John Rigby & Company
 | |
| Industry | Firearms |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1775 Dublin, Ireland |
| Founder | John Rigby |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Rifles, Shotguns |
| Services | Engraving |
| Website | http://www.johnrigbyandco.com/ |
John Rigby & Company, is a gunmaking firm founded by John Rigby in 1775 Dublin. The company is now located in central London and is under the direction of Marc Newton and Patricia Pugh. Part owned by and working alongside Mauser, the two companies are currently working on the development of a new model Rigby rifle for big game hunting.
History
The company was founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1735, 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.
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) built on the Mauser action and the Rigby .350 calibre Express Rifle; and the 1900 introduction of the .350 Mauser actioned rifles.
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 was sold in 1997 to Mr. Neil Gibson, and began manufacturing in the US.
In 2010, a group of US businessmen purchased the Rigby assets, discontinuing the manufacture of Rigbys in California. Rigby returned manufacturing to London with J. Roberts & Son, and published the book “Rigby: A Grand Tradition”.[1] Rigby later ended various trademark disputes,[2] and re-acquired the historic Rigby archives from a private owner.[3] In 2013 Rigby was sold to Mauser/Blaser, which has historic ties to Rigby including a collaboration prior to World War I on the development of the Magnum Mauser action for the Rigby .416 cartridge.
Historic Addresses
Dublin Era - 19 and 24 Suffolk St., Dublin 72 St. James's St.- 1866 to 1907 43 Sackville St.- 1908 to 1955 32 King St., St James's - 1956-1963 28 Sackville St. - 1963-69 13 Pall Mall - 1969-1985 5 King St., Covent Garden 1985-1987 66-68 Great Suffolk St., Southwark 1987+ 22 Wyvil Road to 1997, and from 2013
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 V (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
- .450 Nitro Express in 1898.
- .275 Rigby in 1899.
- .400/350 Nitro Express in 1899.
- .470 Rigby in 1907.
- .350 Rigby and .350 Rigby No 2 in 1908.
- .416 Rigby in 1912.
- .275 No 2 Magnum in 1922.
- .450 Rigby in 1995.