For decades, I have dreamt of owning a Holland & Holland. This dream came true in 2021 when an acquaintance put up his vintage 12-gauge Holland & Holland for sale, and I jumped at the opportunity.
THE DOMINION: IT’S ALL IN A NAME
The gun under discussion is a hammerless, sidelock, non-ejector 12-gauge built on Holland’s famous “back-action” lock work, often referred to as the “Dominion”. Not all models using this action were technically Dominions, as the design’s official name prior to 1894 was the “No. 2 Hammerless Back Action”, and then the “No. 3 or C-Grade Back Action” up to the 1930s, when this model was renamed the “Dominion”. (In true H&H style, and in continuation of their long-standing marketing strategy, catchy names of the era were assigned to…
