Since I started shooting some fifteen years ago, I have always wanted a s/s souble rifle. It simply is not sanything that can compare to it! I have had a lot of rifles for the last years, but no double. I have now gotten the chance to purchase one. It is a Merkel 140 in 470NE.
Before I closed the deal I wanted to test how it is shooting, and the dealer agreed to let me load up a couple of rounds and test it at the range.

Today I fired my first 12 shoots from a double, and I loved it!! The rifle has a scope mounted on it, and is regulated for the scope. I hoped that the barrels would also shoot together without the scope, but its looks like there will be a little difference.

I have taken a picture of the target, and I would very much like some comments of what you think of it!! I have probably not found the perfect load, but does it look like this rifle is possible to get acceptable accuracy with??

I had with me 3 loads to the range. Four shot per load. All where Federal cases and 215 primers.
#1: 500 grain Woodleigh with 90 grain of N150 (almost the same as Reloader 15) No filler.
#2: 500 grain Woodleigh with 91 grain of N150
#3: 500 grain Bell(?) Solids with 90 grain N150

The loads where shot in the order they are listed. They were all shot at 50 yards. Velocity were not measured.

My first 6 shot were without scope.
My first 2 shoots were a bit apart. Reloaded 2 minutes later and fired 2 more. These where closer. Could it be affected by the slightly heated barrels?
Waited a bit to cool down the barrels. Fired 2 more (91 grain). This where wide apart.

My last 6 shoots were with the scope.

Fired 2 shots, just a little more than a inch apart.
Shot 4 more (Solids) rapidly. 2 of the close to the first 2, the third and firth some to the left.

To me it looks like the shots have little spred up/down, so it should be possible to regulate it perfect with a faster load?? Seem like I also have to live with some more spread when using open sights?

I will appreciate all commets, so my decision on purchase or not purchase would be easier!!

Looks like you are stuck with scope (ignoring the fact that you were shooting 3 different loads into two groups). A "90 Grain Woodleigh" seated under a 500 grain BELL solid is bound to open up groups. Typo, or is Woodleigh making powder now?

Knowing the chronographed velocity would help in deciding whether the rifle's regulation should be blamed for such wide dispersion at 50 yards with iron sights:

Due to recoil causing rise and lateral movement of the off-centerline muzzles, left and right, with "barrel time" of bullet in barrel considered:

too slow: shoots left barrel to impact high and to left, and shoots right barrel to impact high and to right of point of aim

too fast: left low and to right, right low and to left, crossed

I have a hunch that Merkels are expeditiously regulated to be close to crossing at 50 meters with the proper load used by the regulator, for iron sights. Yours must be a very special Merkel regulated for scope. The extra weight of the scope would make it shoot lower and have less lateral dispersion for a given load tried with iron sights, as barrel time would be the same but the heavier rifle with scope would jump/kick slightly less.

Here are my best Merkel 50 meter targets shot with the Merkel "combat sights" using the George Hoffman Memorial Load of H4831SC 109 grains for solids and 110 grains for softs (108 grains to 110 grains depending on the rifle), BELL brass and GM215M primer, no filler needed:





Now let us study your target a bit more ...

Your load might be a bit slow for the iron sights, but right on for the scope. You might tighten up the iron sight composite group with a grain or two more powder. If so, then it will shoot lower with the iron sights, and a shorter height front sight will be needed, to bring the POI to POA.

Please chronograph to confirm this observation.

You may well be fast enough and well regulated for scope, so going faster might be a no-no for pressure, and you are stuck with good scope composites and hat-sized iron sight composite groups.

It is important to shoot from a standing rest, with free movement of the rifle in recoil, firmly gripped with the rifle touching only your hands and shoulder and cheek (facial, not ass). Some of us are able to duplicate these mechanics sitting upright at a bench, and letting the rifle have its way with us, including our facial and ass cheeks.

