Just picked up a Merkel Double Rifle opinions wanted

Wildwillalaska said:

Jeezus! Chuck made that box to ship it in? I showed him photos of the Sterling Davenport rifle USPS snapped in transit…musta really gone to heart. Now I want him to make me a shipping box…lol.

Happy to hear it all came through well. I don’t think you over paid at all. The other bud of mine was chomping at the bit…literally like a Christmas morning kid dying for that gun…until he learned it wasn’t an ejector gun. I have both ejector doubles and one with extractors. I love them both, and have met guys who you couldn’t force them to use ejectors…that extractors are way more-mo-better. I think it depends entirely on what you like…and then become accustomed and practiced to….100% (as our Zim brothers would say)

That rifle from a marketing standpoint has a couple great things going for it and couple not so great…being totally open and honest. And the mix..make it the perfect double for someone who is new to them and curious without proving too much of a barrier to the entry of the double world.

Huge plus…it’s a solidly built, high quality German made double rifle. So many folks here have owned one or more at some point in the timeframe of their double rifle affliction. It’s also the same model as the very first double rifle I ever held and shot…that one was a 500NE.

Second huge plus…you get quality and level of accuracy/reliability under $10k. Not as easy to accomplish today.

Downsides…many double rifle folks don’t want rimless, belted magnum cartridges. Many double rifle folks don’t want extractor guns. Those two narrow the market when you go to sell it…but is also why the gun is under $10k to start with. AND…for someone wanting to dip a toe into the double pool to see what it’s like…the 416 Rigby is an awesome cartridge. There’s a good reason the 500/416 and 416 Rigby #2 exist today…that’s to provide the ballistics of the 416 Rigby in a case that has a rim allowing ejectors with less moving parts. Plus someone looking at the rifle may already have a 416 Rigby or two in bolt guns, making this rifle a fun and easy adventure into doubles.

You can find ammo most places you could want to use the gun should an airline or some other event separate your ammo in route. So great entry to double rifle life I think.

If you love it…like most other rifles we hunt with…there will be more to come. Rarely does the first one prove to be the only one.

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Wildwillalaska said:

Downsides…many double rifle folks don’t want rimless, belted magnum cartridges. Many double rifle folks don’t want extractor guns. Those two narrow the market when you go to sell it…but is also why the gun is under $10k to start with. AND…for someone wanting to dip a toe into the double pool to see what it’s like…the 416 Rigby is an awesome cartridge. There’s a good reason the 500/416 and 416 Rigby #2 exist today…that’s to provide the ballistics of the 416 Rigby in a case that has a rim allowing ejectors with less moving parts. Plus someone looking at the rifle may already have a 416 Rigby or two in bolt guns, making this rifle a fun and easy adventure into doubles.

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DaddyFlip said:

@Wildwillalaska I know you know this- the Rigby is rimless but not belted, so I would give it only half a downside point there. I underlined all your upsides listed in in the downsides paragraph; really the only downside to me is the 416 Rigby isn't a traditional DR caliber. However, I like to point out that in Graeme Wright's doubles book, he lists seven rimless cartridges that were popular during the golden age of safari, including the belted 458 Win Mag (admittedly, after the golden age for this cart). Traditional African carts such as the 404 Jefferey and 425 Westley Richards are there; no reason the 416 Rigby- at least as traditionally African as those- can't be a superb DR cart. Like you said, a fella could have a bolt gun and a double in this caliber and not have to apologize for anything.

@Noah Hutchens I think you made a good buy and got the benefit of a good reference on the sale. The Merkel is a working gun and the 416, as storied as it is, is a working cartridge; it's a good combination. Plus, the beauty of this deal is the handmade travel case! I would use that as is, learn to wood burn and adorn it with your own travel memories. Or have it leather wrapped (well... it's a working case- maybe vinyl wrapped!) Screw a handle from the hardware store on it and call it good. Enjoy!

