The Miroku MK60 was made for an avid game shooter looking for a level up from your Browning 525 and Silver Pigeon.
Although the choice of wood on this gun isn’t for everyone they’ll be the odd game shooter who isn’t looking for something that’s fancy but a gun that is reliable enough to spend a day in the field.
As far as mass-manufactured guns go, the MK60 certainly has a reputation for being fantastic value for money, even for a pair!
Specifications
Make – Miroku
Model – MK60 Grade 1 Universal
Calibre – 12 Gauge
Mechanism – Over & Under
Barrel – 30”
Chokes – ¼ & ¾
Dealer Feedback
Lorna Hall – Gunroom Sales Advisor at Ian Coley
The Miroku MK60 Grade 1 is still, to this day, one of the all-time best-value guns on the market.
As standard, the MK60 comes in the ‘classic’ cardboard case and is fixed ¼ & ¾. The semi-pistol grip stock and tulip forend is satin varnished American Grade 2-3 Walnut, this is incredibly strong and bright in colour but perfectly understated. The MK60 also features Miroku’s well-known floral scroll work, chrome lined barrel, and 3″ chambers features that give this gun its universal reputation.
Again, this was tested on our SPORTRAP layout. I found this to be nice and lively to handle and the trigger pulls were light. The pistol grip is quite narrow, which I personally don’t mind, and the comb is plenty high enough for the lady shooter. I found the ¼ and ¾ barrel to pattern well and the MK60 felt very much at home to shoot. This gun does pack a bit of a punch with 28grm cartridges but, overall, it is a solid gun to shoot which I imagine will perform well both in the field or on the clay circuit.
Miroku shotguns are renowned for their high build quality, reliability, and affordability and this is very much apparent from testing it out!
Gunsmith Feedback
Tom Hickman – Gunsmith at J. Roberts & Son Gunmakers
What are the three main things that tend to go wrong with these guns?
- Pitted bottom firing pins and rusted retaining springs causing misfire because the spring steel is made from a spring steel that when moisture occurs it corrodes quickly.
- Loose adjustable trigger units, just from use and vibration, once you’re happy it’s in the correct position a tiny dab of semi-permanent Loctite could be used but not always necessary.
- Also, the heel plates being chipped on the toe is very common as they’re so pointed and sharp.
What should a buyer look for when looking at this gun?
Same as any gun, worn chequering and loose drop open feel, guns can be well worn but work well, but the longevity of the gun could be shorter than Usual.
What is your overall opinion on the design and mechanisms that make this gun?
A solid and robust design have known these to be a little fussy on 21-gram loads but no that often. They mostly come with a chequered trigger which is nice for wet days.
What advice would you give to buyers looking to buy this gun? Or people that have one in their cabinet other than the usual cleaning advice?
Make sure they’re well serviced for the above reasons, that bottom firing pin slowly starting to pit and cause misfires. They’re a really good option and a cheaper alternative to the browning but have the same reputation of reliability, also some other models have lovely engraving such as the MK-70 sporter.
Do you think this gun is fairly priced for what it offers you as a shooter?
They’re a staple of gun clubs up and down the county or certainly were, I think popularity is still high, they’re great all-rounders, that last a lifetime and look good too. Some may not like the weight or bulkiness but some others that’s what they love. Well worth looking at before dismissing.
Leave a Reply