Forums.NitroExpress.com

Bonanza,

Two problems only.

First, there is a round steel bar mounted in the butt to add weight. The bar is about 13 ounces. Mine was very poorly mounted and shot loose (as did my buddy's). I re-mounted mine in more sturdy fashion and have had no further trouble so far. My buddy did a radical fix that I will decline to discuss in public.

Second, on my gun the recoil is enough to throw the safety to the "on" position after shooting the right barrel. Definitely would be a negative in the face of dangerous game. But it's an easy fix. I have not attempted to fix it and will send it to GSI.

I have discussed the guns and the problems at length with the folks at GSI - Einar Hoff and Danny Spahn. They have seen other Merkels with the safety issue and have no problem fixing that. They are concerned about the steel weight mounting, and I suspect they have urged Merkel to do something better. Maybe the newer guns have this corrected. Mine is SN A500003, assumably #3 of the lot.

Early on I could see that my action was settling into the stock along the bottom edge. I suspected that a cracked stock might be in the offing. I planned to shoot it as much as possible during the warranty period to see if it would break, and then send it back for a new stock. But at this point it seems to have seated itself solid against the head of the stock, and there are no cracks. Still I will shoot it and see what results.

The guys at GSI are fine people, and they have appreciated my observations, both good and bad. I have talked to them a number of times on the phone, and I visited with them at length at the Vintagers in New York this past September. They regularly send feed-back to Merkel in the effort to improve the product.

Again, the Merkel 140-2 is what it is. Don't look for full-coverage hand engraving. Don't look for a stock hand shaped from a $3,500 piece of wood. If you want those refinements, they are certainly available elsewhere. I enjoy those on other double guns, but they cost multiples of the price I paid for the Merkel. The Merkel is a good, solid, accurate working gun. It claims to be no more than that. Frankly, I think the price you can negotiate on one is outstanding.

And let me give another plug on that issue. I bought mine through Hendershot's Sporting Goods, of Hancock, Maryland. I was drawn to them by an add on GunsAmerica for a Merkel 140-2.1 in .500 NE. I'll say without reservation that Lance Hendershot is a great guy to deal with. No, I don't work for them or have any interest in their business. That was my first contact with that establishment. I live in western Virginia. I bought the Merkel through Hendershot's, and it was shipped directly to my dealer here in VA for me to pick up and do the paperwork. Couldn't have been easier.

By the way, I see you are in South Carolina. If you have a chance to come to western Virginia I'll be glad to let you test drive the Merkel at our range. It's always good to make the acquaintence of another double gun afficionado.

Regards,
CptCurl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.