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HuviusModerator
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John Rigby 303 Break Action
      #389624 - 14/02/25 09:58 AM

A new to me Rigby 303!
Some rough spots in the wood - chipped and repaired on the forend but a very nice rifle.
28" barrel and a decent bore - not pitted at all but the rifling is worn a bit. Think it will still shoot but won't get out for a couple weeks even if the weather permits.



















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HuviusModerator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Huvius]
      #389625 - 14/02/25 10:04 AM

For scale, here it is with a Holland & Holland rook rifle.



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Claydog
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Huvius]
      #389626 - 14/02/25 12:10 PM

Beautiful Rifle. Classy.

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Rule303
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Claydog]
      #389628 - 14/02/25 01:24 PM

That is a nice looking rifle. good pick up.

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85lc
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Rule303]
      #389630 - 14/02/25 01:30 PM

Very nice looking rifle in a great caliber.

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RB

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DarylS
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: 85lc]
      #389633 - 14/02/25 01:42 PM

I agree sure is a nice looking braeak barrel.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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HistoricBore
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: DarylS]
      #389644 - 14/02/25 09:18 PM

That is a real find!
I have been looking here in Britain for something similar for years, without success. As I understand sporting rifles in .303 calibre were only made for a short time and then the UK Government banned the use of military calibres in the empire, and so the .450s became the 470s, and some Lee Speeds were chambered for an 8mm round.

I have had two of the H&H rook rifles, but a break barrel .303 would be the cherry on the cake!

HB

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93x64mm
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: HistoricBore]
      #389646 - 14/02/25 10:01 PM

Beautiful piece of kit there Huvius!
Would it be sighted for the 215gn or 174gn load?

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fjrdoc
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: 93x64mm]
      #389650 - 14/02/25 10:33 PM

She sure is purdy. What is the function of the screw attached parts on either side of the chamber area? Just curious.

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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: fjrdoc]
      #389652 - 14/02/25 10:54 PM

Ben, that's a really nice rifle. Quite a fancy piece of fiddleback!

Curly

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YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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HuviusModerator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: CptCurl]
      #389655 - 15/02/25 02:21 AM

I sure hope it shoots the 174s well enough but I think at the time the 215gr load was all that was available.
It’s simply stamped “303 Nitro Proved”

As I understand it, the screws on either side hold the ejector rods in place and the one on the right does double duty also holding the flat spring in place.
The flat spring on the right has a tooth that holds the ejector back until the ejector force overcomes this spring and pushes past the tooth giving the ejector a more snappy action.

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fjrdoc
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Huvius]
      #389670 - 15/02/25 08:42 AM

Thanks for the explanation Huvius

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mchughcb
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: fjrdoc]
      #389679 - 15/02/25 12:25 PM

That is sweet looking

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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: mchughcb]
      #389771 - 18/02/25 09:54 AM

Since it is a single shot rifle, odds are it will shoot the 174 grain bullets fine.

Good luck!

Curly

P.S. Are you going to Greeley in May?

--------------------
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YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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HuviusModerator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: CptCurl]
      #389780 - 18/02/25 02:36 PM

Quote:


P.S. Are you going to Greeley in May?



Yes, I’ll be there, You?

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: HistoricBore]
      #389782 - 18/02/25 08:30 PM

Quote:

As I understand sporting rifles in .303 calibre were only made for a short time and then the UK Government banned the use of military calibres in the empire, and so the .450s became the 470s, and some Lee Speeds were chambered for an 8mm round.

HB



I wonder, did the ban on military cartridgevrifles include the UK? I've never heard of the ban of the
303 in Australia and NZ?

There was certainly a ban on military cartridges in India
Puerto rebellion.

Africa? East Africa?

Yes the .470 and similar were created due to the .450 calibre being banned. As ammo components were cannibalised for military .450 cartridges.

Can anyone shed a light on this? Date of the ban? Duration? Extent, coverage in the Empire? Thanks.

But certainly if the ban was only, at least, parts of the empire, including India, it would reduce the volume of such cartridge rifles being made. And the number of vintage rifles today.

--------------------
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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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: NitroX]
      #389783 - 18/02/25 08:33 PM

Huvius, very nice. What is he rifles weight? It's quite hefty looking beside the rook rifle. But that might just be relative.

Thanks for posting.



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

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Huvius]
      #389789 - 19/02/25 02:53 AM

Quote:

Quote:


P.S. Are you going to Greeley in May?



Yes, I’ll be there, You?



Quite possibly, but I am yet to commit to the trip.

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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Rule303
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: NitroX]
      #389799 - 19/02/25 10:02 AM

Quote:

Quote:

As I understand sporting rifles in .303 calibre were only made for a short time and then the UK Government banned the use of military calibres in the empire, and so the .450s became the 470s, and some Lee Speeds were chambered for an 8mm round.

HB



I wonder, did the ban on military cartridgevrifles include the UK? I've never heard of the ban of the
303 in Australia and NZ?

There was certainly a ban on military cartridges in India
Puerto rebellion.

Africa? East Africa?

Yes the .470 and similar were created due to the .450 calibre being banned. As ammo components were cannibalised for military .450 cartridges.

