I have a Progress RGP 20 ga. purchased from WLM about 5 years ago. (Not a round body.) I wouldn't recommend a Chapuis to anyone. And I'm not sure I could recommend WLM either.
Before my purchase, I contacted Chapuis and inquired about the features of their guns, whether they would hold up to the repeated use of clay target shooting, length of warranty, and availability of servicing in the US. I also asked for the names of their dealers. I was told the Progress RGP would hold up to repetitive use on a sporting clays field. The gun had a 5 year warranty, and I could send the gun to one of their master gunsmiths who was located in the US. They never did tell me the names of a dealer, even though I asked multiple times. So I finally located WLM, who said they were a Chapuis dealer.
After the gun I bought was delivered, I found that WLM had mis-represented the gun. It did not have the chrome lined barrels I had insisted upon. It had a lot of handling marks they didn't tell me about. The serial number identified it as a gun several years older than they said it was. It came without a manufacturers warranty card, or any instructions. I put the gun together, and then couldn't re-open it! (I have opened plenty of other break action guns.)
WLM was apathetic about my complaints! They took no responsibility for the misrepresentation, and said if I wanted to return the gun, I would lose two way shipping charges AND another $100. I was LIVID! I hung up and two days later, finally managed to open the action by pointing the gun barrels upright, shaking the gun very hard, and then forcing the lever over. (I think a small shaving of metal had become lodged in the action.) Frankly, at that point, I didn't trust WLM enough to send the gun back to them. I figured I was unlikely to ever see my money. So I kept the gun.
I wrote Chapuis seeking more information about the age, and care of the gun, they referred me to their exclusive servicing facility in the US. I called them. The owner (and master gunsmith) gave me an earful. He said I had no right to warranty, or even out of warranty service, as I "bought the gun from an un-authorized dealer", and was "taking food out of his children's mouths". I was flabbergasted! All I had done was politely ask if he could give me any information about using and maintaining the gun. After getting a tongue lashing from this mean, petty man, I wrote Chapuis repeatedly, asking how they could treat a new customer this way. Never got a single answer.
About a year later, after having fired less than 200 shells in my Chapuis, an ejector spring broke, rendering the gun unusable. I couldn't even close the action. If this action is the same as their big game rifles, what happens when a lion is charging and the springs break?
I had a tough time initially getting replacement springs. I finally located Heirloom Arms, and Dale ordered me a pair - supposedly to be shipped direct from France. I had my doubts that Chapuis, who had ignored so many of my emails would ever ship them. So as a backup, I also ordered a set of springs from a Verney Carron dealer who thought their springs were compatible. After several weeks of nervous waiting, I even swallowed my pride, and called WLM again. To WLM's credit, the said they would send me replacement springs, gratis. However, I was already down $130 for the springs I ordered from Heirloom and the Verney C. dealer.
When I got the springs, I could not find a single gunsmith in the US who wanted to install them -apparently because it is a non-standard design. I had to put them in myself. Which was a real pain in the butt. In my opinion springs should not be pre-loaded more than 25%. On this gun, the almost 1/8" thick steel springs are preloaded 50%. Yes, that's right, BEFORE the gun is cocked. The springs are continuously stressed this much, even when the barrels are off the gun, and the ejectors are pushed out. There is no way to bring any commonly available tool into play to compress the springs. You have to compress the springs and insert the dowel pin that holds them into the barrel underlugs at the same time. You have to do this with your fingers. Arnold Schwartzenegger would have had trouble with this. My fingers were bloody and bruised by the time I got the springs in. I had to HAMMER the dowel pin into place. I suspect the springs will break before I fire another 200 rounds. There appears to be no way to convert the system to extractor mode. If you remove the ejector mechanism, you have no way of pulling the shells out. I emailed Chapuis asking about this, but again, no response.
I put the gun away, and only take it out for an occasional grouse hunt. I doubt it has had more than 20 rounds through it since the springs broke. As a field gun, it's light, comes to the shoulder and swings well, has beautiful barrel bluing, and fair to good looking wood, But I've never had much luck hitting anything with it. I think something is screwy about the barrel regulation, but I haven't taken the time to find out.
Incidentally, I paid $3500 for the gun at the time. If it is now $2600, I wonder if they realize just how unreliable it is, and are trying to "unload" the model.
Last edited by Engineeringtech; 08/11/12 08:31 AM.
