The Merkel Custom Shop
Merkel has been producing individual masterpieces in traditional craftsmanship since 1898. Some traditional rifles have been manufactured almost identically since the 1920s. All Merkel hunting rifles can be adapted to the customer’s individual requirements by engravers, gunsmiths or master gunsmiths.
This is how your personal masterpiece is created:
1. Consultation
Your vision comes first. Every Masterpiece project begins with a comprehensive consultation, where every detail of your new firearm is carefully discussed.
2. Barrel Making
Merkel forges its own barrels. Each barrel assembly is meticulously hand-fitted and soldered by our barrel makers.
3. Action Making
The action components—including locks, triggers and safeties—are precision-crafted and meticulously hand-fitted into the action.
4. Stock Making
The stock is meticulously hand-fitted to the steelwork. Merkel offers the full range of walnut grades and bespoke finishing options.
5. Engraving
Steel surfaces can be finished in a variety of ways—from hand-cut engraving to intricate gold inlays.
6. Test Firing
Every Masterpiece undergoes the mandatory proof test as well as test firing in the white and in the finished state. Barrel sets are carefully regulated for optimum accuracy.
Selected Masterpieces
HELIX – Whom The Moose Calls
The moose is an enduring symbol of the Nordic wilderness—now honoured with an extraordinary rifle. “Whom the Moose Calls” is a HELIX featuring exquisite hand-cut Nordic engraving. Interwoven scrolls, traditional knotwork and majestic moose antlers create a distinctive composition, paying tribute to the world’s largest member of the deer family and the timeless tradition of moose hunting.
Over-and-Under Double Rifle 323
MTake the finest walnut, premium steel, exceptional craftsmanship and generations of gunmaking expertise—and create one of the world’s finest over-and-under double rifles. The 323 has always been a hunting firearm for the true connoisseur, individually crafted and finished according to traditional Suhl gunmaking methods, then tailored to the wishes of its future owner.
Safari Side-by-Side Double Rifle 160AE
For generations, Merkel safari rifles have earned the trust of big-game hunters and royalty alike through their exceptional accuracy and unwavering reliability. The 160AE combines the most powerful calibres with traditional sidelocks, while its generous sideplates provide an ideal canvas for elaborate engraving. One of the world’s finest rifles for the most exhilarating form of hunting.
Begin your Merkel masterpiece.
Contact the Merkel Custom Shop with no obligation, and together we will explore the possibilities for creating your individual Merkel firearm.