Intercepting sears & bushed firing pins

Some sites claim that the Merkel double rifles sometimes double - fire both barrels simultaneously.
My experience is that most doubles can double Do the present generation of Merkels have intercepting sears? Do they have bushed firing pins? I am talking about the standard Mod 140 AE.

Most of my DR's do not have the intercepting sears and if they double it was the shooters fault.
Just don't shoot with the finger tips on the trigger. It will slip and catch the second trigger. I've doubled my 450 NE. It won't knock you on your butt, break your collar bone, yet alone dislocate your retinas.

But with A 450 it will get your attention! :shocked:

Have the trigger fit at the first finger joint and you won't have a problem. If you insist on using the finger tip pull the back trigger first.

Merkels do not have a rep of doubling. They're fine rifles.

My Holland 465 Dominion would double EVERY time I fired the left barrel first! It would definitely get your attention and on lookers were shocked when I opened the rifle and two empties were ejected. Probably the worse rifle I ever owned! Nothing but trouble and a pain in the ASS!

Merkels have an inertia operated interceptor on the left barrel. This blocks the left trigger from lifting the transfer bar form engaging under the recoil of the right barrel being fired. This is assuming that most shooters always fire the right (front trigger) first. This is not the accepted term for a true sear interceptor which is a hook that rides just above a notch in the tumbler to avoid the tumbler from firing the other barrel if the recoil disengages the main sear. When the other trigger is pulled, the partially disengaged tumbler is released by disengaging the interceptor. This barrel fire just a nothing has happened.

The fact that a double rifle has interceptors is a great feature and worth having, However they will not stop a do0uble discharge caused by the shooter strumming the back trigger when firing the right barrel and letting his trigger finger come back under recoil setting off the other barrel, because the interceptor is disengaged by the back trigger being touched off accidently.

As someone said most doubles are not fitted with intercepting sears, and are a quite expensive option.

Someone mentioned that some say Merkels have a habit of doubling, and that experience these double discharges not being the result of strumming. I do not believe that is the case and would bet 90% of the DDs are indeed the result of operator. I have two Merkel double rifles, a 14E-1, 9.3X74r, and 140-2 safari 470NE that I have owned for some 10 years or so, that I accidently strummed the 9.3 the first time I fired it because being used to larger bore doubles, was not expecting the recoil to be quit a sharp. I have never doubled it again in 10 years and several hundred rounds fired. The 470NE has a couple hundred rounds through it and I have never doubled that rifle even once. Three other people have doubled the 470NE and the strange thing is they were pulling the back trigger first. some say that indicates a malfunction in the rifle because it is not caused by strumming. I say if it is the rifle's fault, why is it that it has never double on me in over 300 rounds fire by me using either trigger first many times. It would seem to me if every one of the DDs experienced by other people all being novice to double rifles they are doing something wrong because it never has happened to and others who are used to heavy recoil in a double rifle.

PS: On the bushed strikers all Merkels have bushed strikers standard!

Interesting responses - always a treat reading your words of wisdom, Dugaboy.
Since my initial posting, I have got myself another Merkel, this one is a Mod 140AE in 450/400 NE 3".
It the fifth Merkel I have owned, the others being smaller caliber O/U doubles. The 450/400 shoots beautifully and fits me like a glove. It is a good, solid double that gives very good bang for the buck.
I no more have any interst in investment grade "best guns", have tried them and several other brands.
Believe that the Merkel will keep me happy, both for the big bears up here and the occasional trp to Africa.

Muskwa said:

Interesting responses - always a treat reading your words of wisdom, Dugaboy.
Since my initial posting, I have got myself another Merkel, this one is a Mod 140AE in 450/400 NE 3".
It the fifth Merkel I have owned, the others being smaller caliber O/U doubles. The 450/400 shoots beautifully and fits me like a glove. It is a good, solid double that gives very good bang for the buck.
I no more have any interst in investment grade "best guns", have tried them and several other brands.
Believe that the Merkel will keep me happy, both for the big bears up here and the occasional trp to Africa.

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