.275 Rigby = 7X57 = 7mm Mauser

01 November 2003, 03:57

Jim in Texas

I have always understood this equation to be true, just differences in nomenclature. However, Cartridges of the World shows the .275 Rigby as having very slightly different dimensions, although it confirms it is the same as the others elsewhere. If there are slight differences, aren't they different cartridges? Do the slight differences have any effect?

01 November 2003, 04:46

E O

I have heard of the differences list for the different names. It has been traced to the fact of converting inches to centimeters when they are formulating cartridge specs. I had a really neat little GERMAN mauser that had the ENGLISH .275 rigby h.v. inscription on the barrel.It has been and continues to be feed with 7x57 brass. This is such a great cartiridge that it makes me whoosy.

Ask BRIAN W about the .275 as he know owns mine.

ED

01 November 2003, 05:46

Jim in Texas

Thanks, that makes sense. I believe all the .275 Rigby's actually made by J. Rigby were built on Mauser actions. IIRC, he was the British distributor for Mauser or something like that.

01 November 2003, 06:31

browningguy

Jim, as mentioned the only difference came from conversion of the metric dimensions and Rigby used a slightly different bullet weight as their standard load. I had a custom built last year and had it marked .275 Rigby just because that seemed so much nicer to say.

01 November 2003, 06:59

Jim in Texas

I agree. Somehow 275 Rigby just has a hint of romance about it. 7X57 sounds kind of clinical.

01 November 2003, 07:58

<JOHAN>

Gentlemen

I guess Rigby renamed the cartridge to make is more attractive to the Britt sportsmen. Rigby had for manny years the exclusive right to sell Mausers products in U.K.

They have for some reason never liked the Germans. I have seen quite a few English/London rifles that had german mausers stamps. They were hidden soo they didn't appeared untill the rifle was taken apart.

I think that 7X57 Mauser is a more honnest name and better since we have the metric system.

/ JOHAN

01 November 2003, 08:08

E O

--YOU--have the metric system, not we.

ED

01 November 2003, 09:14

Orion 1

quote:
Originally posted by JOHAN:
They have for some reason never liked the Germans.

WHATEVER GAVE YOU THAT IDEA???? [Big Grin]

01 November 2003, 11:45

KurtC

Continental rifles tend to be named after groove diameter, while the British ones usually use bore diameter.

The differences between the length, shoulder and base diameters are in thousands of an inch, well within standard chamber measurements.

05 November 2003, 04:00

Jim in Texas

Besides, there is something appealing in the eccentricity of naming a rifle shooting a .284" dia. bullet a .275. Of course, eveery .270 is really .277" as well. Does anyone know the significance of the .275 number?

05 November 2003, 06:32

BFaucett

quote:
Originally posted by Jim in Texas:
Besides, there is something appealing in the eccentricity of naming a rifle shooting a .284" dia. bullet a .275. Of course, eveery .270 is really .277" as well. Does anyone know the significance of the .275 number?

I believe it is the approximate bore diameter as opposed to the groove diameter. I don't know the exact specifications for the 7x57 cartridge for the groove depth, but assuming .004 groove depth then .284" - (2 x .004) = .276" So, basically it's named after the bore diameter. Perhaps some of the more knowledgable posters here can explain it more precisely /correctly than I have.

-Bob F.

05 November 2003, 09:12

Jim in Texas

Now if I can just find one that actually says .275 Rigby on it that I can afford. Sigh!

05 November 2003, 13:29

browningguy

Jim, I had my .275 built on a VZ24 action, Douglas barrel, action trued, lugs lapped, new bolt handle welded on, Timney side safety trigger,FN type barrel shroud, bedded in a decent composite stock for under $900, that's almost affordable. The other option is to get a used Ruger/Winchester etc. and have it rebarrelled.

06 November 2003, 01:56

<eldeguello>

quote:
I guess Rigby renamed the cartridge to make is more attractive to the Britt sportsmen. Rigby had for manny years the exclusive right to sell Mausers products in U.K.

They have for some reason never liked the Germans.

You've got to be kidding! Have you ever heard of Kaiser Bill and Adolph Hitler?? [Confused]

06 November 2003, 03:21

LE270

Different names for exactly the same cartridge.

07 November 2003, 01:45

Paul B

7x57, .275 Rigby, .276 Westley-Richards, all the same from what I understand. I can't say if this is true, but I heard this from a Brit, and may have some basis in fact. According to what he told me, the .275 Rigby was a proprietary cartridge made by Kynoch for Rigby. (Yeah, I know it's just a 7x57 with a fancy name, bear with me.)
However, according to my friend, the average Brit really wasn't that knowledable about firearms, especially during the early 1900s. So, when he bought his ammo, he would buy the Kynock .275 Rigby at the inflated price Rigby sold it for. A few, like W.D.M. Bell were smart enough to realize that it and the 7x57 were one and the same cartridge and purchased the less expensive German ammo.
I don't know if old Jack was right, but it sounded good anyway. He passed on about twenty years ago, and he was good for a great story when in his cups.
Paul B.

[ 11-07-2003, 20:35: Message edited by: Paul B ]

07 November 2003, 04:16

Jim in Texas

I had always heard that J. Rigby changed adopted the .275 Rigby name to help market the rifles to his British customers, because it sounds more British that 7X57 or 7mm Mauser. Rigby was the British distributor for Mauser at the time.

My original question, BTW, was based on the fact that very slight case dimension data are given for these rounds in Cartridges of the World, but that has been explained by rounding off errors in the metric conversion.