Head of International Sales, Jérôme Lanoue, gives us the latest news from Rigby in Europe. A member of our team since 2020, Jèrôme has almost 25 years of experience in the gun trade. Passionate about hunting from his childhood, he is also a graduate of the Liège gunmaking school.
What has been keeping you busy for Rigby in the past month?
My role at Rigby includes international sales and also technical development. Both have been busy! I’ve been working on two new technical developments in particular, which we hope to be able to show next year.
How have international sales been this year? What have been your highlights?
Our collaboration with Switzerland has been particularly active with our new importer, Sell-In-Swiss. In the past, Rigby has created some great calibres that bear its name and now we have written a new chapter in the history of a great Swiss calibre: the Swiss 7.5 x 55, which is as good for hunting as it is for long range precision shooting. This calibre, which is still standard in the Swiss army, is an institution for shooting with a peep sight at 300 metres, along with the K31 and FAS57.
The ‘Swiss’ limited edition, derived from a Highland Stalker, is equipped with a peep sight in addition to open sights and has a unique design. It is being produced in a limited edition of 52 rifles (2 per Swiss canton) and each piece is numbered. It will be marketed worldwide, with priority given to Switzerland in early 2022.
It’s a future collector’s item, no doubt about it. We have just delivered 30 pieces at the end of 2021 and will deliver the remaining rifles in 2022. Presented as a preview at the International Arms Fair Lausanne, it immediately aroused keen interest among a well-informed public.
What are you hoping next year will bring?
For next year’s sales, I will be making a big push into certain parts of Europe and Africa to follow up on increased demand and opportunities presented by our dealer networks. In particular, I will also be focusing on developing exports to France, where there is a lot of scope to build on Rigby’s existing reputation and my network of customers and contacts. We want to raise Rigby’s French profile and get people really talking about what we’re doing and making, starting with the three big exhibitions, where we’ll be promoting sales of clothing and accessories as well as shotguns and rifles.
Have you managed to get out hunting this season?
I live for hunting, so am always trying to do it as much as I can. I have just got back from a beautiful couple of days hunting chamois and mouflon in the mountains, but I have been so busy with work this year it has been difficult to get out as much as usual. Next year, I hope to be able to get out a little more, and – importantly – I hope to be able to hunt with a new Rigby I am working on: a 7 mm Remington Magnum. Wish me luck!
Images from Jèrôme’s recent hunts:
