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one of us |
Quick question: are Merkel barrels set in a monoblock, chopper lump or brazed ? "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | ||
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one of us |
The older than a couple of years Merkels are what they refre to as DIMI-BLOCK, whis is really SHOE LUMP (sometimes called platform lumps) barrels exact the same as the Heyms. With the Shoelumps the lumps and barrel flats are milled from one solid piece of steel, and fitted to the action. This platform is shaped, above the water table with a saddle for the barrels on each side of the platform. The top 4" of the solid rib, the platform, and the barrels are coated with a flux and are wired together very tightly and brazed together. the forearm hanger hook is also brazed in place between the barrels. The rest of the ribs are soft soldered along with the regulating wedges sightes and such. This is a ver strong way to build barrels, and there are thousands of examples of vintage doubles made this way that are still shooting well after 100 years or more. The newer ones are Mono-block barrels and are very strong as well. I have some drawings of the different types on my of barrel joining in my photobucket if some one can tell me how to post pictures from it to the forum, I'll post them on this thread. ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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| one of us |
Thank you Mac. This is an older one, then. The left barrel burst at the chamber about 10 o'clock and I'm assessing the cost for the repair or replacement of the barrel set. Merkel wants $6000 for a new set, which is probably as good as it's going to get unless that barrel can be replced and the rest reused. I'll check J.J. at Champlins, too. "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | |||
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Can you give us some info on the cause of the burst? DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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| One of Us |
$6000 is cheap for a set of barrels. I've been quoted Aus $11,000, nearly US$10,000 for a set on my old English DR. | |||
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| one of us |
I too would like some info on the burst barrel! Considering the placement of the burst, I would think this might be an improper material for filler, or a large over load, or both. Barrels bursting from an obstruction in the barrel is usually right at the place where the obstuction is, with the split rangeing back up the barrel, but farther down the barrel. If at the muzzle,like snow, or mud the barrels will usually split from muzzle back up the barrel toward the breech. An obstruction like a bullet, are most times half way down the tube. Of cource this could have been a bad barrel to start with, but in the case of Merkel barrels being cold hammer forged I doubt it was a bad barrel but from one or more of the causes listed above. .......................  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith | |||
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One of Us |
$6k for a new bbls doesn't seem so great when I have been seeing complete new rifles on gunsinternational.com for $8K. | |||
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| one of us |
Hello. Been out of pocket for a few days. The rifle was being shot with a combination of factory ammo and some handloads with cast bullets and XMP 5477. The load was recommended by the ballistician at AA and the loader is a very meticulous, long-time handloader. No one can say for sure what burst the chamber but the folks present at the event have split into two groups. One that thinks it was a bad handload and one group that thinks a combination of barrel leading and the XMP 5477 cause a rare pressure spike. The reasoning behind that is that some forums frequented by the big bore lever boys indicate similar bad experiences with the large straight wall cases, lead bullets and XMP 5477. Also, a metalugist was able to confirm that the rupture originated just forward of the case neck where extreme lead fouling could have caused an obstruction. I didn't do the research so I can't attest to that. But I have known the reloader for thirty years and he is very good and thorough when he reloads. And a double load of that powder would overflow the case so that didn't happen, either. Bottom line, no one will ever know for sure. "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | |||
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Fitting a new set of barrels to a worn gun is different to fitting a set of barrels to a new gun. | |||
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One of Us |
I am really sorry to hear of this accident,I shoot cast bullets quite frequently myself,although I do not use 5744 anymore,I would like to ask though,was there a filler being used?and were the bullets gas checked or not?
DRSS | |||
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I'm uncertain about both questions but I will ask and let you know. "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | |||
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| One of Us |
I get that....but at some point it just makes sense to pony up the extra $2000 for a new gun and use the old action/trigger/stock/internals etc. as spare parts. | |||
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| One of Us |
I'd agree with that. | |||
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bill73: I am really sorry to hear of this accident,I shoot cast bullets quite frequently myself,although I do not use 5744 anymore,I would like to ask though,was there a filler being used?and were the bullets gas checked or not?[QUOTE] There were Rel 15 loads that had a foam wad filler but the 5744 did not; due to the comments of the AA ballistician and the fact that 5477 is supposed to be position-insensitve. At this point I'm thinking that sever leading may alter that belif about 5477. The cast bullets were gas checked. "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | |||
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I would also agree at a commercial level, even with no cash in the gun. My original comments pprobably led most to believe I planned to outsource the work but at this point and with the costs involved, it doesn't make sense to repair this rifle with a third party. I have one more source to see about that when I have the rifle in hand. OTOH, it would make for a fascinating home build with the proper qualified inspections of the work along the way. The action and barrel set have already been confirmed to be on face, even though the chamber ruptured. "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | |||
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| One of Us |
Another idea....How about replacing the rifle with a new Merkel and then having a set of much less expensive shotgun barrels fitted to the current action by either Merkel or an even more reasonably priced qualified smith? | |||
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| one of us |
I think it would still outstrip the resale value as a shotgun only, especially a hybrid re-build. You'd have a shotgun with a rifle stock. "Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson. | |||
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Oh, it would definitely have relatively low resale value, but shotguns with stocks such as this are very common in Europe (at least more common than in the US). You would also have a nice workable pair of weapons with one serving as spare parts for the rifle rather than simply one new rifle and a bag of spare parts sitting idle. | |||
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