I agree with Dave's pragmatism & word of caution. I also "feel" that there is hope & hence my initial suggestion that members of this site should salvage this brand & product.

I am in the category of dreamers (probably head it!). I have also been involved in various manufacturing companies over the last 25 years & know the current "best practice" for running a high value operation with small run sizes. Strangely the principle is very similar to the 1920's London & Birmingham scenario - outsource to various skilled specialist & assemble at a central head office / base that hold the brand appeal. H&H & Purdy use CNC machines now as do all the other manufacturers. All the shotguns & rifles are hand finished & fitted - this is where the craftsman's expertise is required.

The trick is to have a wider product range like parts & components, leather goods, - sights, claw mounts etc. that are made on CNC & are hand finished & compatible with the Rigby image.

Quality & efficiency can be improved with newly invented methods & approaches. "Outside the box" (OTB) thinking is often contradictory to known, proven & accepted scientific knowledge / wisdom. This is why it is OTB. In the pharmaceutical industry (I worked in this environment in 2 separate stints) you see a wide spectrum of scientists. The R&D scientist has to be OTB in looking for new drugs & new treatments. The quality systems & manufacturing scientists have to be rigid & repetitive to a level of perfection. They will never accept change unless it has been proved repeatedly again & again! I had a very challenging period of being part of a management team of 4 & I was the only non-PhD in that group!

As an OTB exercise, let me challenge your thinking to the attached subject. Here is an example of the highest quality standards & systems being followed in a very mundane & supposedly "low tech" business. Harvard & MIT researchers have been perplexed by this phenomenon.

http://www.tiffintin.com/pages/history

Search for "dabbawalla" on Google & see clips of this phenomenon. Looks chaotic but the error rate is unbelievably low! The cost is also very low.

Any OTB ideas for "our" Rigby???