Mission to Manurhin

[dlb]

Is this the one?
http://www.jackweigand.com/smith_wesson_rear_blade.html

[K38]

Yes that is the one. I have one, but I have not put it in yet to try it. I would think the narrow notch would be too tight, but your milage may vary!

Dwight

[dlb]

Weigand makes a changeable front post assembly as well, but I've never seen this installed, nor their rear sight blade.

Re: K38s
I have a 14-2 and a 14-3. Only the 14-2 is currently in match condition, and this is set-up for BE and related formats.

As another poster had recognized, extensive accuracy work is expensive. The Manurhin certainly isn't cheap, but its price is not out of line when you consider comparable options.

Another very good match revolver is the Colt Officers Model Special - http://www.sportingcollectibles.com/cph ... odspcl.jpg
For whatever reason, these seem to fly under the radar of Colt revolver fanatics and so don't tend to carry the price premium of the Match or Target versions.

[K38]

I have a Colt OMM in .38 and .22 They are at least as nice as the K38/K22. I like the sights better and they can be had for about $500 in 99% condition. There are even some SAO versions. There are very few gunsmiths who can work on a Colt double action revolver. As you can tell I am a revolver lover. I would really like to get a TOZ 49 converted to .32 S&W Long.


Dwight

[JamesH]

Why not just use the original cartridge?

Dies and brass are available, you would need ~0.310 bullets, thats about it.

Conversion requires sleeving the chambers and setting the barrel back.
It seems like a lot of effort for not much benefit and the chance of wrecking a perfectly good gun.

[tpow]

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.

I was talking to Hermann's to day about the Manurhin MR73 Match revolver they don't distrubit the revolvers any more. The last shipment they had 'were' sub-standard. This started after Chapuis Armes had bought out Manuhin. And they had to put in a lot of time to fix the problems. They were not happy!

[tpow]

Why not just use the original cartridge?

Dies and brass are available, you would need ~0.310 bullets, thats about it.

Conversion requires sleeving the chambers and setting the barrel back.
It seems like a lot of effort for not much benefit and the chance of wrecking a perfectly good gun.

Hi James
Who make the Dies and brass and ~0.310 bullets. Is this in the States? I'm in Australia, Thanks.

[David Levene]

Is this in the States? I'm in Australia

So is James. I'm surprised you don't know him as Australia's such a small country ;-)

[Guest]

The last shipment they had 'were' sub-standard. This started after Chapuis Armes had bought out Manuhin

Wasn't Manurhin purchased in the late 90's?

It's strange that these problems would appear almost a decade after they took ownership?

I've used match revolvers of theirs that have been built over the past few years and they've seemed fine - certainly nothing that indicated a quality problem.

[dlb]

I was talking to Hermann's to day about the Manurhin MR73 Match revolver they don't distrubit the revolvers any more. The last shipment they had 'were' sub-standard. This started after Chapuis Armes had bought out Manuhin. And they had to put in a lot of time to fix the problems. They were not happy!

They didn't tell me that. The response that I'd gotten suggested that they were fed up dealing with Americans - i.e. something to the affect of 'you Americans have been nothing but trouble'. But they didn't indicate that they were no longer carrying these.

Has anyone else heard of quality problems w/ Manurhin?

[JamesH]

So is James. I'm surprised you don't know him as Australia's such a small country ;-)

Yeah good one David!

Simplex can be prevailed upon to make dies (steel not carbide), Alex Taransky may have a set in reserve - he has bought batches.

I only used the resize and crimp dies from Simplex, for fill and seat I used Dillon 32S+WL.
And 9mm/0.38 Super Dillon conversion units can be altered to suit the case head.

[JamesH]

And Bullzi Projectiles will make 0.310 HBWC
Betram Brass supply new cases.

[dlb]

TPOW is right, Hermann's no longer carries Manurhin. The quality has apparently gone down significantly - not minor problems, serious problems w/ their build and fitting. This situation has apparently been worsening over the years and came to a head when Hermann's confronted CA on the matter. What a shame to ruin such a fine line of revolvers.

[Florey]

TPOW is right, Hermann's no longer carries Manurhin. The quality has apparently gone down significantly - not minor problems, serious problems w/ their build and fitting. This situation has apparently been worsening over the years and came to a head when Hermann's confronted CA on the matter. What a shame to ruin such a fine line of revolvers.

I would take this with a grain of salt. Hermann's complaints about Manurhin appear to have only surfaced when they lost the right to distribute these in Australia. Whilst he was selling the MR73s ( including the ones made by Chapuis Armes ), he had nothing but praise for them.

As the owner of 2 Manurhin MR73 Matches, I can say the the quality, fit & finish of the recently manufactured one far surpasses the one that is about 17 years old and is of original Manurhin manufacture..

Do a search and you will see that David Moore's opinion of MR73s is the same.

If you look at Chapuis Armes website, you can see that they make very fine rifles & shotguns. They don't make anything that is shoddy.

[tpow]

I would like to take issue with Florey, I was talking with Hermann himself today about another issue. He still has a very high option of the Manurhin before and for a year or so after the take over. He even told me the serial numbers from they went down hill. And my the way I don't work for Hermann's

[Florey]

I would like to take issue with Florey, I was talking with Hermann himself today about another issue. He still has a very high option of the Manurhin before and for a year or so after the take over. He even told me the serial numbers from they went down hill. And my the way I don't work for Hermann's

I'm sorry if you have "issues" - maybe if you consulted with a medical practitioner, appropriate medication will be prescribed ! :)

Seriously, I find it inconceivable that a company like Chapuis Armes, who make very fine & expensive rifles & shotguns would suddenly abandon all quality control and pride in their workmanship and start shipping shoddy products. I'm very happy with mine - so much so that I've put my money where my mouth is and also have a .38 MR73 on it's way.

As I said, I have 2 Manurhins - and the Chapuis Armes manufactured one easily eclipses the fit & finish of the original Matre de Manurhin made one.

I also closely inspected a MR73 and MR88 at the Penrith Gun Show a few weeks ago - and they both were perfect. So much so, that a MR88 is on the shopping list for next year.

Buy one - you won't be disappointed !