The Holland & Holland 'Royal' double rifle has long been celebrated as the best in the world. This pre-eminence dates from the astonishing day in 1883 when the company's rifles, ranging from a .295 rook rifle to a 4 bore elephant rifle, won all ten categories of the rifle trials organised by THE FIELD magazine. The quintessential practicality and design detail of today's Holland & Holland 'Royal' double rifle ensure its continuance as the rifle of choice for the modern hunter on European driven hunts, or facing dangerous game in Africa. That the company is not content to rest on the reputation won in days past is demonstrated by the recent introduction of the 'Royal' .700 Nitro Express, the largest proprietary sporting calibre yet developed.

Big game hunting in Africa came into its own during the 19th Century when early settlers found abundant exotic and dangerous quarry to hunt. These settlers required specially-made firearms and it was at this time that the double rifle first established itself, since the best available insurance against personal injury lay in the reliability offered by two independent firing mechanisms - a fact that remains as true today as it was one hundred years ago.   More