I am thinking on buying a Merkel 12ga surplus

[Skogkatt]

Hi,​

I am looking for for a side by side shotgun for grouse and rabbit hunting. I need to decide between brand new Turkish guns around 1100 or an used Merkel I found online for 600$:

Extractors and overall condition is good ++​

Should I ask specific questions to the vendor? These are the only pictures they have and I need to make a decision based on how it looks and the description.​

Does anybody have experience with Merkel side by side shotguns \ surplus shotguns?

 

[FLHTCUI]

You should ask if it is tight on face....
Get some pics of the face and the trunions...

 

[punkkinen]

I've had a few over the years, two 20's, a 12 and a 7x65r, they are good serviceable guns built in post war germany, unfortunately in the end tho I ended up selling mine as they all had a bit too much drop for me but that's a personal fit problem, otherwise they never let me down. Also watch for cracks at the head of the stock lots of them seemed to crack there

 

[Mount Sweetness]

What are the chokes?
Ask about hairline cracks in the buttstock?

Are you sure you want a 12ga for grouse/rabbit?

 

[Shedmaster]

I just got a 16ga sxs from intersurplus. Very happy with the gun and the dealer.
You should look at 16ga guns on their site. Lots of choices and it’s a smaller frame gun. For me I’ll take a 40+ year old gun over a new Turkish gun any day. Nicer craftsmanship and more soul. I like the Spanish sxs as they’re in my price range and most fit me real well
That gun looks real nice though.

 

[Maritime Storm]

I have 2 of these Model 8's. They are well built, J.P Sauer, Merkel and Simpson are essentially the same shotgun during this period(1947-1980 ish) They were all built in the same GDR plant with minor variations. They almost all are choked IM/Full or Full/Full or Full/Turkey. I do hunt grouse with mine, but the chokes really should be opened up on it.

 

[cosmic]

Nice guns, well made. However, they typically come with extremely tight chokes. I guess this was to deal with the ammo available at the time in communist countries . I recall patterning mine - something like a 14 inch pattern at 25 yards. Not really suitable for most shotgunning applications.

 

[MiG25]

The English writing "Made in GDR" would seem to indicate made for Export.

 

[canvasback]

Nice guns, well made. However, they typically come with extremely tight chokes. I guess this was to deal with the ammo available at the time in communist countries . I recall patterning mine - something like a 14 inch pattern at 25 yards. Not really suitable for most shotgunning applications.

A lot of the "tight choke" issues on older, fixed choke guns is as much due to the change in ammo components as it does the actual choke. Those chokes weren't designed to pattern shot delivered via a cup.

 

[Skogkatt]

Thank you everybody. I think I will spend a little bit more and go with a Turkish: Churchill, Yildiz, Huglu shotgun

 

[Skogkatt]

What are the chokes?
Ask about hairline cracks in the buttstock?

Are you sure you want a 12ga for grouse/rabbit?

More options in 12ga. I have a good amount of ammo as well right now.

 

[sillymike]

For me I’ll take a 40+ year old gun over a new Turkish gun any day. Nicer craftsmanship and more soul. I like the Spanish sxs as they’re in my price range and most fit me real well

Same here. The Husqvarna 6xx are also kind of nice and well built (if not a little on the heavy side, when compared to a British SxS).

Though, from their current offering, if I was looking for something to chase grouse. I'd probably want to have a look a that little Darlow or maybe the C.S.Rosson...

 

[Shedmaster]

Hi,​

I am looking for for a side by side shotgun for grouse and rabbit hunting. I need to decide between brand new Turkish guns around 1100 or an used Merkel I found online for 600$:

Extractors and overall condition is good ++​

Should I ask specific questions to the vendor? These are the only pictures they have and I need to make a decision based on how it looks and the description.​

Does anybody have experience with Merkel side by side shotguns \ surplus shotguns?

So did you get it?

 

[Skogkatt]

So did you get it?

Not yet! I am still exploring more options.

 

[Arcosdad]

I love the Merkels, Suhls, Simsons, etc but you really have to watch for the cracks that issue forth from the scallop edge at the rear of the receiver. I got one from Inter surplus that turned out to be a Q1 grade, beautiful gun. $275 I think. Have a look at the older Baikals too. Pre 74 if you can find one. IJ58 is the model..

 

[struff55]

What are the chokes?
Ask about hairline cracks in the buttstock?

Are you sure you want a 12ga for grouse/rabbit?

12 ga 7/8 oz 1 oz 11/8 oz why would you not want a 12 ga

 

[Arcosdad]

You can shoot mini shells too. 7 1/2s from Challenger. 5/8 oz. Nice grouse load.

 

[canvasback]

I love the Merkels, Suhls, Simsons, etc but you really have to watch for the cracks that issue forth from the scallop edge at the rear of the receiver. I got one from Inter surplus that turned out to be a Q1 grade, beautiful gun. $275 I think. Have a look at the older Baikals too. Pre 74 if you can find one. IJ58 is the model..

Not to be picky but Merkel and Simson, along with Sauer for example, are makers names. Suhl is the town the guns were made in. Sometimes, in the absence of a makers name, guns get referred to by their place of origin.