Is a Rigby worth it?

[lockingblock]

I remember getting off the airplane after moving to Australia wide eyed from car shopping. I wasn't wealthy at the time and am still far from it. We went to Toyota and there was a used 70' series Landcruiser troop carrier. The price was 100,000 AUD about $75,000 at the time.

I wanted it, it was the vehicle of my dreams. We couldn't really afford something like that for a 3 year trip. It hurt my pride not to buy it. We bought a 2005 Jeep Cherokee (5 years old at the time) and it was an awesome vehicle for where we lived in Australia.

About 5 years later, I was in California and I drove by a the Toyota dealership (it was on the only main drag in town, wasn't off course at all). They had a dealer demo Landcruiser for $45,000. It was a $90,000 USD car. I drove it, thought about it and I didn't do it because it wasn't sensible.

Then in 2019 after moving back from Germany we finally found a Landcruiser at a price I could manage. It was a bit of a comprimise as it meant that the wife was going to end up keeping our older Toyota Sienna van. Finally bought one. Felt small and immediate remorse when I signed it off the lot and drove it away. Hated the mileage, complete lack of room and how much it sucks on the highway. Was a hell of a lot more than $45,000, as it was only two years old.

In 2020 before the world collapsed, I finally got rid of it. Disappointed in the purchase, as it was really underwealming after I owned it.

I have a pair of Swarovski El 12x50 binos I kind of feel the same about. Eventually I'll throw them on ebay and lick my wounds. Really thought that 12x50's were optimal after using 8x56 on a sheep hunt. They have been out of the box one time.

Be very careful of needful things.

I’ve experienced similar. Sometimes, my mental image of an item doesn’t align with the reality of using it.

What don’t you like about the Swaros?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Is it worth it? If it gets the endorphins going when it's fondled, wiped with a cloth, taken out of the case, shot on the range, hunted, made memories or just gazed upon and admired, YES. Like my father used to say, "Don't be a wish-I-had". Go for it!

 

[bowjijohn]

Some things are iconic

examples plucked out of the air are

AK 47
Assegai
Bushman’s bow and arrow
Longbow
Broadsword
Katana blade
E type series 1
Cobra Shelby
J class yacht
404 jeff
Mk 4 303
Purdey
and
H & H .375

Rigby must be in that league too?

So - if I could afford it - it might be worth the premium to hold and use a bit of classical history

as to whether their standards have slipped - I cannot say - not being in that league and never having held one

j

 

[WAB]

My wife with our Highland Stalker in 9.3x62. For me it was well worth it!

 

[Nyati]

Brands... not for me.

Heym yes, great tool, I also shot a couple of Dakotas about 30 years ago, in .375HH and .270, loved them, really slick guns.

Want something fancier, Dumoulin, hard to find a better factory gun.

Then we could go to Ferlach, in Austria where there are a small factories and you have the choice of a functional gun (at a more reasonable price than a Purdey), or a bespoke beauty

 

[ActionBob]

I buy only Rigid pipe-wrenches.

You are truly a refined Gentleman!

 

[ActionBob]

The only thing better than a fine Rigby is a finer woman with a fine Rigby

 

[Dr Ray]

The problem is whether you would use the Rigby or just display. I would be concerned that i would scratch the beautiful finish and be hesitant to take it into the scrub etc.

 

[ActionBob]

The problem is whether you would use the Rigby or just display. I would be concerned that i would scratch the beautiful finish and be hesitant to take it into the scrub etc.

Yea, I had it all figured out just how to put the soft case with each gun into which bracket on the hunting truck until about mid way through the safari and a tracker put the Rigby in all backwards. I didn't catch it for a few hours and it took a real beating.

The good news is it's in it's working clothes now and easy to take hunting

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Scratches and dings that occur during hunting just add character.

 

[Sika98k]

What Danish (or other continental) auction sites might you be using? For the moment I mainly look at Holts, but due to Brexit I’d rather find a good continental auction site…

@VertigoBE . Take a look at Lauritz.com , Danish but their website shows offerings from Sweden and Germany on occasion.

 

[Philip Glass]

You will enjoy it. Classic!

 

[Zambezi]

For me, and only me, I would buy a Rigby but only one that has some history or provenance. If I want the Rigby name it must be the Rigby of old.

If I want the quality associated (rightly or wrongly) with Rigby then I would get a bespoke rifle made for me by one of the well known smiths/manufacturers mentioned already. Same quality at half the price.

The new Rigbys are great rifles I'm sure but I'd rather have one that has the nostalgic value already built in, not just the name.

 

[VertigoBE]

@VertigoBE . Take a look at Lauritz.com , Danish but their website shows offerings from Sweden and Germany on occasion.

Thank you @Sika98k !

 

[WAB]

The problem is whether you would use the Rigby or just display. I would be concerned that i would scratch the beautiful finish and be hesitant to take it into the scrub etc.

Wood is easily refinished. The Rigby’s have an oil finish which makes repair quite simple. I hunt with all of my custom guns. They were built once, they can be built again if necessary.

