500Grains,

Perhaps I should have said. "My Personal opinion is" that Merkel 470's are too light. I have a .375 Merkel that is 9.5 lbs and is a joy to shoot. I have a 11.5 lbs Chapuis 470 that is OK to shoot. I have a friend with a 10 lbs 470 Merkel that hurts like hell to shoot.

It goes to the old argument that one should shoot (if possible) a big bore before buying one.