Since the Merkel Nitro Express rifles showed up on U.S. shores, in 2000, what have you heard, good or bad?

I have a Merkel brochure that shows a sepia tone photograph from a 1909 brochure. Gebruder Merkel made double rifles back then!!! Some were fitted with scopes in 1909!

Another brochure has a 1931 date on it with accompanying pictures of a Merkel sidelock double rifle with scope!!! An Indian shikari poses with his Merkel double from that era too.

Bartle Bull wrote of Merkel .470 NE doubles in the hands of German farmer settlers in Tanzania before 1920.

Look in the Catalogue Merkel and you will find:
stalking rifles
double rifles
combination guns
drillings
cape guns

Anson & Deeley boxlocks
H&H style sidelocks
Blitz actions
Franz Jaeger break open single shots

Ejectors
Extractors
Custom stock fitting
etc.

The basic 140-2 is the tip of the iceberg in a long tradition of Suhl craftsmanship.

I have a Merkel 470 that fits me well, shoots well as the test target shows 2 shots in one hole at 50 meters. Has been to Africa 3 times and used to take two elephant and 2 buffalo.

After 200 plus rounds is tight as new and has given me zero problems.

I am a satisfied Merkel user.


BigB

RIP,

You should keep replying to yourself. Maybe could set some sort of record!

One thing I do not care for on the Merkels is the small thumb tab on the lever. But hey, it's a personal thing.

quote:

Originally posted by BigB:
I have a Merkel 470 that fits me well, shoots well as the test target shows 2 shots in one hole at 50 meters. Has been to Africa 3 times and used to take two elephant and 2 buffalo.

After 200 plus rounds is tight as new and has given me zero problems.

I am a satisfied Merkel user.


BigB

Thanks, BigB. After I get one more kid through the university, I hope to follow your example with the Merkel utilization. Worked for you, ought to work for me. At least I won't fear the baggage monkeys playing with my H&H. Life is sweet when a Merkel suits you, fits you, and never fails you. No pretense or puffery, just a good tool for the job.

Billy-Willie,
How do you think I got to be the number five top poster for the site last month? Yes yours truly made the Big Five: reply to self until someone else chips in.

I think you have an allegiance to Heym. If it is any consolation to you, Heym would be my second choice, right behind the top pick: Merkel.

Good thread.

But they are made on "shotgun actions" or so we keep getting told.

At least Merkel makes shotguns, and drillings, and combinations, and cape guns and singles ... and ... and ... and has been for a long long time and sells so many of them more than the competition at a lower price .

When there isn't much to criticise one has to find something to bullshit on. Wait for the other one, "it never really fit me, felt like a 2x4 ..."

RIP,

Never owned a Merkel, so it is just an observation. The Heym does have a big tab, so you may have caught me.

Things I didn't like about the Heym:

1) Could never get it to shoot worth a crap, but it didn't matter at 20 yards.
2) Had to get the triggers adjusted..no big deal.
3) Had to replace the sights (to suit me anyway).

Things that would dicourage me about the Merkel:

1) Thumb tab.
2) Extractors.
3) Barrels way too heavy (muzzle heavy).

But as always this is all personal stuff. You may love either one or both.

I don't own a big bore Merkel! I do have a little 9.3X74R Box lock S/S Merkel. The only thing I dislike about it is that it is fitted with an auto safety! It has sel ejectors that work like a charm, and I don't mind them on a small rifle like the 9.3.

I have owned a Heym 88, 470NE, and it was a fine rifle, wish I hadn't sold it! Addtionally, if the 88B cost the same as the Merkel 470NE, or 500NE, then my choice would be the Heym. At $16K, iwould much rather have a Merkel at $8.5K. If we add the midle man, Price wise, then my choice would be the B, Searcy PH at $9.5K with it's sel ejectors, non auto safety, and fitted to my self, and chambered for 500NE. The extras offered as standard on the Searcy, is worth the extra cost on over the Merkel, and the Heym doesn't offer any thing, over the Searcy, that justifies the extra $6.5K in price.

I would love to have a Merkel 500NE, and I would love to have a Heym 500NE, and the Searcy would make me happy, as well. If my money is involved, I believe the B. Searcy to be the best buy of the three, but any one of them would do!

