It's raining here (finally) and I was prowling my favorite gun store in Houston. They have a Merker side by side in 9.3x74R. My Cartridges of the World says that this is a long pencil like round that is not quite as powerful as the 375 H&H. Can anyone comment on this round? What is your opinion of the Merkel doubles?

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by Muletrain (edited 05-17-2002).]

Muletrain:

Search forums and you will find a lot of about 9.3x74R. It is enought for all European or North American game . . . Ammunition is relatively aviable, cost from about 1.2U$D . . .

Jiri

Muletrain,The 9.3X74R is one of the most versitile chamberings in a double rifle one could ask for for the North American game animals, including the Coastal Brown, and Polar Bears! This cartridge pushes a 286 gr soft or solid at 2300 fps, and shoots very flat. This round is also the minimum allowed for dangerous game in all African countries except Tanzania, and it was only disallowed this year, for the Buffalo and Elephant. All other countries allow it for everything.

The rifle you are looking at in Houston, is top notch!How do I know? Because I own a Merkel 140E 9.3X74R, and it will priint 4 shots,two from each barrel into 2.5" at point of aim at 100 yds, over the sandbags, with Sellier & Bellot factory ammo. It has auto selective ejectors, cocking indicators, a set triggers. The wood is better than average, and the quality of fit & finish is quite good for a rifle of this type. It is a Demi-block, or chopper lump barrel assembly, and the barrels are Krupp hammer forged steel. I don't know what they are asking for this rifle in Houston, but I bought mine from Cape Outfitters, for $4715 USD including shipping, and a Leather fitted lugage case. The only thing I think this rifle needs is a good recoil pad installed, because the recoil is about the same as a 375 H&H The rifle weighs 8.5 lbs, and handles like a fine 410 shotgun. You will not be sorry you bought, it if you do!

That's my opinion of the Merkel side by side double rifle, and the 9.3X74R cartridge! MY "LITTLE SISTER" as I call mine, is fast becomeing my favorite rifle, and I own several double rifles!

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

Muletrain,
You have been spending too much time in Collector's Firearms again! I tried to tell my wife not to water the lawn last night, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! LOL

That Merkel Mac has is a sweet shooting little double that points as easily as a .410 double! The 9.3X74R is almost identical to the 400/360 Nitro Express.

Go down to Collectors and haggle with Ray about that Merkel! I know he will come down on it!

Rusty
We band of brothers!

Mac
Thanks for the rundown on the caliber and rifle. It's great to get first hand information.

Rusty
RH was not there today. Maybe I will go back and see if they will take the Rem 700 LH .375 that I bought there a few years ago as a down payment.

Looks like that Merkle would make a sweet woods rifle for bustin them big old hogs.

Muletrain, I've got a Winchester Grand European O/U in 9.3 x 74R and like it a lot. The versatility that's mentioned is one of the reasons. Deer, Hogs, Bear, Elk, etc., It is a cartridge that can do it all.

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Hit em Hard

We have had a number of them used on Buffalo in the last few years and they do the job about like a 375 as far as we can tell...the slower bullets really perform to perfection, much like a factory loaded 9.3x62...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

hey muletrain,
the 9,3*74R is a perfect cartridge for heavy game, i do have no experiences on african game, but i guess it will work there too if u use the right bullet and look on the shooting distance.
I use the 9,3*74R on european game , like roe�s fallow�s red�s and in most cases for wild boares. A lot german hunters favorites the 7mm cartridges like the 7*64 or 7*65R, but believe me the 9,3*74R is the cartridge of your choice. It gives superb penetration and a blood trail if somebody swaps a bucket on the ground.
The trajectory isn�t that flat ( if compared to the bigger Sister 9,3*64) but up to 200m, you can grap everything you want overhere.
By the way, Merkel is superb Brand for double Rifles. They are build in Suhl, which was in the former GDR. In Suhl a lot of the gunsmiths and- fabrications, produce there guns. Suhk gunsmiths are known for there "old" knowledge on building Rifles and fine Firearms.
So to say a german Holland&Holland

If the price is okay, go there and grab it, you won�t regret the trade, believe me.

@ Atkinson: A 9,3*74R is suitable for a buff hunt????????

regards
Konstantin

@muletrain,
some weeks ago, i started a thread concerning factoryloads for the 9,3*74R, so maybe this could be of interest for you, why i copy the article down here:
.....................................................Hey gazors,
after my last posting i get some requests about available 9,3mm bullets in germany. Because i know that the choice in USA isn�t so big for the 9,3mm bullets, i thought this might could be of interest for all of you.
Except from the bullet producers that are listed below, Speer,Sierra..do have some too. But i guess these bullets are available in the states, so there is no need to buy them overseas.
And now the show stars

I looked in some reloading supply catalogues..., and the cheapest bullets are the Sellier and Bellot (S&B), i �m not quite sure where they produce them, but i think either in hungary or tchecheslowakia.
There are two different types and weights for the 9,3mm . I guess the lighter one is for the 9,3*72R. U know this cartridge? It�s the old german "F�rster Patrone" a not so powerfull 9,3mm cartridge.(Pmax=1800bar; a 193gr (12,51g) Softpoint ,V0=595 m/sec; E0=2213Joule)

Sellier and Bellot Bullets:
- 9,3mm ; (.364); 193grTeilmantel Flachkopf (soft flat nose) ; 100 pieces= 21,73 EURO, 500 pieces= 100,98 EURO, 1000 pieces 192,25 Euro .

- 9,3 mm ; (.366); 285gr. Teilmantel Rundkopf (soft round nose) ; 100 pieces = 19,60 EURO, 500 pieces = 89,48 Euro, 1000pieces = 170,77 Euro.

RWS .366 diameter:
226gr. (14,5g) Doppel Kern (DK) Bullet per 50 pieces = 36,35Euro
247gr. (16,0g) Kegelspitz (KS) Bullet -,,- 33,59Euro
258gr. (16,7g) H-Mantel Kupferhohlspitz -,,- 44,89Euro
285gr. (18,5g) Vollmamtel (solid) -,,- 44,89Euro
285gr. (18,5g) Teilmantel (softpoint) -,,- 26,43Euro
293gr. (19,0g) TUG -,,- 44,84Euro

the cheaper line of RWS is called GECO, and they do have a bullet in 9,3mm too:
.366 diameter 255gr 16,0g TMR (softpoint) 50 pieces 15,70 EURO

And Blaser do have a 9,3mm Bullet too, the CDP (controlled deformation process)
9,3mm 18,5 g 50 pieces 48,57 Euro

And Norma has some 9,3mm bullets too:

232 gr (15,0g) TM PPC Vulkan 100pieces 54,20Euro
231 gr (15,0g) solid spire -,,- 35,28Euro
286 gr (18,5g) ORYX -,,- 65,45Euro
286 gr (18,5g) Alaska 50 pieces 28,10Euro

So i hope that will help, if u are interested in the different types of bullet take a look to these websides:

http://www.norma.cc

http://www.blaser.de/english/produkte/accessories/munition.htm

to take a look at the TIG and TUG Bullet (RWS=Brenneke side)
http://www.brenneke.de
=>choose english language,products,rifle bullets..click on TIG or either TUG to see them.

So if u do have any further questions, you know how to reach me.
cheers and Waidmannsheil
konstantin