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Rigby sat down with its new Head of Community, Franz Davis. From his earliest memories of the outdoors and first impressions of Rigby to his hopes for strengthening the brand’s global community, Franz shares the experiences and passions that have shaped his path. Away from work – or the hunting field – he’s a man of many interests; all rooted in a love of adventure and curiosity about the world around him.
Can you share your earliest memory of hunting or being outdoors? Was there a friend or family member who influenced your path into hunting and conservation?
I was drawn to adventure and the outdoors from a young age, even though hunting was not part of my family. My parents actually discouraged it, but I always held a romantic notion of hunting, especially after reading Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. In my twenties, a visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota deepened that fascination, as I learned about his early safaris to Africa.
Still, it wasn’t until my mid-30s, after meeting my wife, that I finally hunted for the first time—on a deer hunt with my mother-in-law in northern Minnesota. We were in tree stands about 500 yards apart on opening morning when she texted me that a mountain lion had just walked past her stand toward mine. My excitement turned instantly to nerves, and I went from scanning the ground for deer to checking the treetops above me. Thankfully, the lion never reappeared, but that afternoon I did manage to take my first white-tailed buck. Since that day I’ve hunted every year, across the Midwest, West, and South of the U.S., in Canada, the UK, and in South Africa.
Do you remember when you first came across Rigby, and what your initial impression was?
I first came across Rigby about 15 years ago while browsing an auction site for fine guns. The name caught my eye among the higher-end rifles, and the elegance and balance of the Rigby pieces immediately stood out. At the time I was mostly focused on bolt-action rifles, but I also dreamed of one day owning a large-bore double rifle. Even then, I could see that Rigby’s proportions and lines were in a class of their own.
What does the Rigby brand mean to you personally and what excites you most about taking on the role of Head of Community for Rigby?
A few months into planning my first plains game safari to South Africa, I knew I wanted the most iconic rifle and caliber I could afford, so I chose a Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby. As I researched more, I was struck not only by the rifles themselves but by the brand’s heritage and openness. Rigby had an aura of tradition, yet it welcomed people like me who were relatively new to the world of fine guns.
My first face-to-face meeting with Marc Newton, at SCI in Nashville, confirmed those impressions. Over the course of four days at the show we must have spoken for three hours, covering everything from philosophy and parenting to hunting and conservation. He was warm, genuine, and full of ideas, and our conversations grew into a friendship that has lasted. Later, I was invited to London for Rigby’s 250th Anniversary celebration, where I had the chance to meet the wider Rigby team. Their warmth, kindness, and knowledge left a lasting impression on me, and it was during those celebrations that early discussions about my future role began.
What excites me most about taking on the role of Head of Community is the chance to inspire others, just as I was inspired by Rigby’s history, people, and ethos. Rigby already has a passionate following worldwide, but there is so much room to expand that community, particularly here in the United States. My aim is to create meaningful connections between the brand and its customers so that Rigby’s goals and the community’s interests are aligned and mutually enriching.
Rigby has a strong and passionate following around the world, so how do you see your role in building and nurturing that community, especially in the USA?
Day-to-day, my work will be varied. I’ll be representing Rigby in online forums such as AfricaHunting.com, answering questions, and sharing product knowledge. I’ll also be curating and publishing “Rigby Ambassadors in the Field” spotlights, which tell the stories of hunters around the world who own and use Rigby rifles. I’ll be developing partnerships with influencers, hunting personalities, and dealers, supporting events, and providing educational resources to the network of Rigby dealers. Crucially, I’ll also act as a bridge, bringing community feedback and ideas back to Rigby so that customer voices are heard directly.
Are there any specific projects or initiatives you’re particularly looking forward to leading?
