Educate Me on Rigby Rifles

[Accidental Villain]

Perhaps you misunderstood me.

If you want a pretty rifle to show your friends, buy the Rigby. It will also perform.
If you want a hunting rifle that you can drag through the bush without feeling sorry for it, but want 98% of what the Rigby has, you buy the M98.

I've used both, and found that the Mauser is actually more comfortable to shoot in large calibers as well. Just wish they were blued instead of plasma nitride coated.

Okay.
Preferring blued myself to. That is, I have a vintage BG that of course is blued.
I aquired it with the intent to use it. The superb quality, Excellent design/lines ticked all the boxes. But the top selling point is the genious short quarter rib. Vintage Rigbys Are super rare so I held the door open for other makes with similar sight. Found a couple Cogswell&Harrison, some odd ball French/Belgian rifles, Even a Jeffrey but none of them «spoke» to me. But I was lucky and found a Rigby at last.

 

[LeonSam]

I've seen the Rigby Highland Stalker in 7x57 for sale in a store in Calgary. It is a magnificent rifle. It is wonderful in every way.

But if you want a beautiful Mauser sporter, you can build a special rifle. Get yourself a Husqvarna 640. These rifles are extremely affordable and were built on high quality commercial FN actions.

I bought an 8x57 Husqvarna 640 for less than $400. The rifle had a horrible worn out cracked stock and that's why the gun was so affordable. The bore and all the metal were in excellent condition.

I bought a stock from Musgrave Wapenfabriek in Ermelo, South Africa and I had the stock professionally glass bedded and installed by a very skilled German gunsmith. I also had him install a set of Ruslan pivot mounts.

All of this was not cheap, but as I did it in stages, the cost did not stop me.

Now this rifle is nowhere near a Rigby, but it is still an excellent rifle that I shoot with happiness, joy and great pride

 

[uplander01]

A Dakota (Park West) or older models before name change is a way better value than a Rigby IMO. I would wager that the inletting on a 10k Dakota, is at least noticeably better than a 16k Rigby, if not way better. Rigby on their lower end is just a marketing campaign as someone had said before, and that's all they've been since Lüke & Ortmeier Gruppe assumed ownership. I think they are nice rifles, they just aren't worth what they want for them, The average asking price of the dozens that are for sale on GI is 16-25k, that's ridiculous.

 

[PCC600]

I believe that Rigby used the ZKK602 action for a while when Mausers were not available.

And Sako actions too . I have handled a 243 Rigby made in 1980s with just such an action .

 

[PCC600]

I would say that was true of any of the high end British gunmakers in the early 20thC but not all that applicable to Rigby today unless one is considering one of the London Best rifles.
Other than going through the proofhouse, no “work” is done to the Big Game and HS in England.

This is not new for Rigby though.
There is speculation that the original Rigby 350 Magnum rifles where wholly built in Germany and there is at least one photo of the workshop floor that looks to show a rack of finished or nearly finished Rigby styled rifles there in Oberndorf.

The OP voices concern about this practice as a “negative” but the truth is that few gunmakers, especially once breechloading guns and rifles became the norm, actually manufactured their own actions.


Of course, until after WW2 there was only one Mauser 98 manufacturer so that’s where every gunmaker got their new actions but of course ex military actions were also used.
This not only applied to making ‘98s but also applied to many shotguns, single shot and double rifles as well.
The majority of firearms made in Britain were products of “the trade”, meaning there was an industry of workmen and craftsmen who made parts or did work to produce the final product or in some cases bring the gun to the point of final finish which was then taken up by the gun making firm (simply the retailer in many cases) and finished in their style.
Four Rigbys I’ve owned were made this way, two break action single shots, a 350 Boxlock double and a 350 Magnum Mauser.
The single shot rifles and the double were 100% made by Webley and the 350 Magnum I believe was almost entirely made by Mauser.
Webley (and the company’s iterations - Webley & Scott etc) made a large portion of the boxlock double rifles produced by the great gunmaking firms.
The point is, outsourcing is nothing new in the fine firearms industry.

I totally agree . All the famous British gun and rifle makers used third party suppliers and out workers . WJ Jeffery made nothing - their bolt actions were largely refinished Mauser Type As. The original 500J rifles were reworked Mauser actions by H. Leonard or George Gibbs . The action on my WR sidelock rifle was made in Birmingham by Leonard . The bolt action on one of my 425s was made by FN . God only knows where the barrels for these rifles came from . Very few famous makers made the “lock , stock and barrel”.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I personally believe the current Rigby rifles are quite brilliant, and they are 100% Mauser barreled actions (unless you are doing a London’s Best, which would still be based off a Mauser action)…but fail to understand to after almost 5 pages how that is even in the slightest a bad thing. Think the honest and logical conclusion must remain because it’s not. Mauser has and continues to make one of the best actions ever produced….period.

