Wanted Holland & Holland 450 No 2

[Rare Breed]

I know you want English but I saw this

Jules Bury .450 #2 Nitro Express for sale

Jules Bury .450 #2 Nitro Express for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

This is the one I am talking about

 

[Sourdough]

@JvW Im currently reading Months of the Sun for the 3rd time I think. You are spot on about the first double Ian bought, in 1948, being the Rigby 450 No 2.

in 1953 Fannie and Ian’s boat hit a submerged rock. Ian saved his 404, already having it in his hands, but the 450 No 2 went to the bottom along with Fannie’s Rigby .600 double and .416.

Ian hunted with the 404 until later in 1953 when he met with Lilford who was the chairman of the Hunters Association. After dinner Lilford brought out two doubles, a .465 of unnamed English make, and a Rigby 450 that was “not the same as the one I had lost”…”it had a shorter cartridge case with higher chamber pressures, but on looking and handling it I felt it was a suitable weapon”.

At a later point Ian offered to buy the .450. Lilford didn’t want to sell it but said Ian could use it for a few seasons. Lilford eventually sells it to Ian.

Sometime between 1954 and 1958 “On firing I heard a ‘twang’ sound which was worse on the second shot…the barrels were coming apart from each other. This gun had had thousands of rounds fired from it and had served me well….The gun was sent back to the original makers, Rigby of London, where it was re-regulated, tested, and reblued at no cost…”

So according to Ian both were Rigbys. Glad I’m re-reading. Fantastic book.

 

[skeet396]

Do you want the maker, or the caliber, or both the maker/caliber?

Most I've seen were royal deluxe #2s sidelocks. You'll be in the $70,000-$100000 pricepoint for those. I've seen maybe one made by WC Scott and retailed by H&H in the Dominion or Climax line. Much more affordable. I've also seen a few Cogswell & Harrisons so configured by caliber.

So basically, the most expensive model was choice A, and choices B and C would be midrange and lowest cost respectively.

I Bought this Holland last month from WLM in Arizona, 450 BPE

V/R
Jeffrey