Ritter

Franz Ritter builds fine 98 repeating rifles in Garlstorf, Lower Saxony. He is one of the few masters of his trade who still have a holistic understanding of the gunsmith's craft. He is equally adept at the two basic materials of classic gunmaking: metal and wood.



More than almost any other era, the modern age is characterized by a rational production method based on the idea of the division of labour. It enables maximum efficiency through specialization. With this in mind, the English began to reorganize the art of gunmaking at an early stage and divided the gunsmith's work between four specialists: stocket, lockmaker, barrelmaker and finisher. This may promote the evolution of virtuosos in their respective disciplines, but it leads to a decline in generalists. Even in Germany, all-rounders have now become the exception.

Woodworking, for example, is outsourced by many manufacturers to external shoemakers. But Franz Ritter is one of the few gunsmiths whose love is not just for steel, but also for wood.