A new Holland Royal is now over £90,000 plus VAT. If the right one does not work, the left one should. Effectively it is two guns with a common stock. Their great advantage is near absolute reliability. I have never been rich enough to own a big double in a current calibre but it would be my choice if I had the money. They stop or turn raging bulls when all they want to do is stomp you into the dirt. 500 calibre is a great tool for use on African big game. My experience of doubles is more limited, though I can note from experience that big bore guns work in extremis. 458, built by Paul Roberts, saved my neck in Botswana 18 months ago stopping a charge. It is always exciting to test big express rifles, even if it can be a bruising experience! Holland & Holland do, however, carry some stock standard spec rifles at Bruton Street for immediate sale. The only fly in the ointment is that you might have to wait a year if you want one built to your exact specification. Put a Swarovski scope on a Holland &Holland rifle and you are getting the very best money can buy. You would want to spend a week with it on the hill or similar and see the terminal effects on beasts to get really familiar, but it is definitely more comfortable to use than the modern magnum 300s. This is an excellent firearm, which seems to tick all the right boxes. It also set my mind wondering what this rifle might perform like with lighter loads (110, 130, 150 and 165 are all bullet options too).
Recoil was noticeable with the 220 grain bullets, but significantly less than my usual. Shooting standing, supported, three pills went within almost an inch of each other.
VAT.ĭetachable scope mounts will cost another £3-4,000, a wood upgrade £1,300, and a super quality leather case £2,900 (or £425 for a heavy duty aluminium flight case).īut this bolt-rifle rifle, as well as looking good, does the business admirably well. 375 the base price of a Holland magazine rifle is now £20,250 exc. This sort of quality does not come cheap, of course.īelow. The wing-style safety works well with a scope, in this case a state of art, illuminated, Swarovski 1.7-10×42 Z6i in quick detachable mounts. There is a standing wide V sight for 100 yards and a folding leaf for 200. The rifle pointed well with a 24″ barrel, and mounted easily too.Īpart from the good, and subtly evolved, basic design, one notes the little things: the folding foresight protector, the barrel band for a sling swivel, as opposed to a screw-in swivel stud in the forend that might be pulled out of the wood on an extended trek through the bush, and the iron sights. This is just about right, not too light or too heavy for a potentially quite potent mid-calibre. The total weight with the scope was 9lbs 11oz and the bare weight was 8lbs 4oz. 300 is also well suited for the larger British deer species red, sika and fallow, not to mention continental boar.įirst impressions were of a beautifully finished, elegant, sporting tool, with classic, timeless, proportions, and especially good shapes to the stock. 300 bolt together and you have an ideal African battery. I was considering a new plains game rifle, but wanted one that might do double duty for UK stalking too. 500 double rifle is built on the round action body and costs £50,000 plus. 300 Holland & Holland bolt rifle and a.500 double built on the new round body action. It was with Chris that I tested these two rifles – a. There are four full-time, professional, shooting instructors and a full-time gun and rifle regulator in Steve Cranston.Īlso on the team are Roland Wild, a sporting rifle specialist, and chief instructor, Chris Bird, one of the country’s top shotgun pros and no mean rifle man either.