All airgunners know the quality of their products. But what’s it really like working at Weihrauch? Let’s find out…
First a couple of reminders. Weihrauch-Sport is a German company. All its airguns (and firearms, as it manufactures those too) are produced in Germany at its’ facility in the pretty small town of Mellrichstadt, Bavaria (population 5,500).
The Weihrauch company is 126 year old. It’s still a real “family company”, run on a day-to-day basis by the direct descendants of the original founders. It’s never been sold-out, taken-over or absorbed by some big, soulless corporation or venture capital group. That’s fantastic!
Below, attendees at a recognition dinner for long-service employees in a local hotel. That’s Hans Weihrauch standing far left, with Michael Sick next to him. Felix Weihrauch stands at the far right. Thilo Schallenkammer is sitting on the left. These are all good people – Weihrauch people.
Let’s imagine you are looking for a job. Here’s how the company markets itself…
“Welcome to Weihrauch Sport! For generations, we stand for quality, innovation, and precision in the field of sporting and small bore repeaters – and for a team that works with heart and soul toward common goals.”
“Whether you’re looking for an apprenticeship, a career entry, or a new challenge with experience: With us, you’ll find exciting tasks, a friendly work environment, and the chance to become part of a strong brand with a long tradition and a clear vision for the future.”
“Set your sights on your goal and get started with us – we look forward to welcoming dedicated individuals who want to think for themselves, help shape the future, and grow with us.”
“Perfection and innovation as well as continuous further development are a top priority in our family business.”
Sounds good, huh?
Below. The company is also active in the local community, for example supporting cultural events, as we see below.
So let’s decide to apply for a shop-floor job as an entry-level machinist.
This is a full-time position, initially limited to one year, with a weekly working time of 35 hours. The working time model is based on a two-week cycle.
For the first week, we’ll work Monday to Thursday between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 6:00 a.m. to noon. In the second week of the cycle, it’s a four-day week, we don’t work on Friday. (Count me in for that!).
If everything works-out, a permanent employment contract may be offered after the first 12-month’s probation period.
Of course, the company also has a TON of CNC-machines too, as you would expect. Maybe we’ll get promoted to running them in future…
To be considered for this position, we will need to be appropriately-qualified as a machinist. We’ll also need organizational skills, diligence, and the ability to work in a team.
On the career page you will find the latest job opportunities. (The page is in German only, for obvious reasons).
Below. Naturally, Weihrauch employees also participate in charity events, such as this company team in a local run. Felix Weihrauch is fourth from right.
Weihrauch stresses the benefits of working for an owner-managed company with a flat hierarchy. (Personally, with my history of working for large corporations with multi-layered management, I feel that’s another HUGE benefit). There’s an open, team-oriented, and friendly atmosphere, too.
We’ll receive performance-related pay, plus 6 weeks of vacation. (YES!!!) The company also offers vacation and Christmas bonuses. There’s a company pension plan if they offer us a permanent position after that initial one-year probationary period.
We can also choose to take advantage of continuing education opportunities, too, among the other benefits.
Looking at the buildings, it’s obvious that the Weihrauch family has invested in providing outstanding working conditions in modern, state-of-the-art buildings. That counts for a lot, too.
So it’s clear that Weihrauch-Sport invests in its 100-plus employees. This is a company with a long-term perspective.
For example, there’s a 3 1/2-year apprenticeship training scheme that’s supervised by the company’s training instructor, Jürgen Eyring.
In 2025 three trainees completed their apprenticeships with great success, marking a significant milestone in their professional careers. These newly qualified professionals went-on to new – more senior – roles within the company.
The graduates were presented with certificates and a special gift. Additionally, they were congratulated and recognized by the management team, represented by Thilo Schallenkammer as well as owners Hans-Hermann and Felix Weihrauch. Felix is seen at the right of the photograph above.
But there’s more…
In addition, Weihrauch-Sport offers two types of internships.
Short internships last between a few days to several weeks. These give students insights into the technical and/or commercial departments at Weihrauch Sport. Upon successful completion, students receive a certificate of participation.
The other type of Internship offers a practical semester for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees students. This can last for up to six months and is paid according to country regulations. It’s a great way for capable young people and the company to get to know each other!
Finally, the company offers vacation work during school and college semester breaks. This gives students aged 16 and over, high school graduates and university students the opportunity to experience working for the company for a minimum of two weeks at a time.
These vacation positions are available in both production and packaging departments. This is great way for young people to gain work experience and can lead to further opportunities with the company in future.
So that’s some idea of what it’s like to work at Weihrauch-Sport.
It sounds to me that it’s a great place to work and that the company values its staff as a key component in its success. That is undoubtedly the reason Weihrauch has so many long-service employees who are deeply invested in the company.
No wonder Weihrauch has a 126-year history of success!
I would like to thank Felix Weihrauch and Thilo Schallenkammer for their help in producing this story. Also to Weihrauch-Sport for providing the photographs.
The post Working At Weihrauch – What’s It Like? appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
Working at Weihrauch – Background
First a couple of reminders. Weihrauch-Sport is a German company. All its airguns (and firearms, as it manufactures those too) are produced in Germany at its’ facility in the pretty small town of Mellrichstadt, Bavaria (population 5,500).