Ever wonder why some of our country’s best artisan gunmakers, those with year or years waiting period and price tags equaling or easily exceeding Rigby’s big game and highland stalkers choose to base many of their rifles off Mauser actions? I mean starting with old, beat to hell, maybe even milsurp actions (G 33/40 anyone), how could someone expect to build a rifle today off some 1940’s old Mauser and expect to get $20-$30k? Or let’s look at Winchester, love those pre-64 actions, but really it’s his iteration of the Mauser. How about GMA…again Mauser just at a precise, cnc machining level vintage Mauser couldn’t achieve…but today, guess what, they are and are on the Mauser M98 and Rigby rifles.

So if you really want to know why Rigby’s BGR and Highland Stalkers are somewhat (not all that much) more expensive than Mauser’s own versions caliber for caliber…you have to at least pick them up and inspect. The quality and figure of the wood used on Rigby rifles is all them. Even on the BGR and Highland you can choose your own wood, stock blank and LOP. Then you can also choose a lot of the finishing attributes and/or embellishments of the rifle to make it more customized to your desires. Semi-custom. If you want true custom, and more built in house, they can do that too, but London’s Best is not a small step up in price.

The wood, fit and finish of their stocks are really second to none. The fit is as exceptional as any I’ve experienced anywhere. I’ve had a several Dakotas and still have a couple, great, beautiful rifles, but the fit and finish do not even compare and cannot think someone would be able to say that unless they had not spent a lot of time with both. Not taking away from Dakota, or Mauser, but neither or any other German maker I’ve personally handled have finish on par with fine British Makers, including Rigby. Run your hands over the stock, the lines and especially all rounded or sharp raised surfaces of a Dakota, Heym, Mauser, or most any other German maker and you will feel texture and grain of the wood. It’s still open and no where close to filled. Those stocks would need another several weeks, with properly sanding/mudding in the grain and many many more coats over time to come close to the finish level that you will see on fine British guns, including Rigby’s BGR and Highlands.

And to be clear, Rigby Big Game and Highland Stalkers are as close to a normal man’s fine British working rifle as you get. They are a huge discount over compatibles and even Rigby’s own next step up. A BGR is a fraction of what Holland & Holland or Purdey charge for a rifle that isn’t much prettier, more reliable or accurate. Same with a London’s Best from Rigby. It won’t be much prettier, but can have as much engraving or gold as you could want, and whatever dimensions your heart desires…and gold. But it won’t be much prettier, reliable or accurate.

Admit, I’m a Rigby fan boy. I have a 416 BGR and it’s as accurate a magnum rifle as I’ve ever owned…easily a .3-.4MOA out to 200yrds. Recoils far, far less than Dakota in same caliber. Granted, my Rigby, she’s a chubby one. Thick in the butt. The pad is wider than most rifles, which im fine with, the extra weight helps with the recoil as does the extra surface area. Love my 416 so much, I hope to buy a 450 as well and maybe others in the future.

I’m not an expert in Rigby’s or Mausers, or Winchester’s for that matter…but love custom rifles and have had well north of 45 custom rifles over the last 20 years…most synthetic stalked, purpose built rifles for harsh weather hunting and competition, and other semi-custom builds from Gunwerks, Proof, and Dakota….none have impressed me as much as Rigby.

Also think money into a nice pre owned Dakota, Rigby, or other renowned American maker is money well invested. End of the day, it’s a wonderful first world problem to critique the depth of our awesome options for fine sporting arms. I was just telling the misses that I should probably pick up a Smithson and Davenport built rifles sometime soon, since I’ve not had any personal experience with either. And a Bolliger, either on a pre-64 Winchester or even better a G 33/40 Mauser.

Get what makes smile.

 

[PCC600]

I personally believe the current Rigby rifles are quite brilliant, and they are 100% Mauser barreled actions (unless you are doing a London’s Best, which would still be based off a Mauser action)…but fail to understand to after almost 5 pages how that is even in the slightest a bad thing. Think the honest and logical conclusion must remain because it’s not. Mauser has and continues to make one of the best actions ever produced….period.

