350 Magnum Rigby

[Tintin]

I’ve thought about posting more guns, but I’m hesitant to overstep and wear people out.

@PaulB Carry on. No risk of fatigue or overstepping.

 

[pjaln]

i believe all manufacturers of bolt rifles should buy one of these, inspect it thoroughly, and apply lessons learned if possible. This is what a classic rifle should be….FWB

I run that by every young gunsmith I talk too , look at the rigby design its perfection

 

[pjaln]

40 years ago I took one look at this 400/350 in Ludwig Olsens book and thought it was the best designed bolt rifle ive ever seen , I did not find one like it till 2008 prior to that I did pick up a mint 275,and a rare and mint 303 the quest could take a while !

 

[pjaln]

few more 350,s

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Four years ago I embarked on a quest to find a rifle I'd always wanted, an original J. Rigby in 350 Magnum. After six months of searching I located one in the UK, it was exactly what I was looking for, so I purchased it. I was beyond excited when it arrived, and I fell in love with the gun immediately.

However, something unexpected happened to me while I was on this journey. As many of you have most likely experienced, the chase for a special gun can be a long dance, it can be an arduous endeavor, especially when the gun is overseas, but when successful, and you finally shoulder the gun, it is undoubtedly all the more special.

I am changed now, as something was stirred in my soul. I found myself constantly searching for that next gun on "the list". Researching tirelessly online, reaching out to brokers in far away lands, sometimes, needing an interpreter to help negotiate, and leaving no stone unturned. Whatever gun you are after, whether it's your first 350 Rigby, 318 Westley Richards, prewar 300 Holland, or Takedown 275 Rigby, each score is special.

Needless to say, 4 years ago, that first 350 Rigby lit a fire inside me. So, I confess, I am certainly smitten with collecting this genre of firearms. But maybe, just maybe, have truly fallen in LOVE with "the dance" it takes to get one.

See attached pics of the 350 Magnum
Mauser Sporting Magnum
May 1928
24in. barrel
14 1/4" stock

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@PaulB You can't go wrong with a 35 especially a 350 Rigby Magnum.
It's out of my pay grade but my 35 Whelen can be loaded to match the Rigby but it ain't got the class.
With the right projectiles I would hunt most game in Africa. Woodleigh makes a nice 310gn RNSP and310gn steel jacketed solid. For reach out you have your choice of bullets from 225gn PPSP and 250gr or even a nice 275gn Woodleigh PPSP.
Congratulations on your purchase.
Bob

 

[geoff rath]

Not drooling, are you BOB? I surely am ...

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The 350 rigby is a much underrated cartridge, my friend had one in a magnum Mauser takedown that he sold before I could save enough to buy it from him. Yours is a very nice example of the rifle and I hope you enjoy using it
gumpy

@Grumpy gumpy
If you can't get a 350 Rigby a properly loaded Whelen will do the same job. It just the poor, very poor cousin of the Rigby.
I know a Whelen ain't a Rigby.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Baxterb - they are 225gr

@PaulB
Thought you might like this

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Not drooling, are you BOB? I surely am ...

@geoff rath
Nah not drooling mate. I love fine firearms as much as the next man but know I can't afford them.
The 35 Whelen loaded properly will do everything and more that the old loads in the Rigby will at a fraction of the cost.
I dream of fine rifles of yesteryear but hey dreams cost nothing.
The Whelen came along about 15 years after the Rigby and was the GREAT COLONEL'S answer to it. Chambered in the old 03 Springfield or M17 Enfields it's the poor man's 350 Rigby.
Bob

 

[Altitude sickness]

I recieved my first edition yesterday. The book is easily found

 

[PaulB]

@PaulB You can't go wrong with a 35 especially a 350 Rigby Magnum.
It's out of my pay grade but my 35 Whelen can be loaded to match the Rigby but it ain't got the class.
With the right projectiles I would hunt most game in Africa. Woodleigh makes a nice 310gn RNSP and310gn steel jacketed solid. For reach out you have your choice of bullets from 225gn PPSP and 250gr or even a nice 275gn Woodleigh PPSP.
Congratulations on your purchase.
Bob

Bob, thank you sir, I appreciate the good info.
I have another 350 Rigby that has H&H scope mounts on it, I’ve reloaded for it using mono metal Hammer bullets, groups are pretty good for the old girl.

 

[PaulB]

Bob, I was going to make a separate post at some point highlighting another 350 in my collection, I’ve reloaded for this one and it shoots very well. It also came with all the fun accoutrements in the case, Including a very hard to find bayonet style front sight. Here are a couple of pics.

 

[Matthias5662]

Truly beautiful rifles and great ones to launch a "quest" for. To me, the sporting rifles manufactured at the beginning of the 20th century up until the second world war are works of art. Personally, my quest [read addiction] came 30+ years ago chasing .256 Mannlichers and Mannlicher-Shoenauer rifles. I'm still running after them.......

 

[pjaln]

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[pjaln]

thats a nice looking rifle , there's a 350 in the states for sale that thinking about , its on guns int. actually there are a few but this is in original state which is hard to find , here's a pic of my 400/350 1908 vintage

 

[PaulB]

Pjaln
Thank you for sharing, love your rifle, it looks great. Yes I saw the one on GI, very nice gun…I’ll admit it’s been hard passing on it, but I’ve bought so many of them in the last 4mo I need to show some restraint. I just finalized a deal on 2 takedown 350s I need to
See through before I buy another.

 

[pjaln]

Pjaln
Thank you for sharing, love your rifle, it looks great. Yes I saw the one on GI, very nice gun…I’ll admit it’s been hard passing on it, but I’ve bought so many of them in the last 4mo I need to show some restraint. I just finalized a deal on 2 takedown 350s I need to
See through before I buy another.

hi Paul , I know there was one about 8 months a go at cabelas that I missed ,are you the states ??

 

[spike.t]

It's a nice caliber....Paul had a serial number for one , and I had him build it for me just before he sold rigby to the bunch in california....was last he made before the name went....only used it in zim once on Warthog, Kudu and zebra....was very effective...none went anywhere....but he showed me another rifle he had built....and I had to have it so he said would take my late 1940s .275 and the 350 in straight swap....I said OK...he them went and got the 350 as it was at his place....I hadn't seen it for a while and picked it up...and was like shite whst have I done... but as I don't reload and ammo not the easiest, it made it a bit easier....you have some great rifles....

 

[PaulB]

hi Paul , I know there was one about 8 months a go at cabelas that I missed ,are you the states ??

Pjaln - Yes I am in the US

 

[pjaln]

Pjaln - Yes I am in the US

not by any chance the northeast , im just outside of boston,mass