Your scope group (if we ignore L6 and R6 flinching or mixing two different loads?): may be approaching the mythical "parallel-to-infinity" grouping, so just needs the scope adjusted to raise POI to POA ... or it is an example of compensating errors and needs more shooting to confirm.

Hey, maybe my Merkel would shoot parrallel to infinity if I slowed it down and put a higher front sight on it? Nah, I like it the way it is. From zero to 100 meters I am better than or equal to "parallel to infinity" but I just won't shoot my double past 100 meters.

So few shots and the time frame mentioned shouldn't make barrel temperature changes an issue.

Scopes on 470 NE's: not for me.

Best try one load per group and chronograph before we pass judgement on the rifle, however.

Thanks alot for your reply! I know there is a lott of variables in this test, but...

The rifle was re-regulated with the scope. So I have always asumed it would be shooting best with it. I can live with little less accuracy with irons than scope at 50 yards, so my group #2 was alright for me. 100 yards or more with irons are not for me, and therefor a scope is nice. Though I do agree that a double looks best without scope!
Going for the range again today, testing some more!
Have you not tried the powder from woodleigh? It`s a kind of "bullet powder"!

All the owners of Merkel 470's that I know have had great results in accuracy with them.
I am sure with a little playing with the loads you will get it right.
Was the scope installed in the factory or not and how was it re-regulated?
With my Merkel I use Norma brass and Australian 2209 powder for 2140fps av with great results.
ozhunter

The scope was not installed in the factory, but by a firm in south of sweden. Not sure about the name. I have herd only positive things about them from other double rifle owners. It is a claw mount (Recknagel ore something I think), and the scope is a Zeiss in 1,25-4.
The hole package is sold for aprox. $6500, so I think it is a pretty good deal. It is the "Lux" version of the 140.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:






Now let us study your target a bit more ...

Your load might be a bit slow for the iron sights, but right on for the scope. You might tighten up the iron sight composite group with a grain or two more powder. If so, then it will shoot lower with the iron sights, and a shorter height front sight will be needed, to bring the POI to POA.

I agree with RIP, this target is almost perfect, but is crossing at 50 yds. This is OK if you will only be shooting out to about 100 yds. With the RT, and LFT individual groups crossing at 50 yds, the group will be at least twice as widwe at 100 yds.

What I would do is, up the load just enough so the two individual barrel groups trade places. this will be a perfect regulating load for your rifle. The composite group is perfect for a 470NE double rifle, but needs the left barrel shooting on the left, and the right barrel shooting on the right of center in the composite. This will give you some of the "IMPOSIBLE" down range accuracy some folks deny exists! With both groups shooting side by side, they will remain that way till they run out of steam!

Episode 2 of my project!!

Loaded up with two different load. Both with 500 grain Woodleigh. First load was 91 grain N150 (measured to 2010 fps), second was 92 grain (measured to 2090 fps).

Did some improvement on my shootingbench, so my rest was better and more uniform than at the first try.

The result was a for sure better than the first time! Best of all, the group in the center are with irons! The one to the left are with scope. As you may se the shots are crossing, so I have to back down a little bit to use the scope!! All groups are with 92 grain N150.

I my change the scope on the rifle as well. Zeiss have nice scopes, but their eye relief is not much to talk about... A lighter Leupold might make some differnce to the POI also!?

nice groups..

adjust the scope to the right...

can you put a traget at 75 and or 100?

you SHOULD aim for 2150, but if that's not your regulation load, what's 60 FPS?

jeffe

Your open sight groups are good considering the black target is almost all covered by a standared 2.5mm front bead. Also you might be happy with what happens at 100yds.
Also I found with my Merkel 470 that it shot better with the vellocity up around 2150fps.
ozhunter

Oz hunter how many grains of 2209 do you use and what primer,and projectile ? I dont know if this is a dumb question! but does different brands of brass cases have an effect on a doubles regulation ? thanks just curious