Can anyone shed a light on this? Date of the ban? Duration? Extent, coverage in the Empire? Thanks.

But certainly if the ban was only, at least, parts of the empire, including India, it would reduce the volume of such cartridge rifles being made. And the number of vintage rifles today.



The 303 was banned in NSW for a time. Hand loaders would cut a 1 MM or so off the case, have the chamber shortened and called it 7.7X what ever it was. Some police would see if they could chamber a 303 round in the rifle, if they could you got charged.

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CM76
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Reged: 21/04/22
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Rule303]
      #389802 - 19/02/25 05:06 PM

Lovely rifle! Congratulations

Chris

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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Rule303]
      #389803 - 19/02/25 05:35 PM

Quote:



Can anyone shed a light on this? Date of the ban? Duration? Extent, coverage in the Empire? Thanks.

But certainly if the ban was only, at least, parts of the empire, including India, it would reduce the volume of such cartridge rifles being made. And the number of vintage rifles today.



The 303 was banned in NSW for a time. Hand loaders would cut a 1 MM or so off the case, have the chamber shortened and called it 7.7X what ever it was. Some police would see if they could chamber a 303 round in the rifle, if they could you got charged.



303
This will explain things a bit better than I can!

I thought you'd be all over this one mate!
https://milsurpafterhours.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=793

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40685
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: Rule303]
      #389806 - 19/02/25 10:31 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

As I understand sporting rifles in .303 calibre were only made for a short time and then the UK Government banned the use of military calibres in the empire, and so the .450s became the 470s, and some Lee Speeds were chambered for an 8mm round.

HB



I wonder, did the ban on military cartridgevrifles include the UK? I've never heard of the ban of the
303 in Australia and NZ?

There was certainly a ban on military cartridges in India
Puerto rebellion.

Africa? East Africa?

Yes the .470 and similar were created due to the .450 calibre being banned. As ammo components were cannibalised for military .450 cartridges.

Can anyone shed a light on this? Date of the ban? Duration? Extent, coverage in the Empire? Thanks.
Of the plentiful .30f
But certainly if the ban was only, at least, parts of the empire, including India, it would reduce the volume of such cartridge rifles being made. And theNo.1 Mk III number of vintage rifles today.



The 303 was banned in NSW for a time. Hand loaders would cut a 1 MM or so off the case, have the chamber shortened and called it 7.7X what ever it was. Some police would see if they could chamber a 303 round in the rifle, if they could you got charged.



I wonder if that was also why the .22/303, .243/303, 270/303 was created? The misty backyard of my memory now seems to suggest something like that. But also these different calibres made use of the plentiful .303 SMLEs around after WW2. A neighbour decades ago found a No.1 Mk III SMLE .303 hidden away in his shed. Possibly hidden away and lost for decades? Or just a father's rifle stored, hidden away in cashed, he dies, the son never knows it's there. All before Stasi anti gun registration was introduced. Stasi spies note it would have been registered when found.

Not connected to military cartridges but during WW2 all the Australians of German descent had their firearms confiscated by the racist Britischer authorities. My grandfather buried one he thought was unregistered at the time. A WW1 or later .303 may have been similarly hidden away.

--------------------
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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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: 93x64mm]
      #389807 - 19/02/25 10:35 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:



Can anyone shed a light on this? Date of the ban? Duration? Extent, coverage in the Empire? Thanks.

But certainly if the ban was only, at least, parts of the empire, including India, it would reduce the volume of such cartridge rifles being made. And the number of vintage rifles today.



The 303 was banned in NSW for a time. Hand loaders would cut a 1 MM or so off the case, have the chamber shortened and called it 7.7X what ever it was. Some police would see if they could chamber a 303 round in the rifle, if they could you got charged.



303
This will explain things a bit better than I can!

I thought you'd be all over this one mate!

https://milsurpafterhours.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=793



Oldtimers alas. I used to know all I needed to know, forgotten.

Still need the exact info on the Empire ban.

Sorry for the hijack.

--------------------
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"

Edited by NitroX (19/02/25 10:36 PM)

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degoins
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: NitroX]
      #389850 - 21/02/25 06:55 AM

Gorgeous!!

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Rule303
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Posts: 5258
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Re: John Rigby 303 Break Action [Re: 93x64mm]
      #389852 - 21/02/25 08:09 AM

Quote:

Quote:



Can anyone shed a light on this? Date of the ban? Duration? Extent, coverage in the Empire? Thanks.

But certainly if the ban was only, at least, parts of the empire, including India, it would reduce the volume of such cartridge rifles being made. And the number of vintage rifles today.



The 303 was banned in NSW for a time. Hand loaders would cut a 1 MM or so off the case, have the chamber shortened and called it 7.7X what ever it was. Some police would see if they could chamber a 303 round in the rifle, if they could you got charged.



303
This will explain things a bit better than I can!

I thought you'd be all over this one mate!
https://milsurpafterhours.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=793



9.3X64 thanks for posting this. My memory of the 7.7x54 is a bit lacking after 40 odd years of reading about it. Freshens the ole memory it bit

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