Swiss gun makers use mechanical ingenuity to stand out

Unable to compete on price, some Swiss gun manufacturers are focusing on novelty and customisation to attract wealthy hunters and hobbyists.    Chamois hunting can be a dangerous sport; chasing the elusive mountain-loving goat-antelope to dizzying heights alone and on foot means that one slip could lead to a fatal fall.  “One of my best hunting friends died on a chamois hunt two years ago,” says Manfred Treutler, owner of the Makura hunting rifle company based in central Switzerland.  Treutler himself was always unhappy about having to lug a gun while keeping an eye on his quarry and his balance at high altitudes. Apart from the personal danger, there was always the risk that his precious rifle could fall and get damaged. One day, he approached master Swiss gun maker Markus Ulrich with his problem.  “I asked him to create a take-down [easily disassembled] rifle that I could put in a rucksack, leaving my hands free to climb,” says Treutler. “There were a lot of take-downs on the ...