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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Mauser Discussion Forum
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Texgun
.224 member


Reged: 29/04/08
Posts: 6
Loc: DFW Texas
275 Rigby Question
      #185855 - 15/07/11 07:11 AM

Hello all.
I need some information about a 275 Rigby I recently purchased. I am always concerned about matching serial numbers. The action and floor plate have a four digit number stamped on them (3175) and the bolt only has two numbers. The two numbers on the bolt are the same as the same numbers as the middle two on the other parts (17). Would this configuration mean that the serial numbers are matching?
Thanks.

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shamus
.224 member


Reged: 24/10/11
Posts: 39
Loc: NZ
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: Texgun]
      #196202 - 09/12/11 02:10 PM

Hi Texgun,
I to have a Rigby 275 s/n 6097 (later than yours) the action numbers on mine are 97 which are the last two digits, and a different number on the trigger guard which I presume is the Mauser number.
Don't know if that's any use to you, cheers

--------------------
Shamus

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kuduae
.400 member


Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1792
Loc: middle of Germany
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: shamus]
      #196237 - 10/12/11 04:01 AM

Numbers visible on triggerguards, floorplates and outside of Rigby Mausers are usually serial numbers of Rigby or other British retailers. The numbers on bolts and other small parts, in Texgun's case "17", are the last two digits of the Mauser factory serial number. To verify this Mauser serial number, you have to take the rifle apart. The Mauser number on actions sold to other gunmakers is under the receiver ring, behind the recoil lug, and on the rear wall of the magazine. These are the numbers that have to match, ending with a "17", as Rigby did not care to renumber all parts.

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shamus
.224 member


Reged: 24/10/11
Posts: 39
Loc: NZ
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: kuduae]
      #196257 - 10/12/11 08:03 AM

Hi Kuduae,

Excuse my ignorance as I'm still learning about all this.
My Rigby 416 has serial number 6009 on the trigger guard and also the action and wood.
Did Rigby make the action on this one?

The 275 has the serial number 2374 on the trigger guard and wood, the action has 6097 with 97 on parts and 6097 on bolt lever.
So 2374 is the Rigby number and the 6097 is the Mauser number?

Any books you can recommend

Cheers
Shaun

--------------------
Shamus

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kuduae
.400 member


Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1792
Loc: middle of Germany
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: shamus]
      #196261 - 10/12/11 08:59 AM

Hi shamus, at first I recommend you first read Jon Speed's books "Mauser- Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles" and "The Mauser Archive"! You are right, 6097 is the Mauser commercial number. Speed's book date this number to 1902-3. No, Rigby never made any actions. The conventional thinking is: Rigby bought the actions from Mauser and barreled and stocked them. According to Speed's researches, it was not so. In his "Archive" he shows a photo from the Mauser factory showing barreled actions, complete with sight bases, they made for Rigby. All the pre-WW2 Rigbys also show German proofmarks, so the barreled actions were at least "in the white" when they left Oberndorf. And Jon told me once he found an entry in a 1920s Mauser factory inventory that translates to "stocks for Rigby rifles". So, even if this upsets all fans of the "British Rigbys",apparently Rigby did very little in making the Rigby bolt actions, but bought them in almost completed from Mauser.
6009 is much to low for a Mauser .416 serial number. Speed lists .416 Rigby # 5704 which was built on Mauser # 97228, dateable to 1928-29. As I wrote, you will find the Mauser serial number not on the outside, but under the receiver ring and on the rear magazine wall!

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shamus
.224 member


Reged: 24/10/11
Posts: 39
Loc: NZ
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: kuduae]
      #196264 - 10/12/11 09:38 AM

Hi Kuduae,

Thanks for the info, I'll look out for the books.
The 416 only has the one serial number which I sent away to Paul at J Roberts & Son Gunmakers in London (which were most helpful) and he came back with a manufacture date of 1956.
I'm a bit reluctant to take out the mag well as it's in there nice and tight.
Here's some pic's of 416

Cheers



--------------------
Shamus

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Rule303
.450 member


Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 5061
Loc: Woodford Qld
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: shamus]
      #196286 - 10/12/11 02:36 PM

Shamus looks like you have a couple of fine rifles there.

The shame is that NZ's climate is not good for them, however as I live in sunny Queensland just send them over the ditch and I will look after them for you:-) hehe

Edited by Rule303 (10/12/11 02:36 PM)

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shamus
.224 member


Reged: 24/10/11
Posts: 39
Loc: NZ
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: Rule303]
      #196293 - 10/12/11 03:32 PM

Hi Rule303,

Yep they're nice alright.
Here's a full pic of the 416 which I sleep with when the wife is not around


There's a few which I'll be selling shortly which are better of going to Aussie or the US

--------------------
Shamus

Edited by shamus (10/12/11 04:51 PM)

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kuduae
.400 member


Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1792
Loc: middle of Germany
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: shamus]
      #196368 - 11/12/11 05:29 AM

Shamus, I was talking about the pre-WW2 Rigby Mausers! When your rifle was made in 1956, the Mauser factory was out of business for ten years and the British gunmakers had hard times to find actions suitable for their Magnum length cartridges. I have seen two .375 rifles by Holland & Holland from the 1950s, one was built on a P14 Enfield, the other on an opened-up military K98k action. Rigby had some of their .416s then made on the rare Brevex Magnum actions, made in small numbers in France then. But most of that time were made on radically opened-up standard-length M98 actions, either ex-military or FN commercial. The most famous .416, Harry Selby's, was one of those opened-up actions. Of course all these actions used post-WW2 were not numbered in the Mauser, Oberndorf commercial way.

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shamus
.224 member


Reged: 24/10/11
Posts: 39
Loc: NZ
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: kuduae]
      #196383 - 11/12/11 10:22 AM

Thanks Kuduae, it's all become clear, much appreciated.
Here's some pics of the action, just like Shelbys, lovely.


--------------------
Shamus

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Rule303
.450 member


Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 5061
Loc: Woodford Qld
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: shamus]
      #196388 - 11/12/11 11:15 AM

Shamus thanks for the photo's. That 416 looks like it is good nick.

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shamus
.224 member


Reged: 24/10/11
Posts: 39
Loc: NZ
Re: 275 Rigby Question [Re: Rule303]
      #196390 - 11/12/11 11:24 AM

Yep it's in excellent condition, so is the 275, lucky to have it, cheers

--------------------
Shamus

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