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Anton Stocks-What do you know about their history

16K views 20 replies 17 participants last post by  grunt 
#1 ·
I'm somewhat familiar with Anton stocks but I would like to know a little about his(?) history. I bought a model 12 with a Anton type roll-over stock that is more comfortable than any other adjustable stocks I have on all my other guns. What's his history, what other kind of stocks did he make? Is he still living? What else is known about him?
 
#2 ·
Anton now resides in the great trapshooting venue in the sky. Paul Hillmer was a disciple of Anton and does business as Paul Hillmer Gunstocks in Hudson, Iowa. Based upon second hand information, Hillmer worked in Anton's shop and now runs the business from the same location

From what I understand, Hillmer is a fitter and woodsmith equal to Anton. Google Hillmer's website.

Larry
 
#6 ·
I talked to Anton years ago at the grand. He would measure you then make a stock to fit. He was the only one I remember doing that at the time. As stated above he always used nice wood and I believe the rose wood and eboney wood plus the roll over was kind of his signature design. I believe when I talked to him I was shooting an old lujtic and he wanted five or six hundred for a stock and forearm. with nicer wood it was more. Sure
 
#7 ·
Paul Hillmer did indeed work for Mr. Anton and took over the business. I believe Paul's wife, Cheryl, is Mr. Anton's daughter. Paul made a stock for me and the experience of being with him in his shop while he cut, sanded and fit for several hours was a great experience.

You will not be sorry if you go to Hudson, IA and spend time with Paul while he works with you. You will have a masterpiece and a stock that will fit you forever (unless you gain or lose a lot of weight <:).

Gene Batchelar
Wheaton, IL
 
#14 ·
Years ago, I spoke to Vic Reinders and asked him who should make me a stock for my model 12? He strongly suggested that I talk to Mr. Anton while he was at the Waukesha state shoot.

Paul Hilmer was his apprentice at the time, and Vic made sure I knew that Mr. Anton was a very religious and incredibly honest man, and there should be no swearing of any kind when I spoke to him. Vic also informed me that Mr. Anton did not work on Sundays.

Most comfortable stock I ever had. Both Mr. Anton and Paul seemed to be very nice.
Steve Balistreri
 
#17 ·
A visit to Anton was something you would never forget. Getting there in the early morning, you would be ushered into his basement shop where he had some wood, a couple of saws, every kind of chisel you can imagine with matching mallets and a few stocks hanging from bent clothes hangers waiting for more checkering from Mrs. Anton or another spray of finish.

Though he had no doubt made hundreds - probably thousands - of MX-8 stocks, he had no tooling or jigs whatsoever. He started with a block of the wood you selected and a mallet and a chisel and that's how he ended, about 1 PM.

All the time you heard old-time Christian hymns from upstairs and might think the radio was on. No, it was Mrs. Anton on her organ. Her husband said he had bought her every kind of "home" organ up to Hammond, but finally moved up to the only proper instrument, a genuine pipe organ and this was her second one. When we went up for the fine lunch she had prepared I marveled at the really, really top-notch instrument she had been playing and the array of brass pipes and such in the small living room which supported it. I'll tell you, when you have heard a big-time pipe organ played in a Waterloo living room you have heard religious music played at its most impressive! She was really good at it too and the low notes would set your whole body into vibration and it was really something.

A few weeks later I picked up the stock and while I must say it never matched my own pounded out to Neil Diamond in my garage, there are still experiences which are worth it no matter what and getting an Anton stock was, for me, one of those experiences.

Neil
 
#19 ·
While I never had a stock made by RJ Anton I have had several made by Paul Hillmer over the years.Very fine fitting,workmanship second to none,and Paul and Cheryl are as fine as folks as can be.Spending a day in their shop haveing a stock made from scratch is a true adventure.
Dave Gilberg
 
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