I was reading Terry Weiland's book Dangerous Game Rifles and he mentions the movable breechblock as a Teutonic mistake. Do all Merkel doubles have this feature?

That sounds like a Blaser; Merkels use a standard boxlock, Greener type frame and barrel lugs. Blasers use a moveable breech block, if that is what you are referring to.

I believe Krieghoff uses the same breech design.

If one reads Weiland enough, you will notice countless errors. I've pointed out many in the fields I know and I'm sure there are many more others will pick up on.
So many in fact I discarded his books and don't read his articles or books any longer. He is also a stuck up little pudgy man and I don't like his attitude towards other "lesser" men and writers.
Cal

Krieghoff has a standard tip up design with two underlugs. Definitely nothing like a Blaser.
I have never read Weiland so I can't commento on his books.

quote:

Originally posted by Colin Masters:
I was reading Terry Weiland's book Dangerous Game Rifles and he mentions the movable breechblock as a Teutonic mistake. Do all Merkel doubles have this feature?

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
That sounds like a Blaser; Merkels use a standard boxlock, Greener type frame and barrel lugs. Blasers use a moveable breech block, if that is what you are referring to.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
If one reads Weiland enough, you will notice countless errors. Cal

Colin, it is true that all writers make mistakes in their writings just like the rest of us, but I agree Weiland seems to make a lot of them.
In this case I think Weiland’s mention of a Merkel having a Jaiger tilt block is in regard to the K-2 single shot tip up rifle which does have that tilt block like the Blaser. In this I have to agree with Weiland about the tilt block being a mistake.

However that rifle is not considered a dangerous game rifle, being a single shot, and chambered no larger than a 9.3X74R.

The Merkel double rifles do not have this however! The early Merkel doubles are made on an Anson/Deeley boxlock with under lugs and a rib extension Greener style cross bolt. The K-2 single shot is the only Merkel with the tilt block! All the double rifles are on Anson and Deeley actions with shoe lump barrel sets on the early one and with mono-block barrels on the newer ones!

Don’t worry about the Merkel side by side double rifles or the older double rifle built on the 303EL over under action were available in some fairly large chamberings but are no longer offered as far as I know!
.................................................................

I join Cal in his assessment from personal experience.

I also was curious if a real reason was mentioned on why these rifles are so prone to doubling. A lot of conflicting information abounds on this site and the rest of the Internet and in print.

I ask because I've found a a Merkel in .375 h&h with ejectors that is a great deal. I am hesitant to even consider it at this point because of the Caliber (I would want the flanged) but also because of the doubling issues I have read about.

quote:

Originally posted by Colin Masters:
I also was curious if a real reason was mentioned on why these rifles are so prone to doubling. A lot of conflicting information abounds on this site and the rest of the Internet and in print.

I ask because I've found a a Merkel in .375 h&h with ejectors that is a great deal. I am hesitant to even consider it at this point because of the Caliber (I would want the flanged) but also because of the doubling issues I have read about.

You have a PM!
....................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
If one reads Weiland enough, you will notice countless errors. I've pointed out many in the fields I know and I'm sure there are many more others will pick up on.
So many in fact I discarded his books and don't read his articles or books any longer. He is also a stuck up little pudgy man and I don't like his attitude towards other "lesser" men and writers.
Cal

What Cal said.

He is the biggest blow hard self important gun writer I have ever read. The last thing I tired to read by him in Rifle magazine was about a rifle he was trying. He was literally on paragraph 10 before he ever talked about the gun he was reviewing, and the majority of the article was about other rifles he liked better or worse.

He must have been born with a platinum cow turd in his mouth because he really is full of it.

I find it interesting how much conflicting information there is about double rifles. I must say the most helpful people I have encountered have been on this forum.

There is a reason that there are two standing rules at my bar: 1. No religion/politics.

quote:

Originally posted by Antlers:

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
If one reads Weiland enough, you will notice countless errors. I've pointed out many in the fields I know and I'm sure there are many more others will pick up on.
So many in fact I discarded his books and don't read his articles or books any longer. He is also a stuck up little pudgy man and I don't like his attitude towards other "lesser" men and writers.
Cal

What Cal said.

I have always found him to be negative almost nasty. Even in his writings. I just thought it was me.

Jeff

The Blaser S-2 uses a breechblock. It is the only double I am aware of that does. You can see the breechblock in the picture below. The Blaser S-2 is also the world's ugliest and poorest excuse for a double rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:

quote:

Originally posted by Antlers:

What Cal said.

