Chapius Double Rifle update

geoffrey

Well-Known Member
Hi all. Last summer in France I went into a gunsmiths and made an impulse purchase and came away with a Chapuis Double rifle in 8 x 57jrs calibre, took it to the range in France and was encouraged with the accuracy I got from the right barrel but struggled with the left due I think to the force required to pull the rear trigger, back in the uk my local gunsmith adjusted the rear trigger pull from 10lb to a useable 4lb.
I started looking around for a suitable scope and not wanting to spend a fortune decided on a Leupold 1.25 to 4 x 20 Pig Plex scope with illuminated red dot, scanning the adds I found that eddy EMcC had one for sale so a deal was struck and the scope arrive a few days later,
The next job was to mount the scope and on the advise of 8x57 it was sent to Alan Rhone who supplied and fitted a set of swing off rings and mounts and sent the rifle back to my RFD.
The stock was a little on the long side for me so I had Sorrel brothers of East Grinstead Shorten and refinish it with a nice oiled finish.
Next job was to sort out the reloading equipment needed, 8 x 57 gave me good advise and 1967 SPUD sourced all the necessary items.
Well I am back in France and intend going to the range on Wednesday to try it out, I have some factory ammunition, and have also loaded six rounds using Hornady 196gn bullets over 42.5grains of N140.

Cheers Geoff

chapius 2.jpg


chapius.jpg
 
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lovely lovely gun! When you say you were encouraged with the accuracy how accurate were you at 100m and have you tried it at any longer ranges. Also was it using the ammunition the gun was regulated for. I only ask as I would be very tempted to get a Chapuis double. regards sbm
 
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Hi sbm i tried it at 50 yards using a doctor red dot which came with the gun the right barrel grouped at about 1,25 inches the left probably three inches but as i said the rear trigger was so heavy i was pulling the shots, i was using 195gn winchester factory ammo, i really dont know what ammo was used to regulate the rifle, 8x57 on this site uses a chapuis double he can probably let you know more about the accuracy, i will report back after my outing at the range cheers Geoff
 
I am not absolutely certain Geoffrey but I believe that Chapuis normally use Norma Oryx ammo to regulate their rifles but they could also use RWS as well.

My Chapuis UGEX is very similar to yours except mine is in 9.3x74r. I have also fitted a Leupold European 1.25-4x20 scope and mine too is in mounts supplied by Alan Rhone but in my case they are Ziegler.

The gunsmith in France where I purchased my rifle (http://www.riffaut.com/) refused to sell me the rifle until the stock was shortened to fit me allowing for heavy winter clothing. My thoughts were that in Britain this would be promised to be done in weeks but would actually take several months, but he said come back after lunch. So I went back an hour and a half later and it was done, and what a superb job he did with the cut totally invisible and the walnut but plate fitted neatly back in place without a scratch. Then it was off to the testing range (including running boar) before he would accept payment. This sort of service is only available from the likes of H&H in the U.K. yet the cost was fairly reasonable.

I will post pictures of my Chapuis for comparison with yours later today if I get a chance.
 
If you email Chapuis with the serial number, they should be able to tell you what ammunition it was regulated for.

They seem to favour Norma, so the options would appear to be 196g, in either Oryx, Vulkan, or Alaska.

I don't know how you're trying to test/zero the rifle, but my Chapuis will not shoot off a rest/bag, resting on the fore end, at least I've not found a way to do it yet. It shoots all over the place, and the only way I can zero mine is offhand.
 
+1 As Lateral says rest the hand not the fore end or barrels of the rifle.
 
Never seen it offered for sale in the U.K. Southern, in fact I never knew it was made. There would be an extremely small market if any in the U.K. for such ammo so I suppose it would be a special order from the importers even if you wanted any or even knew it existed. Special orders normally require a minimum quantity of something like at least 200 rounds.

