Come On Christmas Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Have you owned one of their guns? Reputable? Shameless
Ivory Jack, #8534 LTG Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Chaparral is not an importer or distributor. They're an Italian manufacturer in Brescia, Italy. Reviews have been mixed on their products.
Remo, SASS #17644 Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 What are you considering to purchase ?
Come On Christmas Posted October 10, 2011 Author Posted October 10, 2011 1866 Round barrel or a octagonal barreled 1866 in 45LC. They are completely steel with color case hardening where there is usually brass. $650 Shameless
Charlie Whiskers Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 NO....what I've heard from different sources is that the quality of these are terrible.Parts from 1 rifle won't fit in another one.That was some time ago when they started showing up on the market.Have they corrected the quality problems...I don't know,but I tend to err on the side of caution.At least with Uberti,if you have 2 or 3 of them and a part breaks in one,you can pull a part out of another one and get it going again if you choose to do so.Can't or couldn't with Chaparrel.
Come On Christmas Posted October 10, 2011 Author Posted October 10, 2011 They are on Gun Broker. Search 1866 in rifle. Guns may actually be 1873's. Ya gets what ya pay for huh? Thanks guys, Shameless
Doc Coles SASS 1188 Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Buy a Chaparral and you will get far less than you pay for (even at the low price they ask). They are not Ubertis, an from my personal experience, I would never buy one of their products again.
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Save your money. Turned down a like new one at the gunshow for $500, the guy even admitted it didn't work like it should, hence the sale. He ended up selling it to a dealer for $435.
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Had one, shot it a few times, couldn't sell it fast enough....at a loss Lesson learned.
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 My 1876 made two trips back to Charter Arms for repairs, and was replaced once. The replacement was just as bad as the original, but I finally got it to function correctly, even though accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. I might replace it with a Uberti soon with Benelli's "Friends of the Industry" promotion.
Frenchy Cannuck Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Silverado Jack shoots a Chapparal 66 in .38spl, that he bought used about 2 years ago. He put in a Short Stroke kit from Pionneer and has had nothing but good things to say about it. The seller Wounded Belly" sold it to buy a new one in .45LC to replace it. Lady Wingshot has been shooting a pair of their Colt 73 repros for the last 2 years and she's very pleased with the guns. Their Canadian distributor " Marstar" is offering a life time garantee on them, take that to mean what you will. So I guess not all bad.
Grizzly Adams 3674 Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 1866 Round barrel or a octagonal barreled 1866 in 45LC. They are completely steel with color case hardening where there is usually brass. $650 Shameless The bitterness of poor quality lingers far longer than the sweetness of a bargain.
Come On Christmas Posted October 10, 2011 Author Posted October 10, 2011 My 1876 made two trips back to Charter Arms for repairs, and was replaced once. The replacement was just as bad as the original, but I finally got it to function correctly, even though accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. I might replace it with a Uberti soon with Benelli's "Friends of the Industry" promotion. Where can ya read up on the Uberti promotion? I did not see it on they site. Shameless
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 It was sent to the store by Benelli - I just looked and can't find anything online about it either.
Remo, SASS #17644 Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Tried to send message BUT your box is full !!!
Buffalo Creek Law Dog Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 I use a Chaparral '66 in .357 mag and it works great. As I have said before, the ones that were sold in the U.S. a few years back were not built and assembled at the factory. The parts were out sourced to different countries and assembled in the U.S. therefore, quality control was none existent. The ones from Marstar in Canada come right from the factory in Italy already assembled. It was my main match gun over my Marlin 94CB and Rossi '92 at the two day 2010 Canadian Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting. A friend of mine has the Chaparral '97 shotgun and loves it. Last year I was next to a guy at the loading table and all of his guns were Chaparral...pistols, rifle and shotgun and he was pleased with them.
