A He r i t a g e o f C r a f t s m a n s h i p Holland & Holland guns are celebrated throughout the world as the perfect combination of artistry and craftsmanship. To un- derstand why, you need simply pick one up, balance it in your hands, and allow your eyes to take in every detail of its lines. It displays a purity of design and a functional simplicity that is found more frequently in nature than in the creations of man. Swing and mount the gun to your shoulder and, immediate- ly, your visual sensation is matched by such perfect handling that you know the gun is ideally suited to its purpose. Such an achievement does not come into being by evolution alone, even though Holland & Holland guns and rifles trace their lineage back to the year 1835. Its other parent is curiosity, the desire of the craftsman and gunmaker to see whether an improvement can be made on accepted methods. The Holland & Holland factory, located in London not far from Paddington Station, is a true example of a place where the Best London guns are built in the traditional way. Now, over a hundred years later, the building is still ideally suited to it’s task, although new paint adorns the outside and new equipment adorns the inside. It is a tall, slender building with large windows for maximum light. On one side the ac- tioners take advantage of the early morning light while on the other side the engravers prefer to use the afternoon light for their craft. As the well known gun author Michael McIntosh has writ- ten,"If Michaelangelo had a jackhammer, he would have used it to great advantage, and his finished sculptures would still be and look the same beautiful works of art.” This is equally true for traditional gun manufacturing today. While machines were always used where possible, for exam- ple, for riffling the barrels, today we use the most modern CNC equipment and CAD design features. Yet, this is combined with all the traditional gun making methods. Filed actions to great precision using the "oil black" method, hand struck bar- rels, handshaped stocks and checkering, etc. Depending on the model of gun, from 650 man hours to well over 1250 man hours will be involved making it. No part of a Holland & Holland gun is interchangeable, it is always made especially for the gun down to the smallest pin! Combine these abilities with the quality of steel available today, and it will be no surprise that are dedicated and enthusiastic craftsmen are building the best guns ever. The Holland & Holland Gun Room at de Boulle Dallas oc- cupies the second floor of the store and includes new and pre- owned Holland guns, clothing and accessories.
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