Hi there,

I am thinking about ordering a double rifle in this caliber. I am leaning towards the Chapuis UGEX but would also consider the Merkel.

I think the UGEX has ejectors and maybe from pictures looks a little nicer on the eye than the Merkel, but examples of either make may vary.

I would rather the most durable of the two brands. I do prefer a longer barrels.

I would also want the option of mouinting a Trijicon RMR/Doctor or Aimpoint Micro on either one as my eyes are not as good as they once were and as I get older I might have no choice. So of these brands which is easier to mount one of these small red dots on ?

I have a specific purpose in mind for the 9.3x74R double so if I mount an optic the red dot is what I'd prefer over a scope...plus they dont ruin the lines quite as much IMHO.

I will eventually own two doubles the 9.3x74R and a .500 Nitro or maybe a .577 Nitro

I will have to sell off a few rifles to make this happen !

Thankyou

Post Extras:

PC, either one will be accurate and well-made. The newer Model 141 Merkels seem a bit small in build for me, with barrels under 23" as I remember. If a Merkel, I prefer the model 140 which was available in 9.3x74R...it's a full-size rifle. The Chapuis UGEX and RGEX have a strong following here among members. Try both and see which feels best.

Hi PC,

I have one of the newer 141's in 9.3x74r. It's a very light, trim package that packs a wallop on both ends. I think mine tips in at 6.5# without scope and 8# with scope, rings and sling. Yeah, I have a heavier scope on it and I'm really quite fine with that.

My rifle has the Set forward trigger, ejectors, American style straight comb stock and the adjustable barrels.

Accuracy is very decent for a double with adjustable barrels. I have shot several sub 2"/100 yard groups which is plenty good for critters like pigs to 200 yards. With the set trigger and right barrel it will group just over an inch for two shots.

The barrels are short and thin and heat up darn fast. I'd say the rifle is good for two accurate shots, two moderately accurate follow up shots...and then it's pieplate time at best.

My current load is (going off memory here - please double check this) on the low end of data that I've found. 58.0 gr of Ramshot Magnum and a 286gr Hornady IL. This gives me a super consistent 2250 fps at 10 feet and enough recoil in that light rifle that I don't feel any need to push it harder. IIRC, I think I'm 4 gr. under max...

The set forward trigger is something stupid light. Maybe 3oz? It's crazy light.

The automatic safety is fine and didn't take much time to get used to.

All in all, my only "regret" is that I didn't get proper soldered barrels set for the 286gr bullets.

I had a Chapuis. They can be had from the factory with scope/red dot sight bases. I shot a lot of stuff (plains game and a Caracal) in RSA with it in 2010.

points like a little 28 gauge bird gun, and light.

Rich

I had a 141. It was one of the best rifles I have ever owned. I am crying now that I was momentarily overcome with dumbass and sold it. I need to get another.

Here are the 9.3s I have owned, or own, with my take on each. I have not owned a Merkel.
Perugini and Visini; very nice DR; barrels were a bit light. Should have kept it.
Chapuis: Vicious little kicker; barrels are way light; I don't miss it. I bought an 8mm to replace it and that is a better fit in that weight of rifle. Of course, at game, you won't feel the recoil but it smacked my cheek like a punch from Meriweather.
Krieghoff; Heavier barrels and frame, so I like it a lot better.
Custom 9.3: My favorite; the most accurate (one inch at 50 yards), and the best balance.
You should handle and shoot before you buy one.

Thanks folks I think the Merkel is the most cost effective in Australia. I need to look at what can be sold off to finance the purchase.

Cheers Pc

I've got a weakness for merkels... so that would be my choice... the chapuis, I'm sure, are wonderful guns...

Chapuis are wonderful guns, but the make the 9.3 entirely too light; in barrel weight, and overall. No need for a 9.3 to weigh 7 pounds; and the RGEX is even less; nice to carry and point, but harsh recoil. Adding a heavy scope helps.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Chapuis are wonderful guns, but the make the 9.3 entirely too light; in barrel weight, and overall. No need for a 9.3 to weigh 7 pounds; and the RGEX is even less; nice to carry and point, but harsh recoil. Adding a heavy scope helps.

I don't think they are too light by any stretch, nor are they vicious kickers as described. At least, mine isn't.

That said, for my build, the comb is too high which can result in the stock transferring some of the recoil energy to the face. For that matter, every Kreighoff I've shouldered has a "too high comb" for my build as well. I struggle to get my eyes down onto the iron sights on both Chapuis and K-Guns for that reason.

