Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Original John Rigby 275 Take-Down - a recent acquisition

Original John Rigby 275 Take-Down - a recent acquisition

Hello All,

I wanted to take a moment to share with you my excitement about my most recent acquisition - an Original John Rigby Rifle in 275 HV caliber. (7x57mm)

I always wanted an original Rigby rifle in 275 caliber, and I am so very pleased to have finally found one, and this one is a Take-Down model.

The rifle was built using an Oberndorf Mauser Action with its original serial number indicating it was manufactured in early 1924. The action is an "Intermediate Action" that Mauser made specifically for their 7x57mm cartridge. This action is also a very unique one because it has a "single square bridge" at the rear of the receiver, a feature I've not yet found on any other .275 Rigby rifle. The rifle is topped with a 4x scope with a cross hair/post reticle in a German Akah lever-detachable side mount. (similar to a G&H side mount)

I contacted John Rigby & Co. in England and obtained a Factory Letter. It confirms my rifle was a .275 cal Mauser Sporting Rifle - High Velocity Take Down - 24" Barrel - weighing 7-1/4 pounds - a 14-1/8" LOP - Sold to: T.P Dunhill - Sept. 12, 1924.






The Take-Down function is simple and slick. While holding the rifle "belly-up" under your left arm, you lift the Deeley Locking Lever that is on the bottom of the forend. (this retracts the lock-pin that extends into the front of the stock) Then you twist the forend / barrel counter-clock-wise, and unscrew the barrel. To reinstall the barrel, you simply screw it back into the action. The Deeley Locking Lever automatically lifts open, and then snaps shut when the barrel is fully seated, thereby locking it back in place with the forend lock-pin.

In researching T.P. Dunhill, the purchaser of this rifle, I was very surprised to find that he was a famous Surgeon who served during WWI, and then later became the Surgeon to the Royal Family in London, England, and in 1933 he was "Knighted" by King George V.

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In addition, on June 11, 1947, in a small private nursing home on Berwick Street, London, "Sir Thomas Peel Dunhill" performed a hernia operation on none other than the 73-year-old Winston Churchill. How cool is that!




I especially like the fact that when discussing John Rigby .275 cal. rifles, names of Famous Hunters are sure to come into the conversation. Names like WD Bell, aka "Karamojo" Bell, (he also owned a take-down model) who killed over 1,000 elephants with his 275 Rigby. And, Jim Corbett, another hunter of fame, who used his 275 Rigby to kill over a dozen Man-Eating Tigers and Leopards that had killed over 1,200 people in India.

............... W D Bell ............... Jim Corbett
.
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The Rigby is now cased and ready for the hunt, albeit not likely for Elephants, or Leopards, or Tigers, Oh My!

Awesome rifle! Congrats on it.

Beyond cool!!!! I salute you! For me, the pinnacle of hunting rifles. I have had double rifles, pre-64 Win and others. But a true Rigby 275?? Looks that she has a good home and hopefully she will be hunted again. Thank you Sir for sharing.(my birthday is in December. Hint hint)

Beautiful rifle, sir.

Awesome rifle and even more awesome story!

Nice.

Are you going to take it hunting this fall?

That is so call. Don't you wish that rifle could talk?

WOW!

The stuff dreams are made of.

Outstanding rifle and history. Well done!

Outstanding!

HS - Beautiful rifle! Great Story. Thanks for sharing, it's good stuff.

Bloody marvelous. I am green with envy.





Enjoy your treasure !!!!

I would be excited too! Great find…in .275 too. Very nice .

That is fantastic! Congratulations.

That is not only a fantastic gun, the provenance alone is worthy of a museum. I never even knew that rifle existed and now I want one. Good job!

What a fantastic rifle, congratulations Sir.

Incredible!