(go here for Part I and Part II)
…in which I look at some things that the Frogs have done well.
One would think that French gun manufacturing would be as quirky and silly as the Frogs are themselves, but that is not the case. Othias and Mae have expounded on early French guns at length, and while the French have had their missteps, they’re no worse and often better than the Brits, Germans and Americans, to name but some.
The question, as is so often the case, is “But what have they done for us recently?”
Let’s look at longtime gun manufacturer Chapuis Armes as an example. I won’t go into much historical detail about them (see here instead), but let me draw your attention to this little thing:
It’s the Chapuis Chasseur Classique side-by-side shotgun, in either 12-, 20- or 28 gauge. (They also make O/U shotguns, if you’re that way inclined.)
“But Kim,” you wail, “such beautiful guns cost way too much and anyway, we can’t get them Over Here.”
Au contraire, mes petis choux, you can find them at Bass Pro and Cabelas. And yes, they cost over six grand apiece, but then again, these are fine sporting guns (not your Mossberg/Winchester pump guns), and I think they compare very favorably to others of their ilk, such as the Beretta Iubileo.
But it doesn’t stop with shotguns. Chapuis also makes rifles, especially of the “dangerous game” type. Here’s the Elan double rifle:
…and the Rols straight-pull bolt-action:
Both rifle types come in extremely manly and commonsense chamberings: none of that “8mm Lebel” or “7.5x54mm” nonsense.
Feel free to visit their USA website (which is in English, even) to get the details. Warning: there may be extreme drooling.
Let’s be a little careful with that “Winchester pumps” crack. Granted, they were never THAT expensive or gorgeously turned out, but some guy at an old Nation Of Riflemen site even spent some time and electrons on the Model 12, which sadly hasn’t been built for lo these past 40-odd years.
That gun (I have one of the pre-WWII examples, corncob furniture) points like the very finger of doom and never misfires with any ammunition.
Mossbergs? Yes, they’re working man’s guns — and look like it — but they’re built like tanks and will take a beating. Got a 500 under the bed for those unscheduled social engagements. So yeah, I trust them to get the job done.