Reckon I'll have many more questions coming, but here's one... My Merkel's serial number is A4700XX (XXs are digits/numbers). On the top of the barrel joint is written/engraved
"Safari .470 N.E. No.XX"
with XX being the last two digits of the serial number.

Any idea what this means?

quote:

Originally posted by Badger Matt:
Reckon I'll have many more questions coming, but here's one... My Merkel's serial number is A4700XX (XXs are digits/numbers). On the top of the barrel joint is written/engraved
"Safari .470 N.E. No.XX"
with XX being the last two digits of the serial number.

Any idea what this means?

The A470xxx serial number sequence is supposed to be for guns imported into the USA. I was told that after the A470, the balance of the numbers indicate which number gun you have in terms of being imported. For example, A470001 would be the 1st Merkel 470 imported into the US. A470050 would be the fiftieth (50th) gun imported, and so on.

Don't know if this is absolutely true, but something I was told by a dealer.

Tim

Evidently this numbering applies only to the Safari seriesas my 470NE safari is so numbered. I have a 140E.1 9.3X74R but it is simply seriel numbered in the normal way, with the chambering not included in the seriel number, but is seperately stamped under each barrel.

Can this record be obtained from the Merkel factory, orif not where outside the Merkel plant, can a record of seriel date of either manufacture, or import, of other models, be found? Are there any other markings that indicate date of manufacture?

Thanks guys. Reckon I'll give GSI a call Tuesday and see what they say. Maybe my mother-in-law (German) will write a letter to the Merkel factory...

Although my mother is German, Merkel had no problem with my inquiry in english from an email I sent them via their Web sight inquiry page.
www.merkel-waffen.de
ozhunter

Thanks ozhunter. I'm firing off my question now...

That was a quick response. Here's what Merkel had to say:

"Dear Sir,

this Safari rifle is part of a special limited edition we make for the US. No. 18 means this is gun No. 18 in Cal. .470NE we delivered to the US.
The engraving is very special and highlighted by gold inlay.
We showed such Safari rifles to our other European importers too and they also liked it and ordered some of them with the same type of engraving.
So-we congratulate to this fine gun and wish always “Weidmanns Heil!â€

[added on follow-up e-mail: if your rifle has no gold inlays than it is the 18th rifle .470NE we delivered to the US. When we started to manufacture the Safari rifles we gave the first 20 or 25 guns a number. So you have something special!!!"]

Best regards

i.A. Elke Weiss, Sales Dept.
Merkel Jagd- und Sportwaffen GmbH
phone: 0049 3681 854 289
fax: 0049 3681 854 203
mail: elke.weiss@merkel-waffen.de
Geschäftsführer: Adrian Ayad, Olaf Sauer
Sitz 98527 Suhl
HRB 302 913, AG Jena"

They are off a bit with no gold inlay, but it looks like Shumba was spot on regarding the serial number.