So I have pretty much fallen in love with the guns this family made. It really appeals to me that this small family Supplied for many big names to finish, and competed with the big guys.

I know they made a lot of the Jeffrey rifles, and researching here they made a lot of the Hollis rifles. Champlin lists a beautiful Edmundson and Green “from the makers of Jeffrey”, so I assume they made those too.

Who else did they make actions for? Army and Navy used from what I can tell webley phv-1 actions, or thnscrew grip. Why are so many of the Jeffrey guns scalloped in the back of action on the sides, and others were not? There are a few that have smaller scallops.

I just love em.

Colin

Several different makers made Jeffery rifles. Leonard was just one. His rifle and shotguns, as well as other makers, are in the Jeffery records in blocks of serial numbers. Years ago I went throught the Jeffery records, page by page, and did lots of photocopying and note taking. I get back from Zim on the 21st of August and have ten days before leaving for caribou and grizzly. If I remember I will search my files (four file cabinets of double rifle and Africa stuff) I will post the serial number blocks of Leonard and the others.
Cal

Very few of the "Boutique" gunshops made their own stuff. Leonard was one of those rifle makers who make rifles for the "Trades".
That is why my A. Hollis and Son looks just like a W.J. Jeffery of the same period. If you look at a page from the Jeffery Day Book you can see that Lenord was indeed a large supplier of double rifles to Jeffery.


The rifle came completed. There is a number code stamped under the bottom action plate. That number appears on the under rib of the barrels, stamped on the wood under the forearm metal and on the stock where it joins the action. All Leonard's codes and proving that the rifle was assembled and finished by Leonard.
This is the code number on my Hollis

Rusty, that is an awesome double. I love the engraving and have seen many older WRs similar.

Given they are tigers, I’d presume it’s a 450/400?

Nice!

Yes, sir! A 450/400 3 inch NE. Aka 400 Jeffery Nitro Express.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Yes, sir! A 450/400 3 inch NE. Aka 400 Jeffery Nitro Express.

I just love that Hollis.

I have identified 11 Leonard-made N.E. Double Rifles - 8 Jeffery & 3 Hollis. Rusty Knight of Texas was was very helpful to me, but sadly he died last year. I have contacted the Birmingham Proof House Museum but they have no Leonard workshop records. Stuart Leonard (Great-Grandson of Harry Leonard) is checking with his family relatives here in England. The Leonard workshop in Birmingham closed in 1965 with the death of Charles Leonard - 3rd generation and no sons. Are the Jeffery workshop Serial Number records still available in the USA?
Where any Leonard-made N.E. Double Rifles made for George Gibbs of Bristol? (Westley Richards state that Gibbs Serial Numbers with a "B" prefix were their guns made by another maker). Were any Leonard-made N.E. Double Rifles made for Daniel Fraser of Edinburgh?
I am a Wildfowler in England and I shoot Pink-Footed Geese up on the Wash with my Grandfather's Daniel Leonard & Sons 10 Bore shotgun (circa 1896)

Rusty and Mark Cash, both sadly deceased, were by Hollis mentors and enormously helpful with getting started loading as well as sources of information. I had a two issue article in Double Gun Journal published Autumn and Winter 2019 on the Hollis/Leonard connection and my hunt in South Africa. With DGJ our of business I'd be glad to send my manuscript to anybody who would like to read that didn't get DGJ. Bob

And my report hunting in SA, with Katte, also sadly deceased. Bob http://forums.accuratereloadin...=418106388#418106388

Bob. Yes Rusty was great. Please could you send me your two DGJ 2019 articles on the Leonard & Alfred Hollis connection. My email is ccoade@hotmail.co.uk or I can give you my England postal address?
There is a Leonard-made Jeffery .475 No.2 (circa 1930 back from India) for Sale at a Gundealer in Cirencester, about half an hour's drive from me in England

quote:

Originally posted by Leonard10:
Bob. Yes Rusty was great. Please could you send me your two DGJ 2019 articles on the Leonard & Alfred Hollis connection. My email is ccoade@hotmail.co.uk or I can give you my England postal address?
There is a Leonard-made Jeffery .475 No.2 (circa 1930 back from India) for Sale at a Gundealer in Cirencester, about half an hour's drive from me in England

That is a very interesting rifle, do you feel the 21" barrels are the original length?

Sorry, don't know if the .475 No.2 21 inch barrels are the original length. The Cirencester gundealer says his recently updated £13k Selling Price is based on a recent value from Holt's. My interest was asking him if it had a Leonard Maker's Number stamp which he then sent me a photo of (not shown on his website photos); namely # 2711 with Jeffery barrels of # 28853.

Back in 2013 Morphy Auctions sold a .450/.400 3" N.E. with Leonard Maker's Number # 2494 (with HL Harry Leonard stamp on barrels) with Jeffery barrels # 28638 and dated "circa 1930" so the .475 No.2 date looks "reasonable"

Leonard 10, Just looked and DGJ has the two issues available as download purchase. I'll also send you my final manuscript later today. Bob

quote:

ccoade@hotmail.co.uk

https://www.thedoublegunjournal.net/product-page/autumn-2019-digital

Link to issue, also in winter issue. Bob

Bob. Thanks for the manuscripts. Great that you have taken your Hollis .450/.400 back to Africa to shoot - such heritage. My Grandad's Leonard 10 bore BP shotgun (circa 1895) still shoots Pink-Footed Geese well with me in the pouring rain and a 30 m.p.h. wind !!
Has anybody found the Alfred Hollis workshop records?