Corbett did purchase a Westley Richards Mauser in 275 Rigby from Manton's, he just happened to visit their shop and spotted the brand new WR. It had a two stage trigger and this tripped Corbett up the first time he attempted to fire the rifle with a close range sitter shot on one of the maneaters he was hunting. He lined the animal up and gently pulled the trigger and nothing happened. He thought he had forgotten to chamber a round although distinctly remembered doing so when settling in for the wait for the maneater. Jim then opened the bolt to chamber a round but of course the maneater took off at the first metallic sound. There was a round in the chamber and Jim then realised that not having used a two stage trigger before, he had only taken up the first pressure on the trigger. From memory the maneater went on to claim more victims before Jim finally shot it. I have all his books but can't remember which maneater was involved and in which book he narrates this story. I will find it for posterity.

He does say that he went on to use the WR 275 Rigby for a lot of his shooting. I am aware of the stories re Corbett being presented with a Rigby but in all his books he never mentions this anywhere. He does say that one of the Indian headmen who helped him bag a maneater was presented with a fine rifle at a special ceremony by the area Commissioner but never mentions when he was supposedly presented with one.

Need to be careful when talking of the 275 Rigby, as for many British proprietary cartridges, both cartridges and in many cases the guns bore the same name. In Jim's case related above, the Mauser he purchased himself was 'made' by Westley Richards for the 275 Rigby cartridge. The supposed presentation Mauser given to Jim was 'made' by Rigby for the same 275 Rigby cartridge.