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Chapuis Challenger

08 Nov 2011
@ 01:04 pm (GMT)

Richard Barren

Has anyone had anything to do with a Chapuis Challenger Rifle, what are they like?

Regards,
Richard.

Replies

08 Nov 2011
@ 05:35 pm (GMT)

Quote this

Nathan Foster

Re: Chapuis Challenger

Hi Richard, this type of rifle is not really my sort of thing I am sorry. I prefer a working rifle, not art work. There is currently a trend in Europe for small groups of engineers and designers to attempt innovatve designs for the sake of innovation alone. There is a great deal of intellectual snobbery involved and I prefer to have no part in it.

When rifle shopping (visiting the manufacturers website), the rifle should have a proper description of how it is made and technical specifications. This more recent approach of some nice photos but no technical details in some cases not even twist rates) or pricing is very annoying and arrogant.

On the particular rifle in question, the low set hog back stock will increase recoil with high power cartridges, regardless of its potentially silky smooth fit. This combined with the optics unit shown which has approximately 2.5" eye relief, is a sure recipe for a cut eye brow and long term flinch if the rifle is used under anything but ideal conditions. I have no idea how the rifle is assembled and how this assembly will hold up long term.

In days gone by, when a hunter wanted a truly handsome rifle, he would contract a business like H&H or Griffin and Howe (in Australia there was Peter Mckay or Bill Hambley Clark) to build him something of beauty, based on a solid, 'drag it through the mud and it will still work' action. You can still do this today, you can have your cake your cake and eat it. There is nothing to stop you from having a switch barrel M700 with Sako extractor mated to for example, a Kevin Gaskell stock (New Zealand). If you absolutely must have a take down or switch barrel rifle, pretty much all of the traditional rifle brands can be made into switch barrel rifles via a grub screw barrel assembly, a relatively simple machining proposition.

Hope this helps a bit.