I recently acquired what I thought was a Merkel 141 in 6.5x55. Here's the thing... The 141 is supposed to have an adjustment for regulation at the end of the barrel and no cocking indicators on the side of the receiver. Also, the mounting system for the scope on the 141 is supposed to be a pivot type system. The 141 also has hi-vis sights.

Mine does NOT have adjustable regulation. It DOES have cocking indicators and the scope mounts are QD claw instead of pivot??? Mine also has double triggers with a set front trigger (that is an option on the 141). Also, I compared mine to a 140-2 and it is identical but on a smaller frame??? When you compare mine to a 141 the receivers are totally different as is the rib (mine looks just like the rib on the 140 as do the sights - the 141 has hi-vis sights). Another difference is the wood - Mine has beautiful wood and has a shiny oil finish and not the dull finish (might just be the 141 that I compared it to). One last difference I could find is the engraving. Mine has a boar on one side and a deer on the other and is signed by "Kroth" (I think). I've not been able to find a 141 engraved like mine.

Mine looks like a miniature 140 and not at all like a 141???? The only differences I can find between mine and a 140 is the smaller receiver and every 140 I have seen has a bolt going through the wood just behind the receiver (the 141 has the bolt through the wood, as well). Mine doesn't have that bolt.

Looking at Merkel's website, neither the 141 or the 140 lists 6.5x55 as an available caliber, nor does it list the 141 as having claw mounts as an option or cocking indicators as an option. Like I said, mine is definitely a smaller receiver than the 140 but appears identical in nearly every other way (other than the bolt going through the wood).

So what is it? My guess is someone ordered a 140 in 6.5x55 (without the bolt through the wood???) and Steve Barnett just assumed it was a 141 when he sold it to me? Could someone have special ordered this double, or something? Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the gun and I don't believe it was intentionally misrepresented in any way. I am in love with the rifle and it shoots and handles like a dream.

Your help is very much appreciated!

I don't have the ability to post pics, but can email them.

EDIT: Here is a link to my gun. I got it from Steve Barnett (BTW he is a pleasure to do business with). http://www.gunsamerica.com/932...XS_RIFLE_6_5X55.htm# and http://www.gunsinternational.c...cfm?gun_id=100385238

Here is an example of a 141 - Totally different: Look at the receiver, sights, scope mounting system, finish, etc: http://www.gunsinternational.c...cfm?gun_id=100320984

What you have is the older model small frame Merkel DR called the 140. Many of us here on this forum have either owned them or still own them. I had one in 7x65R. I think MacD37 has one in 9.3x74R.

These are actually better built and more traditional than the 141. What you have is the real deal, regulated the old fashioned way. And a great caliber for deer / antelope hunting.

Hopefully, you have found ammo that regulates for it. If not, let me know and maybe I can find out what it was regulated with. Some of the records have been lost due to computer break-downs.

Mike

Mike is correct! What you have is a 140E-1 with 23 '1/2 inch barrels. It has upgraded engraving. The E in the model designation stands for Ejectors. The barrel set is a shoe-lump type, and mine weighs 8.3 pounds.

The 141 has 21.65 inch barrels shorter than the 14E-1 barrels than the 140E-1's 231/2 inch barrels.

The 140E-1 is a better rifle than the 141! At 8.3 pounds and the longer barrels it balances very well, and is regulated in the traditional way. The 140E-1 has double triggers, and the front (right) trigger is a set type. It comes with an automatic safety which can be disengaged making it manual something I recommend, although it is not necessary on a deer rifle. Mine is a 9.3X74R and is back-up for my 140-2 470NE double for dangerous game. As Mike says mine is about10-or 11 years old and it has given be zero trouble, and is regulated very well. In my opinion you are lucky this is a 140E-1 rather than the 141 at extra cost, and makes the rifle worth more than the swing mount! They may have been installed by JJ though a Champlin's, if so it is a $1000 premium.

PS: claw mounts were available on the 140E-1

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Love this Forum!!!

Guy's, I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge!

Help a DR newbie: What are shoe-lump type barrels? I've had several DR's, but mostly the O/U variety.

Any idea what this thing is worth? Am assuming at $6,900, I didn't lose money on the deal?

