I have been the proud owner of a OU Merkel 211 Combination gun in caliber 7x65R/12 since 1992, there is an extra set of shtogun barrels for wing shooting. The game scene engravings are rich and with great artistic skill.
The gun has followed me all year, for the Roe bucks in the summer, the roaring stags in September, thru the driven hunts in the late fall and the closing of the season in mid winter shooting the last hinds and calfs to close the hunting limits of the hunting club. The stock of the guns shows signs of the many weeks of hunting and there is litle trace of the once sharp cut checkering on the pistolgrip. The scope, a 6x42 Swarowski has the paint worn off on the left side from the many hundred kilometers of walking with the the gun on my back rubbing against my jacket.
I got the Merkel from a retired Polish army general returning from GDR.

I consequently use the same Sellier & Bellot 9.0 grams bullet for all deer and wild boars, it does the job, no more no less!

In late 2008 I got the long wanted double rifle, also a Merkel 221 built in 1955 with tree sets of barrels. A double rifle in 7x65R/7x65R, a combination gun in 7x65R/16 and a shotgun barrel in 16/16.
The game scene engravings are rich and deep with great detail. The stock is aditionally angraved wilth flower ranks, making it a bit lady like. Handling it is surely close to having a young virgin in your hands, given that it is a caliber 16, the girl is just of age...

The caliber was carefully choosen, as I have shoot over six-hundred deer and wild boars with my first Merkel in the same caliber. I find that the 7x65R is a most versatile caliber, making shooting a true pleasure still producing the desired effect in the right spot.

I shurely expect my daugters will continue to hunt with my Merkels, once I cant get out there.

A polish hunting friend once told me that there is no such thing as an "old Merkel" there is only Merkels and "Well preserved Merkels" so a bit unlike ladies age is not an issue.

In short owning a Merkel is for life, and it will probably serve your family for generations if you keep it well preserved.

darz Bor, Knæk og Bræk