Help! my rifle drowned.

[Bugscuffle]

That's just my luck. I find a really pretty model 94 AE in 45 LC, I order it and before he can ship it out to me a danged ol' tornado comes along, destroys the shop and drowns my new rifle. Well now I have to start shopping all over again. Now what's caught my eye are two rifles by Chaparal both are 20" or 24" octagon barrel and in .45 LC. One is an 1866 Win. clone and the other is an 1873 Win. clone. The prices are virtually the same. I don't have any experience with either of these rifles. Can some of you old timers out there help me out. Which model and barrel length would be sest for CAS?

[Forty Rod]

I won't get into this discussion (I have a 66 and a 73, both are 24" and .44-40), because opinions are like....well, you know...but I had something similar happen a couple of years back.  A pair of Uberti 1860 Army .44 percussion sixguns rode out the storms in Oshkosk.  I accepted them after the seller said he'd gone over them with a fine tooth comb, cleaning and checking everything, and other than being a couple of weeks late they were in great shape.

Sorry yours didn't turn out better for you.

[Pettifogger]

Whenever the Chapparal comes up everyone in the U.S. pretty much says they are junk.  All the ones I have seen are junk.  They are no longer imported (argument over whether they are still made) into the U.S.  There are no parts and none of the aftermarket parts fit.  Someone from Canada will almost always chime in saying they an still get them in Canada and they work great.  My recommendation is to skip the Chapparal and buy a Uberti.  The most popular version for CAS is a 20" Border rifle with a little edge to the 73 because it is slightly easier to take apart to clean.

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[Bugscuffle]

40-rod, You didn't say who made your '66 and '73. Are they Chapparels? Pettifogger seems to think that the Chapparels are no good. If that is so, then thank you for your information. Well then, I might as well run another name by, but I'm fairly sure what I'll get for opinions on the Rossi line of rifles.

[wildman1]

I don't have a lot of "experience" with lever guns but I do own a Rossi in 45 Colt, shoots and cycles fine, I like it. My wife has one in 357/38 spl and it works fine as long as you are authoritative when ya cycle it. Works better for my wife when she shoot 38 spl. I haven't "slicked" them yet as I want to use them for a while and then decide what they need if anything. Hope that helps ya BS.  WM

[Jefro]

Whenever the Chapparal comes up everyone in the U.S. pretty much says they are junk.  All the ones I have seen are junk.  They are no longer imported (argument over whether they are still made) into the U.S.  There are no parts and none of the aftermarket parts fit.  Someone from Canada will almost always chime in saying they an still get them in Canada and they work great.  My recommendation is to skip the Chapparal and buy a Uberti.  The most popular version for CAS is a 20" Border rifle with a little edge to the 73 because it is slightly easier to take apart to clean.

What Pettifogger said, most of the well know CAS gunsmiths will not even work on them. Yes there are a few pards that have bought them and seem to work fine, there are also a couple of Henry Big boys that can make it through a match. The drowning of the 94 AE is a blessing in disguise, they are not the best choice for CAS. Save your money and buy an Uberti, you'll be glad you did. Good Luck

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Forty Rod]

40-rod, You didn't say who made your '66 and '73. Are they Chapparels? Pettifogger seems to think that the Chapparels are no good. If that is so, then thank you for your information. Well then, I might as well run another name by, but I'm fairly sure what I'll get for opinions on the Rossi line of rifles.

Henry, '66, and '73 are all Ubertis, all .44-40.

'76 is a Chaparral and works fine, but I don't reload and .45-60 bp ammo is pricey.

'86 and '95 are Brownings and there are very few finer.  A .45-70 and a .30-40 US Krag calibers

'92 is a Rossi...marked EMF Hartford model and aside from being a .45 (I prefer .44-40 in" pistol caliber" long guns) is a great rifle.

'94 is a '21 or '23 vintage (I can't ever remember which) gin-you-wine Winchester in .30-30.

My 1860 army sixguns are Uberti and my .45  SAA clones are .45 Colt by the original AWA, but mighty fine guns anyway.

My only complaints about the Chaparral are the mismarked name of the distributer (Charles DAILY), and the lever isn't quite lined up with the bore.  It's almost unnoticeable and doesn't effect the operation.  I bought it for  song because of the markings.

[LoneRider]

Back away from The Chaparal.................Wayyyyyyyyy Back!!   Get ya a Uberti!!