Mission to Manurhin

dlb · Post by **dlb** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:10 pm

There have been a few posts that discuss the direct import of handguns by US residents. I've been trying to acquire a Manurhin MR73 Match revolver. It doesn't appear that Chapuis Armes, Manurhin's owner, has a US distributor. The two companies that had carried them most recently no longer do.

Does anyone know of a Manurhin dealer overseas who sells to the US?

*Hermann's in Australia doesn't sell to the US any longer.

Jose Rossy · Post by **Jose Rossy** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:53 pm

Don't know about the 73, but their 88 range seem to be nothing but Ruger knock-offs.

GOVTMODEL · Post by **GOVTMODEL** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:12 am

In recent years, getting out of a foreign country has been a bigger problem than getting them into the US.

I have brought a number of pistols and revolvers into the US using the BATFE Form 6. There has never been a problem on this end.

Have you asked our sponsor? They are in the importing business:-)

dlb · Post by **dlb** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:51 pm

Had you purchased from a retailer or distributor overseas, or from the company directly?

GOVTMODEL · Post by **GOVTMODEL** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:10 am

I made my purchase from retailers, who obtained the appropriate documents in their country. They provided the information needed to complete the Form 6. I sent the Form 6 to BATFE. When it was approved, I scanned it and sent the scan to the seller.

After that it was just waiting for the package to arrive:-) My local FFL did the transfer to me.

Richard

Neil Foster · Post by **Neil Foster** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:13 am

Why would you want a revolver that it would be impossible to service, and get parts for in the US? Look for a nice S&W 14-3, they are SA only and out there.
Neil

jipe · Post by **jipe** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:30 pm

MR73 is an exceptional revolver, a pure match revolver with a specific technology and nothing really compares to it for match use. Its manufacturing quality is also exceptional, Chapuis almost makes it for you like they make v ery high end game rifles.

When you wrote to Chapuis, take into account that many French people do not speak English.

dlb · Post by **dlb** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:21 pm

When you wrote to Chapuis, take into account that many French people do not speak English.

That's what I'd assumed.

I'll bug Scott and a few other potential importers. But if anyone knows of a specific overseas retailer/distributor that's comfortable handling the export of a MR73, please contact me.

I've contacted Hermann's in Australia, as he has sold these to the US before, but it's apparent that Hermann isn't interested - It seems that he'd had a bad experience with US buyers.

thanks

K38 · Post by **K38** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:00 am

have been trying for many years to find a match quality.32 revolver. .38 would do fine, but it is not what I wanted. Did you want to get the gun in.32 or .38? Let mw know if you have any luck. I may be able to add to your order. ($2000???)

Dwight

K38 · Post by **K38** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:01 am

mistake

Florey · Post by **Florey** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:23 am

dlb wrote:There have been a few posts that discuss the direct import of handguns by US residents. I've been trying to acquire a Manurhin MR73 Match revolver. It doesn't appear that Chapuis Armes, Manurhin's owner, has a US distributor. The two companies that had carried them most recently no longer do.

Does anyone know of a Manurhin dealer overseas who sells to the US?

*Hermann's in Australia doesn't sell to the US any longer.

They are in stock in Australia. I bought a .32 Match a couple of months ago and was so pleased with it that I have now ordered the .38 Match.

The importer is www.parabellumimports.com.au and their retail arm is

www.viccityarms.com.au. They have the .32 s listed on their website.

Don't knock the MR88 either. The barrel and cylinder on the MR88 are from the MR73 and the whole gun is finely made & finished that makes Rugers look like rubbish

Neil Foster · Post by **Neil Foster** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:24 am

At over $2000. US plus shipping via air, converted from AU $, this is a very expensive revolver. In the US parts are readily available for the K-38 Model 14-3. You should be able to find a nice SA one for about $450 or so. And it is a product made in the USA!!
Neil

Jiri · Post by **Jiri** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:57 am

Hermann's lists the match revolver at $1499 USD not 'over $2000'. Also the 14-3 is not a SA revolver. Some were built for SA, but not most.

I hope I will not upset people by stating that the Manurhin is much more accurate than a Model 14. Their match revolver is rated for 20mm at 25M. With the cost of a Model 14 + the work needed to achieve such accuracy, you could easily spend more than the cost of a Manurhin.

