| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 21/06/14 09:29 PM |
Merkel S x S
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Here is my first attempt a posting a picture. Merkel 8 x 60 (pre-WW1)
(poor quality photo but bear with me. If this works I have some nicer ones to post)
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 21/06/14 09:31 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S
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Oops. So that didnt workhttp://forums.nitroexpress.com/images/icons/blush.gif
| DoubleD |
| (.400 member) |
| 21/06/14 11:28 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S
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You are in missing a front slash in your code. the front slash / has to go between the square bracket [ and IMAGE at the end of the url.
With photobucket it is much easier to just copy the code found that is listed in the IMG code window and paste it in your post.
| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 22/06/14 12:40 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S
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Doubt the pre-WW1 vintage of this dr, as the 8x60(R) cartridge is of 1922 origin. The popular 8x57 cartridges were outlawed by the 1919 so called "Versailles Peace Treaty", so the 8x60R and 8x60 RS pure sporting numbers were "invented". Please, show the proofmarks as they may allow for closer dating.
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 22/06/14 07:33 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S
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Cheers Double D. Noted.
Kuduae Indeed you are correct. How ever this particular rifle started is as stated. It started life as 8 x 57 and was re chambered at a later date as a result of the treaty. This can be seen on the barrel flats. Have got photos. Will post.
Regards
Ade
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 22/06/14 07:43 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Here are the proof marks. Always glad of more info.
Ade
[/URL]
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 23/06/14 06:06 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Dear Kuduae,
I am looking forward to your observations.
| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 24/06/14 03:05 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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The dr was originally proofed for the 8x57 IR, shown by the bore/land diameter 7.8mm. As the crown of the “Repair” proofmark is partly stamped over it, the old proof date is 11/29, November 1929. At a later date, not visible in the photo, but before 1940, it was modernized to shoot the 8x60RS (.323”) cartridge, 7.9 mm bore/land, with the 10 gramm = 154 gr pointed Stahlmantelgeschoss = steel jacketed bullet. The DWM load #110 was advertised with a mv of 920 m/s = 3018 fps, 26” barrel.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 24/06/14 03:19 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Nice looking rifle.
Chopper lump barrels too - and a claw-mount scope!
The 8x60 is a great cartridge. Is this rifle set up for the rimmed version?
May we see the chambers and extractors please?
If it's not the rimmed cartridge, brass is easy with 30-06
If it's the rimmed version, you can use 7mm rimmed as the parent case.
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 24/06/14 05:08 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Cheers gentlemen
The rifle uses the rimmed cartridge, I make them out of 7 x 65R brass with the help of a set of dies from CH Tool and die.
(175grn Sierra ProHunters over 46.5 grn Varget. At 75 yrds the centres of the right and left barrel groups are the same distance apart as at the muzzle which is very lucky)
The scope rings are I think Recknagle and were fitted to the original mounts for me by an apprentice at Westley Richards.
Will forward pictures of extractors when get back home (currently in Middle East )
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 24/06/14 06:59 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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We definitely need some more photos of that rifle, it looks great.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 24/06/14 08:56 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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I have 7x65r brass here for the same reason. I also have (30-06 parent case) amnunition.
Used to own a 8x60r boxlock ejector rifle, still own and run a very nice 8x60 magazine rifle.
Enjoy it - and definitely post more photos when you can.
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 24/06/14 04:26 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Here's a few more
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 24/06/14 04:36 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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One more
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 24/06/14 08:44 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Great photos, beautiful gun, everything about it looks good. You are a lucky man and I am a very jealous one.
Waidmannsheil.
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 24/06/14 09:58 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Cheers Waidmansheil.
She wasn't quite like that when she first came into my possession.
In 2006 I was staying with a friend who runs a shooting school/training establishment in the West County (UK) I had been given the privilege of a look at his personal collection of firearms (wow) and the next time I saw him I asked if he had any double rifles in his collection as at that point I had never seen one in the flesh and would be most interested to have a look.
We went into his armoury and in the corner stood a very shabby gunslip. In it was the rifle you see above. She was looking very neglected and grubby (which surprised me) with a broken trigger guard and a sheen of grime. My friend asked me if I wanted to buy it. I was even more surprised by this as I knew he never sold any of his collection. This rifle was not part of his collection (fortunately!). It transpired the former owner had emigrated to South Africa a number of years previously with a view to having the rifle shipped out to him. Unfortunately he died soon after arriving there. His sister handed to rifle in to the local police who were unsure of what to do with it so they lodged it with my friend for safe keeping where it had languished in the corner of his armoury for years.
After a few weeks haggling a price was agreed. (The executors of the deceased's estate authorised the sale with monies to be kept by my friend to defray the years of storage costs )
As previously mentioned I had an apprentice at Westley Richards fit the scope mounts. When re-fitting the front dovetail the top rib lifted. Not his fault. The area under the rib was extremely rusty. This was probably a blessing as it enabled the rust to be dealt with and rib relayed. The concern was, of course affecting the regulation. Care was taken with a clamp being made to hold the barrels in place. (The barrels had to be re-blacked, I had planned not to do this but it was done out of necessity and she looks all the better for it I think) As per previous she shoots magnificently and I had no need to have her re-regulated after the work had been done. http://forums.nitroexpress.com/images/icons/smirk.gif
(Scope is 4 x 32 Swaro Habicht)
Definately a keeper.
| kuduae |
| (.400 member) |
| 25/06/14 12:10 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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With the A&D boxlock action, chopper lump barrels and Greener crossbolt, it is Gebrueder Merkel's model XXVI/77 IMHO. (There were, besides Gebrueder Merkel, other gunmakers run by other members of the Merkel family before WW2, f.i. Ernst August Merkel - EAM, Bernhard Merkel - BEMESU, Oskar Merkel _ MERCO)
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 25/06/14 02:47 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Thanks again Kuduae for your encyclopaedic input.
Ade
| Waidmannsheil |
| (.400 member) |
| 25/06/14 07:05 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Hi 8 x57, great story and a lot of fun. We do a lot of restoration here at work (Not just guns) and I always find it enjoyable to pull something apart and see what you have got, then rebuild and modify to make it original but also more reliable. Finding out the history, or at least trying to is also a lot of fun. Well done.
Waidmannheil.
CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 25/06/14 07:48 PM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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That's a very nice rifle. It's good to have it in proper and appreciative hands and no longer propped in a corner.
Congratulations. I would be proud to own one like it.
Curl
| 8X57 |
| (.300 member) |
| 01/07/14 03:58 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Thanks Roscoe
From a DR aficionado, high praise indeed.
8 x 57
| mtAl |
| (.224 member) |
| 02/07/14 10:32 AM |
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Re: Merkel S x S Barrel flats
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Great looking DR and even better that it regulates so well. Absolutely love the moose engraving. Thanks for sharing!