Rigby falling-block: the Farquharson rifle is back, in limited edition
John Rigby & Co. of London announces a new limited edition of ten Farquharson-pattern .416 single-shot falling block rifles: bespoke, elegant rifles, hand-made for a selected clientele, bringing back the elegant "dangerous game rifle" of a long gone era!
John Rigby & Co. of London – one of the best known names in traditional English gunmaking, and a staple of the world of bespoke, luxury and dangerous game hunting guns – announces the return of the late Victorian era falling block rifle, a throwback to the elegant times of hunting in Africa and India as the British gentlemen's favorite pastime.
After three years in the making, by 2022 Rigby is ready to offer a limited edition of ten .416 Rigby No.2 caliber Falling Block rifles built around a Farquharson action – not a "modern take" or an "upgrade", but an authentic Farquharson action, identical to the original patented John Farquharson design of 1875 and a strong match to the historic Rigby-made Farquharson rifles from the Company's historic ledger books.
John Rigby & Co. .416 Falling Block rifle – right side
The limited edition Rigby Falling Block rifles will feature a single-trigger action with a top-tang sliding safety, and 25"/635mm lightweight barrel – as per Rigby's own pre-war standards – with an integral rib and traditional London Best black finish.
The rifles feature a standard hooded front sight and a rear sight zeroed from factory at 65 yards (59,43 meters), plus two folding leaf sights zeroed at 150 and 250 yards (137 and 228 meters) respectively.
The stocks on the limited edition Rigby Falling Block rifles will be bespoke, built to client specifications, and modelled from hand-selected, Grade seven deluxe Turkish walnut, finished with Rigby’s signature oil finish and featuring a one-inch (2,5 cm) rubber recoil pad.
The classic pistol grip comes with a cap box housing a spare front sight, with the grip cap trap featuring a bespoke blue enamelled plate with the John Rigby & Co. logo and the serial number for the gun, created by Melissa Rigby, the great-great-great granddaughter of Rigby’s founder.
.416 Rigby No.2 cartridge
Each rifle is finished with Rigby's traditional "Rose & Scroll" pattern engravings on the action and a color-case hardened finish as standard for the safety, the trigger, and other components.
Customers will however have the option to upgrade their rifle to bespoke engraving patterns of any design. A silver oval is also inlayed into the stock, to add the client’s initials or family crest.
Rigby's limited edition Falling Block rifles are priced for export at £39,950, which translates into €47.496,19 or $50,239.92. Definitely not an everyman's rifle, nor a gun for all uses, but a true unique, hand-made creation that will no doubt be very sought after by Rigby's extremely selected clientele. And a beautiful, almost impossible dream for mostly anybody else in the global hunting and shooting community...