Contessa Picatinny Rail for Merkel Helix RX, Sako S20 (20 MOA)

About Picatinny Rail

The Picatinny rail system features slots spaced at precise 5.23 mm intervals, enabling consistent and versatile use along its entire length. This system is designed for ease of mounting and is universally compatible; accessories designed for a Picatinny rail will fit seamlessly, irrespective of the manufacturer or the date of production. Known for its affordability, durability, and reliability, the Picatinny rail is a popular choice among professionals and military personnel, making it a dominant player in the scope mounts market in recent years.
The Picatinny design marks a significant advancement over the older Weaver standard. Unlike the Weaver system, which offers only a few predetermined slots, the Picatinny rail boasts continuous slots across its surface. This feature provides the flexibility to mount devices at any preferred location. Additionally, the slots on a Weaver rail are narrower, at 3.8 mm, allowing mounts designed for Weaver rails to fit on a Picatinny rail. However, mounts specifically made for Picatinny rails do not fit on Weaver rails due to the size difference of recoil stoppers. This compatibility and versatility make the Picatinny rail a superior mounting solution in various applications.

About the Contessa

Contessa, an Italian manufacturer renowned for its high-quality scope mounts, combines decades of experience with advanced 3D technology and precision handcrafting. Recognized internationally, its mounts are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing, featuring soft, rounded edges. Contessa Picatinny rails are machined to strict tolerances, and  feature one of the best fit and finish. Each rail bears the distinctive golden Contessa logo, symbolizing quality and craftsmanship.

About the Merkel

Merkel, established in 1898 in Germany by the Merkel brothers, began firearm production in 1905. Specializing in hunting rifles, Merkel is known for its handcrafted quality and innovative designs, including the unique Merkel 303 introduced in 1924. The company maintained production through both world wars and expanded significantly post-Berlin Wall fall, with developments like the HELIX SR1 and K5 series.

About the RX Helix

The Merkel RX Helix, introduced in 2013, is a German-made straight-pull push feed bolt-action rifle known for its rapid firing capability due to a unique gear ratio on the receiver sides. This design allows the bolt handle to move less distance than the bolt itself. The rifle features an adjustable trigger and a manual cocking system at the receiver's rear for added safety. It is equipped with a detachable single-stack magazine and an integrated two-piece Picatinny rail for optics mounting.

Variants

Merkel RX Helix is available in the following variants:

• Helix Black
• Helix Custom
• Helix Arabesque / Wild Boar
• Helix Deluxe
• Helix Alpinist
• Helix Explorer
• Helix Speedster
• Helix Suppressor
• Helix Tracker

Calibres

Merkel RX Helix can be chambered for the following calibres:

• .222 Rem.
• .223 Rem.
• .243 Win.
• .270 Win.
• 7mm Rem. Mag.
• 7x64
• .308 Win.
• .30-06 Spr.
• .300 Win. Mag.
• 8x57 JS
• .338 Win. Mag.
• 9.3x62

Inclination

20 MOA inclination is only needed when the scope runs out of elevation. For example, when shooting at the range of 100 m, shooter gains 58.2 cm / 100 m of additional elevation range with a 20 MOA mount. This is approximately 5.8 Mrad of elevation. To make things even clearer – if the target was placed at 100 m, the scope with 20 MOA inclined rail would aim to the center of the target while the rifle’s barrel would aim 58 cm higher than the scope. This gives the shooter extra elevation needed for long range shooting. If you plan to shoot on distances longer than 600 meters, 20 MOA is most common. There is no negative effect of the inclined Picatinny rail in the mounting setup if you only shoot on shorter distances. The same goes also the other way around, since if you don’t shoot on extreme distances then Picatinny rail with inclination is not needed.

Design of the Rail

The Contessa Picatinny Rail for Merkel Helix RX, Sako S20 is constructed from steel, known for its superior hardness and durability compared to aluminum, ensures a higher degree of repeatability with less wear over time. The picatinny rail features 16 slots. A distinct central canal on the rail allows for the concurrent use of the rifle's iron sights, offering a reliable backup sighting solution without the need to remove the picatinny rail when there is nothing mounted on it. This picatinny rail is attached to the rifle with two-piece picatinny rail.

This rail can also be mounted on:

Usually, a Picatinny rail can be mounted on multiple different rifles if they share the same mounting surface, which we commonly refer to as the mounting standard. The Contessa Picatinny Rail for Merkel Helix RX, Sako S20 can be mounted on all rifles with picatinny rail, either one-piece or two-piece. 

Mounting Instructions

Remove all the stains (grease, oil etc.) from the rifle's receiver with a cleaning fluid (acetone). Once the surface is clean and dry, check whether the screws match the rail and the holes on the receiver. Before mounting the rail permanently, apply a minimal amount of thread-locking fluid 278 or 648 on screws. Be careful not to get the fluid in or near the mounting holes. Carefully clean the remaining excess fluid around the rail with a cleaning fluid. Using a torque driver, screw the screws appropriately (up to 3 Nm/26.5 in-lbs).
If you require any mounting tools, you can find them on our Rifle Scope Mounting Tools page.

What's in the box?

Each package comes complete with one steel rail and a sturdy wrench for easy installation.

Warranty

This product comes with a 30-year warranty.