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I just bought a nice old Merkel 16 O/U, and I think it is choked Full/IM or so from the one pattern I shot with each barrel. Can't see a choke marking like 1/1 and 1/2 which is on my Merkel sxs 12 ga. In any case, the patterns seem pretty tight for target shooting or ruffed grouse. I mostly hunt prairie grouse though, so the tight chokes are not a major concern, but what experience does anyone have of threading these guns for thinwall tubes? comments, opinions and advice welcomed!

LONGWALKER, I HAVE HAD BRILEY INSTALL THINWALLS IN A 12GA O/U
AND THEY ARE THE CAT'S MEOW.CHECK OUT THERE WEB SITE FOR THE
INFORMATION.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

I would shoot a few more patterns then go from there.Also consider spreader loads before doing any work.You would still have the gun in original form and could be used for different conditions.A spreader load will usually open the choke by one constriction-only way is to pattern your specific load.

Member Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 450 Location: Indiana

I would go along with Quailshooter. Briley has done work for me over the last few years and done a top notch job. If I have work done in the future( which I probaly will) I will rest easy

I'd base my choice on what I do most with the gun. I'd also consider the gun too. first, if I was primarily going to shoot a bunch of skeet with it and an occasional SC round or 5 stand, choke tubes are a good choice. In the case of having a Merkel done, only Briley will do, period.

However, if I was primarily going to hunt with this double, I'd focus on spreader loads for close work and leave the barrels alone. Spreader loads are quick and easy to reload for skeet work, even in large volume off a progressive press like the MEC Grabber. I can pump out 3/4 ounce skeet spreader loads nearly as fast as a plain 3/4 ounce load.

I'd also take into consideration the fact that Merkel does a fine job of regulating and choking their double guns. This is one of the things you are paying for when you by it, superior barrel work. Why mess with it if it ain't broke for a bit of convenience. Spreaders such as polywad loads and/or the Polywad inserts if you reload your own will work for all up close to midrange shots.

One more point to consider. Some doubles guns do not take kindly to having their muzzles messed with. Many of the older American classics and many of the later Spanish, English, and Euro guns were regulated through , trial and error handwork. Reboring the muzzles for tubes can deregulate these guns very effectively. It still will not ruin them for most close work. However, the critical degree of regulation for longer range shooting will be gone for good. Don't fool around with these particular guns. Go with spreaders for close work, or in the case of open chokes, use a cased wad to tighten the pattern a bit. Either will work fine and will not ruin the gun.

16gaugeguy, I'm right with you on the "use spreaders to hunt" philosophy, rather than toy with the original configuration of a gun. Question though: what do you mean by a cased wad? Wad cup without slits like the multi-metal wad? Most of the time I'm trying to open up a pattern, never thought about tightening.

And no comments about shooting ability Wink

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

I thought those Merkels all came with Lazer sights. Just let your target get out a little farther. Wink

Dave has it correct. pheasent killin laser beams, BUT if your a bit near sighted and can't see the bird when it get to the merks optimal 70-100 yard range, it has been deemed acceptable by the board of directors of the merkel maniacs, to have thin wall chokes installed. We don't belive in that mambypamby crap, " oh it'll hurt the collectability, and resale value of my hunk o' crap 1200.00, tire iron worlly" Get it bent, choked, camoed , whatever it takes to make you want to shoot the best gun ever built.....well xcept for my xtream make over lc smith project gun, that will be the best gun ever built.....

"...well xcept for my xtream make over lc smith project gun, that will be the best gun ever built..."

Or the worst investment of time and money WHEN IT STILL AIN'T A STERLY Laughing

ok kat/dog guy, I'm going to get tjc to buy one!!!!!!! will that make you happy???? He could always use it at the NJ old guy vintage day. At least then he'd have a period tire iron, heck maybe we could get fin to pick you up in his jet and fly you out. Then we'd have our own old guy for the celebration.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

"Just when I thought I was out they reach out and pull me back in"

I was just looking at an Elsie over the weekend at Cabela's. I thought maybe I'd pick it up and redo it. BUT, it was the wrong ga. and a bit rough not just around the edges.

Might pick up another Sterly though. Smile

If not, I might just order another Merk in a different ga. Since they are lazer sighted pheasant destroying machines, I should only need say maybe a .410? 28?

Citori 16 asked:

16gaugeguy, I'm right with you on the "use spreaders to hunt" philosophy, rather than toy with the original configuration of a gun. Question though: what do you mean by a cased wad?

Answer: A cased wad is one that is either made or modified not to open or flare as much as a normal wad the instant it leaves the barrel. I simply use a generic magic tape to wrap a couple of winds around a wad to retard the petals from opening. I use a close fitting dowel inside the cup to keep from crushing he petals inward. I try to keep them as parallel as possible. Wrapping the wad higher or lower will regulate the amount of flare they will have and will time the release of the shot to happen closer or further from the barrel.

The technique works fairly well out of a very open choked skeet or cylinder bore. I used to use it in my .410 skeet gun in a 3" shell with 5/8 ounce of shot for the second barrel for quail. Wrapping the wad about half way up held the pattern together for effective hitting out to 30 yards. However, I soon found out that close second shots meant either to hold fire until the bird was out beyond 15 yards or risk running it through with a shot loaded wad, if I was lucky enough to hit it at all. This will puree a quail pretty quickly. A few inside out quail will teach one all they need to know about shooting too quickly with a cased wad.

Casing the shot is how the oldtimers controlled their patterns before choked barrels became popular. It was the only way it could be done in a muzzleloader. Wire shot baskets, and wrapped cups made of stiff heavy waxed paper were commonly used, as well as wrapped cartridges that included the powder under a wad and cup. Different range cartridges had an identifying color wrap. Some of these old cartridges were effective out to 80 yards from a parallel bored gun. That is pretty impressive even today.

The technique works quite well for buck shot too, particularly out of an unchoked smooth bore slug barrel. It can extend the effective range of stacked and buffered OOO buck out to 45 yards

Would've never thought that would work that well! Thanx for the info! I may try that with my "shortened" Savage barrels. (That's where I learned my lesson about original configurations)

I'm so glad I joined this site... Very Happy

So much to learn, so many birds to shoot at and miss...