The RX Helix manifesto states: “Hunting has moved on in the 21st century. It has become faster, more versatile and more exciting. This demands better gun ergonomics: ideal combination of responsiveness, speed and accuracy.”

I have to admit that until for most of my life I had never shot a Merkel rifle. It was a make that had eluded me, with none of my shooting companions having one in the cupboard. It wasn’t until testing a number of straight-pulls with Tim Pilbeam that I finally got my hands on one.