To enlarge this photo of the Merkel KR-1, please click HERE.

For many years the old German firm of Merkel has been revered in shotgunning circles. In recent years it has been famous for the world’s most affordable classic double rifle, not to mention drillings and a really sweet single-shot. Although there is plenty of German tradition in bolt-action rifles, that has not been part of the Merkel legacy. At least not until now, and perhaps that’s just as well.

The new Merkel KR-1 is quite a lot different from traditional bolt actions. In fact, it’s quite a lot different from any bolt action I’ve ever seen. It is a turnbolt action with forward locking lugs, but the resemblance to a classic Mauser pretty well stops there.

The bolt has a short uplift, with the bolt body acting as a shroud that encases and protects the entire receiver. The design allows for a very short return and offers better protection from dust and debris than any action I have ever seen. The three-position safety is on the tang shotgun-style, and a single-set trigger is standard. Other standard features include really good iron sights and the Suhl pattern tilt-up detachable scope mount, which Merkel calls the SAM.

This set of features is enough to be worthy of interest, provided, of course, that the KR-1 shoots (it does). What makes it even more interesting is that this is a switch-barrel rifle. Barrels chambered to cartridges of like case-head diameter can be swapped out by removing the bolt assembly and two hex-head screws, the rear one under the hinged floorplate, the second a couple inches forward in the bottom metal. To go from standard (.30-06) case-head diameters to belted magnums, a locking bolt head with the appropriate bolt-face diameter and the proper detachable magazine are required.

The Premium-grade Merkel KR-1 was topped with a 3.5-10X Swarovski scope in the Suhl-pattern tilt-up detachable mount. The mount was absolutely repeatable, with shooting off the bench greatly aided by a single-set trigger.

I had to read the instructions a couple of times to get the process into my non-mechanical brain, but once I got the process down it took just a couple of minutes to switch barrels. The system is totally repeatable, in part because of the rifle’s precise tolerances and also because the SAM mount is mounted strictly on the barrel. You could, of course, have just one mount and switch it back and forth between barrels, but, absent blind luck, the scope would have to be zeroed each time you switched. With a scope and mount for each barrel, and the scope pre-zeroed, you could switch back and forth in the field with total confidence.

The action is very smooth and fast, the stock distinctly Germanic but comfortable and fast-handling. I like the excellent iron sights—a rarity on an American rifle—and yet the SAM mount puts the scope very low—a rarity on a European rifle. The result is that the rifle handles well and comes up nicely with the scope but, at least for me, also comes up well with iron sights. It is therefore a remarkable hunting rifle. The test rifle that I used is right-hand, but left-hand models (both locking housing and stock) are also available.

One feature the author really liked on the Merkel KR-1 is the exceptionally good and very sturdy iron sights. Iron sights of this quality are extremely rare on American rifles but are a fitting match for any rifle with a detachable scope mount.

The KR-1 is imported and distributed by Merkel USA (www.merkel-usa.com), and the primary model offered in the United States is the Premium grade with nice scroll engraving providing partial coverage on the locking housing. In addition, there are two more ascending grades, Jena and Weimar, with more and better engraving on both the locking housing and bottom metal and really good wood. The Jena grade has full scroll engraving, while the Weimar grade features hand-chiseled game scenes. The barrels are nicely blued, and barrel options are interchangeable throughout the grades.