John Rigby was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1758, with his brother William born in 1748. John began his gunmaking career near 1775 with either Edward Dalton or Thomas Trulock. He was able to purchase a gun making business manufacturing percussion black powder pistols and, particularly, fine dueling pistols. The operation he purchased was likely the reason that, for centuries, John Rigby & Co.™ has used 1735 as the date the firm was established. More information about the early years of the Rigby™ business can be found in Great Irish Gunmakers – Messrs Rigby™ 1760 to 1869 by D.H.L. Back.
By 1780, Rigby™ was making high-quality arms – a focus that has never changed. In the centuries that followed, Rigby™ earned five coveted Royal warrants. A Royal Warrant confirms that the holder supplies goods to the Court of St. James or royal personages.
The company prospered until May 22, 1798, when agents of the British government raided the business and seized all firearms, many belonging to his clients. His company was one of the victims of a conflict between religions, the Protestant British Crown versus those seeking independence for Ireland, largely Catholic - a conflict that continues to this day.
When the founding John Rigby died in 1818, his sons continued the operation as W&J Rigby Gun and Pistol Manufacturers Dublin, Ireland. In 1845 John (the son) died and was replaced at the company by William’s son, also named John, who would become the most important and prolific figure in the long history of the company. John’s influence was immediate. In 1851 he arranged for Rigby™ to exhibit guns at the Great Exhibition held in London. In 1855 he did the same at the Paris Exhibition. In both, Rigby™ won awards that confirmed the excellence of their workmanship and design. While the early years saw significant production of pistols, John, like his grandfather John, was more interested in accurate rifles and later, developing better ammunition. The founding Rigby had won an engraved medal in 1781 for being “the best shot in the Grenadier Company of Independent Dublin Volunteers.” His grandson won the Wimbledon Cup in 1864, then and now the premier rifle-shooting competition in the United Kingdom. He was asked to form the Irish national shooting team 28 times – and that love of riflery would be manifested in the company’s efforts for the next 50 years.
The company operated solely in Dublin until 1866 when a London showroom and factory were established. The Dublin operation was sold to Messrs. Truelock and Harris in 1892. The Irish location was abandoned by the Rigby’s in 1897, consolidating all operations in London.
In 1887, after decades of success on the rifle range, John Rigby was recruited to be Superintendent of the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. He was given the responsibility of moving the United Kingdom from single shot to magazine fed repeating rifles and from black powder to smokeless. Rigby’s work at Enfield ended in 1894 when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 65. He used his understanding of smokeless powder and jacketed bullets to create the revolutionary .450 Nitro Express cartridge for break-action rifles. With the development of the Model 1898 Mauser, he struck a deal to be Mauser’s sole agency in England (and its colonies) until 1912. And for that rifle, he designed the .416 Rigby cartridge which, after a century, still provides a superb combination of accuracy, power, penetration and usability for dangerous-game hunters.
When John Rigby died in 1916 the editor of Arms & Explosives wrote, in part: “He was a remarkably fine target shot, and he added to this important qualification a special turn of the mind which made him a master of mathematics of rifle and bullet behavior. As a gunsmith, he was able to cater to an important clientele amongst target shooters and big game hunters. His practical mastery of mathematics in the higher branches of machining and fine gauging, rounded off a comprehensive equipment for a man with the personality to become one of the leading lights in a highly scientific business.”
The two decades before World War I were arguably a golden age for Britain’s fine gunmakers. It was said, however, that the war killed “half of Britain’s gunmakers and a third of their clients.” Many new restrictions on British gun owners and a worldwide depression followed the war. While Rigby survived, many other makers didn’t. The aftermath of World War II was even more difficult. For almost a century the Maharajas of India had been major clients of London’s “best gun” makers. As well, British officers serving in India had hunted for pleasure with guns bought in England. That came to an abrupt end when British troops were withdrawn in the late-1940s. The Maharajas also fell on hard times and many of their guns were returned to England for resale which further reduced the demand for new guns.
Ownership of Rigby passed from the family in 1951 with the passing of Theodore Rigby, son to John. The company was purchased from the Rigby family by Mr. Vernon Harris, the accountant for John Rigby & Co., and later sold to David Marx and Michael O’Shea. They were joined in 1984 by Paul Roberts, who carried on the Rigby tradition. Mr. Roberts operated John Rigby & Co. with his business partners until its sale in 1997. The company, now operating out of California, sold the Rigby assets out of bankruptcy in 2006, becoming a licensee for a time to subsequent owners.
Today Rigby™, a privately held company, is owned by gun enthusiasts with the clear objective of honoring its history and tradition. The current generation of Rigbys are being made with traditional methods and dimensions, using the finest available materials.
Over the centuries, Rigby™ has made many firearms for heads of state and royalty. As it has for the past 276 years, Rigby™ continues to produce “best guns” and is developing additional product categories. Each “best gun” rifle or shotgun is built to the wishes and dimensions of a specific customer. The final product remains a combination of the finest wood, metals, hand finishing and engraving. The tradition lives on…
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