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British Firearms (Pre. 1914) >> Breech Loading - Sporting Guns and Rifles >> Rigby .45 Match Rifle
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Message started by Admin on 02/14/07 at 8:44pm

Title: Rigby .45 Match Rifle
Post by Admin on 02/14/07 at 8:44pm

I am seeking any information (or suggestions for sources) on the .45 cal rifle ammunition that was used in the Rigby B.L. match rifles of the 19th century. Technical drawings, photographs .....?

I understand this used a straight solid drawn case 2 9/16" (or approx. 2.6") long similar to the 2.6" Sharps Straight. According to Kirton's "The British Falling Block Breech-Loading Rifle" this fired a paper-patched 480 grain round nosed lead bullet with a charge of 83 grains of black powder.

Lieut.-Col. H.Bond's 1884 "Treatise on Military Small Arms and Ammunition" says the case was loaded with - "charge 85 grains powder; bullet, 530 grains in weight; point ogival, rather acute, and hardened by a certain process which gives them a specific gravity greater than the alloys of lead and tin in general use."

According to an article publishd in the New york herald in 1876, "the Rigby bullet is hardened with quicksilver, the percentage of which has not been altered for years". This was with reference to the muzzle loading match rifle, however, quicksilver is a common name for the chemical element mercury. Can anyone confirm the use of quicksilver with the Rigby bullets?

Thanks for any comment.

David

Title: Re: Rigby .45 Match Rifle
Post by Bill_Curtis on 02/19/07 at 6:30pm

Mercury has a greater density than lead whereas tin is much lighter. The concept of hardening with mercury was well known but, as Sir S. W. Baker comments, mercury boils off at the temperature of molten lead so he found that it could only added in small doses just enough for a ladle full at a time and then cast very quickly. Apart from that, it was a lethal practice because of the resulting fumes. Think of all those wretched firegilders who died off young before the practice was banned early in the 19th Century.

Title: Re: Rigby .45 Match Rifle
Post by Admin on 03/03/07 at 9:36am

I've managed to gather a few pieces of data regarding the Rigby .45 cartridge:

I have been advised of the following details of the Rigby .45 Match. Info is from Volume 3 of THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION - by George A. Hoyem.

450x2.6" Rigby Match
Straight, rimmed
Bullet dia. 0.451
Case length 2.59
Rim dia. 0.610
Neck Dia. 0.470
Base dia. 0.507
Total length 3.70

Pictured below are Rigby and Sharps ammunition for comparison.

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/45rigbysharps.jpg

Apparently there was also a Rigby 2.4" version.

I am advised that an internet sources lists the .450 Rigby Match as a straight case and the following other particulars:

450 Rigby Match
Straight, rimmed
Bullet dia. 0.461
Case length 2.40
Rim dia. 0.598
Neck Dia. 0.472
Base dia. 0.507
Total length 3.70

Another correspondent provided the following comment -> The 2.4" case is the same as the Sharps, and as far as I know the only original rounds were in a cased Rigby Rifle once owned by John Amber (the American gun writer, gun collector & editor) The headstamp is "J. RIGBY & Co �+ 1881 +", and the pointed lead bullet is paper patched. OAL is 3.675"

I am curious about the effects that the NRA(GB) had in prohibiting cleaning between shots in 1883. An Irish Eight won the Elcho Shield in 1880 and in 1883 and according to Bond's "Treatise" (see above) the cartridges used were different. It would be interesting to know what may have changed in the loading to attempt to better control fouling.

David

with assistance from BPCR Group at MSN (http://groups.msn.com/bpcr/general.msnw) and International Ammunition Association, Inc. (http://www.cartridgecollectors.org)