Buffalo Creek Law Dog Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 What is a Chap 98 shotgun? Finger problem......should be a '97
Pecos Sam Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 I bought a Chaparral 1866 "Rare Iron Frame" model in 357 when they came out a few years ago. I liked the way it looked, with the faux-CCH slabsided receiver. Had to laugh at their advertising, as there were no Iron Frame 1866s made, AFAIK. Very rare indeed. Marketing bulldust aside, the rifle worked fine right out of the box. I shot it in stock form for a couple of years. Sent it off to Pioneer Gun Works for a tuneup, it works even better now. Feeds 38s like cranberries going through a goose. So, a happy customer here. Pecos
John Boy Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 As I have said before, the ones that were sold in the U.S. a few years back were not built and assembled at the factory. The parts were out sourced to different countries and assembled in the U.S. therefore, quality control was none existent. BC Law Dog, I have to take exception to your statement ... back in the early days of Chaparral, I drove to Charter Arms in CT who had the service contract for Chaparral twice to finger through the parts bins to replace parts on my 45-75 with Nick Ecker, the owner. As an aside, on the 2nd visit, Nick showed me the prototype of the 'Pink Lady' On the right hand side of the service bench was rack steel-framed shelving stacked high with complete Chaparrals - in factory boxes, each having a rifle with a model and serial number. They were shipped from Bresnia as complete firearms. OK, the rest of the story: when Chaparral first went into production, the primary partner, Angelo Bufoli the owner of the defunct Armi San Marco brought workers with him. The majority of them were hacks and the rifles were an example of their lack of workmanship in addition to no quality control at the factory. I corresponded by email with the other partner about QC and inferior firearms. But Angelo had a wife that was a high end model who sucked money out of his pockets like a vacuum cleaner not leaving much for factory expenses. Get the picture? Yes, the early rifles had problems, but they could be corrected and I corrected mine: lever arm, carrier, links, bolt and magazine tube ring. Exterior fit to finish on mine was above average and the barrel bore was excellent. Have target pictures of 100-200-300 yd multiple shot groups - 100yd less MOA and 300yd, centers and 10 ring I have to believe with the additions to their product line, they finally got their act together and in all likely hood - the rifles are much better. But just like AWA the early stink stuck on the problems that won't go away today with the shooter community If I had a need for another Chaparral, which I don't, I'd take the chance to buy one from current production
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 So I follow John Boy's account with interest. It sounds about right. Now, suppose you buy one of these guns and it turns out to be a dud? I would suggest that resale value is gonna be about like a Yugo..... I dunno if I would spend that kinda coin on somethin that BETTER work or it's a wallhanger.... For me, guns are not consumables, rather I expect long service and easy repair or replacement of parts if need be. That MIGHT well justify a USED Uberti VS a NEW Chaparral???
John Boy Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 Had to laugh at their advertising, as there were no Iron Frame 1866s made Sam, you might want to talk with Rob Kassab, President, Winchesters Arms Collectors Association who also has the Rare Winchesters website about whether there 'were no Iron Frame 1866s made' - which there were! Some Henry rifles were made with iron frames, but gun metal, a form of bronze about the same color as brass, was used almost exclusively after serious production began. Easy to machine, gun metal was used exclusively in the frames of the new rifles. It was not long before the new Winchester was dubbed the “Yellow Boy.” The rifle was an instant hit. Some 150,000 Yellow Boys were produced from 1867 to 1892-93. http://www.rarewinchesters.com/articles/art_yellowboy.shtml
John Boy Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 Jack, per Chaparral's website ... Warranty Our products offer a manufacturer's warranty for defects caused by the factory production for the period of one year from the date of the original ownership of the firearm. http://www.chaparralarms.com/customer_service/warranty.htm One can sure shake the bugs out of a firearm in one year, right? Though Uberti has a 5 year warranty, they refused to replace the butt stock with a hair line crack at the tang on a '85 HiWall that came out of the box with it. After 2 months playing ping pong with them - I fixed it myself
