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IIRC, Dr. Easter is a renowned equine surgeon and I am sure he can afford to purchase whatever double rifle he desires. Just a guess, bit I'd be willing to bet that veterinary medicine pays at least as well ambulance chasing, so get over yourself counselor, your condescension is boorish. Like many of us Lane is only trying to understand what justifies the 50% or greater premium own pays to own a Heym versus a Merkel, having shot both I too do not see it, they are both fine rifles but the the additional cost of the Heym is difficult to justify and I have also never heard of a problem with a Merkel. Drumroll, please.........Mjines's elephant charge video to be posted in short order to prove us all wrong.  | |||
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I stand by my boorish and condescending view, give 10 shooters the option of being given a Heym or a Merkel, and I believe 8/9 of the 10 will walk away with the Heym. Give PHs the same option, and the percentage will be as high or higher that opt put the Heym on their shoulder and walk away. Folks that think that the result will be reversed and the Merkels will be the majority choice are kidding themselves. Mike | |||
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Indeed. And upon what empirical data do you base your assertion? I have known a good many PHs and in my experience almost all of them were opportunistic (and usually borderline poor) as far as guns were concerned and carried whatever they could get their hands on and could get ammo for. I've seen everything from pushfeed Winchesters, Remingtons, and Brownings, CRF CZs, and Merkels, Chapuis, and English doubles but have yet to hear one brag about about how he carries a Heym or anything else because he didn't trust another make of double. Most of them are happy with whatever they can get their hands on given the reality of the situation with firearms in Africa, and you know that, and this Merkel/Heym debate is no different than the CRF/PF bullshit which is nothing more than fodder for internet armchair experts whose day jobs are chasing ambulances or selling insurance rather than guiding clients. Real PHs could care less. | |||
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So, if your point (assertions?) about PHs being opportunists and borderline "poor" is correct, we should see a lot of PHs carrying the cheaper Merkels right? Since most of them would be happy to get their hands on any double, particularly one that costs a fraction of a Heym, Merkels must be the double of choice among cost conscious, penny-pinching, opportunistic PHs. But that is not the case. And yes, I am aware that Heym discounts their prices to PHs and even discounted the Heyms cost more than the Merkels. Mike | |||
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Robert, PHs do care about push feed vs. CRF, but you are right that many of them are stuck with what they can get. I apprenticed in Zambia this year, and a young PH I worked with told me about how a push feed Model 70 he had early in his career nearly got him killed by a Zambezi Valley elephant, leading him to ditch the gun and buy a CRF BRNO. For what it's worth, he's saving up for a double and says he wants either a VC or a Heym. He told me those are the only two affordable doubles with good reputations among the other PHs he knows. I'm sure plenty of PHs would be happy to have the Merkel, though. At the same time, I expect they'd rather have a Heym, unless it didn't fit them. It's a different class of gun. Fit and finish are nicer, and the Heym has better lines. I will note that push feed vs. CRF is probably not particularly relevant for the client, nor is the brand of double the client uses. But if people enjoy having something that will give them a small chance of performing better in a situation that has a small chance of ever happening (i.e., a charge that the PH doesn't stop), then what's the problem? It's great that Lane loves his Merkel, but that doesn't make it the same quality of gun as a Heym. I have a very nice Searcy, but I'd still slightly prefer a Heym and would much prefer the high grade .500 NE VC my boss received as a gift this year. But that would require a lot more money than I spent for the gun that I have. | |||
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Who would have thought? Mike | |||
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Johan Calitz is one of the few PHs who come to mind who would give a shit at all about fit and finish, the rest want a gun that will go bang. PHs that I know are more worried about the cartridge, the debate is usually .470 versus .500, than the make of a double but I will concede that most of them do want a double versus a bolt gun and they will buy what they can get a deal on. A $15K or $20K Heym will cost half again that in Africa and as I said most PHs are basically piss poor and would be thrilled with a Sabatti if it halfway shoots let alone to have a Merkel which is a good gun, something like a Heym or a VC is nothing but dream for the vast majority of them. You accuse Lane of trying to rationalize his decision to buy a Merkel yet you seem to want to jerk off all over yourself because you own a Heym. We all know that you fancy yourself to be the resident "elephant hunting/double rifles for dangerous game expert" on here but regardless of how many times you post that damn charge video not everyone is as convinced as you are. Some of us think you are just another big mouthed lawyer who is full of shit (aren't you all?). | |||
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Perchance, are you Rick Perry's debate coach? On his debate prep team? Just curious. Why would you conveniently choose to ignore this reality but continue to talk about why PHs all want the cheapest double they can find because they are "piss poor"? If that is true, where are all the Merkels and Sabattis? Just remember, the louder you talk and the more profane language that you use does not add to the credibility of your arguments or make them more convincing, it just gives those listening a headache. You sure seem to be overstressed about this whole subject. Mike | |||
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Okay. You obviously have no data to back up your assertion that PHs are brand conscious and prefer Heym doubles (I'm sure you want to bring up Ivan but don't as we both know he was an obscure photo safari guide prior to his association with Craig Boddington and the notoriety which resulted making him hardly the "average PH" so to speak) so answer this....are Heym doubles the best made, best fitted, and most reliable double rifles available in the market today and is their additional cost over a Merkel or Chapuis warranted and why? | |||
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No, a Westley Richards is. And yes the additional cost is justified if you can pay the freight. I am tired of debating this with someone that brings so little perspective to the debate. Go ahead, you get the last word, I am moving on. Mike | |||
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Mike still needs to review his poll above. Doubt much has changed in 3 years with PH's. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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There are many gunsmiths that post on this forum. Get one to chime in and say the Heym is structurally more sound than the Merkel. I could not even entice Chris to say it. I know many gunsmiths...I have not found one to criticize the Merkel in structural soundness. Options a difffent story...Heym wins. I have repeatedly said intercepting sears are a plus. And...I know the Heym is a well built good piece of equipment as well. But...if you like the Merkel feel, look, style, and accuracy...options go out the window. And my Merkel has better wood and equal fit and finish to any Heym I have seen in the PH grade. Give me some meat and potatoes knowledge or fact of better metallurgy or mechanics. That is what I want hear. All of the above is anecdotal he said/she said BS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Double Rifles Compare & contrast the Heym PH & Merkel 140-2
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