In its British guise the 7x57mm Mauser was known as the .275 Rigby, and in the hands of some talented hunters like W.D.M. Bell and Col. Jim Corbett,
the cartridge would go on to inspire the world in the classic hunting tales like “Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter” and “The Man-Eaters of Kumaon.
Interesting that people have been so inspired by Bells .275 bore but not much his great exploits with his .256 Mannlicher
which he also credits in his book.
"For years after that I continued to use the -275 and the -256 in all kinds of country
and for all kinds of game." -Bell (page 6.)
"I was using at that time a very light and sweet- working Mann.-Sch. carbine, -256 bore and weighing only 5\ lb.
With this tiny and beautiful little weapon I had extraordinary luck, and I should have continued to use it in preference
to my other rifles had not its Austrian ammunition developed the serious fault of splitting at the neck. After that discovery
I reverted to my well-tried and always trusty 7 mm. Mauser." - Bell , (page 94.)
His favored rifle above all his other weapons, was satisfied with its bullet performance on everything from elephant down,
(killed 300 odd bulls with it)....but all people ever seem to associate will Bell is the .275 bore.
The thing that Bell notes most about .275 is the reliability of DWM ammunition, he certainly doesn't put the Rigby rifle
or .275 performance on game above that of his Daniel Fraser .256 Mannlicher carbine.
All the more strange is that when some people see Bells own Rigby .275 bore rifle they make out like its the holy grail, and some
will say things like "If only that rifle could talk" - yet that 1923 purchase rifle people are seeing hasn't kill a pile of elephant, since
Mr. Bells elephant hunting career was over by then. It is merely one of six(6) Rigby .275 bores he owned at one time or another.
However, the .256 bore workhorse rifle that did kill 300 bulls,lions,cape buff etc, and that still exist today and that can be viewed
in photos just the same, really even rates a passing mention when the subject of Bell is discussed.
