no-contest one way or the other for some.
 
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With 74 votes so far I’m honestly surprised of the results. Several own both, curious as to how they voted?
 
I handled both at sci and the Heym fit me like a glove. I also liked the safety on the Heym better. I tend to be pretty critical on a rifle safety and the rigby seemed stiff to me. I guess it could work in. If my budget allowed and i was buying one today it would be a Heym or Parkwest. All that said, i own model 70s.
 
woodsrunner said:
We have a master gunmaker here in my malcontented backwater of Alberta of all places who trained under Martini. His rifles are very much of that stamp, and to my eye an evolution beyond, i've handled some of his and examples of Ralph's side-by-side in his shop. Really lovely, flawless. I'd say them over Rigby or not is a matter of your style preferences. Their lines are a very different statement to my eye. I like them both, but i can imagine it being no-contest one way or the other for some.
Click to expand...
Would this be Jakob Strasser?
 
Garciamarquez1918 said:
Ohhhh Matt Roberts. So cool. What a craftsman.
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If all in house build from scratch is a classification for " finest rifle" then there are only a handful of them. That would, by definition, preclude many know makers. Matt Roberts also starts from a factory action or GMA action for example.
Heym wins in this category along with Purdey and few others Dakota?, but I dont mind owning one where componesnts are sourced from quality makers and then all put togeter like the London gun makers of the pre war era or still today.
 
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