Holland & Holland, 98 New Bond Street, London
12 bore 'The Royal Patent Safety Hammerless Ejector'
Sidelever, Bar Action, Sidelock Ejector
no. 12589, no. 2 of pair
Date of manufacture: 1889

Click on these images for more detail.

Heritage Guns' Comment This is a very rare example of Holland & Holland's 'flagship' gun from the last quarter of the 19th Century and is in unusually good and original condition for its age. As with so many older guns, the Damascus barrels had been soft solder sleeved and we have recently re-sleeved the gun using the so-called 'Invisible Sleeving' TIG welding method and re-proofed it for 2 3/4" cartridges. Stock dimensions agree with the original specifications and it does not seem unreasonable to assume that this gun carries its original wood. Holland & Holland records show that the gun was finished in 1889, probably for stock, perhaps to demonstrate the sidelever variant. Chokes were specified as 'cylinder' and 'modified', not that unusual in those days when shooters were not so preoccupied by choke constriction. The newly sleeved barrels are choked English 1/4 & 1/2 (0.010" & 0.020") in keeping with more modern practice. With its sidelever, interceptor sears and excellent barrel dimensions, this gun would make a very safe, 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 of combined Holland & Robertson design and features:
'Dip Edge' lockplates,
Gold inlaid '2' on barrels and action,
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide,
Bar action locks with bolstered tumbler pivots,
Holland & Robertson 's cocking levers,
Breech face 'Gas Checks',
'Patent Safety Lock' Interceptor Sears,
Side lever operating a 'Purdey Bolt',
Passive top rib extension,
Holland & Robertson's patent ejector and split extractors
and Anson's push rod forend catch.
Gun weight 6lb 4oz
Engraving style Best Fine Foliate Scroll. Gold inlaid '2' to top lever and barrel rib.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 1/2lbs Rear trigger 3 1/2lbs
The Damascus to Steel TIG sleeved barrels are 28" in length, chambered for 2 3/4" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs. Top rib is of the 'swamped', concave game type.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2010.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut. We believe that the stock and forend wood is the original, judging from its quality and similarity to the original specification in the maker's records. There is a repair inlet to the forend wood edge and one to the LH upper horn

The approx 21 lines per inch chequering is to normal sidelock pattern. The stock is lightly cast off for a right-handed shot and is fitted with a near invisible thin wood butt plate and features a white metal escutcheon with 'W.v.W' engraved on it in gothic script and well defined drop points. 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:

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,
Holland & Robertson's cocking lever patent no. 23 of 1883,
Holland & Robertson's interceptor sears patent no. 5834 of 1887,
Holland & Robertson's ejector patent no. 16691 of 1888,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.