Can anyone give me the real world experience on this rifle, rather than the usual, "it's a beautiful rifle.", "Nicely finished", etc.

For instance, I have 'heard' that there is some question as to how long the lockup will remain tight, compared to a Kreighoff, and that African PHs refuse to carry one because of reliability concerns.

Have no idea myself, so am asking here. Thanks,
Ted

I can't add anything to your post other than I know of a Merkel 470 that is available. Maybe you were in contact with my friend last year?? If you want any info. on it or more pics, let me know. (unfired)

Merkel are one of the finer double rifles available and have been out of my price range for too long. The only reason I would buy something else is because the other rifle is cheaper and I do not have additional cash for it. Have been wondering if I should swop a hunt for a double.

However, hunted with a German hunter using a Merkel 500 / 416. After the hunt we were both impressed with it in terms of quick to the shoulder, quick time in picking up the sights and the knock down ability.

How long it will stay locked up is going to be determined solely by how it is treated and how many times it's going to be fired. A 470 is typically not your competition bench shooting caliber and shooting more than 10 rounds a day getting to know it may happen the first couple times you shoot it, then you'll start shooting 6 a day until you feel comfortable with it. Then it goes on an annual African hunt (hopefully) with it firing maybe 20 rounds a year. With the kind of love and treatment it receives from the owner it should last close to a lifetime for your grandchildren to use.

Come play with mine some time, Ted. I imagine those fears are unfounded and, as Pieter says, it's not like you'll shoot it like a 22-250 in a hot gopher patch.

Fellow up here has one, and I have shot it a few times at the range. Another fellow says he would only buy a Kreighoff because ......

Ted

I have owned 2 Merkels, One a 470 which I took an elephant with. I bought both new and don't know of a single flaw either one had. Both shot to point of aim with factory ammo and easily duplicated factory targets which were better than excellent. would buy one in a new York minute if I was in the market for a double. Have also owned a Cogswell & Harrison, a couple of Valmet's a Chapuis, and Otto Geyger and a Winchester 101 and a Heym 88B. The Merkel's were easily the equals of all of them.

Nothing beats an Otto Geyger for fine detail and finish.

Still, Merkels do shoot right.

I know of a Merkel in .470 that when test fired (front trigger-right barrel first) doubled. The shooter, a glutton for punishment, then tried again, this time pulling the rear trigger (left barrel) first. Guess what? It doubled again, at which point the shooter prudently decided to discontinue further testing.

I am very, very happy with my Krieghoff, which has served me well on multiple DG safaris. The Heym (which, by the way, has intercepting sears) is also quite impressive.

The gentleman at Purdey's in London recommended a Westley Richards box lock as a working gun. Very pricey, indeed! I'd rather keep my Krieghoff and spend the money on a full bag safari.

I have the same model Merkel in 500NE. Regulation is excellent (1 1/2") and I'm lucky enough to have a load for 450gn, 570gn and 600gn projectiles that have the same regulation. It has the articluated front trigger - my friend has a Sabatti 470NE without the articulated trigger and it will normally cut his finger when he fires the LH barrel (rear trigger).

Mine will double if I fire the LH barrel (rear trigger) - it hasn't actually happened but I've noticed it when firing single shots from each barrel alternately. This version of the Merkel has an interrupter on the rear trigger mechanism only, but I don't think that's the problem (or rather the lack of the interrupter on the front trigger). I think the articulated trigger can result in the doubling - it I cock the rifle, push the front trigger forward and then let it snap back under the articulation spring pressure, it will fire. Under recoil the rifle will push the front trigger against the trigger finger when the rear trigger is fired, and it must snap back under spring pressure and trip that sear too.

I've heard of the Merkel 470 doing this too but not doubling when firing the RH barrel first. Winchestermodel70's post is the first time I've heard this happen - maybe someone has fiddled with this particular rifle?

The Merkel manual does say to fire the RH barrel first for purposes of regulation and doesn't mention the risk of doubling. The newer model Merkels have an interrupter on both action locks.

I've a 140-2 470 that I've been enjoying for a few years now. Have only put around 60 rounds through it, but it has been quite comfortable to shoot (providing proper technique). I haven't had any other make of double, so I can't compare, but fit and finish has been great. Have always fired front trigger first, and have never experienced it doubling.

I've got 300+ rounds through my Krieghoff .470 and it's never doubled. I fire the left barrel (rear trigger) first as it falls more readily to hand and I believe many instances of doubling are due to the shooter's finger slipping off the front trigger in recoil and hitting the rear trigger unintentionally.

