Swedish brand VO Vapen is legendary among renowned hunters worldwide for producing exquisite rifles that blend tradition with innovation. It’s also a story about family.
In 1977, Viggo Olsson founded a company devoted to the art of gunmaking in his garage. Today, VO Vapen operates from VO Faktori, a facility next to a Renaissance castle, where separate sections craft stocks, mechanics and more are meticulously created. Here, every detail of each rifle is made from scratch—an uncommon practice in modern gunmaking.
“Our country has a rich tradition of metalwork, rooted in our globally renowned steel. Here, we take perfection and new technology seriously—after all, this is the land where Linnaeus classified the natural world and Celsius established an exact temperature scale,” says Ulf Olsson, gunsmith and owner of VO Vapen.
Even though the company is famed for producing unique hunting rifles for distinguished buyers, this is not something Olsson wishes to discuss, choosing to focus on artisanship. “Our company was founded by my father out of a true love for craftsmanship and hunting,” he says. “We are constantly striving to find new ways to overcome challenges in the art of gunmaking, creating rifles that seamlessly blend the old and the new, achieving a balance as exact as the rifles themselves.”
The family business prides itself on developing ongoing bonds with the hunters who use their weapons. Unlike conventional business strategies focused on specific geographical markets, this link between craftsman and customer often develops into enduring relationships spanning several generations. In this father-and-son company, these connections are taken as seriously as the intricate production process. At its purpose-built facility, traditional, reliable methods are being used side-by-side with modern, innovative machinery and technologies.
As VO Vapen launches a new contemporary rifle for a new generation, we take a closer look at the production processes involved in crafting these exquisite artefacts.
Step 1
The stock is designed to be strong, yet so light in your hand, and most of all: beautiful. The quest for the ideal walnut root takes the VO Vapen team across the globe to source the ideal wood to form the essence of its stock. Once meticulously air-dried, the roots are then washed and the bark is shaved off. The wood is then cut and carefully stored for three years so the moisture is gradually drawn out.
Step 2
Now the walnut is ready to be worked into a shape that will stand the test of time. The wood is gently precision-filed, sandpapered and oiled by hand by craftsmen in the VO Faktori facility. This is important preparation for the marriage between wood and metal that will follow.
Step 3
VO Vapen rifles are forged from quintessentially Swedish steel, which is world-renowned. All metal parts are precision-filed and polished by hand, and transformed into elegant, accurate rifle parts. A bespoke product is made according to every client’s wishes.
Step 4
Next, the barrels are designed according to special length and weight parameters to ensure the perfect balance for every calibre, all tailored to the customer. To reach the highest precision possible, they are thoroughly tested at VO Vapen’s state-of-the-art shooting gallery, under the vigilant eye of master gunsmith Viggo Olsson and gunsmith Ulf Olsson.
Step 5
The engraving is a vital part of the expression of a rifle from VO Vapen. The engraving work is unique for every rifle and completed by the world’s finest engravers using new and tested methods developed over the years.
Step 6
Rifles are completed with various finishings and inventions, many of which are patented. From sightholders to muzzle breaks and rubber butt pads, all these innovations have been created, produced and tested at VO Faktori.
