Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Klaus Hiptmayer Gunsmith

Does anyone know of Klaus Hiptmayer, a gunsmith in Canada?

A rifle at a show was labeled as made by him.

Do you have a picture of his work on bolt action rifles? Besides whats on his site of course.

Thank you.

http://www.herosarms.com/Klaus_Hiptmayer_Stockmaker/index.htm

Didn't the guys on AR have the info for you?
Butch

While some responded none so far have posted a picture of a Klaus Hiptmayer rifle.

A rifle that I have is identical to one I just saw at a show. The one at the show was labled as made by Klaus Hiptmayer.

The thing is that two smiths here have told me that my identical rifle was made by another smith!

I knew Klaus and his late wife, Hiedi Marie, quite well when they were working in Kelowna BC. Klaus was an excellent workman with a bit of an antipathy toward power tools. His stocks were of the American Classic style and all were carved from the blank.
Engraving was done by Hiedi and was world class. I used to do some work which was outside Klaus' area of expertise/interest and I enjoyed seeing him turn a blank into a stock. I was amazed at the speed and ease with which he inletted, shaped, finished, and checkered a stock; all without turning on a power tool of any sort.
I wish I had some pictures to send you but I don`t.
The style of stock and rifle produced by Klaus was generic enough, at the time, to have been duplicated by any number of other makers. If the rifle was engraved, Hiedi`s engraving would be fairly recognizable and might even be signed. I don`t recall Klaus marking his stocks in any particular way; though he might have done so. GD

Thanks for the feedback on Klaus Hiptmayer so far.

Here is a picture of a gun that was done by Hiptmayer. It's the same as one I have that I am so proud of.



Here is a picture of a takedown rifle by Hiptmayer.

why would anyone move from Kelowna to Quebec?

Probably because that is where he and his wife lived since coming to Canada except for their time spent in Kelowna. In addition, there were some management/ownership issues with the shop with which they were affiliated in Kelowna. GD

Hi, I found this post on GOOGLE, I knew Klaus he built a beautiful custom stock for my father who sporterized a P1917 many years ago, Hiedi did the engraving, beautiful rifle! My father gave it to me 20 years ago and I have killed many moose and deer with it. It is my favorite rifle of all time. I can upload some pictures if you like?

Cheers ~ KillerBee

KillerBee;
Good morning to you, I trust that wherever you're at this morning that you're well.

Welcome to the 'Fire from the finally sunny skies of the south Okanagan.

While I make it a practice to not speak for anyone else, I'd love to see the photos of the rifle for sure.

There's a bit of a trick for posting photos here but if you're not an inept boomer like me, the instructions are at the top of each section here.

All the best and again welcome here.

Dwayne

Hi Dwayne, Yup I am an inept boomer as well! lol

I will try this way:



Where are the instructions?

Cheers

Here are to more:






Cheers

Killer Bee;
Thanks for the photos!!

My goodness I like so much about that stock - but full disclosure I've got predominantly Teutonic heritage AND have a long time love of all things Enfield - both the Pattern 14 and P17 versions.

The checkering and the shape of the pistol grip are especially cool in my view.

I'm in the middle of restocking a Pattern 14 in .303 now actually and have been arguing with myself whether to change out the bolt handle or leave it as is just because it's unique.

I rather like that they chose to leave it on your rifle.

Thanks again.

Dwayne

Thank you for your warm reception, Dwayne.

I have some Teutonic heritage as well; my great grandfather was from Hamburg.

Klaus did an exceptional job on the stock. As I mentioned when my father gave it to me, I hunt with it all the time and it is my favorite rifle. My father never hunted with it. It is very comfortable, fits me like a glove and I've gotta say every animal I have pointed it at has dropped in its tracks. Can't even imagine being on the receiving end in WWI or WWII, yikes!

I have no idea what it's worth, do you? The plate with Hiptmayer's company name engraved in it is Sterling Silver, the stock is Walnut.

Cheers ~

KillerBee;
Good evening, I hope the day behaved for you and you're well.

