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Dylanchivers
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Reged: 14/04/14
Posts: 1
Loc: Zambia
Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia
      #245703 - 15/04/14 12:29 AM

This rigby is open for offers she was authenticated but rigby in London [image]http://[/image]

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Huvius
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Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3556
Loc: Colorado
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Dylanchivers]
      #245706 - 15/04/14 12:39 AM

I saw that rifle on GunsInternational.
Any idea of its history or past owners? IMO, it will have to have a significant history to approach the asking price.

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He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

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Orvar
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Reged: 31/12/08
Posts: 164
Loc: London, UK
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Huvius]
      #245711 - 15/04/14 12:49 AM

Agreed - 75K seems a stretch, based on photos, its gonna need some TLC

also, don't understand, is it in the US or still in Zambia?

Edited by Orvar (15/04/14 12:51 AM)

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Huvius]
      #245719 - 15/04/14 02:41 AM




http://www.gunsinternational.com/John-Rigby-450-Doible.cfm?gun_id=100434996



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John aka NitroX

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bouldersmith
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Reged: 23/03/06
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Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: NitroX]
      #245763 - 15/04/14 11:59 AM

Bore condition?

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Rockdoc
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Reged: 07/12/06
Posts: 1213
Loc: NSW, Australia
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: bouldersmith]
      #245766 - 15/04/14 12:34 PM

No mention of any condition and looks like a few $$$'s to be spent to bring it up to scratch if the bores are good.

Looks like extractor?


Edited by RockDoc (15/04/14 12:43 PM)

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Rockdoc]
      #245772 - 15/04/14 03:40 PM

I assume that is an original rising bite.

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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Jumbo
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Reged: 02/05/13
Posts: 27
Loc: Zambia
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: NitroX]
      #245987 - 18/04/14 04:15 PM

I saw the rifle yesterday in Lusaka.
Gun needs a good once over, but is tight and bores are clean. Not bright, but very clean. The action is beautiful and has never been opened.
Wood needs a refurb, but I would certainly not replace the wood.
Front bead is bent, but apart from that and the butt pad, it's a real work of art.

Way out of my price range unfortunately, but if someone has the means and can get it back to London for a clean up, it will be a rifle to own! Always dreamt of one!

Someone better make a reasonable offer on it, as there was talk of it being taken to London and rebored to .470NE and being restocked! That would be a crime!

Just my 5 cents......and I am not. An expert just a passionate double gun freak!

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Decisions made.......now to find the gun!
.450NE is still the dream, but along came the Krieghoff .470NE.........couldn't say no!

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Matabele
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Reged: 16/09/10
Posts: 230
Loc: Zimbabwe
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Jumbo]
      #245992 - 18/04/14 07:58 PM

Great gun! $75,000 seems steep but if I had it I'd pay that! I'm not sure I agree the action hasn't been opened though. None of the screws are timed, including the top tang screw, and the top lever screw looks to have had an ill-fitting turnscrew marr the slot.

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Orvar
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Reged: 31/12/08
Posts: 164
Loc: London, UK
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Matabele]
      #246034 - 19/04/14 09:21 PM

Found 2 similar at auction / private sale, in recent past, both below 45K

Still, it has super potential!

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Huvius
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Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3556
Loc: Colorado
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Jumbo]
      #246036 - 19/04/14 11:46 PM

Quote:


Someone better make a reasonable offer on it, as there was talk of it being taken to London and rebored to .470NE and being restocked! That would be a crime!




And after all that, it would be a $35K rifle!
As evidenced here: http://www.martiniandhagngunmakers.com/forsale_rifles.htm
This particular gun has been rebarreled to 470 but has a quarter rib which is weired looking to me and the wrong blank was used for the stock IMO. Still, at $30K US is less than half the asking price of the gun in Zambia. btw, it was offered by Lewis Drake at $47,500 and they still have excellent photos of the gun on their site. Looking at those photos, buying it at $30K is damned tempting...

If there is talk of reboring/rechambering to 470 then I would suspect that the bores (or one of them) are not good enough to save. Also, I have been told that the original profile of the 450 barrels is not really heavy enough ahead of the breech to properly convert to 470 although there are a few around which have been. That is probably why the gun at M&H was rebarreled.

