What John Rigby & Co. does

John Rigby & Co. is a London-based bespoke British gunmaker founded in 1775, recognised as the oldest gunmaking firm in continuous existence in the English-speaking world and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2025. The company hand-crafts premium rifles and shotguns at its purpose-built workshop and showroom at 13-19 Pensbury Place, London SW8 4TP, which also houses its museum of historic firearms and ledger archive dating to the 1770s. Its portfolio spans the Rising Bite Double Rifle, Rising Bite Shotgun, London Best, Shikari double rifle, Big Game series (PH, Lightweight), Highland Stalker, and Falling Block rifle, with technical differentiation anchored on the Rising Bite vertical-bolt action (patented 1879), Farquharson falling-block action (1875 original), Anson & Deeley boxlock, and plasma nitriding on modern Big Game surfaces. Barreled actions for bolt-action rifles are sourced from Mauser (a sister company under shared L&O Group ownership) and shipped to London for hand-finishing, engraving, assembly, and London proof.

The business operates a made-to-order model with all firearms individually configured (calibre, barrel length, wood grade, engraving). Pricing ranges from £10,156 for the Highland Stalker to £149,000 for the Rising Bite Double Rifle, with flagship Rising Bite builds requiring up to three years of production. Distribution combines a global authorised dealer network with dedicated US sales representation, direct showroom sales in London, and the Shikar Store e-commerce platform selling accessories, apparel, and memorabilia from £33 to £500. Customer segments span professional Big Game hunters (African dangerous game), Scottish Deer Stalkers, firearms collectors and connoisseurs seeking museum-quality pieces, African Safari Enthusiasts, and bespoke commission clients. The company is a subsidiary of Germany's L&O Group (acquired January 2013), which also owns Blaser, Sauer, and Mauser, providing both capital backing and exclusive supply integration with Mauser for barreled actions. Revenue, headcount (11-50), and unit volume figures are not disclosed.

Name

John Rigby & Co.

Legal name

John Rigby & Co. (Gunmakers) Ltd

Website

https://johnrigbyandco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1775

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

John Rigby & Co. is a London-based bespoke British gunmaker, founded in 1775 and owned by Germany's L&O Group, that hand-crafts premium made-to-order rifles and shotguns — including the Rising Bite Double Rifle, London Best, and Highland Stalker — for high-net-worth hunters, professional guides, and firearms collectors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Bespoke Firearms Manufacturing

NAICS

Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing (332994)

SIC

Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)

akta.pro primary industry

Ordnance Components & Subassemblies (Casings, Liners, Guidance Sections) (IMABAHAL)

Keywords

• Bespoke rifles
• Traditional gunmaking
• Deer stalking rifles
• Big game hunting
• Shotgun manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Rifles: High-value bespoke rifles sold as made-to-order products. Each rifle can be configured with custom calibres, barrel lengths, wood grades, engraving options and accessories. Premium pricing based on specification.
2. Bespoke Shotguns: Hand-crafted shotguns featuring Rising Bite action with custom fitting service. Premium pricing from £114,425.
3. Shikar Store - Accessories: E-commerce store selling clothing, accessories, whisky glasses, field equipment, art, books and memorabilia. Accessories and gifts priced from £33 to £500.
4. Gun Provenance Research: Research service for gun provenance and historical documentation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

John Rigby & Co. hand-crafts bespoke British rifles and shotguns at its London workshop, including the Rising Bite Double Rifle, Rising Bite Shotgun, Big Game series, Highland Stalker, Falling Block, Shikari, and London Best models. Each firearm is made-to-order with custom calibres, barrel lengths, wood grades, and engraving options, drawing on 240+ years of gunmaking heritage and a partnership with Mauser for barreled actions. The company also sells branded apparel, accessories, and offers gun provenance research services.

Product overview

John Rigby & Co. is a British gunmaker offering a portfolio of premium, bespoke rifles and shotguns. The core product line includes double rifles (Rising Bite Double Rifle, Shikari Rifle), bolt-action rifles (Big Game series, Highland Stalker, Falling Block Rifle), and shotguns (Rising Bite Shotgun), all hand-crafted at their London workshop. The London Best represents the pinnacle of bespoke craftsmanship. Products are available in various configurations with extensive personalisation options. The company also offers the Rigby Legends Collection (apparel and accessories) and the Rigby Academy (gunmakers' apprenticeship programme). Mauser is a key historical partner for rifle actions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rigby Legends Collection: A collection of hunting and safari-themed clothing, accessories, and outdoor gear featuring collaboration pieces with hunting professionals such as Robin Hurt, Paul Roberts, and Jungle Jim
• Rigby Art
• Rigby Academy
• Rigby Campfire
• Shikar Store

