CaptC Posted January 26, 2023 Report Share Posted January 26, 2023 Last week I was in a local gun shop with a friend who was looking at a particular gun. On the rack was a Merkel O/U which caught my eye. Condition was less than average but the price was high. The gun handled very well with its Kersten bolt, cocking indicators, double triggers and straight stock (the later preferable on an O/U) So, anyone use one and what’s your opinion? Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 Yes, I have 3. Two model 303E and a 203E. Handle very nicely. Mine (all 12 bores) are; 303E, 28" barrels, single selective trigger, half pistol grip, made circa 1962. 303E, 28" barrels, double trigger, straight hand stock, made 1980s. 203E, 28" barrels, double trigger, straight hand stock, made 1990s, Teague chokes Problems over the years (it may look a lot, but the combined age of these is about 130 years!) have been; All triggers were heavy (seems to be a family trait). All have been reset by a gunsmith and are now fine. No 1 (above) had a poorly done (brazed) old repair - which had to be redone with a new part. All 3 have had broken main springs (easily replaced). Both 303s have had a loose rib. No 2 has been resoldered, No 1 will be done at some time. As a general comments, the 303's are very smooth, slick and quiet in all operations (opening, closing, ejection etc.) the 203 slightly less so. The 303s have Kerstens and bolts in the lumps, whereas the 203 only bolts at the Kerstens. The 303s have (Southgate type?) ejectors housed in the forends, the 203 has simpler ejectors. The ejectors are retained by small screws with extended heads and these can get worn - but would be easy to replace I think. I have heard of cartridge rims getting behind the extractors, but never had it myself. The Kerstens can be a little inconvenient for fast reloading. Feel free to p.m. if you have any specific questions I might be able to answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 Very interesting - Thank you. The same gun shop had a 303e a few years ago in worse condtion that the present 201e - the gun looked as if had only just survived WW2. It was silly money and the owner refused to negotiate. I think it stayed on the rack for nearly two years. There are a few out there and I will certainly be interested at the right price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 They were in recent years quite expensive new and I'm afraid to say that the quality was not as good as it should have been for the price . That said they were generally well made guns , I would avoid their single trigger guns as they did have issues of which I had some experience . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 (edited) I had one and quite liked the idea of them and they handled nicely. Sadly, the one I had had a couple of faults so it went back. If I hadn't now got the Chapuis and as I did like the idea and were to toy with the idea of another Merkel, I'd get the Coral de Luxe. Edited January 28, 2023 by wymberley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 (edited) On 26/01/2023 at 22:04, CaptC said: Last week I was in a local gun shop with a friend who was looking at a particular gun. On the rack was a Merkel O/U which caught my eye. Condition was less than average but the price was high. The gun handled very well with its Kersten bolt, cocking indicators, double triggers and straight stock (the later preferable on an O/U) It's a Marmite gun design. Like on SBS guns a Westley dollshead fastening and Webley top fastening. Or Greener crossbolt. Personally I hate such. The only exception being a concealed third bite. The reality is that side fastenings on an O/U impede a clean reload. And IMHO if the gun is well made and from sound steel are unnecessary. I don't like them at all and what do double triggers offer that a safety catch mounted barrel selector doesn't do better? And all this before even the awfully large barrel underlugs are considered! It's an obsolete style of making an O/U gun that no one else...with few exceptions...uses as there are better ways nowadays to do it. The bottom line is that there are more Merkel guns being offered for sale than there are those that desire them. I think if you did buy and then want to sell you'd be looking at something that was now worth a lot less than you paid for it. Edited January 28, 2023 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 Many thanks to all who have answered about a Merkel - I think, as enfield spares says, it would be a gun that would be hard to sell on. Today I was shooting with my little Halliday 20 bore and did as good a job as those with 12's. The Halliday is a non ejector and only taken out for walked up/end of season days but the devil on my shoulder is now saying "Find a 30 barrel ejector!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 Just now, CaptC said: it would be a gun that would be hard to sell on. As has been said above, they are seriously expensive new - not sure who currently imports them if anyone? A quick look didn't find any UK price list. In the past it has been Parker Hale and Viking Arms (and maybe others). However, I have got all of mine second (or likely more) hand and they can be quite good value then often at around 10% of the then current list price! Personally I like double triggers with a straight hand stock, which is more common on Merkels than many makes, but it isn't what 'the market' wants. I first developed 'an itch' for a 303 many years ago when Parker Hale were the importers - but it was way out of my price range then, and many years before I got my first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, JohnfromUK said: As has been said above, they are seriously expensive new - not sure who currently imports them if anyone? A quick look didn't find any UK price list. In the past it has been Parker Hale and Viking Arms (and maybe others). However, I have got all of mine second (or likely more) hand and they can be quite good value then often at around 10% of the then current list price! Personally I like double triggers with a straight hand stock, which is more common on Merkels than many makes, but it isn't what 'the market' wants. I first developed 'an itch' for a 303 many years ago when Parker Hale were the importers - but it was way out of my price range then, and many years before I got my first one. What else!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 6 minutes ago, wymberley said: What else!? Why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 2 hours ago, wymberley said: Nice double triggers and straight hand stock. Pity the barrels are upside down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 29, 2023 Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 14 hours ago, London Best said: Nice double triggers and straight hand stock. Pity the barrels are upside down. Agreed with you for some 60 years until I saw these as the blasted arthritis prevented me from rotating my wrists. Sometimes even the 6&1/2 lbs 12 bore can be too much so the 1lb lighter 20 comes out to play. I'd got the 12 before things got really bad and it was rapidly becoming the 'go to' gun which offset the disappointment of having to sell the Churchill style 702 which I had only recently acquired but could no longer 'handle'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 Age is a wonderful thing! I have a similar wrist problem but find alternating between 12 and 20's helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 29, 2023 Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 1 hour ago, CaptC said: Age is a wonderful thing! I have a similar wrist problem but find alternating between 12 and 20's helps. Gets worse. Had to get the canon for when I can't use the right hand too well which fortunately is not too often and is good for the corvids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted January 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 Just now, wymberley said: Gets worse. Had to get the canon for when I can't use the right hand too well which fortunately is not too often and is good for the corvids. 😝 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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