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GUN TRADE MOURNS THE LOSS OF INDUSTRY FIGURE RUSSELL WILKIN
The gun trade has lost one of its most respected figures with the passing of Russell Wilkin, a man whose career spanned decades at Holland & Holland and whose influence on fine English gunmaking will be long remembered.
Wilkin joined Holland & Holland in 1963 and quickly became a key figure in the company’s evolution. He played a pivotal role in modernising the factory by introducing new machinery, helping to refine production methods while maintaining the firm’s heritage of craftsmanship. In 1989, he was appointed Production Director, overseeing the company’s gunmaking operations.
Among his many contributions, Wilkin was instrumental in the development of the now-legendary .700 Holland & Holland rifle. His deep understanding of gun design, mechanics, and ballistics made him an invaluable resource within the trade.
Paul Farroway, Quality Assurance & Training Manager at Holland & Holland, recalled Wilkin’s expertise and impact on the next generation of gunmakers: “I first met Russell in the summer of 1978, when he interviewed me at the factory for an apprenticeship at Holland & Holland. He taught six apprentices, including myself, for the first six months or so as there was no official training officer during that time. It was clear from the outset that he was a very accomplished craftsman.
“Russell was always destined to take on a managerial role, but core to his success as the highly respected figure that he was in the gun trade was his astounding knowledge of guns, rifles and ballistics. He sketched out designs and produced technical drawings for many different guns, rifles and mechanisms, including the bar-in-wood hammer guns and the prototype .700 rifle.
“I remember him carving and shaping a .700 action body from a solid block of wood – the first prototype .700.
“Russell will always be remembered and respected as a key figure in the London gun trade and internationally. It would be hard to name anyone in the trade, both past and present, who held such respect and knowledge of fine English guns, from the bench to the board to the field and, above all, with clients.”