Launched by John Rigby & Co.
Author signings at Dallas Safari Club Show
DALLAS, Texas, January 06, 2012: John Rigby & Co., the oldest extant gunmaker in the English-speaking world, came under new ownership in 2010. Based in the US, its rifles are made in London. After a year of reorganization, the company is set to introduce two products at the safari shows in January: A line of hand-engraved bolt-action rifles built on Mauser 98-style actions in the classic Rigby calibers, and a wonderful new book called Rigby—A Grand Tradition.
The book combines the eye appeal of a coffee-table hardback with the attention to detail of a scholarly history. Authors Silvio Calabi, Steve Helsley and Roger Sanger of Hemingway’s Guns fame combed the Rigby ledgers (more than 70 books), British patent and military archives, a huge bibliography of earlier writings, and even went to Ancestry.com. The result is the most wide-ranging picture yet of Rigby, a company with an exceptional history. The photos and captions alone would make a notable book.
In addition to covering the Rigby family and firm up to World War I, the book discusses their many technical advancements. Some of them may have helped put an end to dueling. Others, such as the first Nitro Express and the rising-bite double rifle, the Magnum Mauser bolt-action and the .416, changed big-game hunting forever. When he was superintendent of the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock (from 1887 till 1894), the third John Rigby even helped develop the .303 cartridge and rifle that served the British army until 1957.
Rigby—A Grand Tradition also presents a fresh look at some interesting Rigby owners, including “Karamojo” Bell and Jim Corbett, Fateh Singh, the 31st Maharana of Udaipur, and Marshal Carl Gustaf Mannerheim of Finland. It also tells the story of the first international match at Creedmoor, New York, in 1874, where the Irish (with Rigby muzzle-loaders) and American (Sharps and Remington breech-loaders) rifle teams competed while newspapers here and in the UK reported every shot. This chapter includes the birth of both the British and the American National Rifle Associations, and it poses the question: What became of George A. Custer’s Rigby?
Hardbound, 210 pages with 240 illustrations; $45.00 from johnrigbyandco.com Contact: info@johnrigbyandco.com
About John Rigby & Co. ®
John Rigby & Co. is among the world’s leading firearms brands, with a lineage from Dublin and London that dates to 1735. A Rigby™ is a bespoke firearm built in the heritage of the Mauser bolt action and the quintessential .416 Rigby cartridge, which became global standards in the Golden Age of big-game hunting. Rigby’s handmade London rifles reflect the lessons of centuries of fine gunmaking. They are superior guns for present and future generations to enjoy.
Click here to purchase Rigby – A Grand Tradition
Inquiries: John Rigby &. Co. 1-800-910-6124; info@johnrigbyandco.com