Frontier Partisans

The Adventurers, Rangers and Scouts Who Fought the Battles of Empire

Rigby Farquharson

June 15, 2022, by JimC

John Rigby & Co. has released a limited edition falling block rifle.

Modelled on the late Victorian Farquharson rifles, London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. has just launched their first 10 new limited edition Rigby Falling Block rifles. After three years in the making, the rifle is built around a true Farquharson action, identical to the original patented John Farquharson design of 1875 and a strong match to the historic Rigby-made Farquharson rifles in the company’s historic ledger books.

This is a fancy version of a single-shot rifle model that the likes of Frederick Courteney Selous wielded in the African bush. A Gibbs.461 Farquharson is featured in the header photo on Frontier Partisans:

That rifle, with the bluing completely worn off most of the barrel, had some stories to tell.

The Rigby rifles are way out of my league, but it warms my heart that the venerable (1775) gunmaker is putting out modern renditions the classic rifles of the Golden Era of the late 19th/early 20th Century, when firearms form and function hit their apogee. I sure hope that whatever well-heeled folk buy these rifles actually take ’em afield. Purty as it may be, such a piece ain’t meant to be a safe queen.

Filed Under: The War Chest

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Comments

  1. Quixotic Mainer says

    June 15, 2022 at 5:37 pm

    Gorgeous weapon that! A few years back I missed out on buying a Ruger #1, which I always thought of as the Farquharson’s progeny. I don’t hunt anything big enough to justify the purchase of an express, much less the more genteel and polished original. I bet the crowd who will be able to snag one have their favorite PH saved on their phone though.

    Are you familiar with this outfit? They seem like good potential allies for the crowd here;

    https://www.frontieramericanillustratednews.com/

    Reply
    • JimC says

      June 15, 2022 at 9:45 pm

      Cool site. I will link to them.

      Reply
  2. SQUIRE RUSTICUS says

    June 21, 2022 at 4:11 pm

    I currently have 3 of the Ruger No.1’s Tropical rifles (1) in .375 H & H, (1) in .450-400 NE, and (1) in .458 Lott, that I consider terrific rifles. Although production rifles, not exactly close in quality or prestige to a Rigby (original Farquharson model or current falling block) I have been very happy with my purchase of these rifles.
    Personally, I have had a huge interest in Selous most of my life, and gentlemen like him. I find myself picking up one of my books on Sasha Seimel, Burton, J A Hunter, Wilfred Thesinger, etc…. enjoying a moment of escapism.

    Reply
    • JimC says

      June 21, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      Wonderful. Lives lived to the full. Kinda jealous of those No. 1s…

      Reply
  3. SQUIRE RUSTICUS says

    June 22, 2022 at 6:45 am

    The downside of “Safari” cartridges is cost and availability. Years ago, it seemed a Cabela’s, local gun stores that sold Weatherby rifles was sure to have large caliber rounds. Now one has to order them in, and they are costly to shoot, thus one just does not grab the .450-400 NE or .458 Lott, then head out to shoot a few rounds. They also become a low priority when purchasing ammo. Instant gratification verses “the wait”…..
    During the Covid break and ammo shortages, I could not find .45-70, .303, foreign Mauser rounds, .338 Lapua, BUT I did see .50 cal rounds (which I do not have in a cartridge rifle). You could have knocked me over, when I went into a local gun store and they had .30-30 rounds (which I do not see often anymore) but no 9mm in stock. Recently it has gotten better, but in the last 10 years I’ve only found .458 Lott in a gunstore once. I purchased both boxes…..

    Reply
    • JimC says

      June 22, 2022 at 7:08 am

      When I worked at Pachmayr (30 years ago, so ancient history) we stocked the Big Bore stuff, sold a decent amount of it, and our clients actually got in range time, particularly with the .375. As you say, nowadays both cost and availability make that virtually impossible. Hell, I was commiserating with a feller at the gun counter at BiMart the other day — he was buying a case of 165 grain .30-06 because he hadn’t seen any for so long. It’s unAmerican to not be able to pick up .30-06 or .30-30 off the shelf.
      Our Bimart has been great — better than Sportsman’s Warehouse on price, and sometimes on availability.

      Reply

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