Merkel RX Helix .308 Win Black Rifle

The Merkel Helix is the best hunting rifle I have ever used. I grew up hunting in Pennsylvania with Rugers and Remingtons, bolt actions and a pump. When I turned 21 I left to join the Army. Since 2005 I have been lucky enough to hunt a number of places with a number of firearms. When I moved to Germany I took my German hunting test and had the good fortune to be stationed on one of the largest military training sites in southern Germany giving me a lot of hunting opportunities. I bought my Merkel in Germany and used it to hunt for a year in Germany and Slovenia. I hunted mostly from a stand in the woods but also on a spot and stalk in the Alps and on several drive hunts. I was able to take 2 boar, 2 roe deer, 2 red deer and a Chamois in the year that I had my German Hunting License before I moved back to the U.S. My Merkel Helix Rx in .308 win performed excellent. With the exception of missing a running roe deer in the woods I was able to hit every animal I aimed at. I am sure the running roe deer was my fault and not the rifles. A few animals I took barely took a step before dying. Enough about my hunting. The fit and finish is better than any Ruger or Remington I have ever seen. I like the detachable magazine which never accidentally came out. The rail system on top of the receiver makes mounting scopes very easy. This rifle does not have a traditional safety but instead a cocking mechanism. It does take a few practices to get really good a cocking and decocking it quickly but by the end of your first day at the range you will have it down easily. The most interesting feature is the straight pull action. I love it. My best advice is to watch some reviews on youtube. The bolt handle is easy to manipulate and the action is smooth. I believe this is probably one of the fastest shooting bolt actions on the market. It is great in any situation but I think this rifle shines the brightest on drive hunts or situations where a quick follow up shot is needed. The handling on this rifle is also superb. I will say that it is easy to shoot a lot very quickly on the range. A few times I noticed my groupings would start to wander after shooting a box pretty quickly. Another feature is the modularity of this so if I wanted a thicker barrel I could buy one and install it myself in seconds without any tools. I hope this helped if you are thinking of buying this rifle. If you have the money this is one of the best guns to get for hunting in the woods or on a drive.