Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 40 cal Rigby, Dublin - Big Bore ?? Rook & Rabbit Rifle Needle Gun

40 cal Rigby, Dublin - Big Bore ?? Rook & Rabbit Rifle Needle Gun

Hello All,

I bought this at auction a couple weeks back and was surprised at what I got. As you can see from the listing, I thought I was buying an early Rigby single shot "center-fire" cartridge gun. But, after some research, I found out it was a Needle Gun. Here are some of the references I found:

"... John Rigby & Company founded by John Rigby in 1775 in Dublin. His grandson, also John, opened a London branch in 1865. After conducting multiple experiments beginning in 1824, Prussian gunsmith Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse in 1836 produced the first complete needle fire gun and founded a firearms factory in the town. ... John Rigby and W.N.Norman's Patent No.899 of April, 1860. A very early breech loading patent that used paper needle fire shells. The breech is opened by lifting the bolt straight up which un-threads a shaft that fits into the barrel, thus holding the barrel tight on face when shut. These distinctive rook rifles were based on part of the Rigby & Norman patent (No. 899 of 1860) and were described by Rigby in their records as ‘Improved Needle Rifle’ and marketed as “The Bijou”. .... Octagonal barrel with full length matted top flat signed “JOHN RIGBY & CO. DUBLIN” and fitted with a bead front sight and rear sight of one standing notch sight and two folding leaves graduated to “150” yards ... The breech end of the barrel a separate piece which is casehardened and engraved with foliate scrollwork. Casehardened border and scroll engraved action signed “JOHN RIGBY & CO.” on the left side, and with blued flat lever for the screw breech with checkered tip and blued hammer with long ‘needle’ firing pin. Casehardened trigger guard and butt plate engraved ... the forearm with key fastener and shaped green horn tip ... Birmingham black powder proof marks..."

That's why there is no extractor because the intended paper wrapped cartridge is totally consumed upon firing.
The first set of pictures show detail about the rifle.

Since I always intend to shoot every gun I own, I set about developing a way to shoot this interesting rifle. Rather than making paper cartridges like the originals from the 1850's, I set about producing metallic cartridges that would work in their place. It took about 20 hours to produce 10 centerfire cartridges for the rifle. I had to create a special "dual head" cartridge to fit into the recess of the screw-bolt's face. In addition, the small raised head also allows a "fingernail grab" to remove the spent cartridge after firing.
The second set of pictures show the cartridge making process.

When loading for these old vintage antique rifles I always error on the conservative side. Note the engraved bullet that stopped 1/2" short of making it out of the barrel. That was from the first conservative loading with 1.5g Unique. After the load was increased to 2g, all left the barrel as intended. I love shooting a 165 year old rifle that likely stayed dormant for over a hundred & twenty five years.
The third set of pictures show the shooting results.

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That Sir, is simply amazing. Beautiful rifle and excellent work in developing the ability to fire it. I do envy your talents.

Yes, I get a lot of satisfaction from bringing an old relic back to life.

Interesting that it has a straight wrist.

Maybe for flushed game?

A real treasure!

Interesting work. Damascus and smokeless powder aren’t the best of friends. Try a full case of 3fg BP with light compression.

Hello,

Fortunately this one has a steel barrel, not damascus.

Neat little rifle. The more you look at it, the more you see..😊

A few years ago I made paper needle-fire cartridges for a French Needle Gun. That was a lot of work, and very messy with the black powder loading. Only about 1/2 of those would fire. With this rifle I was able to make custom "metallic cartridges" that fired 100% of the time, with no mess. This was a fun, rewarding project.

Beautiful purchase and your skills to make cartridges for it is first rate Reminds me of articles by Ross Siegfried? in the old Double Gun Journal. I have never been wealthy enough to purchase fine pieces of art like these but i certainly appreciate them. I used to carry my boys to a small gun shop in Indianola,Mississippi- Thad Scott’s Fine Guns and they would let them look at and handle rook rifles and all sorts of expensive firearms; some worth $500K. Instilled a love of firearms in them that exists to this day. They had a full time gunsmith who worked from a wheelchair after a fall off a ladder during an ice storm. He did gun & stock work for Holland and Holland and Rigby. I did purchase a Dan LeFever double in 16 gauge from them for my youngest son’s 16th birthday. He had read Robert Ruark’s The Old Man and the Boy till it was dogearred. I taught Thad’s stepson and was always grateful that they trusted and treated my sons so well. Such is the gun fraternity.

I do remember that Thad bought huge lots of guns from Australia when they banned them. Lots of quality and unique firearms. Once when we were there,my 9 year overhead the gunsmith talking to a long distance customer seeking a Rook Rifle. The smith said he didn’t think they had any. The son carried 2 Rook Rifles to the smith without saying a word. The son was offered a job as a salesman after this. They also had one of Kilimanjaro Bell’s 275 Rigby’s in the big vault. The sons were allowed to handle it with white gloves on. Great way to spend a Saturday. One article in DGJ featured Thad and a machinist for Hunter Ceiling Fans building a custom 4 bore. Beautiful single shot if I remember correctly.

My thoughts exactly, too.

Wow , I like how your mind works!!!

Extremely interesting. You are very talented sir !