Holland & Holland, 98 New Bond Street,
London
12 bore 'Royal' Bar Action, Sidelever Sidelock Ejector
No. 12680
Date of manufacture: 1890
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
Holland & Holland records show
that this gun was finished in 1890 for 'Lumsdon' as one of a pair.
It is in unusually good condition for its age and is a very lovely
example of Holland & Holland's 'flag ship' gun but more importantly,
it is one of the very few sidelever Royals that Holland &
Holland made. Some of the great Makers of the time made a speciality
of sidelevers but Hollands did not and this variant was only made
as a special order.
The gun was re-barrelled in the mid 1930's and there are indications
are that it was done by the 'Makers although due to patchy record
keeping at this time it is impossible to confirm. The original
case accompanied this gun when we purchased it and now relined,
it presents this lovely old gun very nicely. With its excellent
weight, interceptor sears, long stock and barrel dimensions, this
gun would make a fine target or game gun for the discerning shooter.
WE REGRET THAT
THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN,
PLEASE CONTACT US.
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The action is of combined Holland
& Robertson design and features:
Beaded fences;
Bar action, 'Dip Edge' locks with bolstered tumbler pivots;
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide;
Breech face 'Patent Gas Checks';
'Patent Block Safety' interceptor sears;
Sidelever operating a double bite 'Purdey Bolt';
Passive top rib extension;
Holland & Robertson's patent ejector
and Anson's push rod forend catch.
Gun weight 6lb 13oz
Engraving style Best Bouquet & Scroll. 'THE ROYAL PATENT
SAFETY HAMMERLESS EJECTOR' on underside of action.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ½
lbs Rear trigger 4lbs.
The replacement steel barrels are 28" in length, chambered
for 2 3/4" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' construction
with soft soldered ribs. Top rib is of the smooth, concave game type.
Birmingham proof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 1933.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
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Nominal Proof Size
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Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
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Minimum Wall Thickness
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Choke Constriction
|
Right Barrel |
12 (0.729")
|
0.731"
|
0.029"
|
0.009" (IC)
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Left Barrel |
12 (0.729")
|
0.731"
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0.030"
|
0.029" (IM)
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Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from highly
figured walnut. There are small inlet repairs to the forend edge. The
stock is cast off for a right-handed shot, features a vacant yellow
metal oval, well defined drop points and is finished with a 1"
leather covered recoil pad.
The 24 lines per inch chequering has been freshened
to normal sidelock pattern.
The stock is finished with a traditional linseed oil based
preparation as used on best guns by one of the top English makers.
This finish uses no grain fillers to achieve its deep, smooth lustre,
only many hours of alternate build and flatting off of the surface.
Approximate stock
measurements at date of publication:
Pull to Heel
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Pull to Bump
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Pull to Centre
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Pull to Toe
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14 1/2"
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14 5/8"
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14 5/8"
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15 1/4"
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Drop at Comb
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Drop at Face
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Drop at Heel
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1 9/16"
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1 11/16"
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2 3/16"
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Cast-on at Comb
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Cast-on at Heel
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1/16" approx
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3/16" approx
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For the purposes of these measurements,
'Drop at Face' is the 'drop' measurement taken on a line perpendicular
to the
line joining the trigger and centre of the butt at approximately 8"
from the trigger (front trigger on a double trigger gun).
Patents Exhibited include:
Scott's gas check patent no. 617 of 1882;
Needham & Hinton interceptor sears patent
no. 706 of 1879;
Holland & Robertson's ejector patent no. 11623 of 1887;
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865;
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.