doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - Merkel 360EL Opinions

Does anyone have any experience with this gun, opinions on quality, etc.? It is choked F/F and will be used for dove hunting, approximately 400 rounds per season. I am an experienced 410 shooter, so I don't need any feedback on the bore.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

I have 3 Merkels, a 12ga., 20, and 280 all ELs. I've had them for nearly 20 years and love them. Absolutely reliable and a delight to own and use.
After all, the boards masthead shows one!
Karl

I personally think it would be a lovely wand for a smokepole.

I am not a bona fide Merkel fan, but this 12 bore O/U Merkel licensed for the French market below, which some Nimrod removed the rear sling swivel, is a joy to tote & swing. A little much platform for the ole Bobs, but I handle the dogs & typically shoot last & @ distance. But for now it is my go to gun for any of our feathered fowl friends.....



Serbus,

Raimey
rse

FWIW... I've got a Merkel 360, as well as a 1620EL and 1620C. They are all solid and very tight; break-in takes a very long time. I've also shot a 280EL (part of a 28/.410 set) quite a bit.With all these guns I shoot well (for me), but have to extend the LOP with a strap-on pad and a couple layers of thick carpet backing. Long arms and nose!

My 360 is choked M/F, and my use has been plantation... but very good flying... quail. It is light but well-balanced.

My only real quibble with my Merkels is that the Greener cross bolt that sticks out on the left side of the action when broken is very sharply pointed. Be careful when walking with it broken over your right shoulder or your earlobe will be bleeding!

https://doublegunshop.com/merkel_280-360el.htm

No direct experience (although I think they were the makers of a Manton of Calcutta 8x57JR sxs BLNE I should never have sold).

You are unlikely to have a problem with a Merkel.

aw1776,
My 28 ga. weighs 5 lb. 7 oz. while the 20 ga. and 12 ga. weigh 6 lbs. 2 oz. and 6 1/2 lbs. As far as being bulky, are you talking about to the o/u"s ? My Merkels have 28 " barrels and handle fine for me.
Karl

Brent,
Still a lovely gun! I'll bet it has accounted for many birds, and that's it's purpose!
Karl

The Merkel 280 and 360 models (28 / 410) are nice and trim in my opinion, yeah, not as silky trim as a fine English or Italian 28 or 410 but still quite racy. Even the 16s are not bad because several of them are built on 20 bore frames (the 1620 series).

The levels of engraving vary depending on the engraver. I have a catalog from the mid 2000s and all the engravers are pictured in the back along with their years of experience. You can definitely see the difference on the more experience engraved guns.

I enjoy using mine and shoot them well, but truthfully not as well as my Spanish and Italian sidelocks with longer 29" barrels. I feel they are fun to shoot, will last a lifetime, and are a reasonably good investment as they do not cost a fortune to get into. The 28s and 410s sell very quickly on the used market.