Martini Gunmakers Ltd. Hagn Action Single Shot .30R Blaser

After a long wait my father has finally taken possession of his Hagn action single shot rifle from Martini Gunmakers.  Here are some pictures of this fine gun.

 

 

 

Hagn Action Single Shot Is Complete

After about three years of waiting, my father's Martini Gunmakers Hagn action single shot in .30R Blaser is finished.  These are some pictures Ralf has sent him.  This rifle will be on display at the Dallas Safari Club convention in January 3rd-6th if you care to see Ralf's workmanship.  Afterwards my father will take delivery.  When he does expect more pictures from yours truly.

Martini Gunmaker Hagn Action With Claw Mounts In The White

My old man has sent me some pictures of his Hagn action single shot from Martini Gunmakers in the white. After about three years his rifle is now complete, these pictures are from Ralf during the building period. Finished rifle pics to follow.

Engraved Hagn Action

Hagn Action Engraved by Warren Smith

Ralf Martini sent my father an email letting him know that his action is back from the engraver Warren Smith and sent him some photos.  My father was surprised that engraving was different from the design he had chosen.  These things happen.  My father chose a very simple scroll and he is now deciding whether or not he wants to keep this design or have them redo another action.  Actually this design is more ornate than the one he had chosen and once case colored would look quite nice.

The decision is not mine as this is not my gun but my father did ask me my opinions about the design.  I told him, "you put a lot of money into this gun, especially since the dollar has weaken considerably against the Canadian dollar since ordering it, if you don't like it have them redo it."  I did tell him to have Martini send him a photo of a past action with the same design that has been case colored so that he can decided whether or not to go with this engraving.  I guess he has some serious thinking to do.

Martini Gunmakers LTD.

Looking in my inbox, I noticed that I received an email from Heym. It was an invitation to visit their booth at the upcoming SCI show in Las Vegas. In it it discusses the Heym rifles with Ralf Martini stocks. I knew Martini was designing and making stocks for Heym years ago as he had sent an email notifying clients that he had taken up this project. But this email reminded me of our trip when we saw him at his shop in Cranbrook.

My father and I visited the master gunmaker in the summer of 2009 when my father was ordering his Hagn single shot. Ralf is a German gunmaker who immigrated to British Columbia and eventually joined forces with Martin Hagn to build fine guns. Hagn is the inventor of the Hagn single shot falling block action. Eventually the two parted ways, both still create custom Hagn action rifles and Mauser action bolt rifles for clients all over the world.

Ralf's workshop is attached to his house. He and his wife were kind enough to answer all our questions and allowed us into their home to take a look at their trophy room. Similar to Hartmann Weiss, being German, Ralf actually does not particularly like the German gun aesthetic, opting instead for the classic lines of a British Best.

My father's rifle should be finished anytime now.


This customer's action is just back from Germany where it was sent to be engraved in the German deep chiseled style.


This single shot was sent in for minor repairs.

Ralf shows us an old German Heeren action single shot that I tried to convince the old man to buy.

Ralf shows me one of his Mauser action bolt rifles with a claw mount.

A client's Holland and Holland Mauser in .375 H&H sent in to Ralf for repairs.

Ralf compares one of his Mausers, still in the white, to the H&H.

Ralf and the old man discuss half round half octagon barrels.

Various stock blanks.

His shop where the magic happens.

The Martini's backyard view. Not too bad.

His front yard.





The Martinis were kind enough to let us into their home to show us their trophy room.


Afterwards we asked if there were any good restaurants in the area. They suggested that go to Frank's Steak and Schnitzel Haus for some good old German heart attack food, Spätzle and Schnitzel.