As stated, a scope helps but it's not the added weight that does it for me. Rather, raising the line of sight allows me to get my face off the stock so that the recoil is transferred to the shoulder instead.

Yes, all that contributes to vicious "felt"recoil, (I didn't mean shoulder impulse but I didn't say that) a component of which is the comb hitting my face like a left hook from George Forman. It actually bruised my face and it hurt for 3 weeks. For me, the extreme heel drop and light rifle weight hurt so much; when I ordered my 8mm chapuis, I specified a smaller drop at the heel. As the barrels are the same OD as the 9.3s, it has a slightly heavier muzzle weight too. My two Krieghoffs, one with the American stock and one with Bavarian, do not smack my cheek, nothing like the 9.3 Chapuis, which I sold after only test firing it, did.

The chapuis is a good value for the money,a well designed gun it is not,you will pay a lot more for a custom fitted gun,so you take your lumps & like it mostly on the jaw that is & do not shoot mono solids in it if you want the gun to last

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
do not shoot mono solids in it if you want the gun to last

Oh good grief!! Back to that old are we?


I've never shot anything but monometal solids (Barnes TSX and Banded Solids or CEB #13 and Non-Cons) in my Chapuis 9.3x74R and likely never will. Perfectly safe, as they are in all doubles and single barreled rifles.

But I do have a good photo of that mythical creature, just like OSR!

Ha ha ha ha,
I knew somebody would bite,just wait for a nice 115 deg f day,shoot it with mono's,your gun will show you your mythical beast

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Ha ha ha ha,
I knew somebody would bite,just wait for a nice 115 deg f day,shoot it with mono's,your gun will show you your mythical beast

Bill give it up! Todd's mind is made up!

...................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Ha ha ha ha,
I knew somebody would bite,just wait for a nice 115 deg f day,shoot it with mono's,your gun will show you your mythical beast

Well, I shot it numerous times in the Dande Safari Area in December of 2013 when the temps were around 125F or so. STILL no mythical beast to speak of!

Todd,
this really is not a battle of wills just my experience,perhaps you need to shoot some more,Dande or wherever,no offense just do not baby those thin barrels

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Todd,
this really is not a battle of wills just my experience,perhaps you need to shoot some more,Dande or wherever,no offense just do not baby those thin barrels

[COLOR:BLUE]Bill, Todd is right for simple reason that he has never used anything but properly designed MONO-METAL solids. That being said I know that OSR is a real phenomenon, not just an old wives tale. Todd simply doesn't believe that however. He is allowed his opinion, and what he shoots harms no one's rifles but his own.

The old MONO-METALS with no So-called "pressure rings" that were very hard with no place for the displaced metal displaced by the rifling to go raising stress on the barrel walls were the culprit not the solids he shoots. I use North Fork bullets on all my double, because like some of the similarly designed solids they are safe IN MY OPINION, and EXPERIENCE!
....................................................................OVER& OUT!BYE [/COLOR}

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Todd,
this really is not a battle of wills just my experience,perhaps you need to shoot some more,Dande or wherever,no offense just do not baby those thin barrels

Funny. I can't think of anyone who has actually told me I need to shoot MORE than I do! There's always a first however!!

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Todd simply doesn't believe that however. He is allowed his opinion, and what he shoots harms no one's rifles but his own .

[/COLOR}

Point of fact Mac, but what I shoot hasn't harmed ANY of my rifles, nor any of the other rifles I've loaded for either! So ... I took the liberty of fixing your statement for ya!



But you and I have this before.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Todd,
this really is not a battle of wills just my experience,perhaps you need to shoot some more,Dande or wherever,no offense just do not baby those thin barrels

Funny. I can't think of anyone who has actually told me I need to shoot MORE than I do! There's always a first however!!

one can never shoot enough

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Todd simply doesn't believe that however. He is allowed his opinion, and what he shoots harms no one's rifles but his own .

[/COLOR}

Point of fact Mac, but what I shoot hasn't harmed ANY of my rifles, nor any of the other rifles I've loaded for either! So ... I took the liberty of fixing your statement for ya!



But you and I have this before.

............Yes we have That however is then and this is now! where have you been?
Haven't seen you on the forum much lately!

PS: Thanks for the STRIKE but it not needed! All I was saying was that it is your business
what you shoot because if it damages your rifle it hurts nobody but you.

If I remember that is what you told me in reply to the first post I ever posted to you. I think the exact words were....
" If they damage my rifle, I'll pay to have them fixed, and it will not cost you a dime!"

..................................................................... You were right it hasn't cost me even a penny!