One of the initiatives I’m most passionate about is showcasing everyday hunters who use Rigby rifles. When I first began researching high-end London guns, I had assumed they were only owned by a small and exclusive stratum of society. I was delighted to find that wasn’t the case. I met countless regular hunters who not only owned Rigbys but hunted actively with them. That reality is powerful, and I want to make it more visible through the Ambassadors in the Field project. Seeing a familiar face behind a Rigby rifle is often more inspiring than any advertisement, it shows that these rifles are part of real hunting lives across the globe.
When you’re not working or hunting, how do you like to spend your time?
Outside of hunting and work, I’ve always had what my friends jokingly call “a million hobbies.” I love the outdoors, whether I’m backpacking, rock climbing, ice climbing, or cycling in all its forms: mountain, gravel, road, or fat biking in the winter. I ride motorcycles and enjoy both the quick freedom of café bikes and long trips on an adventure bike. I’ve had the chance to climb mountains, scuba dive in caverns and to shipwrecks, and I also hold a private pilot’s license. When I’m closer to home, I enjoy golf, tennis, and soccer, and I even reload my own ammunition. I thrive on curiosity and variety, and if I try something once and like it, I usually keep doing it.
Do you have a favourite place to hunt or a memorable hunt that stands out to you?
In terms of quarry, big game has always held a special appeal, partly because the manner of hunting changes so much with the terrain. Among my most memorable hunts are my first Rocky Mountain elk in the deep snows of Colorado, and my first sable in South Africa’s Limpopo province. More recently, I had the opportunity to stalk red deer in the Scottish Highlands. The rut hadn’t quite started, so the stags were still grouped in large herds, which made the approach challenging. The heather-covered moorland was tougher going than I had expected, but I was impressed by the effortless skill of the stalker and ghillie who guided me. Late in the day, we came over a rise and spotted a smaller group. With my Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby, I was able to take a 10-point stag as he chased a few hinds. The traditional blooding ritual followed, and it made the whole experience even more moving and memorable.
Finally, what do you hope people will take away from getting to know you in this new role?
Ultimately, what I hope people will see in me is part of Rigby’s human voice. I’ll be present in online forums, on social platforms, at hunting expos, and at dealer events, sharing knowledge, celebrating tradition, and promoting adventure. Most of all, I want to carry forward the stories and values that make Rigby legendary and help others feel as inspired as I was when I first encountered the brand.
Can you share your earliest memory of hunting or being outdoors? Was there a friend or family member who influenced your path into hunting and conservation?
I was drawn to adventure and the outdoors from a young age, even though hunting was not part of my family. My parents actually discouraged it, but I always held a romantic notion of hunting, especially after reading Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. In my twenties, a visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota deepened that fascination, as I learned about his early safaris to Africa.
Still, it wasn’t until my mid-30s, after meeting my wife, that I finally hunted for the first time—on a deer hunt with my mother-in-law in northern Minnesota. We were in tree stands about 500 yards apart on opening morning when she texted me that a mountain lion had just walked past her stand toward mine. My excitement turned instantly to nerves, and I went from scanning the ground for deer to checking the treetops above me. Thankfully, the lion never reappeared, but that afternoon I did manage to take my first white-tailed buck. Since that day I’ve hunted every year, across the Midwest, West, and South of the U.S., in Canada, the UK, and in South Africa.
Do you remember when you first came across Rigby, and what your initial impression was?
I first came across Rigby about 15 years ago while browsing an auction site for fine guns. The name caught my eye among the higher-end rifles, and the elegance and balance of the Rigby pieces immediately stood out. At the time I was mostly focused on bolt-action rifles, but I also dreamed of one day owning a large-bore double rifle. Even then, I could see that Rigby’s proportions and lines were in a class of their own.
What does the Rigby brand mean to you personally and what excites you most about taking on the role of Head of Community for Rigby?
A few months into planning my first plains game safari to South Africa, I knew I wanted the most iconic rifle and caliber I could afford, so I chose a Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby. As I researched more, I was struck not only by the rifles themselves but by the brand’s heritage and openness. Rigby had an aura of tradition, yet it welcomed people like me who were relatively new to the world of fine guns.