I have a Merkel 470 which i bought new ,i really wanted a 500 ,and krieghoff was the only one i could get, and would have to wait for it to be built ,plus they dont look as nice as a merkel imo,when i got it it had surface rust in the barrels which annoyed me,some of the scroll engaving was not well executed, but it has an elephant each side which iam happy with .the action is tight and well made, it has nice wood which is inletted well with good checkering ,i think they should come standard with a recoilpad .the factory target had three shot for 1 centimetre.I have been trying to get reloads to work in mine, without much success so far ,i had 24 shots out of it in the last two days ,using rel 15 ,woodleigh solids and bb brass ,fed 215 and kynoch wads ,cannot seem to obtain consistency out of it ,so iam thinking of trying different powder which uses a full case .Yes i would buy another one in 500 or 375 or 9.3 the last two with scopes

I have not shot the new 140's mine is a 1981 323, but they lookd fine to me.( sorry shoulders still too dam sore to shoot it) I cant see how any one wanting or needing a double in a seriuos cartridge could do any better than the 140's? Two of our new club members have purchased them and they have great balance,good pointing ability,good workmanship, register on the money with 500's,and you dont have to remorgage the homestead to purchase one. The test is when you have to use it, and it does the job it was designed for. Thats what i think. Charlie

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
I don't own a big bore Merkel! I do have a little 9.3X74R Box lock S/S Merkel. The only thing I dislike about it is that it is fitted with an auto safety! It has sel ejectors that work like a charm, and I don't mind them on a small rifle like the 9.3.

You can send it back to GSI and they'll disengage the auto safety for you. Their Safari doubles (.375 and up) don't have auto safeties or ejectors, only the smaller doubles.

Have a 470NE, Have taken 1 Ele with it and am perfectly pleased with it. Shoots good, Looks good , Handles good. Whats more to say.

Eric,
I heard gossip that someone other than GSI of Alabama might be taking over the Merkel import biz. I guess this was wrong, so never mind.

quote:

Originally posted by velodog:
I have a Merkel 470 which i bought new ,i really wanted a 500 ,and krieghoff was the only one i could get, and would have to wait for it to be built ,plus they dont look as nice as a merkel imo,when i got it it had surface rust in the barrels which annoyed me,some of the scroll engaving was not well executed, but it has an elephant each side which iam happy with .the action is tight and well made, it has nice wood which is inletted well with good checkering ,i think they should come standard with a recoilpad .the factory target had three shot for 1 centimetre.I have been trying to get reloads to work in mine, without much success so far ,i had 24 shots out of it in the last two days ,using rel 15 ,woodleigh solids and bb brass ,fed 215 and kynoch wads ,cannot seem to obtain consistency out of it ,so iam thinking of trying different powder which uses a full case .Yes i would buy another one in 500 or 375 or 9.3 the last two with scopes

Velodog,
Maybe someone forgot to clean and oil the bores after the test target? You have non standard elephant engraving, a custom touch? The minimal arabesque engraving on the 140-2 would be hard to mess up, even if they are holding a stopwatch on the engravers to maintain profitability.

I would spring for a 9.3x74 R or .500 NE also. I would leave any belted .375 H&H alone. Surely they have a .375 Flanged on special order.

Isn't the standard Merkel test target a 4-shot R-L-R-L at 50 meters? Mine was, and it measured 1.6 cm center-to-center extreme.

I think if vapodog has 3-hole test target, then two of his bullets went through the same hole.

I would appreciate any other Merkel owners listing their test target size here as a repositorty.

One member spoke of a two shot test target. Was this the case of each barrel being a one-holer? 4 shots, 2 holes?

Two things are certain: Merkel has regulators with decades of experience, and the company has been regulating doubles since 1898.

Cheers!

velodog:

Mine seems to like H4831sc, Federal 215 Match Grade Pimers, Norma Brass, Barnes Banded Solids, Woodleigh Softs, and North Fork Cup Points....shooting all to point of aim.. varying the powder charge. The Woodleighs require a bit more powder to reach the velocity level of the Barnes Banded while the North Forks require less of a powder charge than the Barnes Banded.

I have just been testing them for accuracy ...sitting bench with the gun unsupported.. just in my hands. If I do my part the gun with some loads shoots better than I could have expected.

RIP, my factory target was two shots (all I can make out) measuring .39".

Mine is just the 140-2 did not see the need to have the extra engraving ...

