doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Merkel Combo Gun -- Need Basic Info

I have a newly acquired Merkel combination gun in 16 gauge and 7mm Mauser. Zeiss scope attached. Will try to post photos. Questions:

1. What model number is it? (Can�t find it on the gun.)
2. Who was Georg Honold?
3. When (approx.) was the gun manufactured?
4. Does it have extractors? For both shotgun and rifle? (If yes, they are not working).
5. The serial number 16141 is stamped under the removable forearm and also the barrel in matching font. This appears to be the original serial number. Also on the barrel under the forearm but different font is what appears to be a second serial number, 16867, under which is stamped 16 7x57 (16 for 16 gauge and 7x57 for 7mm Mauser). Does the presence of a second serial number indicate it was re-chambered and assigned a new serial number? If that is the case, why is not the original chambering stamped somewhere?
6. What might be its approx. retail value?

Photos (PhotoBucket):

Merkel Combo Gun Pics PhotoShop Slideshow

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/mljackso/slideshow/ML%20Jackson%203-27-52/Merkel%20Combo

SOMEONE PLEASE PM ME AND LET ME KNOW IF THE PICS ARE VISIBLE VIA THE ABOVE LINK OR NOT....NEW ON THIS BOARD......NEW TO PHOTOBUCKET......THANKS!

TexasJack

TJ,yep I can see em.Looks nice.
Can't help with details though.
Did you mean "Ejectors"?....It surely must have extractors ?
Is that a dowel pinned into the stock just abit behind the Cheeks?
I can see a little circle on the right hand action shot, between the two chequering points ?..but not on the left
Raimy & others will help more
cheers
franc

Hello,

I think it`s a Gebr�der Merkel "Bockbuechsflinte" (Combo) from the 1920s, 1930s -
Georg Honold was a Guntrader in Ulm, Germany (Ulm is Home of todays Krieghoff).
Merkel Guns are very solid and state of the art for that kind of Combo Guns.
Geb�der Merkel was founded 1898 in Suhl by Karl Paul Merkel and Gebhard Merkel.
Best,
Wolfgang

I can't pull up your photos to see the caliber marking--is it 7x57--or 7x57R, which would be more common. A rimless ctg. is not impossible, but less likely. Large difference in the ammo cost and availability between the two rifle rounds over here(although I suspect most Merkel users don't exactly burn up cases of rifle rounds).

About as practical a pairing of "old school" chamberings as you could wish for!

You need to shoot pictures of the action flats and barrel marking. They will be visible when to break the action and barrel apart.
Best,
Craig

Texas Jack,
If you can post photos of the proofmarks and the extractor, we can tell you more.When marking the caliber, prior to 1939,it was not shown if it was rimmed or rimless. It is highly unlikely that it is rimless; but if so, it will have a spring loaded pin in the extractor.Also it would be unusual to have ejectors on a combination gun;but if it does,there would be two extractors, rather than one for both cases.If there is no #70 next to the 16, then it is "short chambered"(2 1/2"-2 9/16", instead of 2 3/4").For what it is worth,7mm is unusual in that the caliber is marked the same as the nominal caliber( pre 1939 proof law).Normally, the caliber would have been shown by the bore diameter, while the name of the cartridge would have been something else( ie an 8mm cartridge would have been marked 7.8 or 7.9), in the case of 7mm cartridges, the bore is 7mm ( groove/bullet dia. is 7.2mm).
The combination of 16 ga and 7x57R is very good and at one time was almost the "standard".New 7x57R ammo is primed with standard boxer primers,and is reloadable with standard bullets and normal dies. The only difference is the shellholder, which is avaliable.BTW,in my opinion the stock has been refinished, and likely repaired.
Mike

Thanks for letting me know the photos are accessible. Several responses below. Thanks to you too for helping.

I am pretty sure there is no "R." I will check tonight or at least soon. I will also post photos of the barrel markings to the max. extent possible. I had no trouble finding 7x57 (7mm Mauser) in Houston. is 7x57R harder to find and more expensive? It shot the 7x57 just fine, but it was hard to get the casings out of the chamber after each shot. Not struck, just no rim to grab with fingernails. And a little snug so would not fall out by gravity. Thank you for your help!

I will provide the requested photos as soon as I can. Thanks for your assistance.

I will post photos of the proofmarks and extractor as soon as I can. I test fired a modern 2-3/4" 16 gauge shell and it seemed to work fine. I will see if there is a "70" next to the "16" but I think there is not. It is marked "16 7x57." I think this is "16 7x57" and not "16 7x57R" .... will confirm. Can you elaborate on your comments about the stock? Any comments about the scope? What is this gun worth, basically?