One thing I have always thought cool, is to insert a rolled page or scroll into the butt if a gun detailing it's time with you. Perhaps it's history if known. Maybe other owners could add to it over time. Of course nowadays a thumb drive could used and inserted but probably a bad idea as technology changes too quickly. Scroll and ink forever.

I found my grandfather's old firearms licence in a hole drilled in the butt if his shotgun under the screw on buttplate. A Silver's style recoil pad not as convenient. Perhaps under a small cartridge trap or similar?

Imagine some rifle made in 1913. Carried by a British officer on his posting to India. The .375 bought to be used on big game and medium game asca compromise. The marketing if the cartridge advertised it could use 300, 270, and 235 gr projectiles to the same point of impact. Regulation? The officer purchased a rifle and shotgun to high standards, almost more than he could afford, but the best he could afford. One of each. Rifle and shotgun.

Used in India on leave and social events. Regimental hunts. Invitations from important officials. Game drives, bird and hoofed. Even elephant back drives. Invitation by a royal Maharajah more than once.

Leave to hunt in Africa. In the Somalialand hinterland. Innew British East Africa.

World War One. Perhaps the officer's Regiment was shipped across the Indian Sea to BEA. To fight the askaris of von Lettow-Vorbeck. A long campaign. Did the cased rifle accompany the officer in his kit? Did the officer survive wounds and African pestilence?

Or was he shipped to the hellish trenches of the Western Front, Flanders. And did in the mud, filth, slow marches into machine gun fire? The rifle left at home with parents brother or wife?

The rifle moved on to a new owner. Was used on a rare Scottish Highlands red stag hunt. Or the owner travelled to the continent and hunted boar and stag in the European forests. Boar driven ahead of peasants. No elephant this time!

Ending back at H&H's, a Maharajah purchases the exhuisite double rifle, reconditioned, to add to his extensive armoury. Fir personal use? Or perhaps as a loaner for his many guests on large hunts and drives.again it sees sambhur, boar, bison, buffalo, leopard and tiger through its sights.

The Maharajah's heir and sin inherits the fine rifle among others. He prefers though the sun and ladies of the Rivierra to the jungles and mountains of Hindustan. When WW2 passes and independence is achieved, his special royal status finishes. Palaces and castles are lost. Loads of possessions are sold off to finance his South if France lifestyle with his pretty Italian model wife. The even more beautiful lady, the rifle is sold for a fraction of its value to an Indian gun shop. Ammunition is very hard to get, no one is interested in it. It sits in a back room rack oiled but gathering dust for decades.

Then an entreneurial Aussie ventures to India. Buys it and others by the dozen. Each for a few hundred dollars. Some guys by the names of their businesses of McDonakd/Woodleigh, Simplex reloading presses and dies, Bertram brass, have recreated the ability to reload ancient old Nitro Express cartridges. Hundreds of double rifles and single shots and other firearms are bought in India and arrive in Australia. Australia has more such doubles than anywhere else in the world. For a time. At least in use. The price goes from $2000, to 4000, 8000, 15000, arsehole Aussie profiteers start selling them for big money to US buyers and collectors. $30,000, 45,000, 80,000 even more is seen for the SAME double at auctions.

Perhaps the rifle was used again in Indian species, sambar and buffalo and Asian banteng. Feral pigs, donkeys, horses!

One such rifle was renamed "Zaberdast", awesome in Urdu. It started its life in the early 1900s. A plainer WJ Jeffery in .450 no.2 Nitro Express. It has seen those Aussie game plus African elephant, warthog as well. When I die I hope to leave it to someone suitable. Not beautiful but it does have history and is effective.