Talk me out of a Rigby Big Game 404J

[farmer_john]

Thanks to all my enabler friends!!! As happens to all of us I waited to long to decide and the gun is gone. It was a want not a need

Sad

 

[RR 314]

Thanks to all my enabler friends!!! As happens to all of us I waited to long to decide and the gun is gone. It was a want not a need

Doh! You have to strike when the iron is at least lukewarm on .404s. Hope you never got to handle it—that can make it more painful.

 

[Rare Breed]

I spoke too soon!!! The seller surprised me by coming back and taking my offer!!!! Within two weeks I will have my Rigby Big Game in 404 Jeffery to go with my HS 275 & 9.3x62 and Dr in 450 NE so that will be four Rigbys and I could not be happier!!!! I will post pictures when I have it in my hands. I am looking to put a Swaro 8i in 1-8-24 illuminated on it.

 

[farmer_john]

I spoke too soon!!! The seller surprised me by coming back and taking my offer!!!! Within two weeks I will have my Rigby Big Game in 404 Jeffery to go with my HS 275 & 9.3x62 and Dr in 450 NE so that will be four Rigbys and I could not be happier!!!! I will post pictures when I have it in my hands. I am looking to put a Swaro 8i in 1-8-24 illuminated on it.

Congrats thats how you know its gods will

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

You just put money in the bank. Well played.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I am tempted…I have two Rigby HS in 275 and 9.3x62. I also have a Rigby DR in 450 NE. I think I have all that I need…however I have found a really good deal on a Rigby Big Game in 404J

Please talk me out of this!!!

I’m probably going to be the only one to say this but you shouldn’t buy the 404J, and especially shouldn’t buy a Rigby.

You’ve got several very nice rifles, capable of handling anything in/on Africa but you consistently skimp on the most important aspect of the hunt. You’re always looking for the cheapest potential route to check the next box, and even created a thread on it in the past. You should take that money and put it towards hunting a better area and/or with better outfitters.

All you’ve gotten so far you was
• 0:1 on a Leopard with zero sighting; despite using the “best” catman in Africa
• An elephant calf for almost as much as a mature non trophy bull would cost
• charged by a CBL

With the money you’ve spent on nice rifles you could’ve hunted several great areas and potentially even done a wild lion hunt. I’ve personally started considering this myself and have been piecing off some guns to help fund hunts that I previously thought were unobtainable, and pumped the brakes on some deals and hunts to save more for a bigger better hunt.

 

[Rare Breed]

Ah but you assume I don’t have money for nice hunts…here is my three year plan
1. August 26 Divan Safaris Namibia very high success rates for my leopard
2. September 27 Tsala For non exportable elephant Moz with a potential of a 70 pounder they got an 80 pounder last year all with an exportable buff on 2 million acres
3. September 2028 That’s Africa non exportable bull elephant same size opportunity as Tsala in Moz again with an exportable buff on 1 million acres
I want and am fortunate to have both. A wild lion with bait is $75k and just not worth it to me. Second I don’t know who told you my elephant was “a calf”. Simply not true and insulting to @Tokoloshe Safaris

 

[Rare Breed]

My Zim certificate obtained by conservation force showed my elephant was 34 years old so how you call that “a calf” is simply beyond me

 

[Albert GRANT]

I’m probably going to be the only one to say this but you shouldn’t buy the 404J, and especially shouldn’t buy a Rigby.

You’ve got several very nice rifles, capable of handling anything in/on Africa but you consistently skimp on the most important aspect of the hunt. You’re always looking for the cheapest potential route to check the next box, and even created a thread on it in the past. You should take that money and put it towards hunting a better area and/or with better outfitters.

All you’ve gotten so far you was
• 0:1 on a Leopard with zero sighting; despite using the “best” catman in Africa
• An elephant calf for almost as much as a mature non trophy bull would cost
• charged by a CBL

With the money you’ve spent on nice rifles you could’ve hunted several great areas and potentially even done a wild lion hunt. I’ve personally started considering this myself and have been piecing off some guns to help fund hunts that I previously thought were unobtainable, and pumped the brakes on some deals and hunts to save more for a bigger better hunt.

My Zim certificate obtained by conservation force showed my elephant was 34 years old so how you call that “a calf” is simply beyond me

There's always one.........

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

My Zim certificate obtained by conservation force showed my elephant was 34 years old so how you call that “a calf” is simply beyond me

I called him a calf, based on the size of him in your previously posted photo. I know/understand Binga elephants are small compared to elephants in other areas of Zim, but the photo you posted (referenced below) certainly makes him look like a calf.

Even if he is 34 years old, he’s is well shy of the age any bull elephant should be hunted at. That’s shy of even coming into breeding maturity, and you huntings/shooting him did absolutely nothing for the conservation of elephants. How or why a Zim PH would allow you to hunt him is beyond me but that goes back to my original comment of checking a box.

I’m not assuming you don’t have the money for nice hunts or nice areas, your previous posts and hunt choices have shown that if you do have the money, you value other things over them. This is 100% your choice and prerogative to do. I completely understand your sentiments on the dollar spend of a $75k wild lion (I’d say that’s likely on the low side now) vs reward, but that goes back to my statement of save the dollars and put it towards another hunt in a great area. Your experience will be tenfold, and your dollars will contribute to and impact conservation far more than you can fathom.

I stand by my “save the dollars and spend an extra $10-15k on hunting a better area” or put it towards another hunt. Turn one of your non trophy’s into a trophy hunt.

 

[farmer_john]

I called him a calf, based on the size of him in your previously posted photo. I know/understand Binga elephants are small compared to elephants in other areas of Zim, but the photo you posted (referenced below) certainly makes him look like a calf.

View attachment 774737

Even if he is 34 years old, he’s is well shy of the age any bull elephant should be hunted at. That’s shy of even coming into breeding maturity, and you huntings/shooting him did absolutely nothing for the conservation of elephants. How or why a Zim PH would allow you to hunt him is beyond me but that goes back to my original comment of checking a box.

I’m not assuming you don’t have the money for nice hunts or nice areas, your previous posts and hunt choices have shown that if you do have the money, you value other things over them. This is 100% your choice and prerogative to do. I completely understand your sentiments on the dollar spend of a $75k wild lion (I’d say that’s likely on the low side now) vs reward, but that goes back to my statement of save the dollars and put it towards another hunt in a great area. Your experience will be tenfold, and your dollars will contribute to and impact conservation far more than you can fathom.

I stand by my “save the dollars and spend an extra $10-15k on hunting a better area” or put it towards another hunt. Turn one of your non trophy’s into a trophy hunt.

Thats still a trophy to me more elephant than i currently have hunted.

And herds gotta be culled

 

[RIGBY]

Talking you out of it would be antithetical to my mission…I think you “needed” it! Congrats - I look forward to the hunt report!

 

[farmer_john]

Talking you out of it would be antithetical to my mission…I think you “needed” it! Congrats - I look forward to the hunt report!

I had a random rigby question. Does/did rigby make threaded barreled HS rifles? Or would that be someones aftermarket modification?

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Thats still a trophy to me more elephant than i currently have hunted.

And herds gotta be culled

The killing of young adolescent bulls has no benefit on reducing herd numbers. If you want to cull the herd, you need to remove females and that’s not accomplished through trophy hunting.

Just cause you’ve never hunted one doesn’t make it a trophy. I had a fawn born in the backyard last month. I’ll gladly provide some brown spray paint if someone wants to hunt it in a few months and call it an old nanny doe. You can also leave the spots and call it an axis doe if you want.

 

[farmer_john]

The killing of young adolescent bulls has no benefit on reducing herd numbers. If you want to cull the herd, you need to remove females and that’s not accomplished through trophy hunting.

Just cause you’ve never hunted one doesn’t make it a trophy. I had a fawn born in the backyard last month. I’ll gladly provide some brown spray paint if someone wants to hunt it in a few months and call it an old nanny doe. You can also leave the spots and call it an axis doe if you want.

Thats funny. But 36 years old isnt a newborn
You are correct about the females are more impactful for population control.

 

[Sideshow]

 

[Rare Breed]

I called him a calf, based on the size of him in your previously posted photo. I know/understand Binga elephants are small compared to elephants in other areas of Zim, but the photo you posted (referenced below) certainly makes him look like a calf.

View attachment 774737

Even if he is 34 years old, he’s is well shy of the age any bull elephant should be hunted at. That’s shy of even coming into breeding maturity, and you huntings/shooting him did absolutely nothing for the conservation of elephants. How or why a Zim PH would allow you to hunt him is beyond me but that goes back to my original comment of checking a box.

I’m not assuming you don’t have the money for nice hunts or nice areas, your previous posts and hunt choices have shown that if you do have the money, you value other things over them. This is 100% your choice and prerogative to do. I completely understand your sentiments on the dollar spend of a $75k wild lion (I’d say that’s likely on the low side now) vs reward, but that goes back to my statement of save the dollars and put it towards another hunt in a great area. Your experience will be tenfold, and your dollars will contribute to and impact conservation far more than you can fathom.

I stand by my “save the dollars and spend an extra $10-15k on hunting a better area” or put it towards another hunt. Turn one of your non trophy’s into a trophy hunt.

We choose to agree to disagree my friend which is what makes our forum the great place it is. I wish you nothing but success in your Africa hunts based on your vision which is perfectly okay to not be mine

 

[bwanamrm]

I am tempted…I have two Rigby HS in 275 and 9.3x62. I also have a Rigby DR in 450 NE. I think I have all that I need…however I have found a really good deal on a Rigby Big Game in 404J

Please talk me out of this!!!

In one word - why?

 

[V.Veritas]

The killing of young adolescent bulls has no benefit on reducing herd numbers. If you want to cull the herd, you need to remove females and that’s not accomplished through trophy hunting.

I have noticed you are passionate about conservation. You might find this report interesting, educational and helpful in your endeavours.

https://www.cms.int/sites/default/files/document/cms_nlp_zwe_plan_elephant_2021.pdf

@Rare Breed, I apologize for inserting unrelated comments in your post.
Congrats for you 404J - Rigby Big Game. I own a 416 Rigby - RBG myself and I can appreciate your joy in the new ownership.

 

[Rare Breed]

I think the key here is not every hunt has to be about conservation at least in my eyes but my friend @Mtn_Infantry thinks every hunt must be about conservation which is his right just not mine although I am a member of just about every conservation group that I know