The Weihrauch company is 126 year old. It’s still a real “family company”, run on a day-to-day basis by the direct descendants of the original founders. It’s never been sold-out, taken-over or absorbed by some big, soulless corporation or venture capital group. That’s fantastic!
Below, attendees at a recognition dinner for long-service employees in a local hotel. That’s Hans Weihrauch standing far left, with Michael Sick next to him. Felix Weihrauch stands at the far right. Thilo Schallenkammer is sitting on the left. These are all good people – Weihrauch people.
Working at Weihrauch – The Company’s Perspective
Let’s imagine you are looking for a job. Here’s how the company markets itself…
“Welcome to Weihrauch Sport! For generations, we stand for quality, innovation, and precision in the field of sporting and small bore repeaters – and for a team that works with heart and soul toward common goals.”
“Whether you’re looking for an apprenticeship, a career entry, or a new challenge with experience: With us, you’ll find exciting tasks, a friendly work environment, and the chance to become part of a strong brand with a long tradition and a clear vision for the future.”
“Set your sights on your goal and get started with us – we look forward to welcoming dedicated individuals who want to think for themselves, help shape the future, and grow with us.”
“Perfection and innovation as well as continuous further development are a top priority in our family business.”
Sounds good, huh?
Below. The company is also active in the local community, for example supporting cultural events, as we see below.
Working at Weihrauch – Let’s Apply To Be A Machinist
So let’s decide to apply for a shop-floor job as an entry-level machinist.
This is a full-time position, initially limited to one year, with a weekly working time of 35 hours. The working time model is based on a two-week cycle.
For the first week, we’ll work Monday to Thursday between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 6:00 a.m. to noon. In the second week of the cycle, it’s a four-day week, we don’t work on Friday. (Count me in for that!).
If everything works-out, a permanent employment contract may be offered after the first 12-month’s probation period.
Of course, the company also has a TON of CNC-machines too, as you would expect. Maybe we’ll get promoted to running them in future…
To be considered for this position, we will need to be appropriately-qualified as a machinist. We’ll also need organizational skills, diligence, and the ability to work in a team.
On the career page you will find the latest job opportunities. (The page is in German only, for obvious reasons).
Below. Naturally, Weihrauch employees also participate in charity events, such as this company team in a local run. Felix Weihrauch is fourth from right.
Working at Weihrauch – Company Benefits
Weihrauch stresses the benefits of working for an owner-managed company with a flat hierarchy. (Personally, with my history of working for large corporations with multi-layered management, I feel that’s another HUGE benefit). There’s an open, team-oriented, and friendly atmosphere, too.
We’ll receive performance-related pay, plus 6 weeks of vacation. (YES!!!) The company also offers vacation and Christmas bonuses. There’s a company pension plan if they offer us a permanent position after that initial one-year probationary period.
We can also choose to take advantage of continuing education opportunities, too, among the other benefits.
Looking at the buildings, it’s obvious that the Weihrauch family has invested in providing outstanding working conditions in modern, state-of-the-art buildings. That counts for a lot, too.
Working at Weihrauch – Other Positions
So it’s clear that Weihrauch-Sport invests in its 100-plus employees. This is a company with a long-term perspective.
For example, there’s a 3 1/2-year apprenticeship training scheme that’s supervised by the company’s training instructor, Jürgen Eyring.
In 2025 three trainees completed their apprenticeships with great success, marking a significant milestone in their professional careers. These newly qualified professionals went-on to new – more senior – roles within the company.
The graduates were presented with certificates and a special gift. Additionally, they were congratulated and recognized by the management team, represented by Thilo Schallenkammer as well as owners Hans-Hermann and Felix Weihrauch. Felix is seen at the right of the photograph above.
But there’s more…
In addition, Weihrauch-Sport offers two types of internships.
Short internships last between a few days to several weeks. These give students insights into the technical and/or commercial departments at Weihrauch Sport. Upon successful completion, students receive a certificate of participation.
The other type of Internship offers a practical semester for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees students. This can last for up to six months and is paid according to country regulations. It’s a great way for capable young people and the company to get to know each other!
Finally, the company offers vacation work during school and college semester breaks. This gives students aged 16 and over, high school graduates and university students the opportunity to experience working for the company for a minimum of two weeks at a time.
These vacation positions are available in both production and packaging departments. This is great way for young people to gain work experience and can lead to further opportunities with the company in future.
Working at Weihrauch – Conclusion
So that’s some idea of what it’s like to work at Weihrauch-Sport.
It sounds to me that it’s a great place to work and that the company values its staff as a key component in its success. That is undoubtedly the reason Weihrauch has so many long-service employees who are deeply invested in the company.
No wonder Weihrauch has a 126-year history of success!
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank Felix Weihrauch and Thilo Schallenkammer for their help in producing this story. Also to Weihrauch-Sport for providing the photographs.
The post Working At Weihrauch – What’s It Like? appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
certainly makes me glad to support them though.
