Chapperal 50-95 Short Rifle ------ Update ( Pics Added )

GeezerD · May 20, 2012, 07:08:39 AM

I just bought a new Chapperal 1876 short rifle in 50-95 on Gunbroker for $500. The pictures look good but I haven't laid my hands on it yet. I discovered this forum while doing research on the rifle. It appears they have had some problems in the past.

I am hoping this is one of the good ones, but time will tell. It is just that I have always wanted a 50 caliber levergun and I can't afford another mortgage. ----------------------------------- GeezerD

Pitchy · May 21, 2012, 05:44:25 PM

Congratulations, looking forward to seeing, hearing more about it.

GeezerD · June 08, 2012, 12:49:44 PM

The sights have got to go. I will replace them with an original semi-buckhorn Winchester rear sight and a Marbles brass bead front sight. The bore slugs at about .510 dia. so I have a pretty good selection of bullets available. In just eyeballing the rifling it appears to make about a half a turn in about 20 inches. The one serious issue I see is the flat on the bottom of the firing pin that overides the hammer is so long and deep it just barely cocks the hammer. Also the firing pin can rotate about 30 degrees against the retractor.

I have an original 1876 apart on my bench to compare it to when I tear it down. I will probably just make a new FP in my lathe.
Overall it looks like a pretty decent 1876 " Kit " for the money.

I will try to post some photos when I get a chance. --------------------------------------- GeezerD $:-\$

Pitchy · June 08, 2012, 03:36:56 PM

Well Geezer sounds like your off to a fairly good start and like myself it`s good when ya can make some of the parts.
Thanks for the up-date and looking forward to the pics and range report.

GeezerD · June 10, 2012, 07:17:16 AM

I have taken this rifle completly apart and other than the usual deburring and polishing the firing pin and retractor need to be replaced, the bolt face and rim support nub at the bottom of the bolt face need to be reworked,and I will replace the sights.

I measure the twist rate at 1 in 36 inches and groove diameter at a tight .511 so it should handle a variety of bullets up to 400gr.
or maybe a bit more. The magazine tube is retained by a lip on the magazine cap and an oversize pin through the mag. support ring, which addresses one of the common complaints.

The only screw I had trouble removing was the filler screw in the front tang sight mounting hole. Overall fit and finish are acceptable.
In spite of the stocks being made out of some kind of hardwood, they look surprisingly like vintage walnut.

The importer is Tri-Star S.A. Ltd. so I am not sure when it was made. ------------------------------- GeezerD

GeezerD · July 06, 2012, 07:29:25 AM

I received a new firing pin, firing pin retractor, and extractor from "winchester bob" today. They are of excellent quality and reasonably priced w/tolerences on the high end for proper fitting. I highly recommend him as a source for vintage Winchester parts. ------------ GeezerD

GeezerD · August 30, 2012, 04:53:59 PM

I have completely refit the links. Replaced the pins with oversized pins to reduce clearence to about .001 - laser welded the ends of both links and refit to both the frame and bolt. Now the headspace is only about .048, needs to be .062

So now I need to cut the boltface back .014 and then weld up the rim support tab and reshape same. The ammunition factory is up and running, but I am still trying to locate a bullet mold for the correct weight and crimp groove location.

A $500 rifle + $1000 in parts and labor ------ I t's a good thing I work cheap.

GeezerD

Grizzly Adams · August 31, 2012, 10:09:59 AM

Quote from: GeezerD on August 30, 2012, 04:53:59 PM
I have completely refit the links. Replaced the pins with oversized pins to reduce clearence to about .001 - laser welded the ends of both links and refit to both the frame and bolt. Now the headspace is only about .048, needs to be .062

So now I need to cut the boltface back .014 and then weld up the rim support tab and reshape same. The ammunition factory is up and running, but I am still trying to locate a bullet mold for the correct weight and crimp groove location.

A $500 rifle + $1000 in parts and labor ------ I t's a good thing I work cheap.

GeezerD

I am impressed with your talents, and with your tenacity! Bravo Zulu!

GeezerD · October 19, 2012, 08:28:20 AM

What a journey this has been. In adjusting the headspace, I found that the face of the chamber was out of square .006 and the extractor relief cut was about .060 too deep. Also the barrel was turned in a bit too far.

I removed the barrel which appeared to be retained with some kind of thread compound, and cut the shoulder back by one thread ( about .050 ) and reset the headspace. That solves the extractor cut and breechface issues but the chamber is .050 short.

Now that the barrel is square to the receiver, I am going to refit and bed the forend flush with the nose cap and receiver. And while I am at it, I might as well bed the buttstock.

I think I will just tweak my handloads and dies to fit instead of buying a chambering reamer. After being a tool and diemaker for over 40 years, I am a bit OCD on details.

I just hope all of this can be of some help to those of you that have a "Sick" Chapparel rifle.

