Press Release: 24 April 2019
London gunmaker John Rigby & Co.’s new limited edition Big Game bolt-action rifle has sold out within a week of releasing the concept. Designed to celebrate Africa, it is aptly named after one of the continent’s most distinctive and well-known trees, the mopani.
In dedication, a mopani leaf is inlaid in gold on the bolt handle and engraved onto the recoil bar, plus “The Mopani Rifle” and series number is inlaid in gold into each magazine floor plate. Adding to its aesthetics, Rigby engraver Geoffrey Lignon, who’s passionate about African animals, has attractively engraved an elephant on each floor plate.
Manufactured in .450 Rigby, the 12 rifles are built around the standard length Mauser 98 single square bridge action. Each featuring a 22-inch barrel with a special plasma nitride finish, a front foresight with a removable protector hood and a fixed rear sight regulated at 65 yards, with two folding leaf sights regulated at 150 and 250 yards.
These stunning rifles have hand-selected deluxe grade walnut stocks with Rigby oil finish. They come complete in a limited edition canvas case, with faux elephant leather trim and cleaning accessories.
Andrew Ambrose, Rigby’s head of sales, commented: “We quickly realised that the reason for the success was the limited edition nature of the rifles, coupled with its unique features, like the special elephant engraving on the magazine floor plate. With this in mind, we will be releasing a new “Tsavo” limited edition rifle later this year, of which only 12 will be available to purchase.”