John Rigby & Co. .360 BPE #15093

Recently I posted a thread to display and discuss a beautiful single shot Rigby rifle I acquired this past October. http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...70-bottle-neck-single-shot-rifle-15130-a.html

That thread seemed to be well received. Today I'm sitting at home with a lousy winter cough. In my lethargy I thought I might make another "off topic" post. It just so happened that last October seemed to rain Rigby rifles. At almost the same time I got the little single shot, I was fortunate to place the high bid on a little Rigby .360 double in another auction. FedEx brought it to me on October 20, 2012.

The rifle has 26" fluid steel barrels that remain in perfect condition. Length of pull is 14 5/8" to a beautiful checkered steel buttplate. It is a lovely rifle in excellent original condition, and I'm excited.

Please excuse me for giving you a "re-run." I posted these photos on a double rifle forum I frequent. But I'll share them here for those of you who don't visit the other forum.

First a few glamor shots of this exquisite rifle:



































Right after delivery I had it on the bench for a thorough cleaning of all the dried oil and crud that had accumulated since the rifle was built in 1880. After careful disassembly I took some rather informal hand-held shots as the work went along.

The rifle is just tiny. It is like having a miniature, but real. My little Rigby isn't a true .360 (though that's what it says on the Rigby ledger). It has a bore diameter of .370" and grooves of about .380". By any other name it is a .38-55! It regulates to the 200 grain Sierra .375 bullet and is a joy to shoot. It will be death to our white tail deer, given an opportunity.








































































































































The judicious hand application of a little oil over the winter should bring the stock finish back. Not a refinish, mind you!



















Below, five of a kind, but of all different sizes.

I think the back action Jones lever hammer double rifle may be the most beautiful rifle pattern ever built.

Top to bottom:

Alexander Henry .577
Purdey .500
Purdey .500
Alexander Henry .450
Rigby .360




Now to compare the big one to the little one. The little .360 shoulder to shoulder with my A. Henry .577 - I couldn't resist the comparison:








I graciously have been advised by the maker that the original John Rigby & Co. ledger reveals:

#15093 is a .360. Sold to Count Goborowski, April 26, 1880. 7 lbs 9 0z.

Click to expand...

Wonder who was this Count Goborowski? Could he have been the father of the race car driver, Louis Zborowski? That's what comes up in a Google search: Lewis Zborowski

Thanks for your patience with yet another double rifle thread.

CaptCurl, thanks for another great post on a beautiful rifle. Great photos!

Bill

Once again, I hate you.

You take beautiful pictures, by the way.

Very classy guns.
Have always been intrigued by the .38-55 since seeing an old Savage
99 that a family friend owned.
Never bought, or even shot one, however.

That is just heartless!

Ed

Really nice. Great condition on that one. There are a lot of colors left on that little beauty!

Cap'n,
Another beautiful double. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoy your posts sir.

Chuck

I feel like such a commoner with M19, M29, M629, and 1911s . Beautiful rifles with exceptional photographs.

Now where did I leave my Kodak pocket model?

I think "exquisite" says it perfectly! Very nice indeed.

Capt. Curl-

How exquisite and delightful! I studied each photo carefully, especially the one showing how dimuniative (sp?) the rifle is in your hands.

Have you got any later Rigby .275, .350 or .416 bolt actions at all? I'd love to see them. These black powder guns are interesting in themselves and are a vital part of firearms history. But I love the later Mauser-actioned arms even more. I frequently arm several characters in my , "Lost World" fan fiction stories with .275 Rigby rifles. One has a .350 and another uses a .416 a lot. I think that if Doyle had known guns at all, he'd have armed his characters in the original book with such items as well as heavier double rifles. On the Australian-made TV series, Lord John Roxton, V.C., had a .416 Rigby. The star used several prop rifles, one of which seemed to be built on a P-14 or US M-1917 action, judging from the safety in the few closeup scenes. I know that Jack O'Connor had at least one .416 made on a M-1917 action, although it was made by a US gunsmith, not actually by the Rigby firm. (Probably the work of Al Biesen, his usual gunmaker.)

Do you also collect higher grade Webley revolvers, like the WG or the Wilkinson-Webleys? I'd love to get my hands on a M-1911 Wilkinson-Webley .455! It'll probably happen only in my dreams...

I've heard a lot of stories. Is the Purdy workmanship really much superior to the rest?
Beautiful Rigby!

Wow!......WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing.

I have a 450 3 1/4 N.E. by Westly-Richards that fits right in with your mob. I notice in the photo of the bores, that you have Metford style rifleing, do you plan on using BP loads or Nitro for BP? Also, are the rims the thin English or thick American style? By the way, Starline is making a slightly longer (original length) 38-55 case nowdays, with a drop tube you should be able to get all the powder, cards, and lube you need under your bullet. Thank You for posting, Ivan

There are no flies on the 38-55, I plan on having a Marlin 30-30 rebarreled to that caliber later this year. (The 30-30 Winchester is nothing more than a necked down 38-55). The caliber is enjoying a rebirth of interest, and is a joy to shoot and load for.

