• Rigby unveils new limited edition Falling Block rifle

Rigby falling-block: the Farquharson rifle is back, in limited edition

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Rigby falling-block: the Farquharson rifle is back, in limited edition

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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

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.

Rigby falling-block: the Farquharson rifle is back, in limited edition
Rigby falling-block: the Farquharson rifle is back, in limited edition

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

.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...