Merkel 500 ne

[Rare Breed]

The Krieghoff has a sharp edge to the rear trigger guard. I called Krieghoff in PA on the regulation ammo. And while talking to a gunsmith he recommended a rubber bumper they make. It’s being shipped.
But the recoil to the shoulder feels less than my browning 7 Rem mag. Weight and stock I would imagine

been there done that given your picture…make your grip an inch back with a “good” grip not killer grin and the finger torture goes away…i found you do not want a finger “bumper”. when hunting DG the less to think about the better…said from experience

 

[Lyleedward]

Have you identified the issue?

Haha late reply but still relevant. No they haven’t. 18 months now a part arrived but apparently wrong one. Apparently it needs a interceptor for front trigger to block it wen firing back trigger first

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Haha late reply but still relevant. No they haven’t. 18 months now a part arrived but apparently wrong one. Apparently it needs a interceptor for front trigger to block it wen firing back trigger first

Sounds like a dasign flaw. Sell it with full disclosure and buy a Heym.

 

[Daniel Cary]

Just after I just bought "new tires", I had to buy .. a new tire

save your money

 

[Lyleedward]

Well just a boring update. Almost 3 years now waiting for 500 ne Merkel to be fixed under warranty. Do not by large cal Merkel doubles. Merkel says gun is fine just pull front trigger first. I pointed out if I have solid in one barrel and soft in other I may need to chose which trigger I’m pulling. Gun smith at the Australian importer is modifying by adding a Block to front trigger ghat is identical to the factory block they have on rear trigger. So this should be a fix. The most annoying thing is Merkel’s attitude, they just don’t care.

 

[Green Chile]

That's frustrating. That is MORE than enough time to address a trigger issue. Their solution is saying to treat it like a single trigger gun. That's not an adequate response.

 

[rookhawk]

I wish we could make a stickie of these threads. People buy doubles, suffer frustrations and conclude they are unsafe or unreliable, then they buy a Heym.

When the conventions were over a few years back Merkel dumped all their demo guns from the show for $5800-$6800. That’s about what they are worth allowing for the nonsense that accompanies them.

 

[Lyleedward]

Hi just thought I would comment on my Merkel 140 ae 500. Some may remember it double fired when pulling back trigger first. I sent it back to the importer here in Australia 12 th September 2022. For warranty fix. Merkel Was slow to respond they finally sent me email saying aware of problems sorry will send parts. That was in 13 may 2024. read email attachment.now I only just picked up today after I got a government department involved. 2 years 7 months later . I’m sitting in back of wife's car holding it on way hm haha. Yay. Leaving to guiding on buff shortly

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

What an absolute fiasco, but my friend, that gun cost you a lot of money and you sat around all this time waiting upon a useless warranty route? Why not just pay a little to a local professional, get it fixed and move on? All this trauma for what, satisfaction?

 

[Lyleedward]

Yeh I know but I was consistently told parts were 2 weeks away. And the only way I can get the parts in this backward country is thought the ONE dealer. They said if any other gunsmith touched it I lost warranty. There is no gunsmith schools in Australia you have to go to New Zealand for apprenticeship haha so it’s a dying trade. I attached a couple of photos of what he finally did. U can see the 2 blocks in photos the standard is one only on the back trigger the fix is milling it for second block for front trigger. I fired it yesterday and it seems fixed I can fire either barrel without seeing the other off. I have been told new Merkels come from factory like this now but I’m not sure if it’s true. I do have a 470 Krieghoff and 450/400 Merkel I used while waiting, that made it a bit easier if I only had the one double I might have used a different gunsmith or strangled someone and not worried about warranty. They say sorry for how long it took. I said I want my warranty to start again now as for almost 3 years of the 5 years warranty it was sitting at dealer. The said will be considered.

 

[MacJenkins]

Had a Merkel 500 that would double as well probably 15 years ago. Had it fixed and sold it off some time later. That gun would kick the hell out of me. Not sure why, seamed to be very close to my stock dimentions.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Yeh I know but I was consistently told parts were 2 weeks away. And the only way I can get the parts in this backward country is thought the ONE dealer. They said if any other gunsmith touched it I lost warranty. There is no gunsmith schools in Australia you have to go to New Zealand for apprenticeship haha so it’s a dying trade. I attached a couple of photos of what he finally did. U can see the 2 blocks in photos the standard is one only on the back trigger the fix is milling it for second block for front trigger. I fired it yesterday and it seems fixed I can fire either barrel without seeing the other off. I have been told new Merkels come from factory like this now but I’m not sure if it’s true. I do have a 470 Krieghoff and 450/400 Merkel I used while waiting, that made it a bit easier if I only had the one double I might have used a different gunsmith or strangled someone and not worried about warranty. They say sorry for how long it took. I said I want my warranty to start again now as for almost 3 years of the 5 years warranty it was sitting at dealer. The said will be considered.

