Holland & Holland .240 Apex takedown sporting rifle. Based on a Mauser 98 action, rifle number 944 wears a 23-inch light sporter barrel with banded front sight (ramp with blade, folding hood), banded sling eye and banded rear sight with the fixed leaf marked “50” (left) and “200” (right), and a folding leaf marked “350”. Both leafs have gold sighting lines. The action has a stippled front ring, bent bolt handle with hollow knob, swing-over safety and an adjustable aperture sight marked “200” and “350” mounted on the cocking piece. The stock has wrap-around bordered checkering, cross bolt, pistol grip cap with trapdoor, initial plate on the toe line (blank), pancake cheekpiece and a horn buttplate with delicate widow’s peak. CONDITION: The bore remains bright, with viable rifling and only the slightest scattering of roughness. Overall blue is about 60 percent, with general thinning and silvering. Wood finish is about 70 percent. Checkering is uniformly flattened and the stock exhibits a significant amount of character due to a general coverage of field impressions and scratches. SCOPE: Brand markings are obscured. The 30mm main tube and elevation adjustment (marked to 500 yards) integrates perfectly with the Holland & Holland detachable rings. The tapered post and cross reticle is ready for service, as the optics remain viable. Only a slight internal clouding is present. MARKINGS: Serial 944 appears on barrel, action, floorplate, trigger guard, stock, extractor collar, bolt handle, cocking piece, grip cap trapdoor and rear scope ring. Barrel is marked “Holland & Holland. 98. New Bond Street. London.” Barrel (at receiver) is marked “Holland’s .240. Bore Apex RGD Rimless Cartridge”. “SAFE” appears in gold on the safety lever. DIMENSIONS: Weight, with scope attached, is 8.0 pounds. Length-of-pull is 14.25 inches. CASE: The leather-bordered and felt-lined takedown case retains the maker’s label. It remains solid, with the wear, fading and spotting expected with age.