Any Appetite for a New <$10K Double?

[juan pablo pozzi]

I can testify the quality of Chapuis thanks to the late Don Heath aka Ganyana. We shot literally hundreds of Norma ph trough it without issues.

 

[elkocountygun]

I love the idea. For better or for worse I’m married to the .375 H&H and 45-70. Albeit for reasons that are born purely out of personal experience. In Alaska every store from Delta Junction to Seward to Fairbanks and in every village burger/barber/shower and hardware store is sure to have those two calibers. Without a doubt.

I tend to take ammo availability into account when buying a new rig.

I would enthusiastically support this move as long as it was built tough. I’d love to have a work double for Alaska, get it wet, and drop it in the pelican for Africa.

great points... i used same logic in late 1980s and early 90s with the .300 win mag. i loved and miss my German made Roy Weatherby mark 5, but ammo was not available at any cost most small town and x roads hardware-everything store where i hunted out west.

 

[93marlin]

All,

As some of you know, I manage a brand of double rifles (Chapuis). I am kicking around some ideas for 2026 new product introductions. One of them is to offer a basic model with no engraving, 2-star wood and no special finish, that would retail for less than $10,000 in 2026.

The calibers I'm thinking about are .375 H&H and .45-70. Configuration would be the same as my African doubles (large action, 26" barrels, express sights, double triggers, ejectors, manual safety).

Why the .45-70? Because with it, hunters could also use it here in the US, especially in states that allow straight-wall cartridges for big game. Why no .450-400 and .470? Because doing so would necessarily cannibalize from my other two lines, the Iphisi and the Elan Classic & Artisan, which are selling well.

Also, I'm thinking of including mounts for RMR red dots on all my African-sized doubles, free of charge.

I'd like to hear your thoughts about this, as well as any suggestions you may have (realistic!) for anything else.

Thank you all in advance, as always.

I my humble opinion, stick with your original thoughts as far as caliber goes.
The 375 H&H has a world wide appeal and availability. The 45/70, while not quite as broad of audience, does have the appeal to your target market, the person who is not a cartridge "snob" (I'm one that falls into the"snob" arena BTW). There are many cartridges that may do a better job and everyone has a favorite, obviously. The 45/70 would have an audience of the person who would use it for deer, black bear, elk and maybe moose.
In a former life I was an advertising exec. The key to having a successful product is to 1st identify your target market, then have a product that can/will appeal to that market.
375 H&H huge appeal, 45/70 common and fills a market for people who already are familiar with it and, for both, reloading component availability.

 

[elkocountygun]

One of my Chapuis

very nice, thx for photo.

 

[PerH]

what about a couple of the. Brenneke ones 8x65RS or 9,3x65 Brenneke ( rimmed edition of the 9,3x64 ) to get that ammo production going and one would have a hammer for sure .

If ammo for .375 Fk was there it would be good , if the options would be .375 HH and .458 it would be like the times I’ve barely saw some of ( Back to the 80s )