Ever wonder why some of our country’s best artisan gunmakers, those with year or years waiting period and price tags equaling or easily exceeding Rigby’s big game and highland stalkers choose to base many of their rifles off Mauser actions? I mean starting with old, beat to hell, maybe even milsurp actions (G 33/40 anyone), how could someone expect to build a rifle today off some 1940’s old Mauser and expect to get $20-$30k? Or let’s look at Winchester, love those pre-64 actions, but really it’s his iteration of the Mauser. How about GMA…again Mauser just at a precise, cnc machining level vintage Mauser couldn’t achieve…but today, guess what, they are and are on the Mauser M98 and Rigby rifles.

So if you really want to know why Rigby’s BGR and Highland Stalkers are somewhat (not all that much) more expensive than Mauser’s own versions caliber for caliber…you have to at least pick them up and inspect. The quality and figure of the wood used on Rigby rifles is all them. Even on the BGR and Highland you can choose your own wood, stock blank and LOP. Then you can also choose a lot of the finishing attributes and/or embellishments of the rifle to make it more customized to your desires. Semi-custom. If you want true custom, and more built in house, they can do that too, but London’s Best is not a small step up in price.

The wood, fit and finish of their stocks are really second to none. The fit is as exceptional as any I’ve experienced anywhere. I’ve had a several Dakotas and still have a couple, great, beautiful rifles, but the fit and finish do not even compare and cannot think someone would be able to say that unless they had not spent a lot of time with both. Not taking away from Dakota, or Mauser, but neither or any other German maker I’ve personally handled have finish on par with fine British Makers, including Rigby. Run your hands over the stock, the lines and especially all rounded or sharp raised surfaces of a Dakota, Heym, Mauser, or most any other German maker and you will feel texture and grain of the wood. It’s still open and no where close to filled. Those stocks would need another several weeks, with properly sanding/mudding in the grain and many many more coats over time to come close to the finish level that you will see on fine British guns, including Rigby’s BGR and Highlands.

And to be clear, Rigby Big Game and Highland Stalkers are as close to a normal man’s fine British working rifle as you get. They are a huge discount over compatibles and even Rigby’s own next step up. A BGR is a fraction of what Holland & Holland or Purdey charge for a rifle that isn’t much prettier, more reliable or accurate. Same with a London’s Best from Rigby. It won’t be much prettier, but can have as much engraving or gold as you could want, and whatever dimensions your heart desires…and gold. But it won’t be much prettier, reliable or accurate.

Admit, I’m a Rigby fan boy. I have a 416 BGR and it’s as accurate a magnum rifle as I’ve ever owned…easily a .3-.4MOA out to 200yrds. Recoils far, far less than Dakota in same caliber. Granted, my Rigby, she’s a chubby one. Thick in the butt. The pad is wider than most rifles, which im fine with, the extra weight helps with the recoil as does the extra surface area. Love my 416 so much, I hope to buy a 450 as well and maybe others in the future.

I’m not an expert in Rigby’s or Mausers, or Winchester’s for that matter…but love custom rifles and have had well north of 45 custom rifles over the last 20 years…most synthetic stalked, purpose built rifles for harsh weather hunting and competition, and other semi-custom builds from Gunwerks, Proof, and Dakota….none have impressed me as much as Rigby.

Also think money into a nice pre owned Dakota, Rigby, or other renowned American maker is money well invested. End of the day, it’s a wonderful first world problem to critique the depth of our awesome options for fine sporting arms. I was just telling the misses that I should probably pick up a Smithson and Davenport built rifles sometime soon, since I’ve not had any personal experience with either. And a Bolliger, either on a pre-64 Winchester or even better a G 33/40 Mauser.

Get what makes smile.

If you like the 416 then I think you will like the 450 Rigby magnum even more . In a Rigby rifle it is a joy to shoot .

 

[MontanaGrant]

I finally got to handle both Rigbys Highland Stalker, and Big Game. Livingston Montana of all places.

They balance and feel amazing, shoulder nicely etc……I want one badly.

But for myself, I don’t think I’ll ever make the step and buy one. Offensive to Eigby people sure enough I like the balance of my Ruger African series 6.5x55 and 9.3x62, both of which I got for $1600 apiece……I can’t see spending 10 times that for a Rigby. I’d rather spend that money on a hunt.

Maybe….if I found a Rigby for 8 Grand? But while I love the nostalgia I really can’t justify it when I could actually go on a full safari for the extra cost of two Rigbys.

 

[MD Driver]

The Mauser part of Rigby is their heritage and not like some sort of a detractor. Only the Rigby London Best is the gun with fully Rigby made components, and they make them so ornate that the price point is in another league.