RIP...as you know from previous threads, I own a 470 Merkel and am VERY happy with it. I had JJ put a red Pachmayr pad on it and am thinking about having him put some different sights on it...but that's a personal thing. I love the rifle and it shoots very well. I paid about $7600 including tax and I think it's a bargain in the double gun world. If my opinion changes, this forum will be the first to know....but right now I just got Mike's flat and cup points in and am busy reloading and testing for my '06 buff hunt.

Gary B.

Garby,

JJ at Champlins?

Steve

I think they make them in some poor double rifle calibers like the .375 and 416 Rigby and they shoot off the face apparantly....A .470 would be a better choice for sure...

I think the engraving looks like something a 5 year old could do on his first try...

They seem to handle and point pretty well, but I think I will pass on them. If fact I have on several ocassions on some pretty good used deals....If it were a steal I would pick one up, but I would never be satisfied with it.

There are a lot of them for sale in the gunlist used, so some good buys can be had...

I have no vested interrested but I am a confirmed Searcy PH fan, and that is my perogative..I base that on function and accuracy..

If one likes the Merkle then by all means that is your perogative and that's really all that counts.

Steve.......yes, JJ at Champlins. He does great work and in my opinion is quite reasonable in his prices.

Ray....I agree with you 1000%....if one is having luck and a good time with his chosen double...then who is to say anything against him. I've heard good and bad stories about every gun out there....maybe I'm just lucky, but in the couple of hundred guns I've owned off and on thoughout the years, I only had one POS....a Colt Diamondback revolver....and it was too small to use for an anchor. 'Course when it comes to doubles...I am a newbie...but I still like my Merkel. As usual...there's my $.02.

Gary B.

jjs,
I think you got 4 shots in 2 holes, .39" center to center is exactly 1.0 centimeter, at 50 meter range. That would be exceptional.

My 4-holer was still a nice cluster 1.6 cm center-to-center, 50 meters.

Ray,
For the money, I can deal with a Merkel that fits me, handles well, shoots accurately, and is as durable as any DR ... the simple arabesque scroll on the coin finished receiver is not to-die-for, but it is also not poorly done, just spartan or inelaborate. They ought to stick to that in the budget rifles.

See the new-guys list of makers chambering for no-no cartridges for idiot dollars.

A Merkel will go toe to toe with any make regarding function and durability. The rest is small stuff not to be sweated over.

Huh? Are we talking about the Merkel double rifles that are built on shotgun actions?

I wonder if this 7mm rem mag (single barrel) would hold up or if it would shoot off face:

Just curious if Brno ever did SXS double rifles, maybe based on their shotgun action?

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I think the engraving looks like something a 5 year old could do on his first try...

To be frank, the Searcy engraving looks a little rough too. I always thought that, if I ordered a Searcy, I would order it totally blank and then send it up to Roger Kehr when I could afford some really nice work to be done.

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Huh? Are we talking about the Merkel double rifles that are built on shotgun actions?

I wonder if this 7mm rem mag (single barrel) would hold up or if it would shoot off face:

That would DEFINITELY shoot off face. ALL guns chambered in belted magnums shoot off face sooner than those without belts.

It's a proven fact - all idiots know that

How's about this WR droplock in .270 Winchester? Is it doomed?

GarBy,

Thanks. I agree on JJ's work.

Steve

500 grains, send it to my house and i will personaly doom it with all the papers and witness needed. Then ill take it for a walk and find out how it shoots. It might just get lost in the mail on the return trip, but insurance is cheap. Charlie

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
How's about this WR droplock in .270 Winchester? Is it doomed?

That POS is Definitely doomed! Not only will the barrels shoot off face sooner than a rimmed chambering, but the locks will come flying out out of the bottom of the action sooner than they would if it were chambered for a flanged cartridge.

I wouldn't even consider a 270 or any other rimless cartridge for a double from a functional standpoint or a safty standpoint, doubles are not ment to handle 55,000 PSI...

RIP,
I think a Merkle is THE gun for you, it fits you to a tee, especially the engraving!....

Yep,
Robust, virile, potent, vigorous, accurate, fully functional, durable, sturdy, no tatoos, minimal engraving, handsome, and cheap ... all of these adjectives can be applied to me and my Merkel.
PS: No, I am not G. Gordon Liddy, but I have borrowed some of his self-adjectives.

What about this Jaeger .458 win. mag.? Should it be traded in on a Wby Mark V post haste?

500grains:

If JJ got his hands on the Jaeger and bored it out to .450 Nitro 3 1/4", what would be your opinion? I believe that he will do that work and regulate if necessary for around $1K.