Anybody ever heard of Champlin Arms?

[n10sivern]

I have the opportunity to purchase a Champlin Arms bolt action receiver. Problem is, I know nothing about them. I do know they are pretty valuable, but when I called the company they said they were made in the 60-70's, only a few were made, they use a proprietary Canjar trigger and the stock would have to be a custom inlet job. I want to build a 338 Lapua, and came upon this action. If I can get it for a reasonable price, is it worth the extra hassle?

I found this info on the rifle action https://books.google.com/books?id=tuVUMLRE47UC&pg=PA223&lpg=PA223&dq=stock+for+a+champlin+action&source=bl&ots=tJEsEXniEF&sig=2vIJ2RR0xKxWa2urdcxtHaJQIXY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y1JnVYuzEdiAygSpiYA4&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=stock%20for%20a%20champlin%20action&f=false

 

[jonbearman]

I would not build a super pressure cartridge on an unproven one off design whatsoever. Call kelblys or buy a trg sake that was made for the cartridge.

 

[clowdis]

That action was not made to handle a cartridge like the .338 Lapua. It looks like the bolt would be weakened a lot by opening the face to accept that cartridge. Stick with an action made for the .338 Lapua.

 

[n10sivern]

I was under the impression it was a proven design for high pressure cartridges. They were made for 375 weatherby, 460 weatherby, 375 h&h, 416 rigby, and 340 weatherby.

 

[n10sivern]

That action was not made to handle a cartridge like the .338 Lapua. It looks like the bolt would be weakened a lot by opening the face to accept that cartridge. Stick with an action made for the .338 Lapua.

I don't know that the bolt face will have to be opened up. I'll have to measure it. It depends on what it was chambered for initially.

 

[vlcakc]

Champlin rifles are hardly of "one-off" or unproven design. Back in the day they were used and touted by the likes of Elmer Keith and others. http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1057-373/
They are collectors items and hardly candidates for altering for other cartridges. As others have said there are much better choices for a .338 Lapua. Vic

 

[hepburn45110]

I have one in 505 Gibbs

 

[Carolina Man]

They are still in business why not look them up and either call or send an email. Those were very nice actions in years past. Just no call for it anymore. I believe they are in Enid OK.

George

 

[2tuf4u]

Nice write up in the Gun Digest 23rd Edition 1969 pp 152-156. Hope I didn't date myself------

 

[n10sivern]

They are still in business why not look them up and either call or send an email. Those were very nice actions in years past. Just no call for it anymore. I believe they are in Enid OK.

George

See the OP. I did call and talk to the gentleman at Champlin. According to him the action is strong enough to handle whatever I wanted to use. Problem is stock, replacement trigger, etc.

 

[M14AMU]

That would be akin to putting a washing machine motor in an Indy car body!!

 

[n10sivern]

That would be akin to putting a washing machine motor in an Indy car body!!

Which is the washing machine motor?

I guess I'll pass at making a 338 out of the action, but it intrigues me. I may get it to make something else.

 

[Eddie Harren]

n10sivern, as you can see, even the many experts on this board are wrong sometimes. Some can't just say no, instead of knowing it all.

 

[n10sivern]

n10sivern, as you can see, even the many experts on this board are wrong sometimes. Some can't just say no, instead of knowing it all.

Ha, that's everywhere

 

[butchlambert]

That would be akin to putting a washing machine motor in an Indy car body!!

Which is the washing machine motor?

I guess I'll pass at making a 338 out of the action, but it intrigues me. I may get it to make something else.

I think I may have a washing machine motor here somewhere. Evidently before your time, Maytag for one had both single and 2 cylinder motors available on their washing machines.
As to the receiver, I would sell it and buy one of the customs set up for your cartridge.
Most DGR cartridges are big, but not high pressure.

 

[liliana]

thanks for info

 

[vlcakc]

That would be akin to putting a washing machine motor in an Indy car body!!

Which is the washing machine motor?

I guess I'll pass at making a 338 out of the action, but it intrigues me. I may get it to make something else.

I think I may have a washing machine motor here somewhere. Evidently before your time, Maytag for one had both single and 2 cylinder motors available on their washing machines.
As to the receiver, I would sell it and buy one of the customs set up for your cartridge.
Most DGR cartridges are big, but not high pressure.

I too am confused as to which is the Maytag motor, and I am old enough to know what a Maytag motor is having seen more than one in use.

A very long time ago I had occasion to visit the Champlin Arms showroom a few times. I was there to look over their large stock of really nice shotguns, so the custom rifle displays got only a quick look. My impression of the rifles was they were mostly "elephant guns", being much too large and heavy to be of interest to an Oklahoma whitetail and prairie dog shooter. The calibers were .460 Wby, .378 Wby, .375 H&H, etc. Many were obviously works of art with fancy walnut stocks and eloborate engraving. The actions were touted as the strongest sporting rifles being made at the time, and I had no doubt of it. Although I have no first hand knowledge of the Champlin operation today, I believe the rifles have been out of production for a quite a while.

While I have no doubt a Champlin action in the proper configuration could easily handle the .338 Lapua, chopping one up to do so doesn't make sense to me. The problem of finding a stock, trigger parts, etc. could be very daunting. Much easier to just go with a modern purpose built action. Vic

 

[hogan]

Champlin might have been bought out by Dakota, long time ago.

These guys and Winslow were the IT for high-end custom rifles and both far exceeded Weatherby custom quality.

Would be a great collectible.

Best action for a .338 Lapua is the Sako M995 which was/is used by TRG-s and TRG-41/42. 3.75" oal ctg length in either magazine, great trigger, triple lug bolt with short bolt lift.


Might also consider the other .338 magnum ctgs: .340wby, .338 ultra mag, and .338/378wby. I would choose .340wby and have gunsmith set headspace on the shoulder. Brass is excellent and available, also cheaper. Not much you give up in terms of velocity. Uses a .533 boltface instead of .590 which Lapua and the big Wby use. The newish .338 Norma is shorter but matches the Lapua ballistics. A better choice for seating long high-BC match bullets.

Pretty hard to beat the .338win for good ballistics, shorter case, and long barrel life. Any of those rounds burning 90gr powder or more is gonna have poor barrel life. Of course, it takes velocity to deliver the goods at over 1200yds... No Free Lunch, unfortunately.

Best value is to go with a Sako TRG-42, maybe a 22 if you consider .338/284win which is ballistic twin of .338-06. There's also the .338/350 rem mag or the .338/300win for a great wildcat that is very doable and gets you almost to .340wby performance levels. Velocity isn't everything, sometimes flexibility and loading range plus versatility makes better sense...

 

[butchlambert]

Hogan,
Champlains are still in business in Okla. I think as mentioned above they only deal in high dollar weapons and sell a lot of consignments. Dakota was purchased by Remington's parent company, Cerebus.
Vic, As I stated above, Maytag had washing machines that were powered by single or 2 cyl. gas motors. Has nothing to do with rifles. Hopefully the receiver has enough value to a collector that you could turn the funds into a custom receiver. You may check on the ballistics of the 338 Ultra Mag. Much cheaper brass and shoots as well as the 338 Lapua.

 

[vlcakc]

Butch: Yep, I'm familiar with gas powered Maytag washing machines. They were still somewhat common when I was a kid in small town Oklahoma. Could always tell when the neighbor was doing the washing by the putt-putt noise (Straight pipe, no muffler). Still don't get the Maytag/rifle comparison though. Vic