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Noah Hutchens said:

Hello! This is a follow up post to a thread I posted about a month ago on asking if a Merkel Double in 416 Rigby posted on Gunbroker was a scam or not….. especially thanks to @Wildwillalaska for vouching for the seller I can confirm that it was indeed not a scam and I just received my first larger bore double rifle! First thing I’m noted was how heavy it was! I’m not super used to heavy rifles and this one is definitely the heaviest I own! Might need to hit the gym!

It was purchased for $8500 from a very nice fellow in Alaska named Chuck, who shipped it EXTREMELY well down to me in Oklahoma. He made a custom wooden crate for the rifle and put extensive padding and protection. He was selling it for his friend who is now too old and too ill health to go back hunting. He told me the rifle has been to Africa a few times and took a Bull elephant and possibly a leopard but not a buffalo, so fingers crossed on my hunt next year I can knock that off its list.

Overall I am even more happy with the rifle in my possession, it has a few minor stock bumps/dings(was duly noted before I purchased it) but they aren’t as bad as I thought they were. This is the first firearm I own that has nice engraving so that tickles my fancy as well. I am going to have a Red Dot put on it as my eyes aren’t the best and I hate wearing glasses unless I’m staring at a computer screen. I haven’t shot the rifle yet but the fellow shot it a few days before he sent it to me with hornady ammo and said it was 2inches apart at 50 yards, just a little low, which he said was because his buddy changed the front sight to a fiber optic sight, I will most likely purchase a replacement original style front sight from NECG.

The serial number is A416032, does anyone have any information that could tell me when it was manufactured? Also, I paid $8500, would that be considered a reasonable price for the rifle? If I overpaid a little I’m not too worried as I really wanted a double with nice engraving but just for my records/insurance reasons what would the “going rate” be for the rifle? Thanks to all who read and helped on my original thread and who read this one! I will shoot it next week with Barnes TSX ammo and report back my findings!View attachment 774567View attachment 774568View attachment 774569View attachment 774570View attachment 774571View attachment 774572View attachment 774573View attachment 774574View attachment 774575

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Charlie64 said:

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I am a great Merkel & .416 fan, so it gets my vote! Congratulations.

I love the engraving ele plus rhino & based on that I would put it at late 80s possibly early 90s. My guess.

Looks like a hair crack on the left hand side of the stock where it meets the metal coming off the scroll just above the cocking indicator. May need to have that looked at unless it is the photography.

At that price today, congratulations on a solid double by a great German name!

Cheers

.

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Noah Hutchens said:

Thanks! I’m pretty sure it’s just a deep a deep scratch but I’m going to take off the buttstock to verify. Im
Honestly not sure on how to take off the buttstock though lol.

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High Country Hunts said:

Does look like a crack 100%!!!
From recoil typically (different from walnut dryness and shrinkage crack).
The wood cops a
Hammering from the metal surface.
I had the same crack form on a Chapuis double rifle in 9.3x74.
Hopefully the seller pointed that out

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High Country Hunts said:

Does look like a crack 100%!!!
From recoil typically (different from walnut dryness and shrinkage crack).
The wood cops a
Hammering from the metal surface.
I had the same crack form on a Chapuis double rifle in 9.3x74.
Hopefully the seller pointed that out

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Certus said:

If you have any concerns you live in the same state as Americas best double rifle gunsmith (JJ Perodeau)

Looks great and solid cartridge.

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Noah Hutchens said:

I was already planning on taking the rifle to JJ Perodeau after my conversations last year with the fellows over at Champlin, who are also only an hour away from me(lucky me), to put on a red dot for me since I struggle to accurately shoot iron sights due to being right handed and my right eye being way worse than my left eye(shame).

I have already emailed with him and he said he can put a Trijicon RMO9 with a QD plate for me and while it’s there he’ll take a look at the crack and make a repair if necessary.

With everyone saying he’s the best of best here in the states I was expecting a huge lead time as even local normal shops near me take forever but he told me only 1 or 2 weeks at the most so that was a pleasant surprise!

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Russ16 said:

JJ put a red dot on my Chapuis earlier this year (I went with the SRO) I was amazed as how quick he did the work and the reasonable pricing. It was less than three weeks including shipping time to and from the east coast.

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