Gunbroker Deal?? JOHN RIGBY & CO. BEST RIGBY SPORTING RIFLE .350 BORE CONVERTED TO .375 H&H

pjaln · Oct 6, 2026

that started out life as a 400/350 step ring very early non single square bridge magnum length action rebored to 375 probably by Paul Roberts in the 70,s , the gun serial numbers were enterded into the computerized ledger backwards when they were consolidating it a few years back ,I was the guy who pointed that out to Diggory Hidoke at rigby on behalf of the seller who had a crazy explanation stating it started out life as a 303 which I knew as incorrect because I been studying this stuff for 40 years , I would of bought it but the LOP is short as is and restocking is nice but maybe not worth it ,,I also contemplated and spoke to Joel Dorleac into restocking and making it a takedown ala holland & holland which runs thru my mind daily

318AE · Oct 6, 2026

I thought it was an early Magnum action. If Paul Roberts converted it, did it go back through the proof house? Are those proofs somewhere in the blurry photos. I saw a proof for the early 310 grain 350 load.

pjaln · Oct 6, 2026

yes its an early non square bridge step ring magnum for then 400/350. like this rifle (NOT MINE)not sure on the reproof I have both the 400/350 original step ring SSB and a 350magnum converted to 375

318AE · Oct 6, 2026

Thanks - I thought if the conversion work was done in the UK it would have been reproofed there as well.

pjaln · Oct 6, 2026

some off these were rebored in Germany this may have been one off them I talked with Paul Roberts about this a while back I did not bring up reproofing I did bring up cross bolts he said it should be fine tho if I were to restock it would have cross bolts

Bill_D · Oct 6, 2026

Thank you all for the help on this! I will be continuing my research and watching the price on this one. I will keep updates coming...

farmer_john · Oct 6, 2026

rookhawk said:
A story in three parts:

1.) Rigby made a very odd-ball rifle that would be quite valuable today. A bench/match rifle with a 32.5" barrel in 303 British. Think about the excellence Rigby possesses and how the balance, stock shape, and all considerations would have been taken to create a rifle of this design with perfect balance and handling.

2.) Rigby gets the rifle back and converts it into a safari rifle in 350 Rigby. Think of all the changes to the rifle's design that happened with that conversion. Stock shape. Balance. Line up for iron sights of existing design versus optics or ornate ladder sights for long range competition.

3.) Mystery conversion from 350 Rigby to 375HH. We don't know what happened by #1, #2, and then #3.

The Ship of Theseus paradox..

rookhawk · Oct 7, 2026

Grateful that @pjain joined the thread. Great insights.

pjaln · Oct 7, 2026

farmer_john said:
The Ship of Theseus paradox..

yes they did I talked with Paul Roberts about the when I first seen this rifle for sale he says hes on seen 1 off then and that this wouldn't be one anyway

Steve Snedeker · Oct 7, 2026

I have nothing to add to the discussion of the rifle, but to this forum.. Every time I'm here, I learn. Many thanks.

318AE · Oct 7, 2026

rookhawk said:
Grateful that @pjain joined the thread. Great insights.

rookhawk said:
A Rigby on a standard 98 mauser action is a $300 rifle plus its collectibility and provenance being an all-original Rigby. When you take that originality away, you're left with the $300 residual value of a bucket of common parts.

If it was square bridged or a square bridged magnum, we could argue the action is worth $5000-$6000 alone, but not the case with a military 98 action.

Do you still think it’s a military 98 action?

rookhawk · Oct 8, 2026

318AE said:
Do you still think it’s a military 98 action?

Nope. @pjaln joined the thread and had a lot more knowledge than I had on the matter. More than the listing in fact, including that the original rifle was not a 303, it was a 400/350. It's a stepped ring magnum action, a rare one.

I still have zero interest in the rifle for the reasons specified. There are better Rigbys to be had in that price range.

pjaln · Oct 8, 2026

hers a bit more info on the type of action it is and what its good for this is a holland & holland for sale as I write this on guns int. gulf breeze has it and gives good info on the rifles action

Huvius · Oct 12, 2026

I have some interest in this rifle but was stumped in the fact these the rear bridge isn’t a square bridge.
Looking at the rifle, one can see that it wasn’t ground down and after consulting with Paul see that it is a magnum length action, which I knew, with a standard style rear bridge, which I didn’t even know existed!
The scope mounting is original to the rifle - not Leupold… - and the addition of a modern scope and rings is quite desireable IMO.
As mentioned by a couple folks here, these 350s were commonly rebored or rebarreled to .375 which doesn’t exactly please the purists but today makes for a more usable (legal) DG rifle.
Also, for the last ten or so years, the rebored 350s have hovered around in the $8-10K range, many of which don’t offer the genuine utility of the rifle in question.
All that said, I find it bewildering that so many buyers swoon over Highland Stalkers and BG Rigby’s for far over the asking price of this rifle.

pjaln · Oct 12, 2026

the original style scope mount for the 303 rigby shown in pic has a screwed on rear block as an impromptu square bridge and was the same block used for scope mounting on some early 400/350 which were step rings front mount was typical lever lock. ,ben I,ll call you tomorrow

woodsrunner · Oct 14, 2026

Garciamarquez1918 said:
I obviously haven't measured this rifle, but by a ton of drop I was meaning it looks like it may have 1.75" or more DAC. And maybe over 2" at the heel. Far more than any modern rifle. Lots of these early 20th century rifles do. If I wanted to use the rifle (versus have it as part of a collection), that would be an issue for me personally. So if I bought this rifle I'd want to restock the rifle, which makes it less of a bargain. Others may differ.

Master gunmakers of a vintage to remember when not all rifle stocks were designed for scope use will point out that it is precisely the drop at the heel that makes the old iron sighted rifles point "like a fine birdgun," that makes them "lively in the hand" where modern rifles do not possess these attributes. That this is something you don't get from a straight-back stock. For sure it comes at the expense of increased muzzle-jump. I'm a receiver-irons guy and love the instinctive handling of my two .375's as well as my 9.3, all of which have notable drop at the heel. You throw them to your shoulder and you're looking straight through the ring. I'd take the scope off this Rigby, though it looks a bit light in weight as a platform for a .375. The kick could be nasty.

pjaln · Oct 14, 2026

woodsrunner said:
Master gunmakers of a vintage to remember when not all rifle stocks were designed for scope use will point out that it is precisely the drop at the heel that makes the old iron sighted rifles point "like a fine birdgun," that makes them "lively in the hand" where modern rifles do not possess these attributes. That this is something you don't get from a straight-back stock. For sure it comes at the expense of increased muzzle-jump. I'm a receiver-irons guy and love the instinctive handling of my two .375's as well as my 9.3, all of which have notable drop at the heel. You throw them to your shoulder and you're looking straight through the ring. I'd take the scope off this Rigby, though it looks a bit light in weight as a platform for a .375. The kick could be nasty.

this profile of my 400/350 shows the drop pretty good ,I guess the bolt shoulder was not going to be altered at least back then

Gunbroker Deal?? JOHN RIGBY & CO. BEST RIGBY SPORTING RIFLE .350 BORE CONVERTED TO .375 H&H

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