| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Gun manufacturer |
| Founded | London, England 1835 |
| Founder(s) | Harris Holland |
| Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Number of locations | 4 stores |
| Area served | London, New York, Middlesex, Moscow |
| Products | Rifles, Clothing, Accessories, operator of shooting estates [1] |
| Employees | 101 - 250[2] |
| Website | http://www.hollandandholland.com |
Holland & Holland is a British gun-maker based in London, England. They offer hand-made sporting rifles and shotguns. H&H holds two Royal Warrants.
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Holland & Holland was founded by Harris Holland (1806–96) in the year 1835.[3]
At first the guns bore the inscription H.Holland, without an address, and it is probable that these were built in the trade to his design. It is not known when Harris started his own manufacturing but it is estimated to be in the 1850s. This start makes him very unusual among the London Best makers, as others such as Purdey, Boss, Lang and Lancaster had apprenticed with Joseph Manton, while others such as Beesley, Grant and Atkin apprenticed with Purdey or Boss.[3]
In 1883 Holland and Holland entered the trials organized by the magazine The Field, and won all of the rifle categories. This set a new standard of excellence for the competition among English gunmakers. In 1885 patents were granted to Holland and Holland for their Paradox gun, a shotgun with rifling in the front two inches of the barrel.[4]
In 1908, they patented the detachable lock feature with small lever, for sidelock shotguns. The last major development in the evolution of the sidelock side-by-side gun occurred in 1922, when the H&H assisted-opening mechanism was patented. This gun, the self-opening Royal side-by-side, has been hugely influential in gun-making throughout the world.[4]
In the period after World War II, under the leadership of new owner and Managing Director Malcolm Lyell, the company made sorties to India, where guns from the famous collections of the princes and maharajahs were bought back, developing an important market for second-hand pieces. In 1989, all remaining shares in H&H were bought by the French cosmetics group Chanel. Since then, the factory building, in use since 1898, has been extensively renovated and equipped with modern technology. Guns such as the Royal Over & Under or side-by-side double-barreled shotguns were improved and reintroduced, and they are available in 12, 20 and 28 bore and .410 inch. A hand-built gun from H&H can cost around GB£60,000 for a shotgun and close to GB£100,000 for some rifles, with prices roughly doubling with luxury engraving, and there is a waiting period of 2–3 years between ordering and delivery.[5]
In the 1990s, Holland and Holland started on a major program of expansion. The company has stores ("gunrooms") in New York City and Moscow. The company's London flagship store on Bruton Street has been completely renovated and expanded.[5]
Harris Holland was born in 1806 in London. Although accounts of his background are somewhat sketchy, it is believed that his father was an organ builder, while Harris had a tobacco wholesale business in London. Obviously he was successful, as he was often seen at various pigeon shoots at important London clubs, as well as leasing a grouse moor in Yorkshire.[3]
Having no children of his own, he took on his nephew Henry Holland as an apprentice in 1861. In 1867 Henry became a partner and in 1876 the name changed to Holland & Holland. Although Henry was a full partner, Harris kept strict control and was the only one who could sign a cheque until he died in 1896.[3]
Holland & Holland has created some very well known calibres. Their entire line of cartridges has been developed with hunting in mind and has been associated romantically with the last part of the golden age of safaris and dangerous game hunting.
These calibres are:
.240 Apex — introduced 1920, known also as .240 Belted Nitro Express and the .240 Magnum Rimless. Used for deer and plainsgame.
.240 Flanged Nitro Express — is a variation of the .240 Apex created for the safari double rifles and intended for medium size game.
.244 H&H Magnum — introduced 1955, as a cartridge suitable for long range deer hunting in Scottish Highlands. Based on the extremely successful .375 H&H but with 6.2 mm and bullets weighing between 75 and 100 grains (4.9 and 6.5 g).
.275 H&H Belted Magnum — introduced in 1912 and based on the 375 H&H case shortened to 2.5" with a 7 mm 140–175 grain bullet. This cartridge was the inspiration for a number of 7 mm Magnum designs from other manufacturers and originally used cordite as propellant powder.
