Merkel RX Helix Explorer
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 560 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.00 kg
- Introduced
- 2010
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer is the all-weather synthetic-stocked version of Merkel's German straight-pull bolt-action hunting rifle. Like the wood-stocked RX Helix, it uses a 1:2 transmission gearing that halves the linear bolt-handle travel for exceptionally fast follow-up shots, with a six-lug rotary bolt head cycling inside a fully enclosed action housing. The Explorer swaps walnut for a fibreglass-reinforced composite stock in dark anthracite with a soft-grip surface, and retains the tool-free takedown and interchangeable barrels that let one receiver be rechambered across calibers from .223 Remington up to .300 and .338 Winchester Magnum.
The Helix straight-pull mechanism originated not with Merkel but with Sheikh Hamed of the Abu Dhabi royal family, whose concept for a short-throw geared bolt was engineered into a production rifle by the Suhl-based maker; the Explorer trim dresses that action in a soft-grip composite stock for foul-weather stalking.
Explorer-specific feature is the fibreglass-reinforced composite stock (dark anthracite, soft-grip surface) purpose-built for adverse weather; the stock can be swapped for walnut. Calibers are grouped into Mini (.223 Rem), Standard (.243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, 7x64, .308 Win, .30-06 Sprg, 8x57 IS, 9.3x62), and Magnum (7mm Rem Mag, .300/.338 Win Mag). Standard barrel is 560mm (107cm overall); magazine holds 3+1 with an optional 5+1. Direct trigger adjustable 900-1900g; optional TAR-GT trigger adjustable 500-1500g. i-Sight configurable open sights and a Picatinny rail base are standard.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Merkel Jagd- und Sportwaffen
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2010
- Variant of
- Synthetic stock
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 560 mm
- Overall length
- 1070 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.00 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Straight pull
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 13.0 N
- Capacity
- 3
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Carbon fiber
- Finish
- Anthracite soft grip
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 850 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 4200 J
- Effective range
- 300 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Straight pull action- 1-to-2 transmission gearing
Short bolt throw
Interchangeable barrels
Tool free takedown
Six lug rotary bolt head
Enclosed action housing
Soft grip synthetic stock
Picatinny rail base
I-sight open sights
Adjustable trigger
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 75 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 3.00 kg | 3.40 kg | Lighter than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 73 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 1070 mm | 1100 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 75 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 560 mm | 584 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 78 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 3 | 4 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Merkel RX Helix Explorer
How much does the Merkel RX Helix Explorer weigh?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer weighs 3.00 kg (6.61 lb) empty. It is the 4th lightest of 75 .30-06 Springfield rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Merkel RX Helix Explorer?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer is chambered in .30-06 Springfield, .300 Winchester Magnum, .308 Winchester, and 6.5 Creedmoor.
How many rounds does the Merkel RX Helix Explorer hold?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer holds 3 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Merkel RX Helix Explorer?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer is 1070 mm (42.1 in) long overall, with a 560 mm (22.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Merkel RX Helix Explorer?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer is made by Merkel Jagd- und Sportwaffen (Germany). It was designed by Merkel (Helix concept attributed to Sheikh Hamed of the Abu Dhabi royal family).
When was the Merkel RX Helix Explorer introduced?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer was introduced in 2010.
How does the Merkel RX Helix Explorer operate?
The Merkel RX Helix Explorer uses a straight pull action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/merkel-helix-explorer' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "merkel-helix-explorer", "name": "Merkel RX Helix Explorer", "manufacturer": { "id": "merkel", "name": "Merkel Jagd- und Sportwaffen", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1898, "website": "https://www.merkel-die-jagd.de", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-06-21 23:00:46", "updatedAt": "2026-06-21 23:00:46", "version": "9e2e95fd839d56a999d551ebb5c84660dae437240057bf0881acdb7d9eac28d1" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 2010, "barrel_length_mm": 560, "weight_empty_g": 3000, "action_type": "straight_pull"}