I posted this in the African Big Game section thinking that maybe somebody would have some details...no results so far...to be fair it wasnt that long ago that I posted it, but maybe somebody here has an idea.

I was in a discussion the other day with some guys who before that were considered reasonably decent blokes. However...certain issues have changed that. These issues might be set right and I might have to go back there with hat in hand but I thought I would throw this out and see what happens.

Who built the first 700 N.E.?

Who used/bought the gun and for what?

Who designed the bullet?

Any ideas?

Thanks

I'm fairly positive that Holland and Holland built the first rifle.

I'm not sure who did the developement work on the cartridge.

I saw the first one at the SCI show in '91 I believe. It was ponderous, to say the least.

Rich Elliott gives a history of the development of the 700 NE in his answer to baboonbreeder in this thread on the African Big Game Hunting forum:
700 N.E. - Who built it

-Bob F.

I have a copy of the 1995 Big Bore Guns and Ammo special, that has an article on the development of the 700 NE. As I recall, a Gentleman by the name of Bill Feldman approached H&H about building him another 600 NE, but they refused, having said that they sold their last 600 with the statement it would be the last one they would produce.

So, Mr. Feldman asked about them developing a 700 NE. He agreed to finance the development. Bell made the brass, and I'm not sure who made the bullets, maybe Woodleigh. Mr. Feldman specified that the bullets have the same shape as the 577 NE, as he felt the more tapered shape would penetrate better than the bluffer 600 NE nose. The bullet maker did the design of the bullet to Mr. Feldmans's specifications. The first gun was used on an elephant hunt.

It is a quite interesting article, I'll have to see if I can dig it up.

Thanks guys...sorted!!