doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Merkel Question

Hi Guys!
I was looking at Champlain Arms website and they were selling an older Merkel and they said it was better than the "New Crap".
They seemed to suggest that the innards of the newer Merkels have been changed, (not for the better, obviously). Anyone know what they are talking about???

I think they are perhaps speaking of the fact that the new Merkel's no longer have the extra lug (guess you call it a lug) that was part of the bottom of the barrels that fit into the rectangular cut in the bottom of the receiver. I believe they quit doing that about ten years ago, because it took more time for the necessary hand fitting/milling required to put the gun together. If you look on some websites and search for Merkel's and look at the bottom of the receiver's, you will see what I'm referring to. The other thing perhaps Champlain is referring to is most real knowledgeable folks think the Merkel's made after the Russian's took over Eastern Germany are not what they were before. Some folks think any Merkel marked GDR (German Democratic Republic) on the barrels is inferior. Anyway, I'm guessing folks more knowledgeable then me will jump in with their two cents.

I have been told that there were around 3000 workers at the factory during the GDR era. There was a infusion of Western money and technoligy after the wall came down and there are now around 300 workers. I would not call the latest guns crap but the internals don't have the hand polishing of the GDR guns in my opinion.

I agree with what mark said and will add to it that the new stuff often cast, not forged then machined.

During the GDR era, Sauers and Simsons were made in the same plant as Merkels. That might be one reason why they needed more workers. And being good Commies, they didn't have much incentive to work any harder than the guy next to them. Expect the current facility also uses CAD/CAM technology, which was not around back then.

I have a 20g. GDR Merkel. I think it's a better gun than the newer ones. The importer at the time told me that this particular gun was a special request for a light weight and consequently came in at 5 lbs. 13 ozs. Maybe they spent a little more time on it but I've never seen better fitting on any gun. Also of course the action design was changed on the later guns. It became longer and the internals were also changed. Merkel naturally said the change was to improve the design. Usual BS. It was really done for ease of manufacture, an improvement in their minds maybe.

"The Legend" was built on what the Merkel offerings used to be. Suffice it to say, that going back decade, by decade, the quality was, in general, better. 50's guns, better than 1960's etc.
The Merkel Company folded when the wall came down. Labor put together a deal- attempted to re-open and begin production again. Due to any real management, that failed. Some time later, management put a deal together; that never made it off the ground- labor would not cooperate.

The Merkel name was sold. At that very point in time, Merkels, those upon which the Legend was built, did not exist except in past times.

Though they legally posses the right to be called Merkel, any subsequent offerings are merely inferior look-likes. The Merkel name sold again. Still any current offerings are grossly inferior look-likes.

It's not that Champlain seems to suggest.... They have put the truth out there on the guns marketed under the Merkel name these days. Among the cognoscenti there is no disagreement on that.

If anyone wants a good Merkel, don't buy one any later than the 1960's.

Well I guess I have to sell my early nineties Merkels now that they are crap.Seriously though,I compared my 1992 201e to a few 1950`s guns,and except for the Boehler barrel,its the same gun.
Maybe there is a markup for that sense of hand fit dirty apron romance under the Weimar republic.I never seen a machining mark on a Merkel.
The scrollwork is the same,more if it on the older guns .
They all are tight,seem shot very little.

IIRC,Colt and Winchester passed hands a few times also,I cant say the older guns were any better without the use of cnc technologies.
In fact the Browning Japan copies are far superior.

I agree, I think that Miroku can beat the Belgians

Perhaps all the owners of Japanese Brownings and recent Merkel offerings would sense or hold the opinion they are better.