winged dragon on Rigby rifle

[fleener]

I recently picked up a Rigby sporting rifle in .451 cal. The rifle is highly engraved compared to most Rigbys like this.

Question: on the top of the breach plug is engraved a winged dragon. It is hard to see what it is with a naked eye. Might try a picture in a day or two.

Anyone ever see a winged dragon on a Rigby or other English sporting rifle?

thanks

fleener

 

[Alden]

Will it be clearer in a day or two?

 

[Semisane]

Use a white grease pencil to fill in the engraving and you'll be able to get a good picture.

 

[pargent]

Welsh ??? :idunno:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Welsh ??? :idunno:

Sounds logical!
http://terrifictop10.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wales-flag.jpg

 

[TFoley]

Welsh ??? :idunno:

Sounds logical!
http://terrifictop10.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wales-flag.jpg[/quote]

We still need to see the pic.

tac

 

[TFoley]

I recently picked up a Rigby sporting rifle in .451 cal. The rifle is highly engraved compared to most Rigbys like this.

Question: on the top of the breach plug is engraved a winged dragon. It is hard to see what it is with a naked eye. Might try a picture in a day or two.

Anyone ever see a winged dragon on a Rigby or other English sporting rifle?

thanks

fleener

Nope. Never.

Mind you, we are talking about a VERY high-grade sporting arm here - hoo nose what may have been put there for the wealthy owner?

tac

 

[fleener]

 

[Patocazador]

Obviously, the gun was commissioned by St. George.

 

[Semisane]

I think it's a distant ancestor to my Swamp Dragon.

 

[TFoley]

Ah, okay. NOT any kind of a Welsh dragon, but in heraldry - rampant, a semi-dragon, dexter, wreathed.

It is a replication of a helmet crest of a person who has been on a crusade - the 'wreath' is the twisted rope that goes around the head-covering to protect the sun and nape of neck. Now commonly known as a burnous/burnoose.

I'm guessing that this is a family crest, or part thereof, probably that of of the owner of the gun.

Dragons in heraldry are not necessarily evil beasts, but are often used as a symbol of power and wealth. My own family crest is a gryphon, which has similar heraldic attributes. MY family's wealth and prestige ran out supporting the other side in your recent war of Northern aggression.

It will be easy to discover who the original owner might have been. Write to John Rigby in London with details and a few photographs - they have records dating back to the origins of Rigby, in Dublin, BTW, in the late 1700's.

It looks like a very beautiful piece and there are many here, me included, who are no doubt bright green with envy.

Are you going to shoot it?

tac

 

[fleener]

Tac, thanks for the insight. Yes I plan to shoot it. In the process of getting the hammer fixed and sights made for it. The bore looks to be in great shape, smooth and no rough or tight spots, no evidence of rust.

The story is that a guy back in the 1920-1930 was a shooter, and left his collection to his two sons. They are in their 70-80's now and selling off the stuff. I think this has been sitting in a closet or gun safe since then. Wish the rear sights would of been with this rifle. The front sight is a 32-40 brass that has been cut down and painted black. The front dovetail base is a rigby.

For a Rigby, it is has an unusual amount of engraving.

I will shoot Rigby a note and see what we can learn.

thanks

Fleener

 

[TFoley]

Drool.

I have a LOAD of patched bullets for this rifle, but I live mostly in yUK....

tac

 

[fleener]

I have a mold and bullet that should work quite well, at least I hope it does..... I got a buddy that has a Rigby that he shoots and other friends with henry's, and gibbs. So, I should be able to find a bullet that it likes.

Fleener

 

[Lorne Johnson]

That's a beautiful and interesting gun. Have the hammer ear replaced by some one really good (Rigby might come to mind). I do know folks in the US who could do that properly, but fashioning a new ear will not be inexpensive.

(There certainly are engraved Rigby's, although most that I've seen are Rose and Scroll.)

 

[fleener]

The guy fixing the hammer for me has quite a bit of experience with fine guns and does not do good work, he does perfect work. He is a retired old gun, gunsmith. And you are right, it is not cheap......but neither was the rifle.

I have fitted a replacement hammer that is a casting of a Rigby. It just needs to be cleaned up, engraved, color cased and then aged to match the rest of the rifle. But I really wanted to get the original hammer fixed. An escutcheon on the right side is broken and will need to be replaced as well.


Fleener

 

[TFoley]

I have a mold and bullet that should work quite well, at least I hope it does..... I got a buddy that has a Rigby that he shoots and other friends with henry's, and gibbs. So, I should be able to find a bullet that it likes.

Fleener

If it would do any good, I could post the dimensions of the patched bullet that I have here to see if is anything like yours.

tac

 

[fleener]

here is the one that I will try to start with. Not sure what the size will end up, but I have dies to go as low as .448. Looks like the rifle is around .449 for what it will need.

Fleener

 

[TFoley]

here is the one that I will try to start with. Not sure what the size will end up, but I have dies to go as low as .448. Looks like the rifle is around .449 for what it will need.

Fleener

Looks the same as mine.

Course, they might well be minor differences, as it is to be expected.,

Good luck with it. :thumbsup:

tac

 

[hrp103]

Fleener,
It looks to me like the emblem of the 23rd Regiment of Foot, the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
They made a name for themselves against Bonaparte, possibly it was made for one of their officers.

Pep