I had the opportunity to buy a Merkel 12 with 30" barrels from an estate at a very reasonable price, and took it home with me for a few days, and decided against it. It just did not "do it" for me. I do not care for the very sharply defined cheek panels on a Merkel. They just bother me. That said, I have no doubt that they are very well built guns. Just not my style. JMO, OMV
SRH
It's ok neither of us have grandpa Rolf and grannie Hilda to help us get over the appearance hurdle. I bet little ethnic price would pull me over.
Honestly when I compared series produced Birmingham BLE to Merkel 47e of same gauge the English gun was placebo and German one pice of hard candy meaning my mind told me the former had slightly better handling. In truth it was very, very close.