My first face-to-face meeting with Marc Newton, at SCI in Nashville, confirmed those impressions. Over the course of four days at the show we must have spoken for three hours, covering everything from philosophy and parenting to hunting and conservation. He was warm, genuine, and full of ideas, and our conversations grew into a friendship that has lasted. Later, I was invited to London for Rigby’s 250th Anniversary celebration, where I had the chance to meet the wider Rigby team. Their warmth, kindness, and knowledge left a lasting impression on me, and it was during those celebrations that early discussions about my future role began.
What excites me most about taking on the role of Head of Community is the chance to inspire others, just as I was inspired by Rigby’s history, people, and ethos. Rigby already has a passionate following worldwide, but there is so much room to expand that community, particularly here in the United States. My aim is to create meaningful connections between the brand and its customers so that Rigby’s goals and the community’s interests are aligned and mutually enriching.
Rigby has a strong and passionate following around the world, so how do you see your role in building and nurturing that community, especially in the USA?
Day-to-day, my work will be varied. I’ll be representing Rigby in online forums such as AfricaHunting.com, answering questions, and sharing product knowledge. I’ll also be curating and publishing “Rigby Ambassadors in the Field” spotlights, which tell the stories of hunters around the world who own and use Rigby rifles. I’ll be developing partnerships with influencers, hunting personalities, and dealers, supporting events, and providing educational resources to the network of Rigby dealers. Crucially, I’ll also act as a bridge, bringing community feedback and ideas back to Rigby so that customer voices are heard directly.
Are there any specific projects or initiatives you’re particularly looking forward to leading?
One of the initiatives I’m most passionate about is showcasing everyday hunters who use Rigby rifles. When I first began researching high-end London guns, I had assumed they were only owned by a small and exclusive stratum of society. I was delighted to find that wasn’t the case. I met countless regular hunters who not only owned Rigbys but hunted actively with them. That reality is powerful, and I want to make it more visible through the Ambassadors in the Field project. Seeing a familiar face behind a Rigby rifle is often more inspiring than any advertisement, it shows that these rifles are part of real hunting lives across the globe.
When you’re not working or hunting, how do you like to spend your time?
Outside of hunting and work, I’ve always had what my friends jokingly call “a million hobbies.” I love the outdoors, whether I’m backpacking, rock climbing, ice climbing, or cycling in all its forms: mountain, gravel, road, or fat biking in the winter. I ride motorcycles and enjoy both the quick freedom of café bikes and long trips on an adventure bike. I’ve had the chance to climb mountains, scuba dive in caverns and to shipwrecks, and I also hold a private pilot’s license. When I’m closer to home, I enjoy golf, tennis, and soccer, and I even reload my own ammunition. I thrive on curiosity and variety, and if I try something once and like it, I usually keep doing it.
Do you have a favourite place to hunt or a memorable hunt that stands out to you?
In terms of quarry, big game has always held a special appeal, partly because the manner of hunting changes so much with the terrain. Among my most memorable hunts are my first Rocky Mountain elk in the deep snows of Colorado, and my first sable in South Africa’s Limpopo province. More recently, I had the opportunity to stalk red deer in the Scottish Highlands. The rut hadn’t quite started, so the stags were still grouped in large herds, which made the approach challenging. The heather-covered moorland was tougher going than I had expected, but I was impressed by the effortless skill of the stalker and ghillie who guided me. Late in the day, we came over a rise and spotted a smaller group. With my Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby, I was able to take a 10-point stag as he chased a few hinds. The traditional blooding ritual followed, and it made the whole experience even more moving and memorable.
Finally, what do you hope people will take away from getting to know you in this new role?
Ultimately, what I hope people will see in me is part of Rigby’s human voice. I’ll be present in online forums, on social platforms, at hunting expos, and at dealer events, sharing knowledge, celebrating tradition, and promoting adventure. Most of all, I want to carry forward the stories and values that make Rigby legendary and help others feel as inspired as I was when I first encountered the brand.