 

[Major Bonkers]

European firearms auctions:

Lauritz - Scandinavia. A Danish gun-shop also posts its stock on this site.
Bruun Rasmussen - Denmark.
Dorotheum - Austria. 2 major sales per year, but lots of ugly guns and weird calibres.
Drouot - France

eGun.de - be careful of this one - it's more like eBay where sellers describe their own lots.

Aggregating sites (ie. they aggregate national auctions):

Interencheres - France
Auction.fr - France
The-Saleroom - UK

American site:

Morphy - tends to be expensive. Expensive arranging shipping.

American aggregating sites:

Live-auctioneers
Invaluable.com

UK:

Holts
Bonhams
Gavin Gardiner - catalogue for 27 April sale now online.
Wilson55 - catalogue for 28 April sale now online.
Southams - hopeless admin. Tends to be better for accessories.

 

[VertigoBE]

European firearms auctions:

Lauritz - Scandinavia. A Danish gun-shop also posts its stock on this site.
Bruun Rasmussen - Denmark.
Dorotheum - Austria. 2 major sales per year, but lots of ugly guns and weird calibres.
Drouot - France

eGun.de - be careful of this one - it's more like eBay where sellers describe their own lots.

Aggregating sites (ie. they aggregate national auctions):

Interencheres - France
Auction.fr - France
The-Saleroom - UK

American site:

Morphy - tends to be expensive. Expensive arranging shipping.

American aggregating sites:

Live-auctioneers
Invaluable.com

UK:

Holts
Bonhams
Gavin Gardiner - catalogue for 27 April sale now online.
Wilson55 - catalogue for 28 April sale now online.
Southams - hopeless admin. Tends to be better for accessories.

Love it, thanks a lot @Major Bonkers!!!

 

[Accidental Villain]

Wood is easily refinished. The Rigby’s have an oil finish which makes repair quite simple. I hunt with all of my custom guns. They were built once, they can be built again if necessary.

Exactly! +1
Fact is,,the wood you`ll find on several expensive custom guns and also Rigby rifles is extremely strong (usually). Typically, several hundred yrs old Ruglans Regia walnut. The new Rigby rifles I`ve seen has not at all been a disappointment in that respect. Extremely dense and straight grained walnut. That`s what you want to see on a rifle meant to be used hard and often. As written,,having a quality stock like that refinished is easy. I`m actually much more concerned about traveling with an expensive rifle, in my case a vintage Rigby.
The new Rigbys share dna with old ones. Although modernized its easy to see in the lines, barrel profile etc, throughout quality, its a Rigby. Worth it?? In my mind definite yes!

 

[roverandbrew]

Exactly! +1
Fact is,,the wood you`ll find on several expensive custom guns and also Rigby rifles is extremely strong (usually). Typically, several hundred yrs old Ruglans Regia walnut. The new Rigby rifles I`ve seen has not at all been a disappointment in that respect. Extremely dense and straight grained walnut. That`s what you want to see on a rifle meant to be used hard and often. As written,,having a quality stock like that refinished is easy. I`m actually much more concerned about traveling with an expensive rifle, in my case a vintage Rigby.
The new Rigbys share dna with old ones. Although modernized its easy to see in the lines, barrel profile etc, throughout quality, its a Rigby. Worth it?? In my mind definite yes!

I agree. Side by side I have held a "vintage" Rigby and my New Highland Stalker. Honestly not that much of a difference (Scope mount and Safety were different). What I did like about the older Rigby was the darker matte finish on the wood. I know this sounds crazy but I paid to remove the existing finish on my HS and finished it with more of a utilitarian look. I absolutely love it and am glad I did it. In my mind my HS is now perfect. I do love the history behind the vintage rifles as everyone else has mentioned on this site. No matter how much history a rifle has at one point it did start off "NEW" with no history. Someone had to out the history. To assist in the capture my own history I purchased the Rigby Hunting Journal where I now log my hunts and any amplifying information. I place pictures in the book. Hopefully I continue and when I am too old to hunt and a few gin and tonics down I can pull out the book, hold the rifle and reminiscence. When I pass away and one of my children own the rifle they can see its logged history and continue to build it out.

 

[Major Bonkers]

Also:

Australian Arms Auction - catalogue 30 April available. Lot 453 is a Ruger No.1 in .375 at a very reasonable estimate, lot 472 a (presumably rebarrelled) Farquharson in .256 - what a beauty!, lot 490 a golden age Rigby in .303, a couple of nice WR single-shots, and a Jeffery double in .303 at lot 642.

Note that the Wilson55 sale has an unengraved Dumoulin .375 for sale with an estimate of £800 - 1,200, with a repaired split in the stock. The economics probably won't work for Mr. Speedy (who will have to arrange shipping and import duties), but if you can get that at the low estimate, +22% commission, + a restocking contingency (say: £1,500), that will have cost you a third of the price of a new Rigby.