I found a .256 Mannlicher rifle (M95 Dutch type action) with a POS cut down military stock on it.
However the barrel is H&H marked and is in decent condition with express sights. The barrel says sighted and shot by Holland and Holland and has the address. Is this thing worth the cost to restock and refinish.
Anyone know an H&H expert they could point me toward?
EDG

hmmmm, well the .256 has a soft spot in my heart....great old round! I have one on an extra finish westley falling block that I just adore. As to wether its worth it or not....thats a hard question. Paul Hodgins in Utah is our resident H&H trained stocker. I would give Paul a call. His work is not cheap, but of the finest quality. Westley Richards just sold a lovely rifle made by them in this caliber for not very much money. Good luck.
Steve

IR2-

Aren't ypu in NYC or somewhere close by? If so, I would take it by the H&H showroom in NY, or you could go to G&H in NJ if that is closer for you.

If you are not in the NYC area, then mailing it, or good pcitures of it, to Hodgins would be a good idea. Another thought is to contact Nate Heineke. He has more experience with this type of arm than anyone else I personally know.

I have not taken possession of the rifle yet.
I am a long way from NYC.

The receiver has a gold inlaid numeral "3" about 5/16" tall on top dead center of the receiver ring . The bolt has a matching gold inlaid "3" on the bolt guide rib about 1 inch in front of the handle.
"FIRE" and "SAFE" are gold inlaid on the safety.

No doubt about it, it is worth restoring. Almost all of the 6.5x53r rifles done by the British makers were brought in as barrelled actions from Steyr. If you don't want it, Let me know!! Lee.

Lee
I sent you an email
It is a Steyr 1899.
EDG

SO YOU KNOW......

shot and sighted markings mean j u s t that

the rifle was n o t built by messrs holland.

the marking on the barrel says it all.

you will find winchesters so marked !

did h&h build them ?

obviously not

this was a military rifle with a cut down stock like the man said.

not broke, leave alone !

TOMO
This was military barreled action that had been resighted and probably restocked. The barreled action was dated 1899 and it was a rifle with a 26 inch barrel. The crappy stock came off a carbine and was dated 1939.

So now you know ----
I never claimed it was built by H&H if you will go back and carefully read my post. I only asked if it was worth restoration.

I don't know any way to prove this, so it is obvioualy just my opinion...

Anyway, what I think you have is likely a classic British "hill" or "stalking" rifle from the early smokeless powder era. I think they were very fine rifles for their purpose, which I suspect was mostly hunting the moors for red deer, that sort of thing. Gibbs also sold a lot of them. I have owned literally dozens by different makers.

I like them very much, but no longer own one of the originals. What I use now in that chambering is a Ruger No. 1, assembled by Paul Marquart, with a light contour 28" Hart barrel. (Almost forgot, still have one of the original Dutch service carbines, too, also with ratty wood.)

Do I think it is worth restoring? Depends on the condition of the metal work would be my suggestion. If the barrel is NRA VG or better inside and out, I would say, likely, yes.

Were I you, I would not spend a great deal of money for a replacement stock,but I would try to find someone local who could make me a decent quality stock at a fair price...or I would make it myself, taking my time and a lot of care...then perhaps have a local good stockmaker apply the final finish.

In my opinion, it will not hurt its value severely to have it glass bedded, rather than meticulously hand fit at high cost, so long as the glass bedding does not show externally.

Most of those rifles I have experienced are long-throated to take 156/160 grain bullets, so mild loads with those may possibly turn out to be the most useful for you.

Best wishes in your enjoyment of that piece, they are generally nice, friendly, all-around rifles, handy for deer and slightly larger size herbivores.

Sorry for all the typos...typing is obviously not my forte.

Edited to also add: Most of them need to have the firing pin spring replaced. In the ones I had, a Wolff standard spring for a M/S worked just fine, if my memory serves correctly.

Someone scabbed a stock on it after they lost or broke the H&H....it was not in that stock from H&H. I have researched these little hotties for a while and you better pick it up!ASAP!

333 okh

you better do a little more research regarding rifles "SHOT & SIGHTED BY HOLLAND & HOLLAND"

i suggest you ask the people whose name is on it as a place to begin your research.

Tomo,
You nor H&H has seen that stock so I think you are off base.

I am only going off information from H&H , WR < and Jefferies. I might be mistaken.

THE STOCK DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN THING TO THE RIFLE. SOME REDNECK HILLBILLY COULD HAVE PUT IT ON.

THE BARREL MARKINGS TELL THE WHOLE STORY

PERIOD

IF H & H HAD MADE IT THEIR NAME & ADDRESS WOULD BE ON THE BARREL W I T H O U T THE PHRASE SHOT & SIGHTED BY....

ONE CAN BELIEVE ANYTHING ONE WANTS , SUCH THINGS ARE THE BASIS OF RELIGION.

BUT THE FACTS ARE IRREFUTABLE. HOLLAND DID NOT MAKE THE RIFLE. THEY SIMPLY SHOT AND SIGHTED IT.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THE TRUTH, WHY DON'T YOU SIMPLY CONTACT H & H AND SEE WHAT THEY TELL YOU

FINALLY TO COME BACK TO YOUR BASIC QUESTION

"IS IT WORTH RESTORING ? "

WELL CHECK WHAT THEY ARE SELLING FOR ON THE NET THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO DO IT. IF THE METAL IS MINT IN & OUT A FEW HUNDREDS FOR A NEW STOCK WOULD BE IN ORDER. HAVING IT CUSTOMED STOCKED WOULDN'T BE WORTH IT IN ANY CASE.

I passed on it way before you ever responded.

ireload2
PM sent.

I answered your PM