John Rigby & Company
Encyclopedia
John Rigby & Company, gun and rifle makers, is a firm specialising in the building of high-quality sporting rifles and shotguns.
in 1775, and is known to have traded as W. & J. Rigby during the period 1820 - 1865 during the flintlock and percussion eras. In its early days, Rigby's was particularly well known for producing high-grade duelling pistols. A London
shop was eventually opened in 1865, and the Dublin premises finally closed in 1897.
Around 1880, John Rigby became superintendent of the government Royal Small Arms Factory
at Enfield Lock
, and was in charge of development of the British service issue .303 British
calibre rifle. He was a distinguished rifleman who had competed at international level with the Irish team, and was mainly responsible for bringing Rigby's name to the fore in riflemaking.
Rigby landmarks include the 1897 introduction of the .450 calibre Nitro Express Double Rifle; the 1899 production of the Rigby .275 calibre (7x57 Mauser) Mauser system and the Rigby .350 calibre Express Rifle; and the 1900 introduction of the .350 Mauser System.
In 1907 the Rigby .470 became Rigby's main big game double rifle, and in 1912 the .416 Rigby calibre magazine rifle was introduced. Between 1900 and 1960, the Rigby Mauser System was predominantly made in calibres .275, .350 and .416 Rigby, with some .303 calibre rifles in the early days. After that period a wider range of calibres were manufactured. Rigby also made boxlock and sidelock shotguns throughout this entire period. After Theodore Rigby's death in 1951, the Company was owned by Vernon Harris, whose widow sold the business to David Marx in 1968. Marx later partnered with J. Roberts & Son. In 1995, Paul Roberts introduced the .450 Rigby magnum Rimless, based on the Rigby .416. The Company is currently headquartered in the United States, with guns and rifles produced under license in London.
The warrant to Queen Elizabeth II was revoked after production moved to the USA in the late 1990s.
History
The company was founded in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1775, and is known to have traded as W. & J. Rigby during the period 1820 - 1865 during the flintlock and percussion eras. In its early days, Rigby's was particularly well known for producing high-grade duelling pistols. A London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
shop was eventually opened in 1865, and the Dublin premises finally closed in 1897.
Around 1880, John Rigby became superintendent of the government Royal Small Arms Factory
Royal Small Arms Factory
The Royal Small Arms Factory was a UK government-owned rifle factory in the London Borough of Enfield in an area generally known as the Lea Valley. The factory produced British military rifles, muskets and swords from 1816...
at Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, North London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, to the River Lee Navigation, including the Enfield Island Village. The locality gains its name from the lock on the...
, and was in charge of development of the British service issue .303 British
.303 British
.303 British, or 7.7x56mmR, is a .311 inch calibre rifle and machine gun cartridge first developed in Britain as a blackpowder round put into service in December 1888 for the Lee-Metford rifle, later adapted to use smokeless powders...
calibre rifle. He was a distinguished rifleman who had competed at international level with the Irish team, and was mainly responsible for bringing Rigby's name to the fore in riflemaking.
Rigby landmarks include the 1897 introduction of the .450 calibre Nitro Express Double Rifle; the 1899 production of the Rigby .275 calibre (7x57 Mauser) Mauser system and the Rigby .350 calibre Express Rifle; and the 1900 introduction of the .350 Mauser System.
In 1907 the Rigby .470 became Rigby's main big game double rifle, and in 1912 the .416 Rigby calibre magazine rifle was introduced. Between 1900 and 1960, the Rigby Mauser System was predominantly made in calibres .275, .350 and .416 Rigby, with some .303 calibre rifles in the early days. After that period a wider range of calibres were manufactured. Rigby also made boxlock and sidelock shotguns throughout this entire period. After Theodore Rigby's death in 1951, the Company was owned by Vernon Harris, whose widow sold the business to David Marx in 1968. Marx later partnered with J. Roberts & Son. In 1995, Paul Roberts introduced the .450 Rigby magnum Rimless, based on the Rigby .416. The Company is currently headquartered in the United States, with guns and rifles produced under license in London.
Royal Warrant
Rigby has been gun or rifle makers by royal appointment (holders of the royal warrant) to:- King George IV (d. 1820)
- King Edward VII (d. 1910)
- King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
(d. 1935) - King George VI (d. 1952)
- Queen Elizabeth II
The warrant to Queen Elizabeth II was revoked after production moved to the USA in the late 1990s.
Ammunition developed by Rigby
- .275 Rigby in 1899.
- .350 Rigby in 1899.
- .470 Rigby in 1907.
- .350 Rigby Nitro Express in 1908
- .416 Rigby.416 RigbyThe .416 Rigby or 10.6x74mm was designed in 1911 by John Rigby & Company of London, England as a dangerous game cartridge and is the first one to use a bullet with a diameter of .416"...
in 1912. - .450 Rigby.450 RigbyThe .450 Rigby Magnum Rimless better known simply as the .450 Rigby is a .45 caliber rimless, bottlenecked cartridge intended for the hunting of heavy dangerous game. The cartridge is based on the .416 Rigby necked up to accept a bullet. The cartridge is intended for use in magazine rifles...
in 1995.