John Rigby died in 1916, leaving a prosperous business in the hands of his son, Theodore. After Theodore Rigby's death, in 1951, the company was acquired by Vernon Harris, who had been its bookkeeper. Upon Harris's death, his widow sold the business in 1968 to a team of investors led by David Marx. Marx contracted with J. Roberts & Son, a London gun company established in 1959, to build Rigby guns. Paul Roberts, Joseph Roberts' son, took over Rigby in 1982 and operated it until 1997. D.H.L. Black's book,Great Irish Gunmakers: Messrs Rigby, 1760-1869, was published in 1992.
Paul Roberts became well known in hunting circles in both India and Africa, and in 1995 he created Rigby's newest cartridge: the .450 Rigby Magnum Rimless. In 1997, Roberts sold the Rigby name and other intellectual property to Neil Gibson of Texas, but kept the right to continue building certain Rigby guns and rifles in England, while Gibson licensed a Rigby gunmaking factory in California.
In 2010, two American investors, Jeff Meyer and John Reed, acquired the assets of John Rigby & Co.. They returned the manufacturing to London, J. Roberts & Son, and published the book Rigby: A Grand Tradition. The new owner also settled various trademark disputes and secured the historic Rigby archives.
In early 2013, they sold Rigby to the L&O Group, a Swiss-based holding company that also owns a number of German gunmakers, including Mauser. L&O repatriated Rigby entirely to London, where it now has a full staff in an office, showroom and factory at 13-19 Pensbury Place, SW8, in London's Vauxhall district.
And the .450 Rigby is my Big Killer. Although I admit to believing the .505 Gibbs is the Queen of Class III dangerous game rifles, I own a .450. That thing knocks buffalo down!
Well, this won't down down a buffalo, but . . . here's an early Colt New Service, .45 Colt, factory nickel and MOP grips, 5-1/2” barrel with El Paso Saddlery double loop holster and gun belt.
Well, this won't down down a buffalo, but . . . here's an early Colt New Service, .45 Colt, factory nickel and MOP grips, 5-1/2” barrel with El Paso Saddlery double loop holster and gun belt.
Well, this won't down down a buffalo, but . . . here's an early Colt New Service, .45 Colt, factory nickel and MOP grips, 5-1/2” barrel with El Paso Saddlery double loop holster and gun belt.
Well, this won't down down a buffalo, but . . . here's an early Colt New Service, .45 Colt, factory nickel and MOP grips, 5-1/2” barrel with El Paso Saddlery double loop holster and gun belt.
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