I have always found him to be negative almost nasty. Even in his writings. I just thought it was me.

Jeff

I bought his Dangerous Game Rifles and found examples of old wives tales where double rifles are concerned. I was then taken to task by another gun writer who was a friend of Weiland and wanted to defend his research accuracy in his writings. Blind leading the blind!

I have always said that most gun rag writers also posted many erroneous, so called, "FACTS" where double rifles are concerned. Many of these things are the cause of the total misunderstanding of how a double rifle works properly. This is not always because they didn't do their research properly, but because the same old wives tales had been printed for years before that made their research impossible. Once these misconceptions are printed in gun books and magazines for many years it is very hard to break the myths in the new to double rifle buyers. I know many people who have been hunting with double rifles for many years who still do not understand how regulation works because of those old books and magazines.

Thankfully we have a few writers like Cal and two or three others who know of what they speak.

............................................................................................

Thanks, MAC. You're too kind.
The foundation of the errors in TW's books is simply he reads what others have written and copies it himself, in his own wording, for his book or article. Unfortunately, when this is done too often, the errors magnify themselves. A good writer should check his sources rather than just copy what others have done. Now, taking other's information to support and expand on one's own work is fine and acceptable, but what is used needs to be correct. Or, a sidestep is to write, "It has been said…" or, "One author on the subject wrote long ago…" This would absolve the current author of errors. Sadly, many are too lazy, or too stupid, or too smug to spend the time doing so. My three books don't sell like TW or CB, but I have never had someone come back and tell me I wrote the incorrect information.
Again, MAC, thanks for the kind words and if I write something that is corroborated by an experienced gent such as yourself, it makes my work look more accurate and professional.
Cal

I owned one in a 9.3x74R. I personally thought it was fine, and have shot them in 375 and 470. It is not sexy but it works. The systems is common among custom gunmakers in Austria and Germany who do not worship at the Greener alter. I have most commonly seen the system used on single shots and drillings, but it is not uncommon on double rifles.

If someone gave me a free Blaser S-2 I would see how it shot before I traded it for a Krieghoff.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
The Blaser S-2 uses a breechblock. It is the only double I am aware of that does. You can see the breechblock in the picture below. The Blaser S-2 is also the world's ugliest and poorest excuse for a double rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I owned one in a 9.3x74R. I personally thought it was fine, and have shot them in 375 and 470. It is not sexy but it works. The systems is common among custom gunmakers in Austria and Germany who do not worship at the Greener alter. I have most commonly seen the system used on single shots and drillings, but it is not uncommon on double rifles.

If someone gave me a free Blaser S-2 I would see how it shot before I traded it for a Krieghoff.

BWW,
The Blaser S-2 rifles are accurate and handle OK. Outside of being ugly which is a matter of taste and not relevant to it's usefulness, there are two very serious draw-backs to the S-2. The system of the Blaser S-2 and the K-rifle are not the same and not just the tilt block!

#1 the tilt block is not the best idea anyone ever had in a double rifle that is to be used for the hunting of dangerous game. The requiring of the hood over the chambers is a hindrance to quick re-loading of the barrels.

#2 is the fact is that the S-2 must be manually re-cocked if opened for any reason. This is not a feature that I would want to have in a close quarters fight with a dangerous animal. In many cases the first two shots do not stop a Cape buffalo, elephant or lion, requiring a fast re-loading of the rifle that must, on the Blaser, then be manually re-cocked when milliseconds count!

If one is shooting targets on the range, or popping a coyote or deer, those draw-backs don't matter. In that use the Blaser S-2 is fine. With the Krieghoff once cocked the rifle can be opened for any reason and the rifle remains cocked if not fired, and re-cocks it's self if fired and opened for a re-loading. The Blaser S-2 doesn't! That is a big plus for the K-rifle over the Blaser S-2!

Of course the choice is the property of the buyer, but it is a good idea to know what you are buying before you take a double into the bush with the BITE-BACKS!
........................................................................................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

The K-2 single shot is the only Merkel with the tilt block!

Not true.
Merkel make O/U double rifles and combination guns with tilt blocks.
Here

quote:

Originally posted by 5seventy:

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

The K-2 single shot is the only Merkel with the tilt block!

Not true.
Merkel make O/U double rifles and combination guns with tilt blocks.
Here

Thank you for the link! Do you have a link for the Merkel S/S double rifles? There doesn't seem to be a path to the S/Ss in that link!

Correction about my post noted!