Holland & Holland, 98 New Bond Street, London
12 bore 'No. 2 Pattern' Bar Action, Sidelock Ejector
No. 7817
Date of manufacture: 1884

Click on these images for more detail.

Heritage Guns' Comment

This is an extraordinarily rare 'No. 2 Pattern' sidelock specified with 'Best Finish'. We have never actually seen one of these beauties before nor know anybody who has. One should note the very unusual scalloped lock plates and the lack of any through pin in the lockplates. Also the very broad action, almost a pigeon gun in its proportions.
The lock internals are pure early 'Royal', which it predates, but with no dip to the upper edge it looks much more like a later 'Royal' in profile. It was built as an ejector utilising the notorious Hodges ejector patent and so one can assume it was actioned by the EC Hodges who was a very important 'actioner' to the London trade. However, the ejector system was changed to the much more reliable Perkes system, probably around 1890.
The gun has been recently restocked with a lovely piece of English walnut and the dimensions have been left generous. Barrels have been TIG sleeved and proofed for 2 ¾" nitro cartridges. With its effectively new barrels, interceptor sears and excellent dimensions, this gun would make an unusual and classy 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.

 

The action is principally of Thomas Perkes design and features:
'Scalloped' lockplates,
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide,
Bar action locks with gold cocking indicators,
Perkes' cocking rods, Breech face 'Gas Checks',
'Patent Block Safety' Interceptor Sears,
Top lever operating a 'Purdey Bolt' by way of a 'Scott Spindle',
Perkes' patent ejector and Deeley's forend catch.
Gun weight 7lb 1oz
Engraving style Best Fine Bouquet & Scroll.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 4lbs Rear trigger 4 1/4lbs
The steel to damascus TIG sleeved 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.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2012.


Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction
Right Barrel
18.6mm
(0.732")
0.733"
0.029"
0.011" (IC)
Left Barrel
18.6mm
(0.732")
0.733"
0.031"
0.020" (Mod)

The replacement Straight Hand Stock and original Splinter Forend are both crafted from highly figured walnut. The stock features well-defined drop points, chequered butt and a vacant white metal oval. There is a repair inlet to the forend wood edge and it carries a neat, engraved steel forend tip.

Highly figured walnut

The fine 22 lines per inch chequering is freshly cut 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
Pull to Bump
Pull to Centre
Pull to Toe
15"
15 1/8"
15 1/8"
15 1/2"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 7/16"
1 5/8"
1 13/16"
Cast at Comb
Cast at Heel
Negligible
1/16" (approximate)

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,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865,
Perkes' cocking rod patent no. 1968 of 1878,
Needham & Hinton interceptor sears patent no. 706 of 1879,
Perkes' ejector patent no. 10679 of 1886,
Deeley's forend fastener patent no. 1422 of 1873.