What do you think of the new Rigby Shikari?

As a total Rigby fanboy, I think they are gorgeous. Also as a Rigby fanboy, they look slightly different than I expected I guess is the best way to say it. Not meaning it in a negative way, because from some angles, I’m totally enamored. From others, I pause and there’s just something I can’t wrap my head around yet that leaves me underwhelmed.

I hope they have a few in Nashville so I can actually look one over a good bit, likely put my pause to rest an turn it more into lust, but so far I’ve had zero urge to think about parting with a Heym for one, but that’s all because of 2-deminsional views on a computer and zero field/accuracy reports.

Expect this safari season will hopefully provide some impressive reports from the field.
 
franzfmdavis said:
I find it interesting that those who “poo poo” the Rigby brand are still sufficiently interested in it to read and comment on a post about it. It is honorable to acknowledge it is beyond reach, but disingenuous to pretend it is not desirable.

The Rigby name, history of use in the field, and their present lineup perfectly emulate the romantic vision of hunting In Africa.

It is fortunate that they are still around and we can obtain (or dream of) the guns we wanted in our youth.

The desire can become a goal, and then a journey can begin toward that goal.
Click to expand...
Rigby is so desireable....its the history and culture that go along with it, I know XX custom builder "may" build something that delivers the same performance, perhaps even better for less, but it does not carry with it the rich history that Rigby, WR and others have. This is a given for the most part.

Rigby's really are out of my reach, but I am finding a way :). I personally value the culture and history that goes along with them and yes some will say that's been disjointed for some decades as the company has had its trials and tribulations but I think what they have done has been phenomenal. There are people I have made contact with who share similar interests and its Rigby that is the drawing point, XX custom gun builder has not got that draw.

Secondly many of the "great" smiths who can build rifles in this style are retiring. To be able to buy a product off the shelf, with the rich history Rigby has along with pretty well all of the features lovers of African style rifles appreciate "now" is an advantage. We all have limited time and as a famous investor quoted.

"No amount of money ever bought 1 second of time"

So there is also the convenience of a Rigby for those who value the time and the Rigby name. Perhaps you pay overs, but I'd rather go with out all those tepid overpriced milk coffees everyday for the rest of my life and own Rigby's :cool:

I want to swing a Shikari in .500 NE somehow....and then go and hunt a cape buff with it.
 
I just got back from my second African safari this year. We hunted with MPeti Safaris in Zululand and had a great time. I hope to get out a hunt report in the coming few weeks.

I had the pleasure of using my new Rigby Shikari in 500 NE. WOW, what a great rifle. Not only does it look great, imo, it shoots great too! And the 500 NE really hits with authority!

My son and I each shot a buffalo and I also shot a PAC hippo in the sugar cain fields at night. Now that is a scary hunt!

My Shikari weighs 11.5 lbs and the kick is very manageable. My son is 5'-11" and weighs 150 lbs and he shoots the rifle great with no flinching. We never felt the kick when shooting at game but even the sighting in of the rifle at the beginning of the hunt was easy. Every shot we made went right where we were aiming. I believe the weight of the rifle and the fact it fits me perfect reduces the felt recoil to a very manageable level.

Prior to the hunt my son and I took the Shikari to a friend's ranch and put a couple of boxes of Hornady DGX's down the barrels. So we were ready for the safari.

I have a Trijicon RMR HD 1 MOA red dot on the rifle. It also worked great, especially at night in the sugar cain!

LOVE MY SHIKARI!!





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Houston Bill said:
I just got back from my second African safari this year. We hunted with MPeti Safaris in Zululand and had a great time. I hope to get out a hunt report in the coming few weeks.

I had the pleasure of using my new Rigby Shikari in 500 NE. WOW, what a great rifle. Not only does it look great, imo, it shoots great too! And the 500 NE really hits with authority!

My son and I each shot a buffalo and I also shot a PAC hippo in the sugar cain fields at night. Now that is a scary hunt!

My Shikari weighs 11.5 lbs and the kick is very manageable. My son is 5'-11" and weighs 150 lbs and he shoots the rifle great with no flinching. We never felt the kick when shooting at game but even the sighting in of the rifle at the beginning of the hunt was easy. Every shot we made went right where we were aiming. I believe the weight of the rifle and the fact it fits me perfect reduces the felt recoil to a very manageable level.

Prior to the hunt my son and I took the Shikari to a friend's ranch and put a couple of boxes of Hornady DGX's down the barrels. So we were ready for the safari.

I have a Trijicon RMR HD 1 MOA red dot on the rifle. It also worked great, especially at night in the sugar cain!

LOVE MY SHIKARI!!






View attachment 794590View attachment 794591View attachment 794592
Click to expand...
@Houston Bill
Beautiful rifle and great hunt mate.
Thank god they don't make them in 243 or you may have gotten one for them Texican white tail.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob
 
Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
@Houston Bill
Beautiful rifle and great hunt mate.
Thank god they don't make them in 243 or you may have gotten one for them Texican white tail.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob
Click to expand...
Behave, Bob....you'll make me laugh and wife will catch me still up on the computer.
 
Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
@Houston Bill
Beautiful rifle and great hunt mate.
Thank god they don't make them in 243 or you may have gotten one for them Texican white tail.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob
Click to expand...
Good to hear from you @Bob Nelson 35Whelen. As you know I have a Tikka T3 in 243 Win and yes I have shot a few Texas whitetails with it and also some plains game in Africa.
 
The Tikka T3 is about the best value out there for the money, IMO, but man I would love to have a Rigby!
 
