This is the third instalment in the Rigby Community in the Field series. In this story, we share in the experience of a Rigby customer’s water buffalo hunt in the Northern Territory of Australia as well as his incredible gift from the Rigby community down under.
To honour the talent and personality of each individual Rigby community member, each story is presented in the hunter’s own words wherever possible.
Rigby Community in the Field: Mark Bender
Despite having limited hunting opportunities as a youngster, an uncle gave me my first rifle at about 10 years old. It’s possible my admiration of British makers began that day, as I first handled my BSA Sportsman 15.
Too many years later, I’ve recently been able to acquire another and reminisce about wonderful times.
But, enough about the Brummies.
Like many, I’d read, with awe, of Colonel Corbett’s daring do with Rigby’s rifle number 2516, his .275. Inspired by such days of yore, I had my first custom rifle built along Corbett lines. That little .275 Rigby has accompanied me to Africa and on many outings here in Australia, taking fallow deer, foxes, hares, and rabbits.
Then news of Rigby’s return to London broke, and I had a first encounter with the ‘new’ Big Game rifle at a gun show in about 2015. The fit, the feel, the lines, the heritage – it all got me. Rigby’s Australian agent, David Auger, noting my interest, offered then and there to fly me the two hours to their gunroom to get one in my hands for good. Sadly, planets didn’t align at that point, and my first ‘Rigby’ was to be the green baseball cap David gave me and has become a favoured hunting companion.
A few years passed, we got older, maybe wiser, and I caught up with David again at his office. ‘No pressure, just have a look at the timber on a few these Big Games that we’ve just had arrive’. That only made the itch worse. Sadly, David passed away shortly after and is succeeded by his son Tom in the business.
By this stage, rumours abounded that there is a boxlock double in the works, confirmed by an invite to an event, where Marc Newton and Jérôme Lanoue would showcase the Shikari prototype. Exciting news. Timing less so. I was flying to Africa for plains game with my .275 the next day. With absurd faith in the travel gods, I determined to fly the two hours to the event, then back and be on my way.
What a fine evening that proved to be, mixing with fellow Rigby family members, but surrounded by temptation at every turn. Marc’s passion and generosity of spirit was apparent, and I was fortunate to have a good chat with him. Finally, a new rifle in Rigby’s Special .416 Bore for Big Game joined our family that night.
Now, it was time to get to Australia’s Northern Territory and get it working.
Plenty of sign. Also, plenty of heat, plenty of fatigue.
How good is this? Hunting buffalo, in the heat, on foot, all day – with a good mate and a Rigby.
With the long, hot day fading, we take a breather, a drink, and discuss options for the remains of the day. Light will be slipping away soon, and we have a bit of a walk out. We eventually settle on a plan and step off, following a crooked, waterless creek.
After only a few paces, and another twist and turn in the creek bed, Tony stops and whispers, ‘or we could just shoot those buffalo’. I slink to my right to see what he sees. Four of them. None of the eight eyes, eight ears or eight nostrils have clocked us and are only at about 25m. Ever the gracious gentleman, Tony breathes, ‘you take the biggest one’.
The .416 is carefully bought to rest on the nearest tree, I watch. There are two buffalo facing front on but partially obscured by trees. Trees that were likely not going to defeat a 450 grain Woodleigh soft point, but given they were pretty settled, I waited for the biggest of them to move, taking the trees out of play, a few more seconds and I’ll have a good broadside opportunity’ I think.
I’m now a bit self-conscious, feeling like this is taking a while, but the quarry is still relaxed, and I’ve had my illuminated centre dot held right on the chest the whole time – just in case.
Broadside now. Bang! Down. Reload. Bang! Down.
Simultaneous reports from my right and Tony has number three on the deck.
Number four hoofs it, crossing the creek before copping a good hit from Tony’s .400 Jeffery … but in an instant is now heading at us – slowed up, and sick, but not as wobbly as he should have been after the first solid shot. He cops Tony’s second barrel, and one from me, at not many metres, rearing up on his back legs at the impact, reminiscent of a rampant colt one might see on a 1911 slide from Hartford, CT. Then crumples.
‘A bit of excitement.’ I say to Tony. ‘Eventually – it wasn’t too exciting waiting for you to take that first shot’. Fair call.
But it had all worked out. The Rigby well and truly blooded with a couple of buffalo and small mob of feral cattle.
Always up for a challenge, in recognition of Rigby’s 250th Anniversary in 2025, I determined to prepare a suitable antipodean memento, so obtained a kangaroo hide that then travelled the country to be inscribed by as many members of the Rigby family in Australia as could be found.
About forty of us shared a potpourri of well wishes and details of some amazing historical Rigbys we have owned. What an incredible opportunity it had been to become acquainted with some fine folk and even finer Rigbys along the way, culminating in presenting it to Marc and the team with our warm greetings from down under.
To cap off the anniversary year, it was determined that a Rigby Special 250th Feral Pig Hunt should be undertaken. The Big Game was in action again, accompanying Tony and his 1911-made .275 Rigby in taking a number of wild boar in Australia’s sultry top end, where, like much of the country, pigs are an introduced feral species, causing environmental, biological, and economic harm.
This adventure saw us hunting hard, on foot, all day in some magnificent country. Pictures may be able to tell a thousand words, but don’t convey temperature and humidity! The Rigbys did their bit for feral pest control.
There’s also been plenty of adventures with my Rigby Highland Stalker along the way, in Africa and here, involving a kudu bull, a warthog, a red stag, feral goats, and a slew of foxes.
All tales for another day.