I approached Ralf Martini last year to talk about a collaboration on a new rifle.

Although we were very pleased with the performance and history of the HEYM “Express” bolt action rifle, the stock needed some improvement, and the metalwork needed some refinement.

The stock was to be of Ralf’s design and in keeping with the traditional lines of pre-war British rifles (slim, trim and feel “lively” in the hands.) Those that have handled a rifle of Ralf’s know this an area in which he excels.

The bolt handle was also redesigned into more of an “Oberndorf” style and shape. We kept the barrel-banded rear sight, but Ralf designed a new contour for the barrel as well as a new barrel banded front sight.

Integral scope bases were an important objective and relatively easy to do - given that the action already had square bridges. Ralf and I both agreed that the Talley 19mm rings would set the scope a bit lower and provide more purchase with the wider dovetails.

Well, here is the end result, and I’m quite pleased.

It will be marketed as the HEYM “Martini.”





This particular rifle is in .375, but .416, 404 and 458 Lott will also be available.

Would love to hear the collective feed-back of the group!

Chris,
You have great taste in rifles. It looks great!
Butch

That is a really nice looking rifle, big fan of the stock design.

You made an excellent choice!

Ralf is a fine guy and a great gunmaker, my buddy was just speakign with him today on a project we have in mind.

I would like to know IF it is feasible to build a stock in the laminated fashion that Mel Smart of the old "Accrabond" firm did, five or six strips of wood bonded with epoxy and thus have both the beauty of wood such as this rifle exhibits and the stability so important here in wet B.C. and areas like this?

I have a few projects for Ralf and his crew and more rifles now than I can really use....but, I am tired of synthetic stocks and would LOVE a .375H&H like that one, in such a stock, two pair of Burgess type rings, two Zeiss Conquest 4x scopes and all that stuff.

Can you post a "ballpark" retail price for this rifle, as shown?

I have handled Ralf Martini Bolt, and Single Shot Rifles.

I will pay them the Ultimate Compliment...

They are the BEST handling, bolt and single shot rifles I have ever seen.

The handling is second to NONE...

His workmanship is marvelous...

With the workmanship I have seen from the Heym factory, combined with Ralf Martini "handling...

This just might be the best handling "Factory" Bolt Rifle ever produced...

what was the thinking on that nontraditional looking safety?

Beautiful, but I'll agree with 22....not a big fan of the bolt shroud....

Looks great.
About the only thing I would personally change is the safety. It looks like something straight off an engineers computer while the rest of the rifle looks like a blast from the classic past.

Another point to consider is to insure the bolt handle clears the German scopes. It's a great looking handle because it looks very similar to an original Mauser and we all know how high the scope needs to be to clear that. Could be just the angle of the picture.

Re Safety; ... a setback-less protruding lever thats less likely to catch on something at a critical moment. [murphys law ]

Looks like an otherwise beautiful girl with a big fat boil on her face.

There's little point to the rest of the work so long as that bolt shroud and safety remain intact. It's really not fair to Ralf to encumber him with such an abomination. Good luck getting the factory to buy off on a replacement or modification.

Sorry Chris but that's as easy a letdown as I could muster for this job.

I really like the lines of that stock.

I LOVE EVERYTHING except the shroud.

I once knew a mechanical engineer who probably would have said after seeing that bolt shroud and safety, "It's fine as far as form, fit, and function goes, but it looks like shit."

Anyone else getting the dreaded red x on the pictures? @$%)#@$!%*%(

I like it except for......the bolt shroud, that is fugley and it would stop me from buying one.

What safety? What bolt shroud?

Some of you guys apparently wouldn't date the most beautiful woman in the world if her make-up was on crooked.

Give me a break.

Terrific rifle.

IMHO If Heym actually markets a rifle like this they will be miles ahead of the rest.

Well, I guess we got most of it right then.

The safety shown on the rifle above is a 3-position. The idea is that the radius of metal below the lever prevents the safety lever from accidentally being moved should it catch on something.



But the feedback here indicates that look of the current Mauser type 3-position shape is preferred by some.

The gunmakers at HEYM have read this thread, and they say no problem.

The rifle can be built with this version from Recknagel if it is preferred by the customer.







Problem solved?

Oh no! If Heym brings a couple of those with the Recknagel bolt shroud to Rambouillet Hunting show in April, I may be out a few more Euros. So Chris, is that a possibility? Have them bring one in .375 H&H and one in .404 Jeffery to make it easy on me. And don't forget to have them put a 14 and 1/4" length of pull on the display models.

