taw1126
.333 member
Reged: 24/07/07
Posts: 290
Loc: Texas
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Assuming there's nothing wrong with it when it gets here next week, I just found my first double rifle (Merkel 140E/140.1 in 9.3x74R) and I thought it would be nice to have some 28-inch 20-gauge barrels to go with it. No big surprise that the importer is likely to be the most expensive place to get this type of work done, or that additional barrels are very expensive when not originally ordered with the rifle, but I was still blown away by the response:
Quote:
We do offer the service of having a set of 20 gauge bbls made for your 140-1, we would have to send your receiver back to Germany for fitting which would take approximately 12 to 18 months, cost would be $3300.00 which does include freight back and forth.
Any number of complete Merkel shotguns could be had for $3,300 and I don't really want to be without any gun for 12 to 18 months, so I'm not planning on going this route and may shelve the idea completely unless anyone knows of another source for Merkel barrels in the U.S. (or the whereabouts of a damaged 47E with good barrels).
As an aside...anyone know the value of a Merkel "maker's" case (canvas & leather) for single barreled shotguns?
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400NitroExpress
.400 member
Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
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Damned good price and excellent turnaround for retrofitted shotgun barrels.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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taw1126
.333 member
Reged: 24/07/07
Posts: 290
Loc: Texas
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Quote:
Damned good price and excellent turnaround for retrofitted shotgun barrels.
Maybe; I don't have any experience in this area to be a better judge of that.
I can definitely state that I don't see the value in adding a $3,300 set of barrels to a $4,500 rifle, especially when a made-to-purpose shotgun costs less than the factory-fit barrels. I notice that Searcy charges $4,000 to add shotgun barrels to $12,000+ rifles (though I also recognize the comparison is somewhat apples & oranges to a retrofit situation) and in those proportions it seems like a worthwhile proposition.
At any rate, shotgun barrels are a novelty I might explore if I ever place an order for a double rifle but not something I'm going to pursue in this situation (through Merkel, anyway).
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DUGABOY1
.400 member
Reged: 02/02/03
Posts: 1340
Loc: TEXAS USA
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Trey, in what part of Texas are you located?
On the barrels for your 140E, I'd simply buy a good used Merkel 20 ga shotgun, and consider the two firearms a pair! You can buy a double breakdown shotgun case from Pelican, and cut the foam to take both the rifle, and the shotgun as a pair, and have a very nice set-up! I have a 140E,9.3X74R, and a 140-2, 470NE double rifles that I plan on doing the same thing with! If you are looking for fitted display cases like the old days cases, then for about $350 you can buy the all leather fitted cases from the guy who bought out Cape Outfitters, and they are well made cases,but for travel you need something better! Galazan has them also! 
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..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"
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taw1126
.333 member
Reged: 24/07/07
Posts: 290
Loc: Texas
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I'm in Kingwood, just NE of Houston (I think I read somewhere that you are/were a pilot, so you've probably seen Kingwood many times on the approach into IAH).
I have a Bear Track case that I've been using to haul around my takedown Winchesters that I think will work great for travelling with the Merkel- that thing is heavy but it's damn well constructed. It has survived trips with major airport baggage handling and puddle-jumper props with hardly a scratch. It might not be big enough for toting both a rifle and a shotgun.
The rifle I bought is currently in a Merkel shotgun case. I might also consider selling it, and buying one of the aluminum double rifle cases made for Merkel by Americase (I think it is actually smaller than the canvas & leather case it is in right now).
The order of business right now is to start shooting...figure out if I want/need a recoil pad installed, and if the "hogback" stock is going to get in the way as much as it looks like it will. Once all of that is known I'll make some decision on the case.
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