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The introduction of the Big Game Vintage earlier this year marked a new chapter for one of Rigby’s best-known working rifles. Inspired by the pre-war magnum-action rifles in Rigby’s historic collection, the new model retains the proven foundations of the original Big Game while introducing a sleeker stock profile and details drawn from the era that many call the true “golden age” of exploring and safari hunting. Built around the Mauser magnum action, the Big Game Vintage has a 24-inch barrel and is available in .404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby, .450 Rigby and .458 Lott.
For this edition of the Rigby Campfire blog, we caught up with Slade Stevens, Head of Highland Stalker and Big Game, to discuss the thinking behind the Big Game Vintage, the differences owners will notice and the rather special rifle he would order for himself.
Let’s start with the Big Game rifle. Why did the team decide the time was right to replace it with the Big Game Vintage?
The new Vintage model is what the Big Game was always intended to be: a modern interpretation of our pre-war .416 Rigby rifles built on the Mauser magnum action.
What did you want to retain from the Big Game, and where did you see room for refinement?
The wing-safety M98 action and mid-weight barrel profile remain unchanged. Our focus was on creating a sleeker stock with a more three-dimensional feel, which is immediately noticeable in the hand when compared with the Big Game introduced in 2015.
We also redesigned the way the front sight is attached. We moved away from the sleeved tube used on the original rifle and introduced a pinned island sight.
How does the redesigned stock change the way the rifle feels when you pick it up and shoulder it?
Whenever I show clients the difference in person, I always begin by handing them a Big Game. I then ask them to hold the Big Game Vintage, and they can immediately feel how the rifle becomes an extension of themselves.
That comes down to the stock design. We have introduced sharper tapers throughout while retaining the stock’s widest points. Together with the removal of the cheekpiece, these changes create the distinctive feel of the Big Game Vintage.
The rifle draws heavily on Rigby’s heritage. What period influenced its design?
The design stems from the golden era of African safaris and the pre-war magnum-action rifles for which Rigby became renowned.
Was feedback from hunters, professional hunters or Rigby dealers part of the thinking behind the new rifle?
We are always considering feedback from the people who use our rifles. That insight, combined with our own experience on safari, continually inspires refinements to our designs.
Finally, if you were ordering a Big Game Vintage for yourself, which calibre would you choose and how would you specify it?
I have spent far too much time thinking about my hypothetical Rigby rifles, as I’m sure many of our readers have…
For the Big Game Vintage, the only answer is the .416 Rigby. It offers the perfect balance of velocity and bullet weight, delivering exceptional terminal energy in a 10.5 lb rifle.
I would choose a humble, straight-grained deluxe-grade stock with fiddleback to add depth to the wood. The floorplate would feature an inlaid and engraved tiger in mixed precious metals, accompanied by a stippled rear sight, a gold-inlaid safety, three-panel chequering on the bolt, and matching Tudor rose action pins and recoil bar with a flame-blued finish.
Naturally, I would also need a matching .275 Rigby Highland Stalker, a snow leopard-engraved .300 Winchester Magnum Highland Stalker Magnum and perhaps a .375 H&H Big Game Lightweight. Add a .500 Nitro Express Shikar as the cherry on top and we would be all set.
Hypothetically speaking, of course!
For this edition of the Rigby Campfire blog, we caught up with Slade Stevens, Head of Highland Stalker and Big Game, to discuss the thinking behind the Big Game Vintage, the differences owners will notice and the rather special rifle he would order for himself.
Let’s start with the Big Game rifle. Why did the team decide the time was right to replace it with the Big Game Vintage?
The new Vintage model is what the Big Game was always intended to be: a modern interpretation of our pre-war .416 Rigby rifles built on the Mauser magnum action.
What did you want to retain from the Big Game, and where did you see room for refinement?
The wing-safety M98 action and mid-weight barrel profile remain unchanged. Our focus was on creating a sleeker stock with a more three-dimensional feel, which is immediately noticeable in the hand when compared with the Big Game introduced in 2015.
We also redesigned the way the front sight is attached. We moved away from the sleeved tube used on the original rifle and introduced a pinned island sight.
How does the redesigned stock change the way the rifle feels when you pick it up and shoulder it?
Whenever I show clients the difference in person, I always begin by handing them a Big Game. I then ask them to hold the Big Game Vintage, and they can immediately feel how the rifle becomes an extension of themselves.
That comes down to the stock design. We have introduced sharper tapers throughout while retaining the stock’s widest points. Together with the removal of the cheekpiece, these changes create the distinctive feel of the Big Game Vintage.
The rifle draws heavily on Rigby’s heritage. What period influenced its design?
The design stems from the golden era of African safaris and the pre-war magnum-action rifles for which Rigby became renowned.
Was feedback from hunters, professional hunters or Rigby dealers part of the thinking behind the new rifle?
We are always considering feedback from the people who use our rifles. That insight, combined with our own experience on safari, continually inspires refinements to our designs.
Finally, if you were ordering a Big Game Vintage for yourself, which calibre would you choose and how would you specify it?
I have spent far too much time thinking about my hypothetical Rigby rifles, as I’m sure many of our readers have…
For the Big Game Vintage, the only answer is the .416 Rigby. It offers the perfect balance of velocity and bullet weight, delivering exceptional terminal energy in a 10.5 lb rifle.
I would choose a humble, straight-grained deluxe-grade stock with fiddleback to add depth to the wood. The floorplate would feature an inlaid and engraved tiger in mixed precious metals, accompanied by a stippled rear sight, a gold-inlaid safety, three-panel chequering on the bolt, and matching Tudor rose action pins and recoil bar with a flame-blued finish.
Naturally, I would also need a matching .275 Rigby Highland Stalker, a snow leopard-engraved .300 Winchester Magnum Highland Stalker Magnum and perhaps a .375 H&H Big Game Lightweight. Add a .500 Nitro Express Shikar as the cherry on top and we would be all set.
Hypothetically speaking, of course!
