1976 Merkel SxS

Bullet Bob

Bullet Bob

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This is a 1976 Merkel side x side 12 gauge, 28" barrel choked Full and Fuller :)

Just picked it up Saturday, wish I still lived in South Dakota. It's their lowest grade that I know of, a Model 8. Extractors only, case-hardened receiver, side clips, and enough locking systems to keep it tight for longer than I'll own it. The only thing I'd like better is full coverage fine rose & scroll engraving, but I don't have the wallet for that.

The cheekpiece fits me fine, but I'll have to shoot it to know for sure. Lots of people don't like the sling swivels on a shotgun, but I like the Continental look.

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Lot of gun for the money.
 
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70mm long chambers? Some sold for Euro use have shorter chambers.

I wrote an article on Merkel guns for, "Guns" years ago. East Germany was then still a separate country, and the batch that I examined at A &F was the largest group of ornate Merkels allowed outside their country in decades.

The importer's PR girl / escort spoke no German (!) and the managers from Merkel had no English! I don't speak German, but managed to get a good interview and handled some fine guns. The Germans did have some literature in English, and I was later taken to dinner by another PR guy who helped some. He did explain what was likely to be imported and mentioned some prices.

The Merkel shotguns were fine arms. I enjoyed seeing them.
But I don't think much came of that importer's effort. Merkel guns are still something that you need to seek out if you want one in the USA. Their admirers think it's a search well worth the effort.

Congratulations on your new gun. I hope that it puts many a pheasant on your table.
 
"70mm long chambers?"

Yes indeed. I like that Simpson; it's my limited understanding that for many years they, Merkel's, and Saur's were manufactured by the same people at the same time. I don't know why, but quite a few older Merkels are showing up on gunsinternational.com (not an auction site).

I don't know if it's true of all German guns, but this one and the 2 Sig P6's I picked up about 10-11 years ago when they flooded the market are marked with the month and year of manufacture. That seems like a dandy practice to me.
 
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Yep.

Merkel bought Simson and made them. The 'economy' grade without the name.
 
Steely85 said:
Yep.

Merkel bought Simson and made them. The 'economy' grade without the name.
Click to expand...

I don't know where you got your info from but according to my knowledge both were combined in the "VEB Ernst-Thälmann-Werk Suhl" around 1952 by the administration and Merkel made the guns to allow Simson to concentrate on the production of motorcycles from 1962 on. In 1968 both factories were combined under the new name of VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk „Ernst Thälmann“. Simson restarted gun manufacturing under its own name in the same factory as Merkel. I have seen also factory engraved Simson and Wolf shotguns.

Both used the Q1 stamp for better quality for export intermittently.

I have a Merkel 200E with double Greener lock, the 201E is the engraveed luxury version with nicer wood. E stands for ejectors.

cjFWZq1.jpg
 
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Bullet Bob said:
... I like that Simpson; it's my limited understanding that for many years they, Merkel's, and Saur's were manufactured by the same people at the same time. ...
Click to expand...


They were manufactured in East Germany which was communistic. VEB translates to "business owned by the people" and the VEB's were in large industrial roof organisations that were all connecting them in many ways.

In 1950 Merkel, Gebr. Greifelt & Co, Ernst Thälmann Werk (formerly C. G. Haenel) und Fortuna-Werk (formerly Sauer & Sohn) were combined in the MEWA-Suhl.

1970 the Sauer name was dropped in East German production. There were some fine guns manufactured by independant gun smiths and engravers in the BÜHAG, Suhl, too.
 
Thats quite a score there Bob.
It's a beauty and i'm sure it will do well afield.

Chuck
 
Andyd said:
I don't know where you got your info from but according to my knowledge both were combined in the "VEB Ernst-Thälmann-Werk Suhl" around 1952 by the administration and Merkel made the guns to allow Simson to concentrate on the production of motorcycles from 1962 on. In 1968 both factories were combined under the new name of VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk „Ernst Thälmann“. Simson restarted gun manufacturing under its own name in the same factory as Merkel. I have seen also factory engraved Simson and Wolf shotguns.

Both used the Q1 stamp for better quality for export intermittently.

I have a Merkel 200E with double Greener lock, the 201E is the engraveed luxury version with nicer wood. E stands for ejectors.

cjFWZq1.jpg
Click to expand...


Those Germans probably didn't know what they were talking about when I was there.
 
Good score. You would be hard pressed to find a more solidly built shotgun than a Merkel. With proper care that gun will last three life times.
 
Steely85 said:
Those Germans probably didn't know what they were talking about when I was there.
Click to expand...

Probably not. Being German does not make one a gun history buff, especially on the obscure history of state owned companies behind the iron curtain.

I have done quite a bit of research into the BÜHAG but came up with precious little details on who actually belonged to it and I know well how to do an internet search in German.
 
Texas Star said:
The importer's PR girl / escort spoke no German (!) and the managers from Merkel had no English! I don't speak German,
Click to expand...

40 some years ago I bought a Rizzini O/U. It had sling swivels, needed them it was a heavy gun. Full and Full. I traded it off.

About 25 years ago I bought a Rizzini like NIB Sporting clays O/U in the box at the Kansas City gun show. It had super wood and was very nicely finished, much more so than the 1st one I had.

I could not find any information on Rizzini shotguns in the US. So I called the Rizzini factory. I do not speak Italian, everyone in their office did not speak english. Finally they pulled a gentleman out of the plant who spoke fair english.

Thre are 3 Rizinni brothers who make O/U shotguns, they add their first name initial to Rizinni. They use the same action, the price differences reflect the polish, better fit and wood. Sort of a cheaper basic, a middle range and a high dollar one. The Sporting Clay gun was a high dollar one. Their father made high dollar side by sides.

I took it to Tulsa with me, a guy knew what it was, I came out very well. This gentleman and I only spoke English, made the trade go nicely. I ended up with a Westley Richards side by side and it had the importers name on it, A&F, New York.
 
Andyd said:
Probably not. Being German does not make one a gun history buff, especially on the obscure history of state owned companies behind the iron curtain.

I have done quite a bit of research into the BÜHAG but came up with precious little details on who actually belonged to it and I know well how to do an internet search in German.
Click to expand...


Compelling.
 
I'm going to lay my ignorance right out on the table and ask if most of these fine double guns (Merkel, Purdy, etc.), and in particular those that were made back in the day in Europe were choked full and full?

I'm sure if you commissioned the craftsmen to make one for you they would choke it however you wanted, but what was the "default" choke that was popular then?
 
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