John Rigby Rising Bite .577/500

Photos kindly supplied to me by SM Ayub Khan.



Here’s a photo of my Great Grandfather over a leopard with his John Rigby & Co. 577/500 double rifle.




The double rifle in the photo of my great grandfather is in my collection, handed down from father to son over the generations.





















Unfortunately I don’t have any ammunition for it, but have all the hand loading tools in its original case. Brass cases are difficult to find! Interestingly all the tools and the scope are marked with the rifles serial No. 1,xxxx. The rifle is in mint condition. Recently serviced and the locks had never been opened since new, I was informed.

KS, I enjoyed reading your detailed load development and eventual success with finding the right ammo for your rifle. My Rigby is a .577/500 rising bite, inscribed on the barrels with an optimum load of 410 gr projectile loaded 160 gr of Powder No. 6. I’ve enclosed a photo of the rifle with it’s case. I’ll post more photos showing contents of the case and the rifle.


(I've included some of the discussion as it's interesting. Also might be useful for anyone also reloading for this cartridge. Use at own risk. No liability accepted by any party. NitroX)

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Kevin also has a Rigby .577/500:
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My serial number is 1,xxx so Im guessing that the Nitro era started the year after mine was made (1897) not a lot of BPE's were made after that. Lots of different calibers too - as well as shotguns - and it would be interesting to know just how many 577/500's were made by Rigby?
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S M Ayub Khan My Rigby is a 577/500 that was sent to a British officer in India in 1897, I wonder, could it be the same one? Probably not, but nice to dream :-)
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I have a copy of a letter from Rigby to the guy I bought her from. Went straight to a British officer. A lot of guns were not taken back home and as mine was in India until well into the middle of the 20th century she had at least one owner after the officer before she found her way to Australia.
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SM Ayub Khan So the one I have is not your Great Grandfathers. I still have mine, which is a sidelock, side lever, with the rising 3rd bite, and have worked out a load for it. Initially all the information I could find was for either a 340 or a 380 grain paper patched bullet. Bore is .500, groove .510. It was very frustrating as no matter what I did I couldnt get it to shoot, barrels were always far apart, never crossed - suggesting it needed a heavier bullet or more powder. I tried black powder Fg, FFFg, FFFg and FFFFg - no good. I tried the .510 Woodleigh jacketed bullet of 440Grains but it wouldnt shoot those either. It wasnt until I saw an obscure reference to "some" 577/500 No 2's being regulated for a 440Gr paper patched lead bullet that I started to show some progress. The black powders today rarely regulate in doubles as they just dont have the energy of Curtis and Harveys No 6 black. I had a mould made here in Aussie that was a nose pour and was adjustable for length, therefore weight. I used the formula determined by Ross Seyfried - what he doesnt know about loading for and regulating doubles, both Nitro Express and BP Express is a waste of time learning - using IMR 4198 and a filler. Bingo - 4 shots (2R and 2L) in 2 inches at 50 yards with iron sights. Cases are available from Bertram here is Aussie that take Large Rifle primers - Federal 215's are the hottest. I carried my Rigby into the Victorian High Country on a Sambar hunt - sort of like a return to its roots 100 years after it first (probably) went on Sambar hunts in India
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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 (23/03/23 04:05 AM)

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Nice - hammerless BP rifle. Bullet weight seems light. I've not read of a 410gr. bullet in .577 before. 160gr. #6 is normal, but so is a 650gr. projectile in the Express.

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It's a .500 bore Daryl, not .577. The BPE's - there were a few .500's and bullet weight varied from 340 to 440Grain lead, paper patched. There may have been Nitro for Black loads as well.

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Ahh - yes of course, my bad. I can only think I must not have seen the 500!!
Or- it just didn't register in my (possibly) beer addled brain.


An EXQUISITE piece of walnut.

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Daryl


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

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I find it interesting this rifle from perhaps 1899 ? has a scope and has fitted mount bases. Surely a later addition?

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