Has anyone read Boddingtons last article published in Safari club magazine? It got me thinking. Two years ago I took my Best SLE Rigby (manufactured in 1926) to Zim. Covid willing, I’ll be leaving again in a couple weeks again taking the Rigby. The open sights are challenging for me being almost 60 years old. I have a vintage Army Navy that is at the gunsmith now for fitting a Trijicon RMR. That wont be done by the time I go. I’ve always liked and respected Heym for all of the fine work they do. They now have a Model 89B that is supposed to be like a modern “English” DR. It looks very attractive to me. I’m thinking its time to sell that A&N, retire the Rigby to the safe and hunt with the Heym. It’s painful to me because carrying the Rigby is really something special.

Rigby makes hunting rifles. Hunt with it!

Make sure you have your Rigby fully insured.... like the All Risk policies offered by Core-Vens... and hunt your Rigby!!
That's what those old Bespoke rifles were built for!!
Good Luck and have a GREAT HUNT!!

CheerZ,

Thanks guys.

It’s insured and I leave in a week with it!

I no longer have 20/10 vision. The eye doc tells me it is still 20/20 but I need bifocals to focus on close objects. Needless to say clearly seeing iron sights and the target became impossible.

I had JJ Perodeau cut slot on the rib of my Heym 88B. I also bought the necessary mount for Trijicon RMR 1 MOA (very small red dot). With this I can often shoot a 4" to 6" groups (depending on my loads) at 100 yards from African shooting sticks. I do however want to limit my shots at game to 75 yards. For longer ranges I will bring my Model 70's with scopes.

I would not cut grooves in the rib of an expensive Rigby. That might take $5k off the gun's value.

I like my Heym. It has beauty and is built like a Swiss watch!

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Ouellette:
I no longer have 20/10 vision. The eye doc tells me it is still 20/20 but I need bifocals to focus on close objects. Needless to say clearly seeing iron sights and the target became impossible.

I had JJ Perodeau cut slot on the rib of my Heym 88B. I also bought the necessary mount for Trijicon RMR 1 MOA (very small red dot). With this I can often shoot a 4" to 6" groups (depending on my loads) at 100 yards from African shooting sticks. I do however want to limit my shots at game to 75 yards. For longer ranges I will bring my Model 70's with scopes.

I would not cut grooves in the rib of an expensive Rigby. That might take $5k off the gun's value.

I like my Heym. It has beauty and is built like a Swiss watch!

Mark, I too have an eye problem. My problem is Macular degeneration in my right eye, and I am right handed. If I close my left
eye I cant see the irons on my double rifles. With both eyes open can see the irons, but I think the red dot sight I can still see the red dot transposed on the target well and the red dot can be placed on the target. That means I will have to have the red dots on all my double rifles to be able to shoot them all on target. I think I can have bases on all the doubles, but only a couple of the red dot sights so I can switch them to a small chambering one, and also to one of the big bores.
It is hell to get old, but if I want to hunt at my age (84 yrs old) I will just have to bite the bullet or put all my double rifles in drydock.
....................... MacD37

I hunt with a lot of vintage shotguns, mostly British. A vintage double rifle in 450-400 is on the wish list but I sometimes think maybe I would be better served with a Heym or Chapuis. Modern built, no hidden issues are likely, it won't be sacrilegious to add or use a red dot, regulated with modern ammo...

Merkel doesn't chamber the 375FlMag....

But Verney-Carron and Kreighoff do too!!

I am bending too.....

CheerZ,

As does Heym and Chapuis...

As the idiot I am, I have very personal preferences on double rifles and drilling’s. I prefer a DR that fits like a traditional shotgun. Merkel, with blade front sight. None of the guns made with bead sights.

I never look at the rear sight, just the blade front sight which is altered so that the top of the blade is center mass at 50 yards. If the stock fits you properly, that’s all you need.

I also prefer a blade front sight, similar to handgun sights. The bead seems to subtend (get out the dictionary, Butchloc!) too much of the target

quote:

I prefer a DR that fits like a traditional shotgun.

So do I !

I have found that with the red fibre optic front sight, my eye picks it up automatically and the "shotgun" fit places it right on target. All I have to do is pull the trigger.
I may remember forever the first boar that I shot with the rifle everything was like my Parker 12, Muscle memory.

I have a red fiber optic front blade on my Merkel 470 that was installed by Merkel after I purchased it. My other two double rifles (450-400 and 375 Flanged) are set up to shoot iron sights, scopes or Trijicon RMRs. It would be nice to have my youthful perfect 20/20 sight back, but alas, the closest that I have come to that is having cataract surgeries to both eyes and some minor corrections to my vision. Still, I prefer have the ability to use all three options.

Vaughn, you've been reading my mail.

Unless really heavily used and with shot out barrels and off the face, a double rifle from the 1920’s will still perform just as well as one a hundred years younger - quite amazing to think that.

Unless it is a true collectors piece, changing the sights etc to make it more usable will have minimal affect on value, indeed may even make it easier to sell.

And hunting with an old rifle just adds to the experience - that Rigby is your rifle, it has memories, so just use it again.

I like the old guns, and I like iron sights not some gadget that works off a watch or cell phone battery, or even a scope for that matter..If I scope it will be on a bolt gun of more modern design such as a custome 98 or mod 70 pre 64, but I love the older guns as one would expect from a true curmudgeon..scoping or red doting a double is akin in incest!

post like this is why I keep a horse tied out behind the house to make a run for it!!!

New in manufacture (and strength) but old (and English) in design.

I love my Chapuis, and my 1870's Alex Henry BPE as well. Different flavors for sure, but both are great fun!
Rick

I like the old double rifles....and steel has no memory..

Of the modern doubles, I will take a Searcy everytime...They shoot like varmint gun and I just might need to shoot something in the eyeball.

I detest the "minute of grapefruit
garbage" Its such a feeble statement..Its catchy, has caught on with hunter numb nuts , but it sucks...