No Shame Merkel 470 NE

[Riflecrank]

Rodney Dangerfield of Double Rifles

It was easy to find a more uniform load than the Federal factory 470 NE loads with TBSS.
I figure the Merkel factory had to be handloading their ammo with Federal brass and TBSS 500-gr bullets. Impossible to regulate with the factory load extreme spreads !!!
At over $10 per shot the factory ammo would hurt the bottom line considerably.

I fired my handloads, R_L_R_L for 50 meter targets below:

Right on converged above,
right on crossed below,
close enough for minute of buffalo.
I pooh-pooh anyone who says their DR shoots parallel to infinity.
That would require ammo with extreme spread of zero !!!

I never got around to finding a light bullet regulating load.
Reloading International ran out of the 500-gr North Fork softs and did a substitution:

I'druther use my own cast bullets for my softs. Cast in BHN-25, PC-painted, and gas-checked, they work just fine and accurate at 2100-2200 fps in every other rifle in which I have tried my homemades:

Some load data:

A-Square pressure data:

Sumbuddy who know did this:

Merkels ain't bad.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Very thorough write-up. I’ve always thought the House of Merkel double was a top-tier engineered rifle 100% manufactured in house. In fact, here are comparing specs:

House of Merkel 140AE:
Anson & Deeley Box Lock Action
Greener Locking Cross Bolt
Double Bite Underlugs
Monoblock Barrel Joining
Manual Safety
Articulated Front Trigger
Made Completely In-House

Heym 88B & 89B:
Anson & Deeley Box Lock Action
Greener Locking Cross Bolt
Double Bite Underlugs
Shoe Lump Barrel Joining
Manual Safety
Articulated Front Trigger
Made Completely In-House

 

[bwanamrm]

Nothing wrong with a Merkel... especially one that shoots like yours!

 

[Bullthrower338]

I had one and wish I’d have never sold it. It was a great shooting rifle

 

[leslie hetrick]

i never owned a merkel double rifle, but i own a 47E double barreled 20 ga shotgun that i realy like, it is still very tight to open.

 

[HB Singh]

Congratulations man! Beautiful rifle!

Please keep us updated on the performance. I am curious about double discharges with Merkel from other threads on here reporting that.

I have read some folks have had to send their Merkel and Rizzini doubles to JJ Perodeau to have that double discharge issue fixed.

I am curious because I am thinking about buying a Merkel in .500 NE!

 

[Rare Breed]

I owned a Merkel in 500 NE in their 140 model and loved it!!! Never use the word shame on a nice respected DR. You shoot yours very well and it is beautiful!!!!

 

[MacJenkins]

You have that gun dialed! Try some CEB solids. I found they shot just as good as Northforks in my 470.

I hope Northforks get more readily available as it’s one of the only bullets my 450/400 likes.

 

[AZDAVE]

That will hunt!

 

[Riflecrank]

Nostalgically remembering the speed champ for four shots timed at the 50-yard, life-sized
cape buffalo paper target:

Yep, Winchester M70 Super Grade .458 WIN MAG.
An ejector double rifle might have won for two shots, but not four shots.
There were no Blasers to be found at the Octoberfest.
Kentuckians are too smart to be seen in public with them,
though I suspect some might fondle them in the closet at home.

 

[Riflecrank]

I just found a copy of Graeme Wright's 4th Ed. for only $65, last one remaining at that seller.
I have 2nd Ed. and 3rd Ed.
There was an exponential growth in book contents from 2nd to 3rd Ed.
Looking forward to 4th.
May the fourth be with me.

A "Used: Acceptable" copy of the 3rd Ed. was offered for $772.44,
and "Other: Used from $699.95" on Amazon !!!

Seems double rifle BOOKS appreciate too.
I be curiously looking for a Graeme Wright First Edition ...

 

[hseII]

Nostalgically remembering the speed champ for four shots timed at the 50-yard, life-sized
cape buffalo paper target:

Yep, Winchester M70 Super Grade .458 WIN MAG.
An ejector double rifle might have won for two shots, but not four shots.
There were no Blasers to be found at the Octoberfest.
Kentuckians are too smart to be seen in public with them,
though I suspect some might fondle them in the closet at home.

Is this shoot happening again?