Comanche 6 said:
The Tikka T3 is about the best value out there for the money, IMO, but man I would love to have a Rigby!
Click to expand...
Agree. I have several Tikka T3's. 243 Win, a couple in 308 Win and one in 338 Win Mag. I had one in 300 WSM but sold it to a friend.
 
pc3 said:
Rigby is so desireable....its the history and culture that go along with it, I know XX custom builder "may" build something that delivers the same performance, perhaps even better for less, but it does not carry with it the rich history that Rigby, WR and others have. This is a given for the most part.

Rigby's really are out of my reach, but I am finding a way :). I personally value the culture and history that goes along with them and yes some will say that's been disjointed for some decades as the company has had its trials and tribulations but I think what they have done has been phenomenal. There are people I have made contact with who share similar interests and its Rigby that is the drawing point, XX custom gun builder has not got that draw.

Secondly many of the "great" smiths who can build rifles in this style are retiring. To be able to buy a product off the shelf, with the rich history Rigby has along with pretty well all of the features lovers of African style rifles appreciate "now" is an advantage. We all have limited time and as a famous investor quoted.

"No amount of money ever bought 1 second of time"

So there is also the convenience of a Rigby for those who value the time and the Rigby name. Perhaps you pay overs, but I'd rather go with out all those tepid overpriced milk coffees everyday for the rest of my life and own Rigby's :cool:

I want to swing a Shikari in .500 NE somehow....and then go and hunt a cape buff with it.
Click to expand...
This is where I’m a bit different. If I Cooke find a craftsmen to build me a quality double of similar design for the same price as a rigby I would always choose then no name. They just aren’t easy to find. The uniqueness of an unknown maker is valuable to me. But I would never sell the gun and don’t have kids so don’t really care about residual value. Just useful value.

What’s attractive about Rigby is that their scale has made guns of a certain type more accessible to more of us.
 
Houston Bill said:
Good to hear from you @Bob Nelson 35Whelen. As you know I have a Tikka T3 in 243 Win and yes I have shot a few Texas whitetails with it and also some plains game in Africa.
Click to expand...
@Houston Bill
What did you have a biscuit tied to the end of the barrel of that 243. That way when they came to eat it you could shoot them. Any further than that and the 243 is hopeless.
Hope all is going well with you, I still remember my time in Texas with fond memories of the people and places. We just can't get tex-mex food like that in Australia.
Bob
 
Russ16 said:
This is where I’m a bit different. If I Cooke find a craftsmen to build me a quality double of similar design for the same price as a rigby I would always choose then no name. They just aren’t easy to find. The uniqueness of an unknown maker is valuable to me. But I would never sell the gun and don’t have kids so don’t really care about residual value. Just useful value.

What’s attractive about Rigby is that their scale has made guns of a certain type more accessible to more of us.
Click to expand...
I’ve been involved with 2 double rifle projects from “unknown” . Never again . Took forever . Regulation was poor. Final price a lot higher than Heym or Rigby . If you don’t want a Rigby - OK. Plenty of other cheaper options . But an unknown maker may cause you a lot of grief .
 
PCC600 said:
I’ve been involved with 2 double rifle projects from “unknown” . Never again . Took forever . Regulation was poor. Final price a lot higher than Heym or Rigby . If you don’t want a Rigby - OK. Plenty of other cheaper options . But an unknown maker may cause you a lot of grief .
Click to expand...
That’s my point. Finding an unknown that can be trusted is almost impossible. I was responding to the statement that says the history and culture of the Rigby drives desirability. For me that isn’t the case. It is the availability and consistency that would push me toward a Rigby.
 
Kevin Peacocke said:
I know of one Shikari coming to Zimbabwe so I will get to handle it and hopefully shoot it. Until then all I can do is reserve judgment, but it will be assessed against my Heym 89b which has set the bar very high.
Click to expand...
Kevin - I saw the Shikari which Mr Duffy had brought with him to HSC about 5 years. It was a 500 NE with deep scroll engravings and of course nice fit and finish. I could point and shoot it pretty comfortably.
Mr Duffy said it had a starting price of around 35K, yes 35 K I remember very clearly with less than a year delivery time. I had a double then and decided not to pull the trigger, probably should have :)

I'm not sure of current prices but I do have seen some numbers and quotes, makes me regret more...
 
pc3 said:
Rigby is so desireable....its the history and culture that go along with it, I know XX custom builder "may" build something that delivers the same performance, perhaps even better for less, but it does not carry with it the rich history that Rigby, WR and others have. This is a given for the most part.

Rigby's really are out of my reach, but I am finding a way :). I personally value the culture and history that goes along with them and yes some will say that's been disjointed for some decades as the company has had its trials and tribulations but I think what they have done has been phenomenal. There are people I have made contact with who share similar interests and its Rigby that is the drawing point, XX custom gun builder has not got that draw.

Secondly many of the "great" smiths who can build rifles in this style are retiring. To be able to buy a product off the shelf, with the rich history Rigby has along with pretty well all of the features lovers of African style rifles appreciate "now" is an advantage. We all have limited time and as a famous investor quoted.

"No amount of money ever bought 1 second of time"

So there is also the convenience of a Rigby for those who value the time and the Rigby name. Perhaps you pay overs, but I'd rather go with out all those tepid overpriced milk coffees everyday for the rest of my life and own Rigby's :cool:

I want to swing a Shikari in .500 NE somehow....and then go and hunt a cape buff with it.
Click to expand...
You hit the nail on the head Sir, the history, the tradition, the craft has its value and you have to pay for it, but is something that you and the generations to come will cherish for ever.

Someday,,,and it is someday in the distant future I have a dream, to own a Rigby rising bite from the pre-war era...
 
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