For Sale Empire In .416 Rigby

[One Day...]

Just sent some pictures to my father. He said that was either Empire’s or a Dumoulin. Not GMA. Said they only used GMA’s on very early ones and something called their east African that they continued to build. He said, “Then again, I’m 87 years old and slipping.

Dont think he is slipping too much. Said he remembered seeing that gun for sale—likely when you actually bought it. Did it have a Z6 on it when you bought it?

Again, nice proper rifle!

I do not believe that this is a Dumoulin action.

Although the action on this rifle has similar cuts in the center of the flat top dovetails intended for recoil lugs in the scope rings to prevent them from sliding forward under recoil, and generally recognized on the Dumoulin action, the action on this rifle does not show a gas escape port on the right side of the front ring as the Dumoulin action has, the front ring profile is different, and the bolt handle is different. While a bolt handle could have been changed due to personal preference, I doubt very much that a gas escape port on the front ring would have been welded shut.

This is a rather good thing for the value of this rifle, as the "Dumoulin Herstal" brand A2000 action was in fact manufactured in China under contract, from FN blueprints. Sarco imported these actions in the US ($295 in 2015) and advertised them as "manufactured by Dumoulin of Belgium" but not as "made in Belgium". Tradex imported them in Canada and advertised them as "Belgian contract made in China".

Bizarrely, the A2000ML, which was magnum-length, had a front ring projecting forward so as to retain the same mounting bolts spacing as on the standard action. This made for an unusual magazine box and a narrow gap between its front and the front screw.

As seen in the below pictures, these actions were rough out of the factory, but (like with the CZ550 action), tool marks could be polished off. There was endless speculation as to the quality and hardness of the steel, and I am not aware of a final answer to that one...

Here are pics of the "Dumoulin" A2000 action posted in 2015 on the forum //forums.**NOT**PERMITTED**.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=260952&page=&vc=1

 

[MontanaGrant]

What type of mounts does the bridges take? Custom made?

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

I do not believe that this is a Dumoulin action.

Although the action on this rifle has similar cuts in the center of the flat top dovetails intended for recoil lugs in the scope rings to prevent them from sliding forward under recoil, and generally recognized on the Dumoulin action, the action on this rifle does not show a gas escape port on the right side of the front ring as the Dumoulin action has, the front ring profile is different, and the bolt handle is different. While a bolt handle could have been changed due to personal preference, I doubt very much that a gas escape port on the front ring would have been welded shut.

This is a rather good thing for the value of this rifle, as the "Dumoulin Herstal" brand A2000 action was in fact manufactured in China under contract, from FN blueprints. Sarco imported these actions in the US ($295 in 2015) and advertised them as "manufactured by Dumoulin of Belgium" but not as "made in Belgium". Tradex imported them in Canada and advertised them as "Belgian contract made in China".

Bizarrely, the A2000ML, which was magnum-length, had a front ring projecting forward so as to retain the same mounting bolts spacing as on the standard action. This made for an unusual magazine box and a narrow gap between its front and the front screw.

As seen in the below pictures, these actions were rough out of the factory, but (like with the CZ550 action), tool marks could be polished off. There was endless speculation as to the quality and hardness of the steel, and I am not aware of a final answer to that one...

Here are pics of the "Dumoulin" A2000 action posted in 2015 on the forum //forums.**NOT**PERMITTED**.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=260952&page=&vc=1

View attachment 712718

View attachment 712719

Correct, it is a proprietary controlled round feed action made by Empire. Mauser clone.

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

What type of mounts does the bridges take? Custom made?

I have not mounted a scope and don't have rings. That said, a quick search listed rings made by Leupold and Talley. Also, Sunny Hill should be able to make rings although that may be custom.

Scope Ring Bases Archives

Talley Scope Ring Bases are machined from solid bar stock. The double recoil shoulder design of the Talley Base holds your scope with absolute rigidity

www.talleymanufacturing.com