CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5318
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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I just have acquired a sweet little .360 hammer double rifle by John Rigby & Co. It arrived on FedEx the day before yesterday.
Yesterday I had it on the bench for a thorough cleaning of all the dried oil and crud that had accumulated since the rifle was built in 1880. After careful disassembly I took some rather informal hand-held shots as the work went along.
Later I will take some vanity shots and post here (first 9 shots added 12/09/12), but for now, I hope you enjoy these.
The rifle is just tiny. It is like having a miniature, but real. I will now be gathering loading dies, brass, and a bullet mould to get this baby popping.
The rifle has 26" fluid steel barrels that remain in perfect condition. Length of pull is 14 5/8" to a beautiful checkered steel buttplate. It is a lovely rifle in excellent original condition, and I'm excited.
 
Above shoulder to shoulder with my A. Henry .577 - I couldn't resist the comparison!
Curl
Photos added 12/09/12
Edited by CptCurl (10/12/12 08:15 AM)
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baileybradshaw
.333 member
Reged: 21/06/08
Posts: 305
Loc: Diana, TX
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What a treat! It's pure dainty class. Little rifles like this make me weak in the knees.
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www.bradshawgunandrifle.com
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SAHUNT
Sponsor
Reged: 27/12/04
Posts: 900
Loc: Centurion, RSA
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LoL. Seems to me you are also a sucker for punishment. I also love it to take rifles apart, clean them up and reasemble them.
What a beautiful piece of art. Then certain people say the a rifle does not have a character.
Congratulations with a beautiful DR.
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Life is how you pass the time between hunting trips.
Sometimes I do not express myself properly in the English language, please forgive me, I am just a boertjie.
Jaco Human
jacohu@mweb.co.za
SA Hunting Experience
Edited by SAHUNT (22/10/12 02:14 PM)
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Sville
.400 member
Reged: 23/03/10
Posts: 1189
Loc: Sweden
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What a beauty. I wonder if those craftmens that made that rifle, were thinking of how long life it would have???? You will have a lot of fun with that! /Staffan
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aromakr
.375 member
Reged: 20/04/11
Posts: 849
Loc: Hamilton, Montana
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Curl:
You certainly have something to be excited about, what a beauty! I'll bet that one will be fun to shoot.
Bob
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Orvar
.300 member
Reged: 31/12/08
Posts: 164
Loc: London, UK
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Awesome little DR Curl!
Critters of the woods beware...
Orvar
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Oldbrit
.333 member
Reged: 04/04/10
Posts: 381
Loc: UK
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Exquisite!
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27721
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Yes - exquisite - bring them both up next year when you come, Curl!!! What a lovely rifle. Big brother's cool, too.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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500Nitro
.450 member
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
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What a beauty.
Absolutely superb.
Reminds me of a gun we had here in Australia, almost identical, slightly less engraving without the
name of Rigby on it.
Superb.
Edit
And of course in nowhere near the condition
of this beauty !
Edited by 500Nitro (22/10/12 11:23 AM)
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kamilaroi
.400 member
Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...
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Absolutely wonderful!
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gatsby
.375 member
Reged: 05/09/05
Posts: 862
Loc: inland valley CA USA
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Another mint gun. I like that engraving style and find some done better than others. The "finish" of the ancanthus scroll or vine is what really makes it. The 360 is done superbly.
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"Recoil is insignificant when there is a tiger on the head of your elephant" The Maharaja of Cooch Behar
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MikeRowe
.333 member
Reged: 23/11/11
Posts: 479
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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She is indeed a delight, Roscoe. To find a rifle like that in such wonderful, unmolested condition is a rare treat. And a perfect caliber for range or woods.
Let us know how she shoots.
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Omnivorous_Bob
.333 member
Reged: 03/10/05
Posts: 286
Loc: Montana
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Absolutely amazing CPT C!
You MUST get out and pot a Virginia whitetail with that piece. It oozes class. I love slim lines and have a soft spot for BPEs and for hammers. The engraving is excellent but the checkered butt puts it over the top. I don't want to think what it would cost to have such a practical and classly little gun made today, and even then it would lack the style and history of this one. Well done, and please do post more as you put her through the paces.
Bob
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"If we're not supposed to eat animals, how come they're made out of meat?"
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5318
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Quote:
I love slim lines and have a soft spot for BPEs and for hammers.
Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Toooooooooooooooooo!
This just may be my favorite rifle design, bar none. Here are the five I have:
Top to bottom:
Alexander Henry .577
Purdey .500
Purdey .500
Alexander Henry .450
Rigby .360
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27721
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Classy, all of them.
What a 'find'.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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StephenCoker
.300 member
Reged: 01/12/11
Posts: 140
Loc: AR, United States of America
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That's going to be a fun one! Mike and I have already lifted a pint of IPA in salute of your new acquisition. Nicely done. That caliber is just a joy to shoot! Good photos too. Thanks for sharing.
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www.stephencokerandco.com
Uniquely superlative rifles in the Scottish tradition.
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Caprivi
.375 member
Reged: 30/09/08
Posts: 811
Loc: America's Serengeti, Buffalo W...
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My favorite "pattern" of Double, by far.......
Jones, Hammer, BPE along with being inscribed "Rigby".........tough to top.
Having 5 would seem a bit frivilous, I volunteer to take the 450 Henry  :):)
Very nicely done.
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To live life as it is handed to me from God
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doubleriflejack
.333 member
Reged: 11/11/07
Posts: 352
Loc: Oregon, U.S.A.
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I have one too, identical, same caliber, but it is not in quite as good condition as yours; found it at a gun show a few years back. I am now re-color case hardening it; otherwise it is in nice condition. I have no cameras of any kind, so can't take pictures to post--sorry! Sweet little rifles, even with Jones underlever, and being a Rigby makes them even more special. However, I still much prefer my Rigby Rising bite in mint condition, the center of my collection.
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GroovyMike
.300 member
Reged: 07/04/09
Posts: 229
Loc: NY
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lovely!
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Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27721
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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doubleriflejack - be careful with the colours. Nowadays, the colours tend to be bolder, brighter and lack the subdued elegance of the older rifles and shotguns- imho, of course.
For comparrison, look at & appreciate the beautiful, softer toned colours on Curl's rifle. Coould be just a personal thing, I admit.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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SAHUNT
Sponsor
Reged: 27/12/04
Posts: 900
Loc: Centurion, RSA
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Quote:
Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Toooooooooooooooooo!
This just may be my favorite rifle design, bar none. Here are the five I have:
Top to bottom:
Alexander Henry .577
Purdey .500
Purdey .500
Alexander Henry .450
Rigby .360
Curl
Curl would you please do the following:
1) Send your address to me.
2) Inform me the next time you will not be home, I need a 2 week warning.
3) Leave a detailed note on the hiding place of your safe keys
4) Leave a detailed descriptionof where the safe is located.
5)All the completed doc's to export the rifles - in my name please.
6) Plane tickets to OR Tambo.
The above will be very much appreciated 
This is really a very fine collection you have.
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Life is how you pass the time between hunting trips.
Sometimes I do not express myself properly in the English language, please forgive me, I am just a boertjie.
Jaco Human
jacohu@mweb.co.za
SA Hunting Experience
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doubleriflejack
.333 member
Reged: 11/11/07
Posts: 352
Loc: Oregon, U.S.A.
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DarylS,
I took a class covering color case hardening in gunsmithing school, and also learned process from an old man who once worked for Colt, as an engraver. The "softer tones; subdued elegant colors" of older rifles/shotguns you speak about, I believe, are to some degree caused from "washing out, fading" over time, as happens naturally, from sun and from friction.
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5318
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Quote:
The "softer tones; subdued elegant colors" of older rifles/shotguns you speak about, I believe, are to some degree caused from "washing out, fading" over time, as happens naturally, from sun and from friction.
I'm sure that can be true in some, maybe most cases. However, This rifle clearly had very subdued colors from the beginning. There has been no appreciable sun or friction on the water table:
The inside of the forend iron looks about the same, although I didn't photograph that part.
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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rigbymauser
.400 member
Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 2027
Loc: Denmark
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Capt´n!!.
Only backaction hammer rifles with jones underlever of the Victorian period. It says everything!.
You are a man of my heart!.
Congratulations.
Edited by rigbymauser (24/10/12 07:44 AM)
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27721
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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The loud colours I was talking about, were like those on the modern custom large bore lever guns being made and colour cased in the USA. I personally find their colours to bold, too loud - as I said, perhaps merley a personal opinion, however the overall condition of Curl's double seems to say subdued - on a gun not carried or used much at all.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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