I am glad it worked out, but a bit of strangling may be in order if the warranty isn't extended.

 

[DrBob]

Sounds like a sear problem. Whether you fired the front or the rear trigger first, or whether you had a soft or solid in the left barrel is a non issue and certainly not the cause of your failure. This is exactly what a double rifle is made for. You should be able to fire your right or left barrel first on demand.
Reason why I asked, I have seen front triggers on Merkels bend and gets bent so much out of shape that they eventually touch off the rear trigger, through no fault of the shooter, causing a double discharge.
Had this happen to a friend's 470 and my triggers were starting to go on my 500. Luckily noticed mine while rifle was having a new bead put on. This was due to a bad batch of triggers fitted to Merkels, as I have read of quite a few of these instances. Subsequently, replaced my triggers on the Merkel.
Saying all of this, if your mishap occurred from firing the rear trigger first, then it won't be the trigger issue, but I would have a careful look at them. By the way, got zero service from Merkel on the trigger issue. Could not even get an answer from there where to purchase new triggers.

My Merkel 470 doubled also. Working up loads, at a certain energy it doubled. Sent it in and now it doesn't double but the right trigger pull is hard. One major reason to NOT shoot the left first, is that mine and others have a set trigger on the right. The recoil will move the trigger finger enough to set the right and then it's a hair trigger. Oops. The action is very compact. If it doubles again, I will send it to JJ. The first time it doubled, I was bench shooting and all of a sudden I was staring up at the ceiling, still on the seat and wrestling the rifle for control. No harm , no foul but no fun either. The Merkel is hell for stout as I have well over 2000 rounds through it. I had JJ tap the rear of the rib at the breech for a red dot..... that is the single best addition and makes it a real killing machine.

 

[Lyleedward]

My Merkel 470 doubled also. Working up loads, at a certain energy it doubled. Sent it in and now it doesn't double but the right trigger pull is hard. One major reason to NOT shoot the left first, is that mine and others have a set trigger on the right. The recoil will move the trigger finger enough to set the right and then it's a hair trigger. Oops. The action is very compact. If it doubles again, I will send it to JJ. The first time it doubled, I was bench shooting and all of a sudden I was staring up at the ceiling, still on the seat and wrestling the rifle for control. No harm , no foul but no fun either. The Merkel is hell for stout as I have well over 2000 rounds through it. I had JJ tap the rear of the rib at the breech for a red dot..... that is the single best addition and makes it a real killing machine.

Yep good gun. But it does let u know when u pull trigger haha. Especially if both go off mine did on a buffalo just as he was charging up out of a creek. They fixed without adjusting trigger pull he put a second “block” behind the front trigger same as back trigger has standard he had to mill out grove to make it identical as original. If u see the photos I posted above u can see 2 blocks. Instead of one.

 

[DieJager]

Luckily living next door to Germany I would not hesitate buying one if the price is right. If l was living further away, as in not next door I would not think about it.

If they do not respond I would drive to their office and wait until they fix it.

Not very German from them not answering and fixing problems.

 

[BeeMaa]

Firearms and their owners have a similar relationship to cars and their owners.

Some will encounter problems with a particular model, sometimes even a very well known problem and still make the conscious decision to invest in it. Then a bond is formed, through the trenches and turmoil that making that thing (rifle, car, boat…etc) work properly. And in some cases still have to make concessions with phrases like, “she doesn’t like to start on cool mornings” or “I have to do this to keep the rifle from doubling”.

Others just want it to work. Get in the car and it starts. Pick up the rifle and it operates as it should. Sure, there’s not a lot of time spent forming the bond in this way. But I like to think that I form my bonds best with the wind in my hair and creating memories with those inanimate objects while using them...not having them repaired.

@Lyleedward - Glad you have your rifle and it's working properly. I hope you have many more memories made with this rifle on the hunt.