Who would you nominate as greatest gunsmith?
- Thread starter jamesdmock
- Start date
The best gunsmith/gunmaker I have personally known would have to be Martin Hagn. He was literally capable of doing anything. When he decided to build his first falling block double gun, he first made a wooden model with a cutaway action and brought it in to show me. The model gun even had sights! The completed double rifle was truly a work of art.
He sometimes asked me to do certain tasks for him (barrel lapping or some heat treating), not because he couldn't, but just to make me feel useful, I suspect!
One time, I dropped by his shop, just to say hello. He had a stock ready to checker and felt that he should show me how me how he made the checkering tools and did the work. In less than an hour, he made a 20 LPI cutter from a piece of drill rod, put a handle on it, then checkered the grip (both sides and over the top) of the rifle he was working on.
Another time, he brought me a single shot receiver which had warped badly when he had it color case hardened. He wanted me to anneal it without scaling so he could try to straighten it. I did so but we were unable to straighten it to his satisfaction. He got a piece of 2 inch plate and, three days later, he brought in the finished receiver which fit the stock perfectly. He sent it off for case hardening, and this time it didn't warp.
He showed me a half octagon barrel with a full length rib which he had milled octagon, then drawfiled the round portion. I measured the round part and could find no place where it was more than .005 out of round.
Martin had a partner and protege, Ralf Martini, who worked with him for several years. Ralf is also a gifted riflesmith and also capable of work I admire greatly.
Early on in my career, I was quite sure I could do work every bit the equal of many of the well known 'smiths. Such is the arrogance of youth! It seemed like, with each passing year, I learned just enough more to recognize how little I actually knew.
I once had a fellow bring a shotgun into the shop. It had a malfunctioning ejector on one barrel. This gun had been made by two brothers in London (Wilkerson or Wilkinson?). He had contacted them and mentioned that he would bring the gun to London the next time he came over. The next day, one of the brothers, (John, I believe) flew into Calgary and asked if he could work in my shop and borrow some tools.
He came in, removed his coat (but not his vest), pulled up his sleeves, and went to work. He filed out a new spring for the ejector, hardened and tempered it, installed it, and fired a couple shots into my test tube. It worked fine; he shook my hand, doffed his hat, and left for the airport. I told the client to never expect that kind of service from me! By the way, as I recall, this gun had cost the owner somewhere around thirty thousand pounds, so there is that.
There are literally hundreds of gunsmiths and gunmakers who have skills and knowledge which are astounding to the likes of me and I consider myself fortunate whenever I get a chance to just see their work. WH
He sometimes asked me to do certain tasks for him (barrel lapping or some heat treating), not because he couldn't, but just to make me feel useful, I suspect!
One time, I dropped by his shop, just to say hello. He had a stock ready to checker and felt that he should show me how me how he made the checkering tools and did the work. In less than an hour, he made a 20 LPI cutter from a piece of drill rod, put a handle on it, then checkered the grip (both sides and over the top) of the rifle he was working on.
Another time, he brought me a single shot receiver which had warped badly when he had it color case hardened. He wanted me to anneal it without scaling so he could try to straighten it. I did so but we were unable to straighten it to his satisfaction. He got a piece of 2 inch plate and, three days later, he brought in the finished receiver which fit the stock perfectly. He sent it off for case hardening, and this time it didn't warp.
He showed me a half octagon barrel with a full length rib which he had milled octagon, then drawfiled the round portion. I measured the round part and could find no place where it was more than .005 out of round.
Martin had a partner and protege, Ralf Martini, who worked with him for several years. Ralf is also a gifted riflesmith and also capable of work I admire greatly.
Early on in my career, I was quite sure I could do work every bit the equal of many of the well known 'smiths. Such is the arrogance of youth! It seemed like, with each passing year, I learned just enough more to recognize how little I actually knew.
I once had a fellow bring a shotgun into the shop. It had a malfunctioning ejector on one barrel. This gun had been made by two brothers in London (Wilkerson or Wilkinson?). He had contacted them and mentioned that he would bring the gun to London the next time he came over. The next day, one of the brothers, (John, I believe) flew into Calgary and asked if he could work in my shop and borrow some tools.
He came in, removed his coat (but not his vest), pulled up his sleeves, and went to work. He filed out a new spring for the ejector, hardened and tempered it, installed it, and fired a couple shots into my test tube. It worked fine; he shook my hand, doffed his hat, and left for the airport. I told the client to never expect that kind of service from me! By the way, as I recall, this gun had cost the owner somewhere around thirty thousand pounds, so there is that.
There are literally hundreds of gunsmiths and gunmakers who have skills and knowledge which are astounding to the likes of me and I consider myself fortunate whenever I get a chance to just see their work. WH
I just heard that Martin Hagn has passed away. He had been unable to work much over the last year and I am a bit ashamed that I didn't make the time to visit him before I left on holidays. He started gunsmithing when he was about 14 years old. He worked in Ferlach, London, New York. I first met him in about 1985, when he stopped in to see me in Calgary, Alberta. He showed me a Mauser he had just finished and it was plain to me, he was on a whole different level.
I heard from him from time to time when he would phone and, when I moved to the Cranbrook area, we stayed in touch; until I got too busy to visit.
He was a dedicated hunter and a damn fine shot. His depth of experience and knowledge was amazing and I was often surprised at the insight he demonstrated. He was a complex man with many layers; I liked him. WH
I heard from him from time to time when he would phone and, when I moved to the Cranbrook area, we stayed in touch; until I got too busy to visit.
He was a dedicated hunter and a damn fine shot. His depth of experience and knowledge was amazing and I was often surprised at the insight he demonstrated. He was a complex man with many layers; I liked him. WH
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