Custom rifles and what they're bringing is something I'm not truly up on sorry.

It might well be regional too as in our part of southern BC I'd say that the prices of wood stocked custom rifles has slipped in the past couple of years.

The younger set seem overall to be more into the heavier barreled target sort of rifles with either McMillan type stocks or we're seeing lots of chassis rifles here now too.

While I don't necessarily agree with it, I've also noticed that Enfield actioned rifles tend to be less well thought of - perhaps its the cock on closing aspect so it's different than what folks are used to?

Regardless, anything is "worth" what someone else will give for it of course and both the provenance and family heirloom aspect of your rifle makes it priceless to you for sure - which is very cool.

I'm cognizant I've not answered your question as to the worth - again it's not in my wheelhouse whatsoever sorry.

Thanks again for sharing a neat bit of Canadian rifle making history with us.

All the best and good luck on your hunts this fall.

Dwayne

Agreed, all I know is that everything I hunt with it feeds me with 1 shot, and that my friend is priceless. It's really neat to hunt with a rifle that is over 100 years old and is as lethal as anything made today.

Best thing about my bsa1917, is that it loves cheap Winchester Super X, so I have been filling my freezer for next to nothing $$$ wise for many years :o)

If you are ever in Edmonton let me know.

Cheers ~

530 YARDS, with Winchester Super X, fed me for a year :o)

Killer Bee;
Good evening once more sir, thanks for the reply and further photos.

Since I grew up eating Saskatchewan moose, there's fewer things I enjoy eating than a nice meal of moose, even though I've personally only taken a single Okanagan bull.

Some folks call our locals Shiras and some call them Canada moose, so depending on whom you're asking or arguing with, they might be either one, I'm not a moose biologist so can't say.

On the subject of continuing to use older rifles, I'm in total agreement and my main hunting partner who is our eldest daughter is cut from that cloth as well.

Her hunting rifle was a surplus Swede I cobbled together as a lighter recoiling hunting rifle for my father in about '85 if memory serves. He gave it back to me before he died in 2003, saying he hoped that one of the grandkids would be able to use it. Sure enough when our daughters started hunting when they were each 11 and 10 respectively, the eldest spotted the full wood Stutzen stocked rifle in the back of the safe and it was hers from then on.

It'll be 120 years old next year I believe.



Thanks for the kind invitation, I appreciate it. If you're ever wandering down Highway 97 through the sometimes sunny south Okanagan, drop me a PM and I'll buy you a coffee or if they're open get some of Tickleberries "World Famous Icecream" for you. It's pretty good ice cream if one like that sort of thing.

Thanks again and all the best.

Dwayne

That is SUCH A BEAUTIFUL STORY and BEAUTIFUL RIFLE! I'll bet you miss your father, just like I do :o)

I have a saying about moose: If I were on death row and when it came to my final meal and I was asked what I would like, this is what I would ask for:

A rare Moose burger with old cheddar cheese, sweet onion, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, hot peppers, horse radish, mustard and relish, with Extra-Large Side of Onion Rings and a Chocolate Milkshake. I am a simple man.

Isn't funny how people want to nitpick about most everything these days, especially people with the highest post counts. You should see some of the Cranker Moose we have here around Edmonton.

Bwana, you are one cool dude as well as an absolute gentleman! My pleasure to have met you.

Cheers ~

KB< Welcome to the "Fire.
That is one beautiful rifle! I have never heard of the "smith who built but just wanted to chime in on it's beauty.
Great pics of your hunting trip as well. I live a few hours SE of you in Redcliff.
Dwayne is one heck of a great guy from what I can tell having only "met" him here over the years in discussions. Hope to meet him some day.
Jeff aka troutfly.

I like the P-17, as they are called by Canadian Army when they used them in WW2. General Hatcher called the M1917 the best battle rifle of the first World War. He had a hand in the redesign of the Pattern of 1914.(P-14) I chose the P-17 for my attempts at stock work. I left the metal work to Greydog , a true metal magician. The P-14/P-17 used nickel alloyed steel like the pre-war Winchester M-70.