Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada RIP Klaus Hiptmayer Canadian Gunsmith

I just found out that Klaus Hiptmayer died, he was a Fantastic and Renowned Canadian Gunsmith and our long time Family Friend with skills many do not possess.

He made the stock for my M1917, and has made many rifles and stocks. I am lucky to own one of his works.

This is an example of his exceptional original and one-of-a-kind works, beauty! His wife Heide did the engraving, she did the engraving on my rifle as well.

RIP Klaus

Hagn System Action (Falling Block), Cal.7X65R, 23″ Shillen Barrel, Old English Engraving With Gold Lines By Heidemarie Hiptmayer, High Grade Walnut Stock & Forend + Claw Mounts + Ziess Diavari 1.5-6x42mm + Huey Gun Case

That's a lovely rifle!

Sure is a beauty hey nyrifleman?

Klaus was one of the very best Gunsmiths in Canada, I was privileged to know him.

That particular rifle I posted above is currently on sale. The selling price: $46,000.00 CDN.

Makes me rethink the value of mine!

They both did phenomenal work as the rifle you presented illustrates! Long admired their work and many of the engravers and gunmakers that I’ve had the opportunity to meet over the years would often reference their work. You are indeed lucky to have known them and have some of their work!

Thank you for bringing this to the forum’s attention and yes RIP Klaus.

Penndog

Seeing some beautiful examples of their work for sale on various sites, like this beautiful .257 in a Mauser:

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...custom--257-roberts.cfm?gun_id=100873524

RIP

I wish they would tell you what it sold for, very annoying right?

PennDog and olgrouser, have you seen my M1917 that Klaus and Heide built together. If not I can post it here if you like?

I refinished it myself this winter, was sweating bullets because it was the first time I had never refinished a rifle, and the first being a Klaus original was nerve-racking, to say the least. Had a lot of help from the great members here. I refinished it with 20 coats of 100% Pure Tung Oil and used Renaissance Wax for the finish, 8 coats lol.

I can tell you that it has always been my All-Time Favorite rifle. Even considering taking it Elk hunting this fall instead of my .300 Win Mag that I built specifically for Elk hunting.

Would love to see it KB! These type of rifles have “soul” and mean so much more to one when the history and people behind them are personal.

PennDog

Hi PennDog

This is my Klaus Hiptmayer Sporterized BSA M1917.

BSA bought a lot of surplus M1917s in the late 1940s and Sporterized them and sold them as Hunting Rifles by the thousands I believe into the North American market for $180.00 lol

My father made friends with an older man when he was a kid, this man took a liking to my father and took him Moose and Deer hunting, because my Grandfather didn’t hunt.

My father shot his first moose with it when he was 15 I believe, this is him with the same rifle when it was a Sporterized BSA. Taken from a picture on my office wall.



When this older gentleman passed away, he willed the rifle to my father, this happened in the early 70’s.

When my father received it, he commissioned Klaus to make a hand-fitted custom stock for him. The design of the stock is a Ferlach Austrian Design, with a Schnabel Forend treatment.

The stock was hand-cut and crafted by Klaus from a block of French Walnut. The signature plaque on the stock butt was engraved by Heide.

My father never used this rifle and had it in his gun collection and gave it to me when I told him I was moving out west to hunt big game.

I have hunted hard with it for decades and did a pretty good job denting and scratching it up so as mentioned I refinished it, after steaming out the dents and lightly sanding the deep scratches.

One of the bad dents in the cheek of the stock.



Stripped, and Repaired by me.





Tung Oiling Stage




What it looks like now after I refinished it, did the best I could.




My father’s and Klaus’s Signature on the butt plaque.



Thanks for looking

KB,

Thank you much for sharing the story of that beautiful rifle - that is an extremely fine 1917 and you did a wonderful job of restoring it - Klaus would be quite proud!! I love the stock shape and wood grain, the “shadow line” behind the pistol grip, and the butt plate - don’t think I ever saw one done quite like that (is that the end grain above the toe plate or another piece of wood added?) but I really like it and Heide applied her magic as classy final touch!!

Is it a .30-06?

I’d be extremely proud of that one KB!!

PennDog

Hi PennDog,

Thank you for the compliment! I have to say, I wanted to refinish it long ago, but having never refinished a rifle I was afraid to do it, especially since it is a Hiptmayer Original. If it had been a standard off-the-rack rifle I would have done it long ago.

I was very methodical and only started the project after a lot of YouTube video viewing, researching and discussing the project with the great members who were kind enough to share their opinions on the Gunsmithing forum here.

I see how you can think that the butt could be a different piece of wood, it's the lighting and I am not exactly a great photographer. The stock was carved and is from one piece of wood no additions. Below is a picture with the plaque off. A true testament to Klaus's skill and craftmanship.

After a lot of research on Finishing Oils, I went with 100% Pure Tung Oil, since from what I read, it has more water-resistance qualities than other oils. Most people finish their rifles with Tru-Oil or other similar ones because they dry faster and speed up the process due to the chemical additives/drying agents in them, but I wanted the best for this rifle. It took me a total of 50 days to complete the oiling phase, 20 applications in total.