Yes, I know that conventional wisdom is to pull the front trigger (right barrel) first, which is why rear trigger pulls are a bit heavier in double rifles, in order to prevent doubling. However, my rifle regulates well firing the left barrel first and since this procedure works for me, I'm going to continue it.

BTW, I've seen and handled Sabatti doubles and a friend has one. IMO, they are junk. If you don't mind extremely heavy trigger pulls and a 5" spread @ 50 yards, then buy one. It seems they regulate their rifles by using a Dremel tool to grind the muzzle crowns to change the point of impact. Ouch!

Doubling was another criticisms that I heard, and apparently there is some experience here in that regard. Wonder if perhaps that might be as much operator induced, as mechanical transgression?

Ted

Merkels are notorious for doubling, espcially if/when the left barrel is touched off first. I personally know of nine Merkels that doubled. That and for what you pay for one it comes with a friggin PLASTIC grip cap...

Yeah, I'd heard this also, but never saw it until a guy at the range I used to frequent decided to pull the back trigger first. It doubled on him, it wasn't to ferocious, he was shooting cast bullets and it was chambered 375H&H. I could have bought it cheap that day.

... it works well for the intended purpose - large DGR DR. At least, my 500NE 3" regulated easily with several bullets and powders, it fits me very well (quick to the shoulder and on target), it is accurate, has stayed tight through about 200 full power and 3-400 practice loads (as you would expect of a quality DR), and is reliable every time. Only change I've made is to add a LimbSaver pad that increased the LOP to place the open sights dead-on for my shooting style. Helped with recoil as well for a faster f/u shot.

You'll hear that the safety mechanism is hard to use, but that hasn't been my experience. It keeps the rifle completely on safe (de-cocked) with 2 chambered rounds and is very quick to activate for the shot. Just needs practice like everything else.

Wouldn't hesitate to buy another Krieghoff if I were on the market and if they made one in 450NE 3 1/4". BTW an ejector option is now available which would make it just about perfect IMHO.

I should have qualified my response. My Merkel 500NE double only doubles with the 570gn loads - my lighter recoil 450gn jacketed and 430gn cast loads don't make it double.

Double rifles should NEVER double regardless of load or trigger pulled and Merkels are notorious for doubling.

Well that's a bummer. Especially since I just bought one today. I guess I'll have to run it through the wringer once I get it and make it happen if it's going to.

I shot a .470 Heym enough to get to really like the .470 NE round. The Heym fit me well enough, until I picked up a Merkel which fit me much better, and is why I bought a Merkel.

I certainly hope I didn't buy a two barrel single shot.

Paladin, you'll be just fine....great rifles. I've had 4 or 5 DRs by Merkel, and have never has a double.

I agree that this would be ideal, but I'm happy to always fire RH barrel first. I had my rifle for about 8 months (usually fire between 10 to 20 rounds through it once a month) and never knew it would double, because I always fired the right barrel first. Most of my shooting is done with the loading of both barrels. I only discovered the doubling issue during practice one day when I was loading single shots.

So for me, the "potential" to double is not an issue - the finish, balance and regulation make up for the firing "limitation". I do have to warn others who fire my rifle, that the RH barrel has to be fired first. It has scared some off firing it at all.

I've heard the arguement that some people will use different loads in each barrel and like to select, but I'm not sure this is valid in a DG rifle.

I own the Merkel in .470 and a Krieghoff in .500 NE. Both are great doubles.

A couple of things.

1. I always pull the back trigger first. and move forward. Just how I was trained and never had a problem.

2. I am quicker with taking the safety off with my .470 then my .500 NE. Mostly because the Merkel's are a straight safety and the Krieghoff you engage the cocking mechanism. That being said when you have a Buff in your sites that slowness is not an issue. I do like the Kriegoff a bit better as the cocking mechanism allows me to crawl through the underbrush with a fully loaded double with no safety concerns with it getting bumped off.

I have owned both for 6 years and found them very comparable in fit, finish etc. Find the one that fits you better, and you will be happy.

I took my .500NE for Buff Last year just because I like the bigger bullets.

Nice buff!

Even nicer rifle!

OK, for the follow up.

Jorge, you will be delighted to know you can now count 10 Merkels that you know of that doubled.

