Germany · 1996–

Merkel Model 96K

Specifications

Maker: Merkel
Type: Combination gun
Action: Break action
Era: Modern (1946–1999)
Produced: 1996–
Magazine: None
Swedish class: 1, 2

Chambered in

12 gauge
.222 Remington
.30-06 Springfield
7×65R

Stock

Wood

What it is worth

Value unknown

No published price was found for this model. Rather than estimate one from a comparable gun, the compendium leaves it blank.

Chapter 01

Overview

The 96K is Merkel’s basic drilling — two shot barrels and a rifle barrel on one action — built around the three-lock 96K system and pitched as the all-rounder for a small-game shoot. In 2008 Merkel added a family of three-lock drillings to match it in its traditional Meisterstück range.

Chapter 02

How it works

Its Blitz locks are controlled by a three-position slide on the grip that combines the safety with a separate rifle cocker, and a Greener crossbolt with double underlugs locks the steel action. The front trigger has a set trigger, and depending on the slide it fires either the right barrel or the lower one.

Chapter 03

Variants

The 96KS adds long sideplates. On a slimmer, lighter 28-bore action Merkel also builds double-rifle drillings: the 96L with the same lock system and a separate shot cocker, and the 961L, whose front trigger fires both upper rifle barrels as a single trigger.

Chapter 04

In the field

Merkel builds the set-trigger 96 layout for the stand and the fast single-trigger 961 for the drive. The 96K’s rifle barrel comes in 6.5×57R, 7×57R, 7×65R, .30R Blaser, 8×57IRS or 9.3×74R, the shot barrels in 12/76 or 20/76 with steel-shot proof as an option, and the Suhl swing mount changes optics easily and repeatably.

Sources

Written from: Drilling 96K — Merkel, Merkel Portfolio (DE), Merkel Jagd- und Sportwaffen — Wikipedia (de) — read 2026-10-29

Cross-reference