Remington40x:
I have put some effort into looking and have come up w/ very little. At Galazan is a trade label:
https://secure.netsolhost.com/connecticu...p?idCategory=65 which is similar to this post, †A. HOLLIS & SON .500 (3 1/4in.) NITRO EXPRESS BOXLOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no.15056, 24in. nitro chopperlump barrels with matt sight rib, open leaf sights for 200, 300, 400 and 500 yards, ramp mounted block foresight with lift-up moon sight, tubes engraved 'A.HOLLIS, LONDON RIFLE MAKERS TO H.R.H.THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT', 3 1/4in. chambers, treble-grip action with removable striker bars, manual safety, action engraved with naïve depictions of elephants, buffalo and lion, scooped-backed action, 15 1/2in. well-figured pistolgrip stock including 1/2in. rubber recoil pad, cheekpiece, sling eyes, metal pistolgrip-cap, weight 12lbs. 10oz. in its leather case
The history of the weapon prior to 195 9/60 is unknown
The rifle was discovered in a cycle/gun shop called Tatos Brothers in the little farming town of Gwelo (now Gweru - Zimbabwe) in what was then Southern Rhodesia where it was offered for sale on behalf of a farmer (name unknown) and it was purchased by Mr. Paul Coetsee in 1959-60
Mr. Coetsee worked for the Game Department in Southern Rhodesia. His responsibilities included the control of problem animals and the control of the spread of the Tsetse Fly disease. Between 1964 and 1970 the .500 Hollis was to be used almost exclusively on elephant control in the then Southern Rhodesian Game department. On the southern banks of the Kariba Dam especially, elephant carriers of the Tsetse fly had to be controlled to limit the spread of the disease and in the Gokwe and Omay Tribal Trust areas, problems with bull elephant crop raiders kept the rifle in regular usage.
The .500 rifle became well known to VIP foreign guests of the then Prime Minister Mr. Ian Douglas Smith during hunting safaris conducted in the Gokwe area. Among the dignitaries was the late sir Archibald James from London whom hunted his last elephant (accompanied by Mr. Coetsee) at the age of about 80 years. The late Prime Minister, John Voster of South Africa and many dignitaries from the USA, Germany and South Africa were also accompanied during hunts using the same rifle
Of his rifle, Mr. Coetsee said 'the Hollis .500 served me well, having put down about 1000 elephants with brain shots, many buffalos and a considerable number of lions. Bull elephant that were shot with this rifle ranged from 50lbs. per side to 100lbs. per side.'
at:
http://www.auction-net.co.uk/viewAuction...befeae5e80cb12b as I found a similar post about a guy's father owning one I. Hollis in India in the 1950s or 1960s: "8/22/01
Mark, Perth, W. A. , Australia
Isaac Hollis & Sons, Birmingham - Double Rifle - .400/450 - 28" - Blue -
For H. R. H. The Duke of Connaught My father owned this double hammer rifle while in India during the 50's and 60's, was it made for the son of Queen Victoria for an Indian safari he went on? Were Hollis and Sons noted gunsmiths and do you have any info on them?" from
http://oldguns.net/q&a8_01.htm which seems to muddle I. Hollis & A. Hollis. Or did the Duke just want a Hollis, either Issac or Alfred B.??
A A. Hollis 0.470 Nitro Double here at Cabelas:
http://www.cabelas.com/gun-inventory---sidney---fine-rifle---hollis470.shtmland one at H & H:
http://www.hollandandholland.com/~newyork/usedguns/index.htmAnd some info on an A. Hollis similar to yours: "My shotgun is a Hollis and sons, London, 12 gauge side by side, with the words "laminated steel" engraved on the barrel. Alfred Hollis stamped in the breech along side the patent number 509. the numbers 8454 engraved on the trigger guard and the numbers 9018 stamped underneath between the barrels. along with the number 13 stamped underneath on both barrels. I have had no success online trying to find a model or even a match to any of the above descriptions. This gun was passed down to me from my grandfather who did not know anymore about it than i do. I am very interested in knowing the history, range of value, and if nothing else, the model number. Thank you for any and all help that you can lend." from
http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php?p=32565 but I think that I. Hollis & A. Hollis were a different set.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse