I hadn't shot my new Chapuis yet (bad weather, just sold the farm and looking for a new place to shoot etc), but after reading the other report thread, I ordered a couple of boxes of Norma 286 Oryx. This came in a couple of days ago and I got a chance to shoot it this evening.

I put a couple of 5" round paste-on targets on a box and set it up at 75 yards. Temp was 20 deg, shooting in the shade and cold wind. I shot standing with elbows rested on flat surface while leaning into bench (basically a standing bench rest. I usually shoot very well like this). I shot a right and left which crossed and were about 7" apart. I fired a third shot from the right barrel and it was between the two, about 3" from the other right barrel and 2" lower.

Next I mounted the scope, fired three or four rounds while moving it to get on the target, then fired 3 rights and 3 lefts as quick as I could reload. They went into a perfect egg shaped cluster about 1-1/2" high and 2-1/2" wide. I finished off the box I had with me sighting in the rifle and didn't have enough to try a 4 or 6 shot group with irons again. The results of shooting this box convinced me of the following:

-The rifle has excellent hunting accuracy with the scope.
-I quit shooting iron sights 40 years ago, and at my age and with my extreme nearsightedness, I don't know if I could ethically hunt at over 25 yards with iron sights now.
-After shooting a box of shells with the 1.25x to 4x Trijicon, I am convinced that it is a much faster and more accurate sighting device at any distance than any iron sight. Set at 1.25x and with the red illuminated triangle on top of the post, it reminds me of shooting my AR15 with a Bushnell HOLOsight. Eye relief and field of view are enormous and target acquisition is near instantaneous. I really believe it is much faster than iron sights.
-I would view the iron sights, for me, as an emergency backup to protect myself at close range in the event of a malfunction.

I know someone will chime in that the regulation changed with the scope, but I don't think so. The scope makes the gun heavier, lessening recoil movement, and if anything should make crossing worse. I believe I simply can't see well enough with a large front sight to shoot accurately at over 25 yards. (I shoot my 416 Ruger very well at that distance.) I am going to put this to the test as soon as the weather improves by shooting the Chapuis at 25, 50 and 75 yards. Also, the first two iron sighted shots were from the barrels as they came from the factory; I will give them a good cleaning, fire some fouling shots and give it another try in the near future.

One other thing I noticed is that the grouping improved the warmer the barrel got. This may have been due to the extreme cold.
Recoil was also surprisingly mild from full factory loads, considering how trim and light the rifle is.

Art,
Did you by chance Chronograph the Norma Loads?

The regulation on my Kreighoff 500/416 did not change when I mounted a scope. The same loads grouped exactly the same at 50 yards.
Peter.

If the first few shots were fired without cleaning you may need to retest as most guns I've bought have a heavy preservative. Different types of lube and the amount in the bore have even affected POI in most of my guns , with testing done to find the best way to get first shot accuracy. May not be same in your situation but just an observation.
Larry

Roscoe,
I believe I got about 2350fps with the Norma out of mine.

If Norma ammo is indeed shooting at 2350 fps velocity and the Chapuis is regulated with that ammo then it could be difficult to duplicate with hand loads. It appears that most of the handloads listed on various threads have a velocity of 2200-2250 FPS. If anyone has any Norma ammo and a chronograph I would appreciate the data.

I have a chrono, it was just too cold and snowy to set it up. I am leaving on a trip. When I get a chance to shoot again, I will be sure and check a couple of rounds.

Roscoe,
it's quite possible that my chrono is reading everything a little fast,I have had no problems with my handloads showing the same velocities!