Stay Tuned, GeezerD $:-\$

Buffalo Creek Law Dog · October 19, 2012, 10:29:21 AM

I have a Chapperal "66 and I shot 6 stages with it last weekend and without a hiccup.

GeezerD · October 23, 2012, 08:25:13 AM

I just finished turning the barrel one thread deeper into the receiver and removed .060 from the chamber face to correct the headspace. My handloads are formed and loaded in RCBS Legacy dies and they still chamber fine, even after shortening the chamber .060.

All that remains to be done (I hope) is to weld and refit the cartridge support lip at the bottom of the boltface and a bit of refitting on the mag tube and forend to shorten them up. ---------------- GeezerD

GeezerD · November 14, 2012, 06:22:09 AM

A few more issues that needed to be addressed -

1 - Mag tube ring I.D. was about .020 larger than the tube and stood .012 above the radius cut on the bottom of the barrel and was squeezed egg shaped to eliminate slop. Machined I.D. to match radius on bottom of the barrel and then split the ring and TIG welded around a mandrel of the correct diameter.

2 - Mag tube plug was .015 smaller than mag tube I.D.

3 - Made oversize screws for the lever and hammer to eliminate excessive slop.

4 - Made a new stainless mag follower with a little larger diameter.

5 - Reduced the tension on both the sear/trigger spring and lever safety spring.

I think I am getting to the point where engraving " Made In America" on it would not be out of line. ------------- GeezerD

GeezerD · November 19, 2012, 02:56:16 PM

These pics show the barrel after being set back one thread and recutting the breechface to correct headspace and barrel alignment, also a new SS follower. The second pic is of the boltface after laser welding and truing, TIG welding and rebuilding the rim support tab and installing a new extractor from Winchester Bob.

Long Knife Rich · November 19, 2012, 04:18:10 PM

I think I am getting to the point where engraving " Made In America" on it would not be out of line. ------------- GeezerD
[/quote]

I'm impressed with your ability to do all this work. Looks like it's coming along.

GeezerD · November 20, 2012, 11:58:57 AM

If my Chapperal and the 2 others I have checked out are typical, these 3 components need to be replaced. The firing pin and retractor from Winchester Bob are pretty much a drop in. The extractor requires a bit of fitting. You can see some of the obvious differences in the photo. I don't know what they were thinking when they ground so much off the rear of the firing pin. When the action is closed the firing pin is no longer supported by the back of the receiver. --------------- GeezerD

GeezerD · November 20, 2012, 12:06:37 PM

Here are some of the areas that needed to be welded to correct the headspace and bolt detail. ----------- GeezerD

GeezerD · November 20, 2012, 12:26:22 PM

This is a stainless steel follower that is slightly larger in diameter and a bit longer to increase stability, also the original mag spring is soft and should be replaced. ------------- GeezerD

Hoof Hearted · December 09, 2012, 11:26:32 PM

Geezer

Can you give me a bit of detail regarding fitting the extractor you received from Winchester Bob?
This always ends up being the "sore spot" on these CrapparALL's and I have one that drops the case sometimes on extraction.

Thanks, HH

GeezerD · December 10, 2012, 01:14:39 AM

HH - Most often the culprit is the rim support tab at the bottom of the boltface. It has either been over-fitted (For lack of a better term) or broken and gone completely. In which case the bolt must be TIG welded and remachined. Fitting the extractor would be done after the boltface is checked out and corrected if need be. If you could PM a good photo of your boltface, I could give you a better idea of what needs to be done. I think that the folks at Chapperal started out with some decent parts, and then ruined them during the fitting process.

Before the extractor can be properly fit, you need to make sure the headspace is correct. All of the Chapperal 1876 rifles that I have checked out, had excess headspace. Excessive headspace effects the point at which the extractor hook engages the cartridge rim. My rifle had almost .020 to much headspace. Headspace can be checked by feeler gages between the boltface and a chambered cartridge case when the action is closed. If the headspace and boltface are good then Winchester Bobs extractor is nearly a drop-in part other than stoning the rear of the extractor until the pin can be installed with slight resistance.

Correcting excess headspace is a little more complicated but can be done by adding length to the links and installing oversize pins.
------------------------------ GeezerD

Hoof Hearted · December 10, 2012, 07:40:38 AM

Geezer

Fully aware of the inadequacies of the Crapparal! Rode this horse many years ago............

I have corrected these faults on many fellers rifles in the past but the extractors were un-availabe at the time. The issue that I still have left on this 45-75 is that the "groove" or area before the extractor hook is too long and I wondered how well the one you bought fit and what fitting was necessary, mainly does it fit the cut in the bolt? Too wide I can deal with, too narrow, not good. Is the pin hole in the correct location?

Those are my concerns.

Thanks in advance!
HH