Recommend a double 500 NE?

[LimbNoMo]

Merkel stopped making big bore double rifles ?

I talked to T&G Imports after posting their ad. He made no mention of Merkel no longer producing Safari caliber rifles, but did say they are going to have a 30% price increase.

 

[IvW]

I could be wrong but I believe that Chapuis never produced a .500 NE. And it is definitely not in their current line up. Merkel is out of modern double productions in large safari calibers. It's down to VC, Sabatti, Krieghoff, and Heym if you want a new .500 NE in a non-British double. You can find old Blaser S-3's or Merkel and others out there. I picked up a Merkel in .500 NE on Rock Island Auction but it's not new.

VC are out and Sabatti in 500NE is a real poor choice....
So make your pick Heym or Krieghoff....

 

[Tiger2001]

Merkel stopped making big bore double rifles ?

Yes Sir. About 10 years ago they kind of disappeared. Even here in Germany trying to find them is extremely difficult. I just attended the annual hunting expo in Salzburg, Austria last weekend. Merkel and Krieghoff both had their areas and displays. Krieghoff had a number of safari caliber DR's on display. Merkel had none. Just a couple of O/U 9.3x74's. Their reps kind of chuckled when I asked about the old 140's and 141's they used to make/sell.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Yes Sir. About 10 years ago they kind of disappeared. Even here in Germany trying to find them is extremely difficult. I just attended the annual hunting expo in Salzburg, Austria last weekend. Merkel and Krieghoff both had their areas and displays. Krieghoff had a number of safari caliber DR's on display. Merkel had none. Just a couple of O/U 9.3x74's. Their reps kind of chuckled when I asked about the old 140's and 141's they used to make/sell.

What a shame. They made an okay double rifle. Not the best, but pretty decent value for the money.

 

[Northern Shooter]

So you’re saying the 160AE I just bought is now a classic.

Their Safari caliber doubles are still listed on the Merkel website. Maybe they only produce limited runs each year?

 

[Tiger2001]

Hi everyone. I really don't know but believe me I have expended a lot of energy trying to get an answer. I can tell that if you reach out to Merkel you will either go round and round and never get a straight answer or you will be referred to that fellow in Alabama who seems to be their designated POC. And the above link to Gunsinternational is the first time I have seen a NEW Merkel double featured, so maybe things are turning around!

But getting back to the original thread. If one wants a NEW, non-British made modern double in 500 NE you are limited (IMHO) to Krieghoff and Heym. Sabatti, whatever you think of them, I believe makes this caliber and I am not sure if VC still does. That's it for the above criteria.

 

[KJE81]

Siace Big Hunter can be had in .500 Nitro Express, about 12 000 euro when I inquired a few years ago. It can be heavily customized when it comes to engraving, wood grade, stock type and scope mounts/red dot mount.

Big Hunter

BIG HUNTER is the new side-by-side express manufactured for Dangerous Game Hunting. Each rifle comes with monoblock barrels in Chrome-Molibdenum steel. Action and small parts are machined from solid blocks of special compound steel (Nickel-Chrome-Molibdenum). The British-type double bite locking...

www.siacearmi.com

 

[Rare Breed]

Hi everyone. I really don't know but believe me I have expended a lot of energy trying to get an answer. I can tell that if you reach out to Merkel you will either go round and round and never get a straight answer or you will be referred to that fellow in Alabama who seems to be their designated POC. And the above link to Gunsinternational is the first time I have seen a NEW Merkel double featured, so maybe things are turning around!

But getting back to the original thread. If one wants a NEW, non-British made modern double in 500 NE you are limited (IMHO) to Krieghoff and Heym. Sabatti, whatever you think of them, I believe makes this caliber and I am not sure if VC still does. That's it for the above criteria.

I would put Heym at the top of your list but if you want new look at the wait time. Problem is not much for a value on the posted used gun market at this time

 

[rafter3]

So you’re saying the 160AE I just bought is now a classic.

Their Safari caliber doubles are still listed on the Merkel website. Maybe they only produce limited runs each year?

I have one and love it, they seem to get a lot of bad press but I think it's a beautiful gun and have enjoyed shooting it. Shot a nilgai in Texas last month and plan to shoot 4 buffalo in SA this summer.

 

[towserthemouser]

I have a friend who owns a 1972 built Auguste Francotte sidelock ejector in .458 Winchester Magnum that was regulated for Winchester Super Speed factory ammunition. Now, Winchester factory ammunition for the .458 Winchester Magnum was loaded to a velocity of 2040 FPS starting from 1969 onwards. This was not adequate for frontal brain shots on big African bull elephants. So we decided to hand load some rounds to the pre 1969 specs for Winchester’s factory loads in .458 Winchester Magnum (2130 FPS).

When we hand loaded some rounds to 2130 FPS for use in the Auguste Francotte double rifle, we were quite disheartened to see the rifle’s barrels crossfire. At 2040 FPS, we were getting tight groups out to 50 yards.

Yeah, double rifles are extremely picky eaters. Even pickier than children.

@Hunter-Habib I bow to your much more extensive knowledge and experience. But it's fascinating to me that 90fps would make the difference between a successful brain shot on elephant and an unsuccessful one. Wow, that is a tight margin!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

@Hunter-Habib I bow to your much more extensive knowledge and experience. But it's fascinating to me that 90fps would make the difference between a successful brain shot on elephant and an unsuccessful one. Wow, that is a tight margin!

@towserthemouser

It was Mr. Mike LaGrange’s indispensable book “Ballistics In Perspective” which greatly assisted us in reaching this conclusion.

He was a Problem Animal Control Officer during the 1970s-1980s elephant culling programs in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. He has above 6000 elephants to his credit. And was able to field test DOZENS of different calibers (using different kinds of ammunition) against elephants during actual field trials, in order to form his observations with mathematical precision. His profession permitted him to form unique field experiences with using certain types of firearms & ammunition on elephants, which can never be replicated by anyone else. Many of his field trials arose out of a strong desire to find out exactly what the source of the problems of the .458 Winchester Magnum were. And he did exactly that.

I highly recommend his book to all aficionados of ballistics, firearms & African hunting.