As soon as I applied the 100% Pure Tung Oil, I instantly knew I made the right decision. I love the color it produced, eliminating any orange tinge. I highly recommend Tung to everyone refinishing their rifles.

My M1917 is chambered in .30-06, it is a deadly tack driver and I have dropped Big Bull Moose with it @ 500 yards. Whenever I kill an animal with it and watch them drop dead in their tracks, I wonder how anyone survived taking a round in WWI and WWII, from a M1917 .30-06, a frightening prospect to say the least!

It is an absolute joy to shoot, it's a killing machine and when I hunt with it, I know that my beloved father and Klaus are with me on the hunt.

Plaque off:

You did a great job on that beautiful rifle and I know it was a true labor of love. The countless hours you spent painstakingly sanding and oiling it paid off in the finished product and I’m sure that your father and Klaus were smiling down while you worked…and worried…and worked…

I do hope that you take it elk hunting and use it as your dad once used it, to put meat on the table. It’s a beautiful rifle that has tremendous sentimental value to you but its value increases exponentially every time you go afield and make more memories with it. I’m sure both your dad and Klaus would want you to enjoy it in the most practical of ways….hunting!

All my best to you my friend!

Ditto KB!!

Thanks for the additional pic of the butt - I may have to incorporate that in a rifle or two down the road!

PennDog

Hi PennDog are you a Gunsmith that builds rifles? I would sure like to see some of your beautiful work if you are?

Thank you for all of your kind words, sure makes me believe that I did a good job, even though I would do a lot of things differently if I had to do it all over again, that's for sure!! Much appreciated Sir!

Do you mind if I ask you a question?

Cheers ~

Thanks for your kind words Aces, really happy I met you here and looking forward to catching them giant salmon, halibut, cod, and crabs in Alaska with you in the future buddy!!!

God Bless and Happy Trails my friend

Very nice. I came very close to buying one of his rifles from Martin when I was living in Calgary.

PennDog, it was my pleasure speaking with you on the phone yesterday, we had a few good laughs!

When you said "don’t think I ever saw one done quite like that". Klaus had an amazing talent for looking at a block of wood and turning it into a masterpiece. He was an artist, and I agree with you, he ranked up there with the "World's Best".

There is only one rifle like mine on this planet, I am so very happy my father gave it to me. It's really cool being the owner and hunting with a one-of-a-kind hand-made rifle made by a world-class stockmaker, especially an M1917 that is 107 years old. When I go, I will make sure that I will hand it down to a family that will hunt with it for generations. Can you imagine shooting a Moose in 2117 with a 1917 rifle, mind blowing!

As mentioned if you are ever in Alberta, you will be a welcomed guest at my home, it would be fun spending an evening having a few beverages and sharing hunting stories. And if you want to hunt Alberta, you know who to call

If you do make a similar stock, I would love to see it.

Cheers ~

PS: When I am in the woods hunting with my M1917, I always play this before heading out of my truck and hoping on my quad.

That is a truly unusual stock from Klaus. Most of his stocks were done in an American classic style. The stock on the Hagn, for instance, is much more American than Martin would make. KB's rifle is very Austrian. I worked with Klaus a bit when he was in Kelowna, and I was in Kamloops. He and Hiede were very nice people. GD

KB, i very much appreciate your post and this thread. The rifles pictured are not so much rifles (or guns) but master pieces of art wrought from wood and steel. I imagine they function at the same high bar.

Extraordinary talent!

Great job on the refinishing. Now you need a bad weather elk rifle..😎

Hi GD, I remember picking up the rifle when he completed the job for my father. That was in 1973/74. I am happy my father took me for the ride to Magog, which is 2:30 minutes from where we lived at that time.

He had his shop in his home in Magog at that time, wow that is 50 years ago! I suspect that was early on in his Stocksmithing career and even that early in his career he was a Master Stockmaker. I wonder if his father was a Stockmaker as well. That would make sense to me, he must have apprenticed for many years to get to that level even in 1973/74.

To be precise as I mentioned early on in this thread that stock style is Ferlach Austrian in design. Ferlach is an Austrian town that is very well known for where the very best gunsmiths in the world have lived and worked for centuries.

Kings, Royalty, wealthy people, and even Napoleon Bonaparte were commissioning Ferlach Gunsmiths to design and build their guns and rifles since the early 1500s! My father had exceptional taste in firearms as well.

Yes, Klaus and Hiede were very nice people.


Thank you for the compliment, George_De_Vries_3rd, I was sweating bullets working on that rifle, no doubt about that lol. When I was sanding out the deep scratches I took off as little as possible!

I agree with you both rifles are Masterpieces. Klaus was an artist and an extraordinary Gunsmith. You could give him a block of wood and ask him to make any type or style of rifle, and you were assured that you would receive a beautiful rifle when you picked it up.

I believe that he was one of the World’s Best Gunsmiths.

Cheers ~ KB

Klaus told me he apprenticed in Ferlach at an early age; 14yo, I believe. It was a long apprenticeship. He told me, he did not enter the trade out of an interest in guns, hunting, or shooting but acquired these interests, probably from his customers, in Canada. It was about 6 years after he did your rifle that he moved to Kelowna. GD