Greetings,
For my second post on this Forum, I thought you might enjoy some pictures of a Holland & Holland Field's Patent falling block rifle from my collection. The Field's Patent action (also known as the Model of 1877) was a very advanced design for its day, and featured a massive breach actuated by a side lever, in addition to having an automatically cocking hammer and rebounding firing pin. This example was also fitted with a sliding tang safety, and an additional swinging lever (unique to Holland & Holland) that locks the side lever in place. Rifles based on the Field's Patent action spanned the transition from black powder to smokeless powder, and were offered by various British makers during the 1880s through the early 1900s.
Somewhere along the line this beautiful rifle was rather crudely rebarreled to .30 WCF and a replacement forend fitted by the well-known American gunsmith, Bubba Holland. Fortunately the remainder of the rifle from the barrel back (action and buttstock) remained completely untouched and original. I have owned the rifle for years and always intended to rebarrel it with a more appropriate British cartridge. However, time passes and so I have reluctantly placed it for sale on GunBroker.com to let someone have some fun with it instead (search on "Holland falling block").
Cheers,
Peconga in Boise, Idaho