Thanks for the photos!

Thanks to everyone for your warm reception of this nice little double rifle.

In answer to Texas Star:

No I don't have any Rigby bolt action rifles. I have seen some nice ones and envy those who own them. The truth is, some years back I realized that bolt guns just don't excite me enough to make the commitment for high-grade; and thus, high priced examples. I have no vintage bolt guns at all. The only vintage bolt guns in my past were a very nice Griffin & Howe Springfield .30-06 and a double square bridge Mauser in 7x57. Both were let to new homes many years ago.

And no, I haven't stepped into Webley revolvers. There was a time when I was determined to find a nice Mk. VI in original .455. I looked at several but never found one I wanted. In the end I decided my quest was a fool's errand because I could never find one that would measure up to a nice N frame S&W. I now have a like new S&W Second Model .455 to satisfy my want for a handgun of that caliber. You can see it here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/221065-s-w-455-mk-ii-hand-ejector-2nd-model-69234-a.html

In answer to RonJ:

Purdey's workmanship is impeccable. But also is the workmanship of a number of other best British makers. I am fortunate to own four Purdey guns - three rifles and a shotgun.

As for the rifles being discussed in this thread: those from the 1880s and 1890s, the workmanship exhibited by Purdey is no better than that exhibited by Alexander Henry. During that period, I am of the opinion that Holland & Holland had not yet attained this level; but they certainly did attain that level of excellence soon thereafter, and have maintained it. John Dickson was a Scottish maker whose work was second to none. A classic Dickson round action shotgun bows its head to nobody. Many think it is the finest shotgun ever made.

Rigby was a first-rate maker. Their double rifles are actively sought after and always demand a premium.

There were many first rate British makers in the second half of the 19th century and continuing to the present. Notice I am limiting my statements to cartridge arms. I'm no expert on muzzle loading arms.

To Ivan the Butcher:

The little Rigby has standard Enfield rifling. If it appears to be Metford it is because of the photography.

I am shooting nitro-for-black loads. The rifle has what would be called a standard rim for the .360 2-1/4" BPE, which I believe has a nominal thickness of .040". I am using Norma 9.3x72R brass cut down to 2.25". This works perfectly. The rifle will not accept the standard .38-55 brass as the rim diameter is too large and the rim is too thick.

I am loading safe charges of H4198 behind a 200 grain Sierra .375" bullet and using lengths of 3/8" backer rod as filler. I realize the normal bullet for the .360 2-1/4" BPE is .366"; but as I pointed out above, my bore is .370" and grooves .380". A .366" bullet slides right down the barrel. Eventually I probably will feed the rifle with paper-patched bullets. That is what it was made to shoot. The little Sierra 200 grainers are just so easy and they shoot well in the rifle.

My last range session was with loads of 23.0 grains of H4198. The barrel groups spread slightly. Today I made new try loads of 23.5 grains and 24 grains. I will find the perfect combination somewhere between 23 and 24 grains of H4198. These are really mild, very pleasant to shoot, and with almost no recoil.

Beautiful gun, glad you are willing to take the time to share. Were guns like this used in Africa for smaller game or in Europe for deer?

Coldshooter said:

Beautiful gun, glad you are willing to take the time to share. Were guns like this used in Africa for smaller game or in Europe for deer?

Click to expand...

That's a great question, and I supposed the answer depended on the shooter. The best answer I can give is to refer you to page 51 of the 1910 Holland & Holland catalog:



If you click on the image you will get a larger size of it.

For a little more information on the cartridge, here is page 124 of George Hoyem, History and Development of Small Arms Ammunition, Vol. 3:



Again, click for full size.

Thank you. I've always been interested in British doubles, rifles and shotguns. Your posts are about as close as I'll get to laying hands on them.

Curl-

Thanks for the reply, but I wouldn't compare a govt. model Webley to a S&W. I'd compare a Wilkinson-Webley or some other commercial Webley with better finish and a honed action. Compare a MK-series .455 in military finish to a S&W Victory Model, and the Webley will be better finished, except for the majority of MK IV .38's marked "War Finish."

For those who have been unable to handle "Best" grade British rifles or shotguns, I can say that I have handled a number of H&H and Purdey guns, and the workmanship is usually impeccable. I also covered the Churchill, Atkin, Grant, and Lang auction at A&F for, "Guns", and those were also very nicely made.

But Jack O'Connor wrote in the 1950's that he was dissatisfied with the workmanship on many "magazine" rifles made then, and preferred the best custom American rifles, built usually on pre-'64 M-70 or various Mauser acttions. The best of these are indeed outstanding, and a delight to handle.

I have also seen some of the very fine SO series guns in the Beretta Gallery in Dallas, and they, too, would be wonderful to own. They couldn't sell for thousands of dollars if they were made like, say, Remingtons!