Miroku MK11 Game
An attractive, side-plated game gun that feels substantial, handles well and is comfortable and intuitive to use. One to consider for this season. By Mike Yardley
THIS test gun is an extra finish model from Miroku – the new side-plated MK11 Game. It’s a single, selective trigger over-and-under with hand and laser engraving, Invector Plus multichokes and fleur-de-lys steel shot proof. The style of decoration is quite bold and will appeal to many, although my own preference is usually a little plainer. That said, the gun certainly has the ‘wow’ factor. Both the engraving – fairly open deep scroll and game scenes on the plates – and the well-figured walnut stock drew much positive comment during testing.
This MK11 weighs in at 7lb 10oz – not especially heavy by modern standards. My preference in an over-and-under field gun, however, would be a little lighter. The balance here is still good (on the fore-end iron). When you remove the rounded and well-shaped fore-end, there is a short section – about 5in – of joining rib absent. This is common practice now as a weight-saving device. I am not sure if it is the best option. I would always tend towards lightening the barrels and joining ribs as a better (and more traditional) way of removing weight and improving dynamics.
The gun, nevertheless, comes to the face and shoulder without glitch. The handling qualities are good. The MK11 points particularly well for a multichoke, with its narrow and well-conceived 6mm solid sighting rib. I also liked the mid-size metal bead. The muzzles are slightly flared to accommodate the multichokes (but you have to look hard to notice this). The chokes are flush fitting and five tubes are supplied.
This gun might be good with fixed chokes, too, but this is not planned. David Stapley, managing director of the UK agents for Browning, Miroku and Winchester, noted: “The preferred route now would be a move away from fixed-choke models towards thin-walled, lightweight, steel-shot-proofed multichokes.” He also told me, interestingly, that the Browning Arms Company, which owns a significant shareholding in Miroku, operates an internal quality-assurance system called BACO: “Any new model effectively requires the destruction testing of 10 prototypes. So, the perceived demand has to be significant to warrant this.”
Looking back at the barrels of the test gun, and other comments notwithstanding, these are well presented. Blacking is excellent, with good preparation evident. The jointing between barrels and monobloc is nearly invisible. Internally, they pass muster, with straight tubes and longer than average, smoothly machined forcing cones. The barrel bore diameters are marked at 18.7mm. They both measure .736 thou with my imperial micrometer gauge. This is wider than the old standard and arguably best suited to skirted wad cartridges. They are hard chrome plated, too, which addresses one of the few weak spots in older Miroku and Browning shotguns: a tendency to chamber and bore rusting.
The stock of the MK11 is made from well-figured Turkish walnut with handcut chequering and drop points. Two small criticisms: the comb is a little low (2¼in at heel) and the borders to the chequering are a little wide. The chequering diamonds themselves are well formed. They are cut by hand and using a Dremel-like machine with cutting wheel (I’ve watched them do it in Japan).
The stock comb is also quite thick and would benefit from tapering. Similarly, the grip could be slimmed a little, improving aesthetics and ergonomics for most users. Miroku and Browning guns, meantime, tend to have stock shapes/ measurements that suit bigger men in regard to grip dimension and comb height, in my experience.
What about side-plated guns? I certainly don’t have the old prejudice against them. They provide more space for decoration and, from a functional perspective, put a little more weight between the hands. The engraving here, a mixture of laser and hand work, is particularly striking.
The MK11 points well for a multichoke with its narrow and well-conceived 6mm solid sighting rib
TECHNICAL
This gun appears to be based on a side-plated Browning 525 action and shares its inertia single trigger (parts are interchangeable). The MK11 does not have the DS sealed chokes of the 725; instead, using the well-proven Invector Plus system. The hinging and lock-up are classic Browning/ Miroku – under-barrel lumps, fullwidth pin and wide bolt engaging underneath the bottom chamber mouth. The MK11 has a slightly reduced action height compared to some of its siblings (the Browning branded 725 is a few millimetres lower). This MK11 measures 65mm for height; a Miroku MK38, 68mm. Browning has a similar, side-plated Heritage model based on the older
425 action. When you compare the action of a Miroku MK11 to the Heritage (from the same factory) the action body is more streamlined, weight has been removed and the
internal chassis scaled down.
SHOOTING IMPRESSIONS
Bold looks apart, the first thing you note on picking up this Miroku is that it feels substantial and there is plenty of purchase on gripping surfaces. The fore-end is well shaped, the grip quite large with no palm swell. Handling dynamics are good, with a balance nearer the hinge-pin than
on many modern stack barrels. It might be even better with a little less weight in the barrels. Nevertheless, it shot well. It was predictable in use – intuitive and comfortable. There was no need for conscious driving or correction. Recoil was moderate,
trigger pulls were better than some coil-spring-powered guns. Mechanical function was perfect. The hammer ejectors were particularly efficient. Sadly, Miroku doesn’t offer this model in a fixed-choke variant but there is the new MK60 High Pheasant with 32in fixed-choke barrels if you don’t want side-plates.