Products and services

• The Rising Bite Double Rifle Premium double rifle featuring Rigby's unique patent Rising Bite action with vertical-bolt locking system; each rifle takes up to three years to produce and is available in calibres from .416 Rigby to .600 Nitro Express.
• The Big Game Rifle Series Modern Big Game rifles created in collaboration with Mauser, featuring Mauser Magnum bolt action with classic Rigby design features, plasma nitriding on metal surfaces, and original pattern engraving; chambered in .404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby, .450 Rigby, .458 Lott, .350 Magnum, and .300 H&H.
• The Shikari Rifle Boxlock double rifle for the modern adventurer, resurrecting the classic Rigby boxlock double from the late nineteenth century, built on a robust Anson & Deeley action; available in .450/400NE, .450NE, .470NE, and .500NE calibres from £49,500.
• The Highland Stalker Rifle Traditional deerstalking rifle inspired by smaller calibre rifles Rigby produced at the turn of the 20th century; features adventurer-grade wood as standard, traditional Rigby pattern iron sights, ambidextrous stock; standard from £10,156, Magnum from £11,172.
• The Falling Block Rifle Timeless classic for the modern hunter reviving the Farquharson rifle tradition; available in .303 British, .350 No.2, .416 No.2, .450 NE and .600 NE from £57,950.
• The London Best Rifle Premium bespoke rifles built by hand at Rigby's London premises using Mauser actions of various lengths and premium quality barrels; customers can specify any calibre, barrel length and profile, wood type, and stock shape; priced from £38,500.
• The Rising Bite Shotgun Re-emergence of traditionalism featuring the unique Rigby patent Rising Bite action; available in 12, 20, 28, 32-bore and .410 with best sidelock ejectors, dipped edge lock plates, chopper lump barrels, and traditional English straight-hand grip; priced from £114,425.
• Rigby Legends Collection Premium hunting apparel and accessories bearing the Rigby name, celebrating legendary hunters such as Robin Hurt, Paul Roberts, and Jungle Jim; includes safari jackets, shirts, pants, and accessories sold via the Shikar Store priced from £33 to £500.
• Gun Provenance Research Service Research service for gun provenance and historical documentation, leveraging Rigby's historic ledger archives dating back to the 1770s that document every rifle made by the firm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most valuable bolt-action rifle sold at auction: $250,000 for Jim Corbett tribute rifle at SCI 2016
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MausercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Historic partnership renewed in 2013 when L&O Group acquired Rigby. Mauser builds magnum bolt actions at their Isny plant specifically for Rigby, echoing original 1897 arrangement. Barreled actions shipped to London for assembly, finishing and proofing by Rigby craftsmen. Joint development of Big Game rifle series.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mauser (L&O Group): Historic German rifle maker (founded 1874) and sister company under L&O Group. Supplies barreled actions to Rigby under the renewed1897 partnership and independently sells hunting rifles that overlap with Rigby's bolt-action offerings.
• Blaser (L&O Group): German premium hunting rifle manufacturer and sister company under L&O Group. Competes with Rigby in the European premium stalking and big game rifle market with broader product volume and mass-premium positioning.
• Beretta: Italian global firearms conglomerate producing hunting rifles and shotguns across a wide price spectrum. Competes broadly with Rigby at the premium end of the hunting market but lacks the same depth in bespoke British double-rifle craftsmanship.

Direct peers

• Holland & Holland: London-based bespoke gunmaker founded 1835, producing high-end double rifles and shotguns for big game hunting and sporting clays. Direct competitor at the ultra-premium bespoke tier with comparable London Best craftsmanship and similar wealthy hunting clientele.
• Chapuis Armes: French bespoke gunmaker producing premium double rifles and side-by-side shotguns for big game hunting. Comparable to Rigby in the bespoke European safari rifle category with similar pricing and clientele.
• James Purdey & Sons: Historic London gunmaker (founded 1814) producing bespoke shotguns and rifles for sporting and hunting customers. Competes head-to-head with Rigby at the top of the bespoke British gunmaking market, sharing similar pricing structure and customer base.
• Westley Richards: Birmingham-based bespoke gunmaker producing premium double rifles (best boxlock and sidelock) and shotguns for big game hunting. Direct competitor with comparable proprietary actions (e.g., the Westley Richards doll's head) targeting the same safari and stalking market.
• Heym AG: German manufacturer of bespoke and semi-bespoke bolt-action and double rifles, including express rifles for African dangerous game. Comparable to Rigby's Big Game and London Best lines for professional hunters seeking premium European alternatives.
• Boss & Co: London-based bespoke gunmaker founded in 1890, producing ultra-premium shotguns and rifles. Direct peer at the apex of British luxury gunmaking with overlapping safari and game-shooting clientele.

Emerging players

• Sauer & Sohn: German firearms manufacturer (founded 1751) and L&O Group sister company, producing premium hunting rifles. Adjacent peer with overlapping big game hunting market but broader price-point range and earlier move into modern mass-premium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JohnRigbyandCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/RigbyShikarStore

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about John Rigby & Co.