Miruko 500 double gun

[J.B. Books]

On the way back from our visit to Poland Springs we stopped at Cabelas where I found this well used Miroku 12ga 500E in the bargain rack outside the Gun Library. I knew Miroku made good guns including Charles Daly and many Brownings, including the Daly 500 and the Browning BSS.

The first thing I noticed was there were no Charles Daly stampings, only B.C. Miroku on the rib and receiver. I had it released from it's chains and got a second surprise, it was quite light for a 12ga double, 6 lbs 12 oz. It is not stocked like a Daly or BSS, both of which are much heavier and rather clubby IMO. It's dimensions are really good for me, 14" LOP, 1 3/8" DAC and 2 1/4" DAH. A brass choke gauge gave a combination of IC right and IM left.

Further inspection, the 28" barrels rang like bells, no dents, a few pin pricks of pitting in right barrel and chambers were 2 3/4". The stock was tight, wood sound and the gun locked up tight with absolutely no wiggle with forend on or off. The ejectors are working and timed (but I had to buy it to find that out as Cabelas said they are not allowed to put anything in the chamber of a gun). It's an A&D action with chopper lump barrels.

It also has British proof marks stamped on the barrel flats, Birmingham proof house 1964. Bores are stamped .719 but I learned this is a range, the gun measured between .719 and .728, should it be found to be higher than this range it would be out of proof and not legal to sell in the UK until reproofed.

The bad, this gun was used a lot, checkering pattern is there but mostly worn smooth, a couple of dents in the stock on the left side, barrel bluing is thin to worn off where carried, several screws turned and the lever is slightly left of center. The receiver may have been cleaned up but I am not completely sure of that because I have seen one similar Miroku on the web for sale and it had a coin finish receiver.

So it was priced at $399 and I got a little off that and got it out the door for less than that including sales tax.

I patterned it with 7/8 oz of Lawrence #7 at 40 yards and found it shoots straight and true, perfectly regulated at 40 yards with patterns of 46% right and 84% left. I shot it very well at skeet using a spreader load for the 2nd bird on doubles in the tight barrel.

As far as I can tell the gun was made for the European market and not sold in the US, later it was imported by LCL Inc in Scottsdale AZ with a stamp on the left barrel. The Miroku 500 sold in the US was imported, stamped and marketed as a Charles Daly and was a half pound or more heavier and came with beavertail forend and usually a pistol grip.

I wish it could talk, it saw a lot of action in the UK by previous owner(s). I am hoping it has some life left in it, it should be good in the field choked crow in and crow out and it's nice and light to carry.

[Harold Pickens]

Sounds like a great buy, Pete. Cabela's usually has things way over priced.

[Cold Spring]

Pete, a great buy. The Miroku 500's sourced for the US market had chromed bores and despite what looks to be pinprick pitting I wonder if yours does too. Of course lack of chroming would make choke adjustments much easier, if desired.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Frank Srebro

Pete, a great buy. The Miroku 500's sourced for the US market had chromed bores and despite what looks to be pinprick pitting I wonder if yours does too. Of course lack of chroming would make choke adjustments much easier, if desired.

Good to know. When I first saw it I thought it was a Webley or another UK made boxlock. Given it's weight, english grip, splinter forend and the open and tight choking it strikes me as the typical British game gun, without short chambers. It fits me very well which is a great aspect of it. I may look at having the checkering freshened but think I will leave the rest alone. If it needs to be rejointed in the future and I enjoy it I will make that decision in the future. Like I said whoever had it before me really liked it given the wear.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Pete, "crow in, crow out..."!! That made me laugh!!

[B. Dudley]

Basically an english A&D boxlock for a whole lot mess money.

[Bob Brown]

I also have a Miroku 500 in 12 gauge, but it is a bit different than yours. It has a pistol grip stock, 28" barrels, m/f chokes, double triggers, and no ejectors. The action is a nice colour case hardened finish. It is also 6lbs 12oz and is very lively and well balanced. It has never been to the U.K. though. May be a Canadian thing. One thing I would say is it seems to kick fairly hard, even with moderate loads. A round of trap and I feel it on my cheek bone. A nice gun for the money they go for.
Was that LCL Inc. Scottsdale, AZ that is stamped on the barrel an importer? I wonder if it went to Scottsdale then the U.K. or the other way.

[J.B. Books]

Thanks for the info. As far as kicking fairly hard, what are you shooting in the way of shells? So far all I have used in mine has been 7/8 ounce at 1200 fps and recoil feels normal to me. 6lb 12oz is light for a 12, it's 20 ga weight, so 1 1/8 ounce loading would be pretty snappy I would think, like shooting a magnum load in a 20. As far as I know LCL is a third party importer. I was told that Cabela's is currently working with LCL to bring guns into the US from the UK. This person said they are buying guns that are being retired due to the lead ban that people are letting go. That lines up with something a clerk at Cabelas told me when I was looking at it. He said the gun was in a shipment of 20 guns from "corporate" all priced between $299 and $399.