John Rigby (gunmaker)

John Rigby (1829–1916) was the founder of rifle and shotgun maker John Rigby & Company.^[1]

Rigby was a world-class rifle marksman, forming the Irish team for the NRA's Imperial Meeting at Wimbledon (later Bisley) for twenty-eight years.^[2]

In 1887,^[3] he became superintendent of the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock, where he oversaw development of the British service-issue .303 British calibre rifle. He also designed the .450 3¼-Inch Nitro Express and .416 Rigby.^[4] In addition, he collaborated with Mauser on redesigning the G98 to accept magnum cartridges.^[5]

Rigby was also mainly responsible for bringing Rigby's name to the fore in riflemaking.