merkel double rifles

I have one in the works in .500 and when shooting it to make sure the barrels were good before restocking it shot like a hot damn. Should have mine by early spring. One thing that did surprise me was how good the triggers were. I wasn't sure what to expect but they were quite good - at least to me anyway.

There are others that will chime in here with more experience with their merkels.
 
I hope you don't mind my comments. I have never owned a big bore double rifle but have owned a double 12 ga. 147E and still have a Merkel O/U gun with two sets of barrels 16/16 and 16/7x57R.
In my opinion no finer guns have ever been built. All the rest is variations in aesthetics and art, and "in the eye of the beholder". I would stand the Merkel doubles beside the best of British and other European double rifles and declare them to be full equals, quibbling over details aside.
 
contact Ralph Martini (Martini & Hagn) and ask him what he thinks. He has performed warranty repairs on several of these (including mine in a custom ordered 2 barrel set..375 H&H & 470nitro)

I love mine!..(now that Ralph has fixed it!!!!!!) They have a reputation for 'Doubling' (both barrels firing @ same time) due to a design issue! Interesting experience in 470 Nitro!!!!!
 
Like 585nyati - mine doubled after a while when I pulled the rear trigger first.
Yes, everyone said I was doing something myself to double it. It took a lot of work by 2 smiths that knew what they were doing with doubles to find a slight burr deep in a sear.
Got by the QC sigh....
I love it tho.
Before I knew the issues were even there I brought it to Africa for dangerous game and it worked great!
It is an extractor 470 in the 140.1 I think.... plain jane. Ralph put a gold line on the rear and a flip night type front that works well.
I extended the butt pad to fit my tall frame and when it comes up it points where I look!!

It hasnt doubled in ..... well hasnt since the 3rd repair found the issue.

It had the set front trigger!!! That was taken out and replaced with an articulated front trigger to also stop my finger from bleeding. Of course the auto safety was scapped for a manual only version.... I dont ever remember using the safety.

Fit is sooo important tho. They are good guns - make it fit you tho. Once someone feels what its like to have a gun fit you like a great suit of clothes - you wont go back.

if I was to do it all over again -- maybe I would look at the VC guns long and hard or a Heym..... or others, but mine is faithful, dependable and part of me now.
 
I have one that I bought from TradeEx earlier this year. It's the 140 AE in 470 NE. Great rifle and quite accurate. I worked up a handload with 500gr Woodleighs (also from TradeEx) that regulates nicely and performs well. Have yet to take any game with it but hopefully I will remedy that. No problems with doubling though I have heard of them, though always with a different model, not the 140 AE. I'm not a huge fan of the automatic safety but it's easy to train yourself to flick the safety off every time you mount the rifle so I's not a huge deal.

I love mine and I think the price Anthony is charging ($8500+tax) to be outstanding. Anthony also agreed that I could have a non-firing inspection period to make sure that I liked the rifle and it fit well. I may have it restocked some day, but I don't find it too bad in the LOP department. I'd rather have a hair too short a LOP on a double than a hair too long.
 
You will need to find someone who has used both a merkel and Chapuis to know the answer.
Just from my reading tho _ they are both fine firearms with pluses and minuses to each.

If you really want more (LOTS) of reading - search out nitroexpress on the web - they are gunnutz on doubles - lots and lots of doubles, old and beautiful to new and efficient.... everyone there has opinons and experiences with all sorts of guns.
 
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