Neil Foster · Post by **Neil Foster** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:47 pm

Sorry Jiri,
14-3's were built as SA, I have one along with the original box and documentation. It is marked on the box as SA. According to "The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson", 3rd Edition the 14-3 SA was manufactured between 1961-1962. Standard K-38 Model 14-3 were also designated as 14-3. However, only some 14-3's were made by S&W as SA. Most were 6" bbls., there were some rare ones with 8 3/8" bbls. The series of the K-38 ran from 14 to 14-7, the 14-7 was discontinued in November 1999
Neil

K38 · Post by **K38** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:53 pm

The gun to get your hands on would be the S&W model 16-3 in .32 S&W Long. These are very rare and command a price in the $2000 area. I don't know if there are any made as single action only but any K32 is quite a find. There were 14-2, 14-3, and 14-4 made as single action only and there were factory sets of SAO hammers and triggers sold on a vacuum packed card. I have a custom job that is a Model 15-3 (K38 combat masterpiece) with a 6" model 14 barrel it has a Bo-Mar rib and a factory single action trigger and hammer set (very wide trigger and hammer for single action rapid fire) this was assembled by Alex Hamilton at Ten Ring Precision. and had a little extra work by Allen Tanaka at AT Custom. I like the gun very much and it shoots well and is not too heavy for one handed use. I am not sure the action or trigger pull is all that much different from my Model 14-3 double action or my Model 15-8 5" Ed Mcgivern commemorative from the performance center. I know that you really have to "letter" any Model 14 to find out if it left the factory as a single action. I also have no information if the single action only guns started before the Model 14-2.

K38

Dwight

K38 · Post by **K38** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:06 pm

The big improvement on the Custom K38 is the Bo-Mar rib. This is a much better sight than the S&W and since it is all one piece it is easy to get installed. Aristocrat lists an aluminum sight rib now as well these are very wide for a PPC Bull barrel, but could be adapted. Bo-Mar may be out of business as Bob (the Bo in Bo-Mar) has died in a car accident and most sources list Bo-Mar products as out of stock. The situation is up in the air however. I needed to use a safe-edge file to open the rear site as it was very tight for my old eyes.

Dwight

Florey · Post by **Florey** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:38 am

Neil Foster wrote:At over $2000. US plus shipping via air, converted from AU $, this is a very expensive revolver. In the US parts are readily available for the K-38 Model 14-3. You should be able to find a nice SA one for about $450 or so. And it is a product made in the USA!!
Neil

You get what you pay for...

The quality, fit & finish and accuracy of the MR73 is truly astounding.....

Buy a Manurhin, you won't regret it...

Spencer · Post by **Spencer** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:55 am

K38 wrote:The big improvement on the Custom K38 is the Bo-Mar rib. This is a much better sight than the S&W and since it is all one piece it is easy to get installed. Aristocrat lists an aluminum sight rib now as well these are very wide for a PPC Bull barrel, but could be adapted. Bo-Mar may be out of business as Bob (the Bo in Bo-Mar) has died in a car accident and most sources list Bo-Mar products as out of stock. The situation is up in the air however. I needed to use a safe-edge file to open the rear site as it was very tight for my old eyes.

Dwight

A slightly lower front sight to accommodate 'sub-6' aiming I can understand, but what is the adavantage for ISSF of a sight rib on a K38?

Spencer

K38 · Post by **K38** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:15 am

Bo-Mar sights offer a much better sight picture than the original. and they do not raise the sight line an lot. The sights are much more repeatable and the extra weight is not such a bad thing on a .38. The rib adds 100 grams and raises the sight line 4mm from the stock sight. There is also a replacement sight blade available for the S&W rear sight that gives a better sight picture.

Dwight

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:22 pm

K38 wrote:There is also a replacement sight blade available for the S&W rear sight that gives a better sight picture.Dwight

Dwight,

Could you please provide information about this rear sight blade, esp. where to get one? Does it require any mod to the front sight?

TIA,
FredB

TargetTalk

Mission to Manurhin

Mission to Manurhin

??

.32?

Re: Mission to Manurhin

14-3

Bo-Mar

Re: Bo-Mar

Bo-Mar

Re: Bo-Mar