3401

$0.00

Revised: 2/25/2014 

Please Note: Serial Number is 18120

NOT

98120 as stated in the catalog.

*MERKEL MODEL 323 OVER-UNDER DOUBLE EJECTOR RIFLE WITH EXTRA 16 GAUGE BARRELS AND SCOPE.

SN 98120. Cal. 8 x 60 Magnum and 16 ga. 26-3/4″ Demi-bloc rifle bbls are fitted with matted quarter rib with one standing, one folding rear sight and claw bases. Silver bead front sight is in matted ramp. A sling loop is soldered to bottom bbl. Rear portion of top bbl is marked “BOHLER SPECIAL” and “Weichlot” and “Retailer Machac, Brunn” on left side and “Gebruder Merkel, Suhl” on right. Bottom bbl is stamped with proof date of 7/30, and with Czech proofs for 1933. 16 ga. 29-5/8″ Bbls with full length, matted, solid rib are marked in the same fashion. Coin finished, hand detachable sidelock, OU, double Kersten action features automatic safety (S gold inlaid), reinforcing bolsters, raised rib tumbler end cocking indicators, and double triggers (both set). Action and lockplates are engraved with exceptionally well cut, large, shaded, flowing scroll, with near full coverage of lockplates and bottom of action. Reinforcing bolsters are engraved with semi-relief matching scroll with floral highlights. Bottom of action is engraved “Suhler Waffenwerk” “Gebruder Merkel, Suhl”. Merkel’s logo is stamped on action face. Trigger guard is of horn, and extends to engraved steel grip cap. Finely fiddly figured European walnut capped pistol grip buttstock measures 14-1/8″ over open-sided Jotsam pad, and features unusual right hand pop-up cheekpiece with release button on right side of stock, diamond shaped inlet drop points and point pattern checkering at grip, a sling loop matching those on bbls, and vacant silver oval on toe line. Matching 3-pc ejector forend fits both sets of bbls. Karl Zeiss 4 X scope with three post reticle is in soldered on claw mounts, rear mount with windage adjustment. 16 ga. BBLS: Bore diameter: top -.669, bottom -.669. Bore restrictions: top -.028 (Full), bottom -.018 (Mod). Minimum wall thickness: top-.031, bottom -.025. Drop at heel: 2-5/8″, drop at comb: 1-5/8″. Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz. LOP: 14-1/8″. Rifle BBLS: Weight of rifle with scope: 10 lbs. 5 oz. Brown leather case with brass corners is lined in green felt. PROVENANCE: History of this gun attributing to its being made for Count Von Kounitz, its burial during WWII and subsequent journey to Canada then to US, as well as previous auction history. CONDITION: Excellent. Rifle bbls retain 85 – 90% orig blue, silvering on sharp edges, thinning somewhat overall. 16 ga. bbls retain over 90% of their blue with a few light marks. Action retains nearly all of its orig coin finish. Stocks retain nearly all of an old oil finish with a number of subsequent marks. Checkering partially re-cut. Bores are excellent. Action is tight. Finish of scope grayed to about 80%, optics clear. Case is good. 4-50349 MGM168 (17,500-27,500) – Lot 3401

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Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

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Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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