The Old Swede: London’s Royal Standard

This is dedicated to the world of Holland & Holland, from the Royal gun to their celebrated grounds and summer menu.

Jul 21, 2025

The Holland & Holland Royal

Since its introduction in 1883, the Holland & Holland Royal has been the gold standard of British sidelock shotguns. Developed by Henry Holland and later perfected under John Robertson’s leadership, the Royal brought together refined lockwork, stunning balance, and unmistakable grace. Unlike the bar-action locks of the Purdey, the Royal’s design incorporated a self-opening mechanism with intercepting sears, giving it both elegance and reliability.

Today, the Royal continues to be hand-built in the London workshop by a select cadre of artisans. Every file stroke, every engraved scroll, every trigger pull speaks of restraint and mastery. Available in gauges from 12 to .410, the Royal is more than a gun—it is a declaration of purpose. While others may innovate, Holland & Holland preserves; the Royal remains fundamentally unchanged in design, a living expression of timeless gunmaking.

Explore Holland & Holland Royal Here

Shooting School Feature

Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds

Set in 60 manicured acres of rolling countryside just 17 miles from central London, the Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds are far more than a training facility—they are a sanctuary for the modern sportsman. Since 1932, these grounds have welcomed royalty, rockstars, and rookies alike, each drawn by their flawless simulation of the British field.

What sets H\&H apart is its emphasis on fluency over formality. Here, instructors don’t impose a rigid technique but instead refine your natural style, often through their proprietary Royal Method, focusing on footwork, flow, and instinctive shooting. Whether practicing on the Grouse Butts, simulating partridge over hedgerows, or perfecting timing on high tower pheasants, each layout is immersive and authentic.

Lessons are tailored to match the gun to the shooter—especially useful for owners of new or vintage Holland & Holland guns, where fit and follow-through are everything. Add to that a Michelin-level restaurant, concierge gunroom, and exclusive events calendar, and you begin to understand why these grounds remain unmatched.

Visit the shooting grounds

Estate Visit

Holland & Holland Sporting Agency

This year, Holland & Holland relaunched its prestigious Sporting Agency, and with it, a promise: to curate the finest shooting days on earth with the same precision as their guns. Led by a team of experienced loaders, hosts, and field experts, the agency offers exclusive access to private estates in the UK and abroad—each selected for its sporting heritage, game quality, and hospitality.

Think high pheasants in Devon, classic partridge in Spain, and bespoke safaris in southern Africa. Shoots are full-service affairs, with guns delivered from Bruton Street to the peg, loaders trained in the H\&H shooting style, and even culinary planning tailored to guest preferences. Beyond driven shooting, the agency also books fly-fishing, stalking, and wingshooting worldwide—all with an unmistakably English air.

For the shooter who demands excellence not only in the field but in the entire experience, Holland & Holland’s Sporting Agency is an invitation to tradition without compromise.

Explore the Agency

The Royal Method

Holland & Holland’s Art of the Shot

Shooting with a Holland & Holland gun is not merely about function—it’s about form. Over generations, the house has refined a style rooted in grace, safety, and controlled fluidity. Known as the Royal Method, it places equal weight on physical posture and mental rhythm.

The hallmark is a low gun mount and subtle swing, with the shooter's feet and hips guiding the barrels rather than the arms alone. This allows for a smoother follow-through and more consistent performance on fast, crossing birds. At the shooting grounds, instructors teach this style with a deep understanding of how the gun's balance—especially in a Royal sidelock—can either aid or hinder fluidity.

Equally important is etiquette: barrels never swept, heels never rushed, and eyes always up. Fieldcraft is taught alongside marksmanship—how to approach a peg, how to read a drive, how to tip a loader. In the Holland & Holland style, the shot is only one part of the larger dance.

Suggested Reads:

The Better Shot by Ken Davies
Shooting by Moor, Field & Shore by Eric Parker

Shoot Lunch | Wine Pairing

The Summer Menu at Holland & Holland Grounds

This season, the Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds unveiled a Summer Field Menu that redefines the idea of a post-drive meal. Chef Joshua Hunter has crafted a lineup that marries wild game with garden freshness—dishes designed to revive and reward without weighing down.

Begin with a wild pigeon terrine paired with rhubarb chutney, followed by a main of seared venison loin atop elderflower-glazed baby carrots and summer peas. Finish with gooseberry fool and thyme shortbread, all served under the canopy of their vine-laced terrace or in the lodge’s cool stone dining room.

The recommended wine? Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé 2022—a structured Provençal rosé with notes of peach skin, saline minerality, and enough body to stand up to the venison without overwhelming the lighter fare. This is field gastronomy at its highest level.

Summer Menu and Reservations

Buy Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé 2022

Quote from the GunPlow Library

“There is something deeply English in the act of shooting game: it belongs not to violence but to tradition, to pageantry, to a day shared among friends who know their place, their quarry, and their shot. Holland and Holland understood this, not just in the building of guns, but in the preservation of a world where such guns still matter.”
— Peter King, The Shooting Field: One Hundred and Fifty Years with Holland & Holland

GunPlow Classic Library Coming Soon