.300 H&H Magnum — second most popular calibre invented by Holland & Holland, was introduced in 1925. It is meant to tackle large plains game, particularly African like zebra, giraffes or heavy antelopes but also a favourite of North American moose and elk hunters. While not as popular, it is fairly similar to .300 Winchester Magnum over which the .300 H&H Magnum may have an advantage when loaded with bullets of 220 grains or heavier. The first .300 H&H Magnum rifle recorded in the Holland & Holland Number Books was serial number 30494, tested on October 1, 1926.[6] When the .300 H&H Magnum was introduced it was branded as the 'Super-Thirty'.[7]
.30 'Super' Flanged or 300 H&H Flanged — is a flanged version of the .300 H&H Magnum cartridge for use in breech loading and double rifles. It has almost the same specifications, and nearly the same performance, as the .300 H&H Magnum.
.375 H&H Magnum or 375 H&H — is the most—popular calibre invented by Holland & Holland, and was introduced in 1912 as a Nitro Express cartridge using cordite, but worked its way into becoming also the world's most popular safari calibre to date, due to its versatility. Bullet has a 9.5 mm diameter, and weighs between 235 and 300 grains (15.2 and 19.4 g). While a medium-bore cartridge that some consider too big for medium game and too small for big or dangerous game, the .375 H&H has nonetheless become the official minimum cartridge for hunting dangerous game throughout much of Africa. While big by modern standards, it remains a popular cartridge for Canadian and Alaskan bears, seeing heavy use by outfitters and professional hunters.
.375 Flanged Nitro Express — is a cartridge for use in breech loading and double rifles and therefore popular in Africa, but in the past was considered an effective tiger cartridge. It has almost the same specifications as the .375 H&H Magnum.
.400 H&H Magnum — is a recent cartridge introduced in 2003, based on the .375 H&H Magnum case and using a 400 grain bullet at 2,300 feet per second. The .400 H&H Magnum is designed for use in bolt action rifles and to carry the muzzle energy of the .375 H&H Magnum out 100 yards.[8]
.465 H&H Magnum — introduced in 2003, is a modern big bore cartridge from Holland & Holland based on the 460 Weatherby case. This cartridge was created to be used for big or dangerous game hunting, following the safari tradition of the brand. The .465 H&H Magnum is designed for use in bolt action rifles and to carry the muzzle energy of the .375 H&H Magnum out 200 yards and, in so doing, carries the muzzle energy of the .400 H&H Magnum out 100 yards.[8]
.500/450 Nitro Express — created in the late 1890s, using the .500 Black Powder Express case necked down to emulate the .450 Nitro Express performance with lower chamber pressure and slightly higher velocity. Due to its low pressure and considerable power it was used almost exclusively to hunt dangerous game in the tropical colonies of the former British Empire, like East Africa or India.
.500/465 Nitro Express — a development of the .500/450 Nitro Express when the .45 calibre was banned from Sudan and India in 1907 by the British Government. It is essentially the older cartridge necked up to accept a larger calibre bullet, and delivers the same level of performance. For many years it was the most common chambering for heavy double rifles after the .470 Nitro Express, and it continues to be the standard caliber for H&H doubles.
.600 Nitro Express— started in 1903 and remained the quintessential elephant stopper until the christening of .700 Nitro Express, made eighty five years later by the same Holland & Holland. Firing this round, with up to a 950 grain bullet, generates tremendous recoil regardless of the 15 lb or more weight of rifles in such calibre. The .600 Nitro Express was discontinued, with the "Last 600" rifle sold at a premium. A few years later Holland's reportedly paid the owner of the "Last" 600 a fee in order to be allowed to produce more rifles in this calibre. After almost becoming extinct, this calibre has lately see a revival by hunters like Mark Sullivan and his controversial Nitro Express Safari videos.
.700 Nitro Express or short 700 NE — created 1988, likely the largest hunting cartridge commercially developed in the world, with a notable stopping power and known for its recoil, firing a 1000 grain bullet. One .700 Nitro Express cartridge retails around US$100 (2008). The 700 was developed in response to the discontinuation of the .600. The client in this case reputedly felt that if he could not have a 600 that was fine, he would have a 700.
Holland & Holland is regarded as a luxury sporting gunmaker enjoying a reputation in the world similar to other British made luxury marques such as Bentley or Rolls-Royce. Together with James Purdey and Sons, regarded as their primary competitor, they are the only gunmakers to hold a British Royal Warrant. Their clientele, since the 19th century, have included famous explorers, such as Frederick Courteney Selous, and royalty such as Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh.