The construction of the rifle either reduces or amplifies felt recoil. The case is an original design with a rimless, bottleneck type case that fits a .285 inch bullet on a .325 inch neck with a case length of 2.244 inches and overall length of 3.071 inches. In Great Britain the 7x57 became so popular that the John Rigby Company adopted it as the .275 Rigby. Jay and I tried the sights on the abundant rocks scattered across the hillside above his range, using a laser rangefinder to determine distance. The 160 grain spitzer (BC .502, SD .284) can be driven to 2,363 fps by 42.0 grains of H414, and 2582 fps by a maximum load of 46.0 grains of the same powder. Rigby also claimed, “The difficulty of estimating distances does not exist unless for a shot over 300 yards.” That might be true if muzzle velocity was actually 3,000 fps, but with the smokeless powders then available, actual velocity was probably around 2,700 to 2,800 fps – except, perhaps, on a particularly hot day. It would be logical to assume the shooting took place on an indoor test range, but even so, the group stands as a great testament to shooting skill and, perhaps, young eyes. Do not use the maximum loads quoted below in the relatively weak Model 93 and 95 Mauser actions, or in Remington rolling block rifles. It is similar to the Winchester Model 70’s safety, rather than the military- style safety of the original rifles. W.D.M. Oddly, the other famous fan of the .275’s 140-grain load is today widely known as a big-bore boy. The 145 grain Spitzer (BC .457, SD .257) can be driven to 2501 fps by 44.0 grains of H414, and 2748 fps by a maximum load of 48.0 grains of H414. The North American shooter who wants to get maximum utility out of a 7x57 really should be a reloader. Armies found the round was accurate at long range with moderate recoil. All rights reserved. After three years of R&D, Rigby is extremely proud of the result: the Highland Stalker’s striking slim lines and lightweight frame makes it ideal for the hill. One modern change is the safety. Since the projectile bounced off his skull, he concluded the pointed type bullet was not satisfactory against bone!”. The original Rigby rifle featured a bolt handle and safety that interfered with low-mounted scopes. This rifle is a limited edition that was specially manufactured by Ruger for the Dallas Arms Collectors Association. . The bolt has also been fitted with a Sako type extractor. .450 Rigby.303 British .500/450 Nitro Express.310 Cadet.577/450 Martini Henry.318 Rimless.500/465 Nitro Express.333 Jeffery Flanged.458 Winchester Magnum .333 Rimless Nitro Express .458 Lott .35 Winchester.470 Capstick .350 Rigby .470 Nitro Express.400/350 Nitro Express & .350 Rigby No.2 .475 Nitro Express.400/360 Purdey for either the ordinary, or high velocity ammunition,” weighing almost a pound less, “. Bell, perhaps the most famous of all African commercial ivory hunters, killed the majority of his over 1000 elephants with the 7x57. The three-leaf rear sight is regulated for 65, 150 and 250 yards with 140-grain bullets, and the action is drilled and tapped for modern scope bases. Many other countries soon followed Germany’s lead, including America’s military; in 1906, the U.S. Army changed the original 220-grain roundnose bullet loaded in the 1903 Springfield to a 150-grain spitzer. We had done this before with several other rifles, including my .416 Rigby, which Jay declared to be the best “rock rifle” he’d ever fired because it easily turned even big rocks into smaller targets, some very suitable for the .275. Federal and PMC also load 175 grain RN bullets at a MV of 2440 fps and ME of 2315 ft. lbs. W.D.M. With the lever all the way to the rear, the firing pin and bolt handle are locked in place. Rigby also offered a No. Restrict shots at the latter to 200 yards/meters or less. The Highland Stalker.275 Rigby is a somewhat modernized version of the company’s original No. Note the rifle is marked both .275 and 7x57. Few cartridges, in the history of modern firearms, have influenced our shooting world as much as the 7x57mm Mauser. All of the above loads used Remington cases and CCI 250 primers, and were chronographed in a 22 inch rifle barrel. Haven't been this excited about a rifle since I got my Boddington No 1's in 7x57 and 300 H&H. Winchester loads a 145 grain spitzer to the same MV for a ME of 2279 ft. lbs. Copyright 2004 by Chuck Hawks. . Rigby also chambered its No. The 7mm-08 Rem. There are a wide variety of 7mm bullets available to the reloader, from around 110 grains to 195 grains. CANVAS TRUNK CASE- TALLEY Q D LEVER BASES & 1" RINGS- OPEN SIGHTS- 97% for sale online. Compared to the illustration in the 1924 catalog, it appears to be mounted slightly farther to the rear, and instead of the leaves being set for 100, 300 and 400 yards, it is regulated for 65, 150 and 250 yards, probably because anybody wanting to shoot beyond 250 will mount a scope. Bell, perhaps the most famous of all African commercial ivory hunters, killed the majority of his over 1000 elephants with the 7x57. Safari…with WDM Bell On this Adventure (in my warped mind), I’m attired in my pith helmet and transporting myself back a century or so, as I make notation in my leatherbound field ledger and quill pen. Current ammunition catalogs from PMC, Remington and Federal show loads for the 7x57 Subsequently, several Latin American countries adopted the 7x57, including Mexico. Rigby similarly modernized the .275 for sporting purposes, loading both solid and “expanding” 140-grain spitzer bullets for the No. John Rigby and Co. adopted the cartridge—rebranding it the .275 Rigby—and with it many hunters around the globe faced the largest and most dangerous creatures that ever walked. The 7x57 is a true world-wide cartridge. The test rifle weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces. “Karamojo” Bell of Africa or James Corbett of India, perhaps the two most famous .275 users. Rigby still makes a couple models available in .275 Rigby and occasionally a used rifle will turn … W.D.M. My reprint of the 1924 Rigby catalog from Cornell Publications (cornellpubs.com) claims a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps. Produced by the John Rigby & Sons Company, the Rigby .275 is a takedown rifle: simply lift on the shotgun-style forward release, and the little rifle falls away in two pieces for easy travel. The “Turkish Grade 5 walnut” on the test rifle is simply spectacular. The 7x57 is a true world-wide cartridge. Rigby eventually added a load using a 140-grain semi-pointed softnose. Another reason cropped up when I found a test target in the rifle case, fired at 65 yards with the standing leaf and Hornady 140-grain ammunition, the three shots forming a horizontal, overlapping line .38 inch from center to center. The target was fired by somebody named Jamie Holland, with a signature next to the printed name. 2 High Velocity rifle (inset). Ruger has been doing runs of handsome .275 Rigby marked hunting rifles, and the .275 Rigby is nothing more than a 7x57 with a catchy Irish name used for marketing it to the Empire. This disgruntled hunter was not W.D.M. "Dear Axel, Your .275 has started and we are in the last stage of the action reshaping and finishing. For that reason it was decided to model the Highland Stalker on the look of the original .275 Rigby, which was the ubiquitous rifle of its time. Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. Ammunition is manufactured and sold in Europe, Africa, North America and most In the hunting world, it made an immediate transitionas so many military car… The 7x57 was developed by the famous German firm of Mauser in 1892, and adopted by the Spanish government in 1893. Furthermore, you can always go ahead and get an applied ballistics meter to make the experience much more enjoyable. Pushed to the middle position, the firing pin is still locked on “safe,” but the bolt can be opened. The military of the Kingdom of Spain adopted the Mauser Model 1893rifle. . The violent expansion is probably due to the large hollowpoint necessary to accommodate the tip’s shank. 13 Reloading Manual the Speer 130 grain spitzer bullet (BC .394, SD .230) can be driven to 2649 fps by 46.0 grains of H414 powder, and 2960 fps by a maximum load of 50.0 grains of H414. The reloader with a strong rifle who loads to about 50,000 cup can do better than most factory loads. It was chambered for the new 7×57mm Mauser cartridge. Managing Director was struck in the head by a German 8mm spitzer bullet in the course of [World War I]. I was fortunate enough to get one of the Ruger 77 Africans in 275 Rigby. Supported by a factory letter, rifle number 1124 was shipped in 1898 with a 26-inch barrel, “Peep 3 and flush 1-2-300″ sights and is based on a Mauser 98 action with serial number 200. The top of the action is drilled and tapped for modern scope-mounting bases. The others are the .308 Winchester, .30-06 and the 8x57 and 9.3x62 Mausers. Pushed all the way forward, the rifle is ready to fire. Furthermore it will have a H&H side mount with a Kahles KXi 3.5-10x50 illuminated 4-dot on top. . The Highland Stalker’s more elegant bolt handle is much lower, and the safety is another version of what is commonly known as the three-position Winchester Model 70 safety, operating horizontally on the right-hand side of the bolt sleeve. 1 rifle in .275 that used ammunition loaded with traditional 175-grain bullets, both “solid” and “soft nose.” Apparently the only difference between the two models was the “regulation” of the rear sight, with one fixed and two folding leaves. In 2017, Rigby introduced its Highland Stalker rifle, a somewhat modernized version of the No. After several days of tracking, Corbett finally finished the job, finding the initial bullet in the shoulder joint. I bought some and somewhat reproduced the factory ammunition using 139-grain Hornady Spire Points and Hodgdon H-4350 powder. I’ve used the 139-grain version from the 7x57 on game from Coues’ deer to caribou, and an extra grain of bullet weight will work at least as well! 10oz. The action is still made by Mauser but is modified for scope mounting. In Europe, Serbia adopted the cartridge, and it became a popular sporting cartridge all over Europe. The .275 Rigby produces moderate recoil, which is effectively managed by the rifle’s 1-­inch rubber recoil pad and overall weight of 9 pounds, 9 ounces with a Leica Visus scope attached. We both whacked rocks (or severely scared them) out to 250 yards thanks in part to the crisp trigger, which according to my Timney trigger scale broke right at Rigby’s advertised 2.5 pounds. The bullets were seated just behind the front edge of the cannelure for an overall length of 3.180 inches and an average velocity of 2,681 fps. T… Jay also shoots pretty well with iron sights due to competing in black-powder cartridge silhouette shooting. Built on a K98 Mauser action, the .275 Rigby cartridge was the British designation