Pecos Sam Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 Sam, you might want to talk with Rob Kassab, President, Winchesters Arms Collectors Association who also has the Rare Winchesters website about whether there 'were no Iron Frame 1866s made' - which there were! http://www.rarewinchesters.com/articles/art_yellowboy.shtml Howdy John, This claim has been heard many times in the Winchester collector circles, without a shred of evidence being offered. No actual guns are known to exist. Most reference books, eg. Madis, state that none were made. Until I see an original Iron Frame '66, I will remain a sceptic. Iron Frame Henrys don't count! Since you can't prove a negative, I am sure this topic will never die. Collectors love to bicker over minutia! Apologies if I am sidetracking the Chaparral discussion. PS
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 The original batches of Chaparral rifles imported were ............ JUNK. The guns weren't built right and weren't QC'd before shipment. The replacement parts were worse than the original defective parts. There currently is not a US importer, nor parts supplier. I wouldn't buy one nor recommend one on a bet. Even If I didn't like you The chances of getting one that is correctly built and that works is essentially nil. Coffinmaker
Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 The only way to buy a Chaparral is to be able to try it first in a match. I have a very early one #####75 that needed to be gunsmithed to run. Once the bugs were worked out, it is a sweetheart that runs like an original. It will never be a Uberti and it made Jim Bowie crazy fer a bit. I used several original Winchester parts in mine to make it work and now it is my main match rifle. Jailhouse Jim
Grizzly Adams 3674 Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 The only way to buy a Chaparral is to be able to try it first in a match. I have a very early one #####75 that needed to be gunsmithed to run. Once the bugs were worked out, it is a sweetheart that runs like an original. It will never be a Uberti and it made Jim Bowie crazy fer a bit. I used several original Winchester parts in mine to make it work and now it is my main match rifle. Jailhouse Jim Wow, a new rifle that we need to find antique parts in order to make it run. Your a more tolerant man than I, Jailhouse! On the other hand, I guess if a fella wanted a 73 that was closer to the original 1873, this might just be it.
evil dogooder Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 Cdnn has 66/73 in 45lc for 550 and 76 for 600 in 40-60 45 -60 45-75 50-95 I was debating about them till I saw this post. Dang now i have to look elsewhere
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 At one time the Chaparral guns CDNN was hawking were the last stock KBI had as they went bust. KBI took a real bath in warranty costs for Chaparral rifles. Couldn't get the guns they sold fixed and then nobody would buy the guns they had. The '76s from Chaparral were scary unsafe. NOT a good buy at any price. Coffinmaker
Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 Wow, a new rifle that we need to find antique parts in order to make it run. Your a more tolerant man than I, Jailhouse! On the other hand, I guess if a fella wanted a 73 that was closer to the original 1873, this might just be it. And that my friend is why I kept at it. They are not exact copies but are close in many ways. My original born in 1892 is the backup for the Chappy. The only difference is the Chappy has a Manatee front sight and a screw in magazine plug.
Remo, SASS #17644 Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 In reading all these recurring posts on Chaparrals I am impressed by the amount of non-owners, second/third hand knowledge and hearsay. I have 2 '76's. Both worked OK out of the box but now reworked and made better. They cycle with 1 finger with eerie smoothness. Even made new stocks to fit my tastes. Both shoot accurately and were shot this last weekend @ 100yds with tight groups of 5. Both 45-60 with my loads. Yes they had some problems but so has every other firearm SASS members use. Sorry I did not buy a Uberti.... not now and I will not be getting rid of them
John Boy Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 Remo, here's a 100yd target using the Chaparral 45-75 and the Lee bullet ... http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Targets/PDRM2893.jpg And a combination 200-300 yd target same day, same recipe as the 100yd. While shooting 200yds, the wind started running close to 20mph so the group opened up. Near evening when the wind died down shot 300 yds, the holes with the 'X's' ... http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Targets/200300yd17Aug07.jpg I have also shot the 45-75 at 500 meter Rams and I was pleased with the accuracy
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