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Boy, did I have fun this weekend:

My wife and I went up to the cabin this past weekend for four days and I took the new Merkel along with eight rounds loaded up.

Since I did not have a load worked up for the rifle with the 232 grain Norma Vulcans, I grabbed what was loaded; which was eight rounds with a 250 grain Nosler Accubond.

All eight rounds had 56.5 grains of IMR 4064 powder but four rounds were with WLR primers and the other four were WLR Magnum primers.

Since this was not the factory load I was not expecting much. I just wanted to try the rifle for fit, face pounding, felt recoil, etc. Ok, I just wanted to shoot the gun.

I set up two targets at 50 metres, went back to my standing rest and fired rounds off two at a time; right barrel, right target, left barrel, left target, six to eight seconds apart.

The group with the rounds using WLR primers were 3.5 inches vertical by 1.5 inches horizontal. The group with the WLR Magnum primers were 2.5 inches vertical by .5 inches horizontal. I would say not bad for a cartridge with the wrong projectile weight and a random load of powder and primer. I can't wait to see what it will do with the proper load.

I found the front blade sight to be a bit too wide for my taste and I will scope the rifle, as there is one dove tail already cut in the rifle.

Recoil is what I would consider stout however, there was no jarring cheek-slap. The front of my gun jumped out of my hand. To hang on to the rifle, I will have to grip the barrels because the forearm is so slender. I will have a recoil pad installed in place of the plastic butt plate.

Overall, I am in love. She is a keeper. I can hardly wait to take her deer and moose hunting this year.

As I want to mount a scope on the rifle, most likely a Leupold 1-4x20, what kind of a quick detachable scope mount would be available for this rifle? I am a bit confused as to only one dove-tail being cut into the rear of the gun. Is one supposed to remove the rear sight and use that as the second dove-tail or is there a scope mount made to attach to only one dovetail?

As always, comments, questions and criticisms always welcome.

Regards,

Carpediem

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Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways-Chrdonnay in one hand-Chocolate in the other-body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WHOO-HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!"

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