I finally received my used Merkel that had been purchased new several years earlier by the previous owner but had remained unfired. I immediately went about rectifying the situation by shooting various loads with 515 gr. LBT WFNGC bullets.

All was going splendidly until I went one day to try yet another load. Upon gently squeezing the trigger while waiting for the hammer to drop until I thought the safety must be on, I lowered the rifle to check. The safety was off, so I shouldered the rifle again, but this time jerked the trigger unintentionally. The rifle still didn't fire, so I lowered it again, opened the action to check as if I would be able to see some cause for the difficulty in releasing the hammer. Seeing nothing obvious, I once again shouldered the rifle and again began squeezing the front trigger until I again thought the safety must be on when the rifle finally fired.

I had shot a similar load previously but it had been a few days and I didn't remember the recoil being quite so robust. As I was thinking to myself I should cut the powder charge in half, I noticed the left cocking indicator was down. I opened the rifle and both spent cases jumped from their respective barrels. That of course explained the extra stout recoil.

The first bullet hit about 1-1/2" to the right of the bull and a half inch low. The second didn't hit the paper, a target printed online on letter size paper.

I shot several more rounds without incident. However, I also let a young fellow shoot who had never shot a large bore rifle before in his life. For him, I used the same bullet with a charge of 5744 for a reduced load. This load shot about 1,650fps, so recoil wasn't too bad. This fellow proceeded to shoot a couple of rounds OK, then he too, had a double.

I happened to video his shot and called his double as soon as he shot as I heard two separate shots. His first shot hit about two feet low in the dirt, indicating his flinch, while the second shot hit about 6 feet above the target in the dirt bank we were shooting against. His finger can't be seen at the start of the video, but during recoil it certainly appears as though his finger is on the rear trigger. I suspect he was the cause of his double.

I called Merkel and explained the situation and my guess on the other fellow hitting the rear trigger accidentally. The fellow I spoke to asked a few questions, one being what I though the front trigger pull was compared to the rear. Seems they like the front trigger to be set at around 3.5# while the rear trigger is set around 4.5#, and recommends the front trigger be pulled first. Not having a pull gauge handy, I guessed at both being around 3#'s.

I was told to send the rifle in and they would have a look, which of course I did. About 10 days later I received a call stating my rifle was finished and they would be returning it to me. I asked what they found wrong, and the answer was "we changed the hammers and trigger sears". When I asked why, it was because "they were the old style".

I've since shot the rifle enough now to satisfy myself all is well and the doubling issue is behind now.

I can't say enough good about the service Merkel provides, taking in a rifle several years old from the second owner and never once a discussion about cost or money. Granted, the rifle was as new and unfired when I received it except of course for regulation purposes but everything was taken care of without ado.

A couple of things I can't understand is why someone would put up with a rifle that doubled. I'm sure some were sent back, but from all I've read it seems to be when a rifle doubles, that's just the way it is and one must live with it.

That being said, I also understand a double rifle should never double in the first place and there is little excuse for any rifle these days to double. Merkel made mind whole without accusations or fanfare of any sort, which is what I expected.

It still sports that hideous plastic grip cap (my words, as I fully and wholeheartedly agree with Jorge that given the price of these rifles, one would think a metal cap would be in order or nothing at all) though, something I asked Merkel about early on but still haven't received a reply about. I've got a plan for that as well.

David

Great series of photos. Nice rifle and nice Buff.

Paladin ... David,

Thank you for a very informative post.

I believe that everyone who read it learned a great deal from your experience.

kd

Good work making sure that problem was rectified.

The easiest way to test your rifle is to use a fired shell in one barrel and put a live round in the other, you can alternate which barrel has the fired case, after firing with ejectors it will kick out the barrel or barrels that fired. My merkel doubled and I sent it back to the factory a German gunsmith asked if I knew how to shoot a double and I told him one barrel at a time, he insinuated I strummed the rear trigger. They said it was fixed but it had a delayed double the next time out so back it went. Cal from alaska who recently passed is a sxs fanatic always told me left barrel first

I'll never own a double rifle, unless I win the lottery which I seldom buy a ticket for.

However, what little research I've done, I'd likely buy a Heym. https://www.heymusa.com/rifles/88b.html

One of their Express bolt actions, tuned by Ralf Martini, is one the most impressive rifles I've ever seen and handled. Now if I could just afford $1200+.

https://www.heymusa.com/assets/articles/catalog-downloads/HEYM_Express_Catalog_2017.pdf