Also, any idea what ammo this thing would have been regulated for? I picked up a box of HSM VLD and they shot about two inches apart at 50yds. That was with iron sights. I'm sure I could have done better with a scope, but I haven't located a suitable 30MM. Thinking a schmidt & bender 1-4, but still looking.

One last question: The action on this thing is really tight, like it has not been used. I assume with some use, it will loosen up a little. Is that the case with yours?

Appreciate you guys!

quote:

Originally posted by JDA-CO:
Love this Forum!!!

Guy's, I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge!

Help a DR newbie: What are shoe-lump type barrels? I've had several DR's, but mostly the O/U variety.

Any idea what this thing is worth? Am assuming at $6,900, I didn't lose money on the deal?

Also, any idea what ammo this thing would have been regulated for? I picked up a box of HSM VLD and they shot about two inches apart at 50yds. That was with iron sights. I'm sure I could have done better with a scope, but I haven't located a suitable 30MM. Thinking a schmidt & bender 1-4, but still looking.

One last question: The action on this thing is really tight, like it has not been used. I assume with some use, it will loosen up a little. Is that the case with yours?

Appreciate you guys!

I think you bought it for about market value for that caliber. The 9.3x74R is in gteatest demand, and gets more of a premium price. As to ammo, Merkel has always used what is readily available in Germany at the time. I would try Privi Partisan, Sellier & Bellot, and Norma to start with. Probably regulated with 140 gr bullets, so I would start there.

Who is the importer on your gun?

Your gun will loosen with shooting, Merkels are built strong as hell and require a lot of shooting; which should be enjoyable for you.

Mike

Jointing ordinary barrel forgings by the platform lump method --- breech end view

The above is the shoe lump or also called platform lumps!

The barrels, lumps, and top breech rib and rib extension that makes the Greener cross bolt extension are each individual pieces the are brazed together and are one of the two most used methods of barrel joining methods used today. The other is the mono-block method that is used in most O/U doubles.

The new Merkels are always very tight and will loosen up with shooting.

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Several years back Merkel in Alabama had a sale on 141's that were some sort of overrun from the European market and their dealers got a quota,of I think 2. I bought an 8x57R and everything about it was marked 141 , box and all. It had NO adjustment of the barrels period. They were assembled with a wedge in the conventional manner. The gun was $4000 new. I wrote extensively about it then as all on here said it did not exist. I put a set of MAK swivel rings and bases on it and it was one phenominal shooting double with accuracy I have seldom seen from a bolt gun. When I mean tight groups I remember TIGHT groups with close to zero spread. But like so many other rifles something else called and it went. But to re-iterate it was a 141 with NO barrel regulation other than by conventional solder methods. It was definitely the smaller frame.

Mike - The importer is: Gsi Inc - Trussville, Alabama.

Very much appreciate your help guy's - Can't wait to go tip something over with this thing.

I'm going to find a 140 to be its mate. I'm thinking a 375 H&H - I found one for a pretty good deal and think those two together would be a pretty good traveling set.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
Several years back Merkel in Alabama had a sale on 141's that were some sort of overrun from the European market and their dealers got a quota,of I think 2. I bought an 8x57R and everything about it was marked 141 , box and all. It had NO adjustment of the barrels period. They were assembled with a wedge in the conventional manner. The gun was $4000 new. I wrote extensively about it then as all on here said it did not exist. I put a set of MAK swivel rings and bases on it and it was one phenominal shooting double with accuracy I have seldom seen from a bolt gun. When I mean tight groups I remember TIGHT groups with close to zero spread. But like so many other rifles something else called and it went. But to re-iterate it was a 141 with NO barrel regulation other than by conventional solder methods. It was definitely the smaller frame.

Things like this often happens with transition models. The 140E-1 is on a 20 ga size action. The 141 is on a 28 ga action.

The 20 ga action firing pin holes spacing, as is the 140-2 safari model, but the over all action is smaller in the 9.3X74R and smaller. On the safari the bar is thicker, and the fences are larger. The 28 ga is even smaller than the 140E-1 with the fences very small, and the bar even smaller.

My 140E-1,9.3X74R is a case colored action, with Ejectors, double triggers an 23.5 inch barrels and weighs 8.3 pounds. I bought it new 06/01/ 2001 and I paid $4025.00 for it brand new in a merkel fitted case. next June it will be 14 years old with no problems!

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