Chas, you presume that those French ideas occured in a vacuum. In reality, many countries and companies were having similar ideas at the same time. What is obvious is that there have been very little French advancements in any area in well over a century. Little Belgium has been a gun giant in comparison. Since France became socialized, it has gotten even worse.

Chapuis is really on the lower end of DR quality. Personally, I wouldn't own one, but to each his own.