Forums.NitroExpress.com

Over the past 10 years I have owned several English double rifles in the large nitro express calibers. I had a real nice Rigby boxlock 470 with 28" barrels. This gun was brought to me from England and was in need of repairs. The bores were in perfect condition so I took the rifle. I had the gun completely restored to the tune of $ 5000.00 which included a new stock. This rifle was extremely accurate and perfectly regulated. At 60 yards right and left barrels would shoot one ragged hole. It would do this every time I did my part at the range. I took this gun to Africa and shot a tremendous Cape Buffalo and Zebra. I let Paul Roberts, the previous owner of Rigby, talk me out of this gun. I still miss it to this day.

I then purchased a beautiful Westley Richards in 476 Nitro that was cased in the original old leather case. The Westley shot almost as well as my old Rigby and was in fantastic condition. I later sold this rifle to Simon Clode of Westley Richards. I needed the money at the time and he made me a very good offer.

I purchased and traded for some different 450/400 doubles but was not really impressed with them. I had one such rifle that would not regulate no matter what I tried to do! I eventually sold the three 450/400's that I had.

I currently have a H&H 500/465 Dominion grade, sidelock, double rifle. This gun has it's original canvas & leather case and all of the old trade labels still attached to the badly worn felt inside the case. This is a beautiful rifle with 26" barrels, extended top tang, trap grip cap, and a leather covered recoil pad. Inside the case a man had stamped his name and address on one of the old trade labels. I called information in his city and found that there were three people with his last name.I called the first name and spoke to an elderly lady who turned out to be the niece of the owner! I explained to her that I had purchased the rifle and had found her uncle's name inside the case. She informed me that the fellow had passed away a few years back just before his 100th birthday! She then related that he bought the rifle in 1949 from someone who lived in England. This rifle was his pride and joy and he used it many times while hunting in Africa. After his death the family sold the rifle.I purchased this gun 3 years ago from a dealer friend of mine.

I contacted H&H and was told that the rifle was built in 1923.

The Holland is a very nice rifle to say the least but after all is said and done, I would rather have the Rigby or Westley Richards mentioned above. This is just my opinion. I really don't think that H&H's are any better than any other English made guns of that period. They did of course advertise quite a bit and they won some shooting contests, but that is not enough to make them heads and shoulders above the rest!

David