The shroud is made bulky&wide to cover up the broad tasteless duckbilled pre64 type tang...

Chris sent me the pics----I like it a lot! Hope it will be at the Guild Show!! Would love to put my 'grubbies" on it!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
Well, I guess we got most of it right then.

The rifle can be built with this version from Recknagel if it is preferred by the customer.

Problem solved?

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
Well, I guess we got most of it right then.

The safety shown on the rifle above is a 3-position. The idea is that the radius of metal below the lever prevents the safety lever from accidentally being moved should it catch on something.



But the feedback here indicates that look of the current Mauser type 3-position shape is preferred by some.

The gunmakers at HEYM have read this thread, and they say no problem.

The rifle can be built with this version from Recknagel if it is preferred by the customer.







Problem solved?

Hey Chris,

What will these rifles weigh in say 458 Lott? If the weight comes in around 9.5 lbs or less I will take one with the Recknagel type safety. We can just swap out my credit and we will be done.

Great looking rifle. For the first time in many years, I feel like buying a factory rifle.

quote:

Great looking rifle. For the first time in many years, I feel like buying a factory rifle.

+1 with the 98 style shroud

Chris, that's really a gorgeous rifle and well ahead of any other rifle other than a strictly custom rifle.

Having a factory rifle that competes with the customs should keep the boys in Germany busy!

Regardless of which safety an individual may prefer, it's outstanding.

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
Hope it will be at the Guild Show!

Yes, it will make the following appearances:

Dallas Safari Club Convention Jan 7-10 (Booth 726)

SCI Convention Jan 20-23 (Booth 5409)
Ralf will be in our booth on Thursday Jan 20.

ACGG Show - it will be in Ralf's booth on Sunday, Jan 24.

Does the bolt clear a German scope?
I'd hate to see the factory modify it if it's necessary. Might end up looking like the safety. Looks pretty good as of now.

quote:

Originally posted by gunmaker:
Does the bolt clear a German scope?

Yes, Ralf tried the Swarovski and the S&Bs when he defined the bolt handle size and angle.

Thank you again for the effort Chris. It really is spectacular looking and I think I can appreciate the safety but like others it may just take a little time.
Remember fins on the old "floatin' boats", now all the real car studs want them.

No one else asked so I will.
PRICE? Or send me a pm please.
Frank

Any possibilty of a left hand model? in .404

Will Ralf Martini have anything to do with the production models, or was his input on the design/prototype side?

Any idea on pricing yet?


cheers,
- stu

Dam this is probably going to cost me some $$$$!!!!

Looks like my next 404J! How much are they going to set us back Chris?

Any possiblity of a short action version?

It looks like a nice factory rifle but looks alone should not be the only factor in choosing a rifle.Other factors such as balance,how it handles recoil in a chosen caliber,stock fit,barrel life and accuracy,feeding reliability and so on are far more important.It worries me that I may one day own a very expensive rifle and find my Ruger to better in many ways.Just because someone built rifles like this back in the good old days doesn't mean that they are best built that way.

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
Hope it will be at the Guild Show!

Yes, it will make the following appearances:

Dallas Safari Club Convention Jan 7-10 (Booth 726)

SCI Convention Jan 20-23 (Booth 5409)
Ralf will be in our booth on Thursday Jan 20.

ACGG Show - it will be in Ralf's booth on Sunday, Jan 24.

Great! I have a rifle on order with Ralph and spoke with him the other day about a couple of items. I am looking forward to seeing this rifle and speaking with the Heym folks from Germany

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
It looks like a nice factory rifle but looks alone should not be the only factor in choosing a rifle.Other factors such as balance,how it handles recoil in a chosen caliber,stock fit,barrel life and accuracy,feeding reliability and so on are far more important.It worries me that I may one day own a very expensive rifle and find my Ruger to better in many ways.Just because someone built rifles like this back in the good old days doesn't mean that they are best built that way.

Are you really as much of a total bloody idiot as your posts here indicate? My buddy and I hunt with rifles from Martini and have the Rugers and have handled the Heym magnum bolt guns. There is simply NO comparison and I doubt that you have ever been more than 50 miles from "peasoup" and never so much as SEEN any animal larger than a Whitetail Deer poached by some frogeater from "the Point".

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
I LOVE EVERYTHING except the shroud.

+1