Let me first qualify my statements by saying I own, and have owned some of the best, and worse double rifles ever made. Like many here I like the working double rifles, but well made working double rifles. I have some fully engraved examples of both European, and British double rifles, and many of the plain working double rifles and combination guns from some of the best makers, and some very well made examples made by obscure makers in the unknown small shops of Europe. This, I think, like many other on NE, gives me a bit of an insight into what is workable, and what isn’t where double rifles, and combination guns are concerned.

Gentlemen I realize this is an old thread exhumed from a grave long since covered! However, double rifles, well cared for, live a long time, and six years is only a drop in the bucket for a double rifle. I find that, even today, buyers of double rifles seem to be in the dark about the Merkel double rifles for the most part. Even nine years after they were first introduced in the USA at the Dallas Safari Show, at the GSI booth, back in 2001 or so. They caused a lot of talk at that show, and not all of it good. The good talk came from potential buyers. However, those who would compete for the market share Merkel was about to invade, for the most part, generated the bad talk.

First the chamberings including the 375H&H, and the 416Rigby, both rimless, and one potentially a higher pressure round than most thought prudent, in a double rifle. I was in that group, but not for the same reasons. I simply do not like rimless cartridges in a double rifle that may be used for the hunting of dangerous game. However, IMO the reason for the competitor’s comments of Merkel was they couldn’t match the price point of the Merkel. SO, with absolutely nothing more than a short, hands on, examination, the predictions began.
It was predicted these rifles would shoot loose in less than 100 rounds, the 375 H&H would simply blow them apart, the 470NE was the only real choice, but even that would waste this action in short order. Gentlemen, none of these things have come to pass, by 2010. The 500NE has been added, as well as the 450/400NE 3” along with optional ejectors. The barrel sets have gone from Shoe-lump, to Mono-block. The sights have evolved into light gathering fiber insert sights, the rib has been improved, and many of the originals have been in the hunting fields for at least nine years, and I even have a 140E, 9.3X74R that I bought new before GSI from Cape Outfitters that is eleven years old, with not a single problem, and a 140-2 Safari 470NE that is over five years old in my hands, and three before that in it’s original owners hands where it took two good bull elephant, and three Cape buffalo, with no problems either. I know several friends who own Merkel double rifles and again no problems.

I think the ghostly stories and predictions bantered about by those detractors simply have not born fruit, and were just that STORIES! Those Merkel double rifles are taking dangerous game every Safari season, and I have not seen even one example of the Merkel Safari grade, or even the smaller bore rifles that have shown a propensity to shoot loose, or fail to shoot for any reason.