With Federal factory loads this gun is awesome. My handloads are shooting all together(better than factory grouping) which is awesome, using RL25 and Barnes TSX. Bullet strike is approx. 6" low. Trying to avoid filing front site at this point. Is this because the bullet is faster or slower than factory? My chrono is out of commission or I'd answer this, but could use the input. Thanks in advance for your help!

Please clarify, K1, whether the Federal factory loads print low, too. Or is it just your very good grouping handloads that are low?

If it is the latter, expect that you need to vary powder charges or even powders to match the Federal factory loads for height on target.

Did you get a factory target with the Merkel? Must say I'd be reluctant to remove metal until you exhaust powder combinations. You might, however, be able to find a lower front sight bead insert to raise your groups if needed. Not sure what Merkel uses, but suspect it's Recknagel that New England Custom Guns carries. Someone else on the Board will likely chime in here...

Regards, Tim

Are you using a 12 or 6 o'clock hold? Are you holding the bead down in the v notch or seeing the full bead? If your sight picture is good, chances are if you change loads, it will change your lateral regulation as well. Put on a higher rear sight or lower front. For me, changing sights is always easier than finding a good load.

I would definitely check my hold and verify if you are using 6 o'clock or 12 o'clock hold. If you prefer the hold you are using and your groups are six inches low, then I'd adjust my front sight to get the results I wanted. The hold you use should be what you personally prefer or shoot the best using.

Experiment with your hold before doing any filing. You may find you like a different sight picture after experimenting.

Good luck, Mike

Factory loads are dead on with 12 o'clock hold. The handloads are shooting 6" low. I'm amazed at accuracy on the factory and my hand loads. I had never fired a double until we purchased, I didn't know what to expect. I haven't flipped up the second leaf yet to see if that would put me closer. Thanks for the suggestions!

My 450 No2 was shooting a little low at 100 yards. So I dropped the powder charge one grain and it moved up the point of impact, because of the longer barrel time when the rifle was in recoil.

I was using RL 15, so with a slower powder it might take 2 grains or so. My accuracy and regulation was uneffected, your may or may not be but it is worth a try.

My Merkel 450/400 also shot low when new. I had a good gunsmith make a replacement rear sight. It is a single fixed blade and shoots exactly where I aim. I can still re-install the original folding leaves if that ever becomes necessary.

Hugh

My Merkel has always shot low with the fixed standing rear sight. I've worked out a solution, although not a proper one, that has worked for me. Instead of pulling the bead down into the "V", I place the bead at the same height of the top of the rear sight, with the bead aligned horizontally with the V. So the front sight bead is floating instead of being snuggled into the V. Like I said, it isn't a proper solution but one that has worked very well for me to this point.

I suppose I'll get a shorter front sight for it one day but I have yet to decide whether or not I'll keep or sell it after my VC is completed this fall. At this point, it's natural and second nature for me to hold as described. Other guys have shot my Merkel and the sights are perfect for them; not low. Why it shoots low for me, who knows? Strange things, doubles are!

Thanks for all the help thus far....I agree, doubles are a different "animal". It's amazing how different they react with different people shooting. Just trying to get someone to help you shoot them isn't easy after they watch you pull the trigger. I did the dumbest thing so far, I took the 470 and the 500 to the range the same day. I think I will limit myself to 12 rounds in a day from now on, 20 plus is just too much and still keep from flinching on the last shot. I'm headed to the range Sunday, I'll post results with different loads etc.

A thought on recoil and flinch, K1. If you have a medium or small bore double (or even a bolt gun ) suggest you fire a few shots from it between each four to six shots of the big bore. Then end your range session with the smaller caliber so your muscles "remember" the milder recoil and help you dodge developing a flinch...

Regards, Tim

quote:

Originally posted by Kurick1:
With Federal factory loads this gun is awesome. My handloads are shooting all together(better than factory grouping) which is awesome, using RL25 and Barnes TSX. Bullet strike is approx. 6" low. Trying to avoid filing front site at this point. Is this because the bullet is faster or slower than factory? My chrono is out of commission or I'd answer this, but could use the input. Thanks in advance for your help!

First off you need to determine if the individual barrel shots are crossing! Usually if a double rifle is shooting that low the shots are crossing as well and are too fast!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Are you using a 12 or 6 o'clock hold? Are you holding the bead down in the v notch or seeing the full bead? If your sight picture is good, chances are if you change loads, it will change your lateral regulation as well. Put on a higher rear sight or lower front. For me, changing sights is always easier than finding a good load.

I have never heard of anyone using a 12 o’clock hold if you mean holding on top of the bull! Merkel double rifles are cut to hold a six o’clock hold.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
My 450 No2 was shooting a little low at 100 yards. So I dropped the powder charge one grain and it moved up the point of impact, because of the longer barrel time when the rifle was in recoil.

I was using RL 15, so with a slower powder it might take 2 grains or so. My accuracy and regulation was uneffected, your may or may not be but it is worth a try.

The powder may be the problem I would try RL-15 or H-4831sc! One question, are you using any kind of filler? If not, that may also be your problem. Even RL-15, which is faster than RL-25 requires filler.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
My Merkel has always shot low with the fixed standing rear sight. I've worked out a solution, although not a proper one, that has worked for me. Instead of pulling the bead down into the "V", I place the bead at the same height of the top of the rear sight, with the bead aligned horizontally with the V. So the front sight bead is floating instead of being snuggled into the V. Like I said, it isn't a proper solution but one that has worked very well for me to this point.

I suppose I'll get a shorter front sight for it one day but I have yet to decide whether or not I'll keep or sell it after my VC is completed this fall. At this point, it's natural and second nature for me to hold as described. Other guys have shot my Merkel and the sights are perfect for them; not low. Why it shoots low for me, who knows? Strange things, doubles are!

K1, if the factory ammo shoots to the sights, then IMO the way you are using the sights is not the problem! HoweverMerkel sights are designed to be held as one holds pistol sights, with the front post level with the TOP of the back sight, with an equal amount of light showing on each side of the front bead, and with a six o’clock hold on the bull at the range stamped on the rear sight. If you bury the front sight in the bottom of the sighting slot in the rear sight it will shoot low. A lot of guys file the rear standing sight into a wide “V” and then find they still have to hold level with the top of the back sight making it harder to shoot properly. If you do this you must file the front sight as well to shoot properly holding the front bead deep in the “V”!

Todd the way you are holding your sights is the way they were designed to be held and the fix is to file the rear sight and front sight to be held the way you like as described above. Like you I like the wide "V" and a 3 thirty seconds ivory bead front resting in the bottom of the wide "V"!

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My chrono is out of commission or I'd answer this, but could use the input. Thanks in advance for your help![/QUOTE]

Spend the $ and replace the Chrono, can't tell anything without it