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Orvar
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Reged: 31/12/08
Posts: 164
Loc: London, UK
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Huvius]
      #246038 - 20/04/14 12:41 AM

Do you think another caliber could be done, to get good bores?

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Huvius
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Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Orvar]
      #246039 - 20/04/14 01:28 AM

Quote:

Do you think another caliber could be done, to get good bores?



Maybe a 475 straight which would be about the same groove as the 470 but a straight case so the chamber wouldn't get reamed as much as for a 470.
The 470 is the logical next step up, and has been done with these rifles before but I am not really sure if it adds value to the gun. Its a Rigby cartridge too so proper for the gun but there would always be that thought in the back of my mind... they do pass proof though so maybe nothing to worry about.

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Orvar
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Loc: London, UK
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Huvius]
      #246040 - 20/04/14 02:11 AM

Yeah, for~30k is tempting

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calpappas
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Reged: 15/10/09
Posts: 71
Loc: Alaska, USA
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Orvar]
      #246075 - 21/04/14 05:38 AM

Gents:
Dylan emailed the photos to me and I asked him a few times to call me as I was interested in the rifle if the price reflected the condition. I did not know the asking price of 75K at the time. When I saw the price I nearly fell off my chair. I get many emails for double rifles for sale overseas. A few are cheap to a good buy. Very few are priced to the market. Most are way over priced with the hopes the buyer does not know or American are stupid.

This Rigby has potential IF and it's a big IF the bores are excellent--no pits, maybe a bit of frosting, and sharp rifling. I was emailed the bores are good but there is a lot of room to play in that word. Bores are the only thing that can't be repaired or refurbished. If the bores reflect the exterior condition the rifle is near worthless. Let's look at it:

I doubt the wood can be saved as the tear drops are worn off. I believe I see cracks in the good and the stock is oil soaked. A replacement Silver's pad is not much of cost issue.

The extractor plate looks a bit odd.

The metal is rusted and/or pitted. All can be cleaned up but the time to draw file will be extensive.

I would guess the interior metal parts are worn, rusted, etc…

Questions remain of barrel ring and tight on the face and one won't know exact bore condition until it in one's hands.

To rebore and rechamber destroys any originality in the Rigby rising bite. Replace the wood with the rechamber and you might as well save some money and buy a Sabatti.

I have personally seen rising bites in excellent condition priced well below the 75K of this rifle.

As to the gunsmithing required to bring this rifle to standards it can be done for several thousand at a low end 'smith to 20-30K in London. This is expecting the stock needs replacement.

Even if offered at 1/2 the asking price, by the time the money is spend it will be over valued and one will have a non original rifle.

Just my 2 cents.
Cal

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Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska
Cal's Log
CalPappas.com

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Huvius
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Reged: 04/11/07
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Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: calpappas]
      #246079 - 21/04/14 06:57 AM

Thanks for chiming in Cal.
That is why I asked if it has any special provenance or history to justify the price.
In this case, your 2 cents may be worth many thousands of dollars...

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rigbymauser
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Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 1972
Loc: Denmark
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Huvius]
      #246080 - 21/04/14 07:08 AM

..I guess when living in Afrika, one needs a lot of moooney..FAST.

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TH44
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Loc: West UK
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: rigbymauser]
      #246084 - 21/04/14 09:06 AM

From what I have seen of top maker Double Rifles at Holt's auctions in London I would certainly second Cal's opinion (if that is not being presumptious!)

TH44

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: Huvius]
      #246102 - 21/04/14 02:47 PM

Quote:

That is why I asked if it has any special provenance or history to justify the price.




Would be interesting to know if anyone in particular has owned it previously. I can immediately think of a couple of famous hunters who owned a "Rigby .450" but of course no idea which one. Obviously any such claim would need to be substantiated.

But would be neat if anything like that did exist.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Orvar
.300 member


Reged: 31/12/08
Posts: 164
Loc: London, UK
Re: Rigby 450 nitro express double 1908 discovered in zambia [Re: NitroX]
      #246106 - 21/04/14 03:57 PM

I agree Cal - from the photos + info available thus far, its gonna take a lot of work and $$$

But, for an original 450 RB, maybe - all depends on bores and final price (and time to finish it)

Hope all is well

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