Winchester advertise their European range of cartridges in the U.K. but few if any RFDs carry the stock but it is fairly common to see it on the shelves in France. Unfortunately Winchester do not offer for sale the bullets for reloading that they use in these cartridges in the U.K.
 
Hornady also makes an 8x57JS Vintage Match with 196-gr FMJ BT at about 2,400 fps, but they are hard to find here.

I have shot the mild Remington 180-gr RN Core Lokt 8x57 ammunition in my 1888 Commission Rifle. Its bullet is a compromise 0.321 inch diameter bullet. I have pulled those bullets and used the powder to charge the 8x57JRS cases for my combination gun, and they shoot very well. I wish I could buy a box of the bullets, or the 175-gr Sierras, but none to be found now for years.

Let's face it: you don't need to jack up an 8x57 too much for it to be pretty potent inside 100 yards, and a combination or double rifle with its long barrels will give some extra velocity. The fellow who bought my first 8x60S, a 20-inch Mannlicher stocked Mauser, used a 200-gr Nosler Partition at 2,500 fps to flatten a charging grizzly bear inside 20 yards. The bullet went from chest to hindquarter, only a hand's spread from exiting. At that range, 2,350 fps would have done the same job. I bet he would have liked to have had two barrels that day.
 
If you email Chapuis with the serial number, they should be able to tell you what ammunition it was regulated for.

They seem to favour Norma, so the options would appear to be 196g, in either Oryx, Vulkan, or Alaska.

I don't know how you're trying to test/zero the rifle, but my Chapuis will not shoot off a rest/bag, resting on the fore end, at least I've not found a way to do it yet. It shoots all over the place, and the only way I can zero mine is offhand.

A good halfway house is to shoot off a lecturn standing up with hand between leather lecturn rest and rifle forend - standard stuff for BG doubles - I go to H&H to use theirs and zero the 500NE before a trip bit of a faff I know if you aren't too close but there must be others at at other ranges I know Kynoch have one in the underground tunnel
S
 
To all those with doubles can any one give an indication of the expected accuracy of a Chapuis or other good double at say 50, 100 and 200 yards with right barrel, left barrel and both barrels with a good quality scope and using regulated ammunition or a good hand load if the shooter does their part. I am talking about a small caliber like a 7x57 rather than a big bore like a .470 or 500. regards sbm
 
You should be expecting 60mm groups at 200m firing two shots from each barrel on a blazer S2 or BBF97. I have regulated 3 in 9.3x74R and this is my experience so far. Shooting competitive against chapuis they can't hold a candle to them.
 
mchughcb thanks for the reply, so in your experience, the Blaser s2 is a step up from the Chapuis RGEX in a similar caliber. 2.5 inches at 200m from the Blaser is more than acceptable for my uses regards sbm
 
To all those with doubles can any one give an indication of the expected accuracy of a Chapuis or other good double at say 50, 100 and 200 yards with right barrel, left barrel and both barrels with a good quality scope and using regulated ammunition or a good hand load if the shooter does their part. I am talking about a small caliber like a 7x57 rather than a big bore like a .470 or 500. regards sbm

I believe the recognised standard for most doubles was 4 rounds in a 40mm circle at 50M.
My Chapuis will do this easily with the right ammo. I have never shot it beyond 100 yards.
 
Posted by Geoffrey

Took the Chapius to the range yestersday. set a target up at fifty yards and after a couple of shots to get the scope bang on i fired three shorts with the right barrel which grouped at about one inch then the same with the left, the two groups were about 2.5 inches apart with the left barrel about one inch lower, this was with 196gn winchester factory rounds, Next i fired my home loads which grouped quiet well but all were three quarters of an inch lower with the same spread between barrels, and was a much softer round , I then fired six shots into a six inch circle using open sights, my home loads was using 42.5gns of N140 and a 196gn bullet, so i will up the load slightly and try again next week, i expect that in the end i will scope the rifle knowing that each barrel shoots about 1,25 inches off center at fifty yards, it will be interesting to see what spread i get at 100yds. Cheers Geoff
 
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