for the German 7×57. with 140 grain spitzer bullets (SD .248) at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2,660 fps and muzzle energy (ME) of 2,199 ft. lbs. The Highland Stalker .275 Rigby is a somewhat modernized version of the company’s original No. I also suspect Corbett and Taylor would like the Hornady ammunition, since the InterLock Spire Point is a very reliable big-game bullet, especially at the moderate muzzle velocity of the .275 Rigby. The original cartridge featured a long, 11.2-gram (173 gr) round-nose, full-metal-jacketed bullet with a muzzle velocity of about 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s) with 2,744 J (2,024 ft⋅lbf) muzzle energy from a 740 mm (29.1 in) barreled rifle. One famous .275 Rigby fan definitely disliked the “hollow tube” 140-grain ammunition, which he called “the copper-pointed” load. It has a large rifle primer with a 1:8.66 twist. This is an RC Knipstein Custom in.275 Rigby. RIGBY 275 (7 x 57 Mauser)- 1951 LONDON RIGBY- MAUSER ACTION- ORIG. A Rifle for the Ages Rigby’s Highland Stalker is not an inexpensive rifle, but it’s one of those pieces that are born with soul. If you see a 0 in the Recoil Velocity column it signifies no data available for that particular load. One of the long-time virtues of the 7x57/.275 is plenty of “killing power” combined with light recoil in a light rifle – something all three famous .275 fans mention in their books. Many hunters attributed the over-expansion to the separate tip driving down into the bullet, the common theory about the Bronze Point, but slow-motion videos of bullets shot into clear ballistic gelatin show the tips actually drift ahead of the expanding bullet. (Hunters from a century ago were far more optimistic about the long-range potential of multi-leaf open sights.). Before the .275, most 7x57 hunting ammunition featured traditional roundnose bullets weighing 170 to 175 grains loaded to a muzzle velocity around 2,300 fps, essentially duplicating the original 173-grain military load. Rigby’s rebranding of the 7x57 took advantage of technological advances during the 15 years after the 7x57’s appearance in 1892. For the late 19th century, these ballistics were impressive, and the loading provided a fairly flat trajectory combined with excellent penetration. A .275 (RIGBY HIGH VELOCITY) MAUSER SPORTING RIFLE BY J. RIGBY, No. The average three-shot group at 100 yards was around 1.5 inches, which is more than adequate when using open sights for big game. Also, the Highland Stalker had very little recoil—one of the often overlooked features of the .275 Rigby/7x57 Mauser—and that trigger was a dream from the bench. Early smokeless rifle powders tended to be rather temperature sensitive, especially the long-stranded British powder called cordite. The right side of the receiver has the Dallas Arms Collectors Association logo. ‘Karamoja’ Bell used his .275 Rigby—with 173-grain solids—to take … The barrel … 2’s sight was set for 100, 300 and 400 yards. In the table below rifle weight is given in pounds, free recoil energy is given in foot pounds, and free recoil velocity is given in feet-per-second. The 7x57mm Mauser, which he called the .275 Rigby, became his favorite elephant cartridge! Many bolt action rifles built in the UK were so marked. The weight for both models is 7.8 pounds, of course varying somewhat with wood density and chambering. As Walter Bell proved, there isn’t much you can’t do with a.275 Rigby (7×57) and the proper bullet. He used the 175 grain FMJ bullet for brain shots, and liked the.275 Rigby (as he called the 7x57) for its accuracy and low recoil … The catalog illustrations for both rifles are identical, along with their other listed features: “Pistol Hand Sporting Stock” with a 23.5-inch barrel and a weight of about 7.5 pounds. Nearly 119 years later, these specifications remain true. The 416 Rigby can be a real punisher if the stock and recoil pad are not optimal. With that particular 7mm, Bell shot some 1,000 elephants and plenty of buffalo, lions and similar creatures judged too stout for anything less than a 375 H&H Mag. Here are some 7x57 specifications that should be of interest to reloaders: bullet diameter .284", maximum COL 3.065", maximum case length 2.235", MAP 46,000 cup. . Bell disliked the recoil of the heavy big-game calibres and favoured the 7×57 for its mild recoil, accuracy and effectiveness. The action is a Remington 700 Deluxe with jeweled bolt. Tigers can weigh over 500 pounds, which would seem to recommend the 175-grain load, but Corbett apparently preferred the 140-grain version of the .275 due to flatter trajectory, even though on one occasion a “soft-nose, nickel-encased, split” bullet failed to penetrate the shoulder of another man-eating tigress that ran off wounded. My eyes aren’t so young anymore, but I still shoot a lot with iron sights so am usually able to group three shots with a rifle’s preferred ammunition into less than 2 inches at 100 yards, even with much cruder sights than the Rigby’s. The 130-140 grain bullets are generally the best choice for CXP2 class game, while the 150-175 grain bullets get the nod for CXP3 class game. 2 High Velocity rifle. Designed by Peter Paul Mauser in 1892 to serve in the military, the 7x57 Mauser showed the American soldiers what a cartridge should be on the slopes of Cubas San Juan Hill, and inspired the development of our own revered .30-06 Springfield. 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