The Shooter’s Companion

Shotguns·makers·models·history

An independent reference on sporting shotguns, for shooters, collectors, buyers and sellers.

Miroku
MK70

A Miroku over-and-under with interchangeable chokes, in Sporter and Hunter configurations

MK70 Sporter / MK70 HunterMK-70 Quail Special 20g/28g Combo · Other

Drawing of a Miroku MK70 from the right: two vertically stacked barrels with flush chokes, a rib, a pale scroll-engraved boxlock action, one trigger, a pistol grip, a fixed comb, a thin butt plate and a tulip fore-end.
Drawing: 12-bore Sporter Grade 1, 30 in, right side

he MK70 is Miroku’s in Sporter and Hunter configurations.1, 2 The Sporter has interchangeable to suit a range of clay targets.3 Current Sporters have a pistol , a tulip and a grey nitrided steel .4, 5

The MK70’s has a bolt that runs along the floor.6 The for the single sits in the safety thumbpiece.6 The current Grade 1 has flush Invector Plus tubes, and the Grade 5+ extended ones.7, 8

Both current Sporters have 39 mm of at the and 63 mm at the .4, 9 The Grade 1 has American Grade 2/3 wood with a satin varnish, and the Grade 5+ American Grade 5/6 wood with an .4, 9

Specifications

12-bore · sporting

LockingBolt running along the floor6
Lockwork6
TriggerSingle ; in the safety thumbpiece6
Introducedc. 199510, 11
Bore12-bore
Chambers76 mm (3 in)
Barrels30 in
ChokesInvector Plus; removable; 3 tubes
Weight3.45 kg (7 lb 10 oz; catalogue, 30 in)

7, 4, 5 Compare specifications

Specifications

ConfigurationBoreChambersBarrels, inRib, mmFore-endGradeChoke systemYearsWeightMarketsStockFinish
Quail Special barrel set16, 1720-bore76 mm (3 in)306.2Quail Special barrel setInvector Plus; removable; 3 tubes2018Other375 mm pullwood grade 5
Quail Special barrel set16, 1728-bore70 mm (2¾ in)286.2Quail Special barrel setInvector; removable; 3 tubes2018Other375 mm pullwood grade 5
Sporting
Sporting7, 4, 512-bore76 mm (3 in)3010tulipGrade 1Invector Plus; removable; 3 tubes3.45 kg (7 lb 10 oz; catalogue, 30 in)pistol grip; tulip fore-endgrey nitrided steel action; scroll engraving; wood grade 2/3
Sporting8, 9, 1212-bore76 mm (3 in)3010tulipGrade 5+Invector Plus; removable; 3 tubes3.5 kg (7 lb 11 oz; catalogue, 30 in)pistol grip; tulip fore-endgrey nitrided steel action; hand-finished scroll engraving; wood grade 5/6
Sporting1412-bore76 mm (3 in)27.95, 29.9210Sporter Grade 1Invector Plus; removable
Sporting1412-bore76 mm (3 in)27.95, 29.9210Sporter Grade 5Invector; removable
Sporting1, 18, 1912-bore76 mm (3 in)3010Sporter test gunInvector Plus; removable; 3 tubes
Game
Game1412-bore76 mm (3 in)27.95, 29.926Hunter Grade 6Invector Plus; removable
Game220-bore76 mm (3 in)27.95, 29.926Hunter Grade 1Invector; removable
Game228-bore70 mm (2¾ in)29.926Hunter Grade 1Invector; removable2.8 kg (6 lb 3 oz; catalogue, 29.92 in)

Scroll for more columns.

Identify and date

The serial number is on the frame under the .20 A mark on the barrel shows whether it has fixed or takes Invector or Invector Plus tubes.15 Notches on each tube show its constriction.15 Gun Mart’s Sporter test gun has 18.7 mm marks and a Belgian fleur-de-lys mark.18

Two letters after the MK70 serial number give the year of manufacture.21 Each letter stands for a digit: Z=1, Y=2, X=3, W=4, V=5, T=6, R=7, P=8, N=9 and M=0.21 NT, for example, means 1996.21

WhereMarkings
frame under the Serial number20
Barrel-system marking: fixed, Invector or Invector Plus15
Notches identifying constriction15
Barrels of the Gun Mart Sporter test gun18.7 mm marks and Belgian fleur-de-lys 18

Before you buy

  1. On an older MK70, inspect the tips for cratering.22
  2. Read the barrel’s -system mark before ordering tubes; Invector and Invector Plus tubes do not interchange.15
  3. Match each Quail Special barrel set to its own tubes: the 20- takes Invector Plus and the 28- Invector.17
  4. Check the length on each barrel set: the 28- Hunter in the earlier catalogue has 70 mm chambers, and the current 12- Sporter 76 mm.2, 7
  5. Unload the gun before handling the , and check that the tubes are tight.23, 24

History

The MK70 replaced the Miroku 7000 in the mid-1990s.10, 25 Like the MK60, the MK70 descends from the lighter 600 and 700 models by way of the 6000 and 7000.26 The MK38 comes instead from the 800 and 3800 and line.26

The 2018 Quail Special combined 20- and 28- barrels for Australia and New Zealand.16 The run numbered 60 guns.16 Each came with 30-inch 20- barrels, 28-inch 28- barrels and three tubes for each set.17

DateChangeObservable feature
2018Quail Special two-barrel set for Australia and New Zealand16, 1730-inch 20- and 28-inch 28- barrels

Sources

  1. Miroku MK70 Sporter test with back-bored barrels, technical-data. Gun Mart / Michael Yardley. magazine · Archive
  2. Miroku Hunting & Shooting legacy catalogue: model tables, mk70-small-bores. Browning International. maker catalogue · Archive
  3. MK70 Sporter Grade 1 12M, model-and-purpose. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  4. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 1 12M, stock. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  5. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 1 12M, weight-and-finish. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  6. Second-hand Miroku MK70 shotgun review, technical-specification. ShootingUK / Mike George, 2011-12-05. magazine · Archive
  7. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 1 12M, barrels-and-chokes. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  8. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 5+ 12M, barrels-and-chokes. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  9. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 5+ 12M, stock. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  10. How old is my Miroku MK70 shotgun?, introduction. Shooting Times / ShootingUK, 2010-03-19. magazine · Archive
  11. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 1 12M, model. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  12. MK70 SPORTER GRADE 5+ 12M, weight-and-finish. Miroku / Browning International. maker website · Archive
  13. Miroku Hunting & Shooting legacy catalogue: model tables, mk38-trap. Browning International. maker catalogue · Archive
  14. Miroku Hunting & Shooting legacy catalogue: model tables, mk70-twelve-bore. Browning International. maker catalogue · Archive
  15. Miroku MK manual: identification and choke checks, choke-systems. Miroku / Browning. manual · Archive
  16. Miroku MK70 Quail Special distributor advertisement, edition. Outdoor Sporting Agencies / Sporting Clays Australia, 2020-04. maker catalogue · Archive
  17. Miroku MK70 Quail Special distributor advertisement, specifications. Outdoor Sporting Agencies / Sporting Clays Australia, 2020-04. maker catalogue · Archive
  18. Miroku MK70 Sporter test with back-bored barrels, barrel-details. Gun Mart / Michael Yardley. magazine · Archive
  19. Miroku MK70 Sporter test with back-bored barrels, update-date. Gun Mart / Michael Yardley. magazine · Archive
  20. Miroku MK manual: identification and choke checks, serial-number. Miroku / Browning. manual · Archive
  21. How old is my Miroku MK70 shotgun?, serial-date-code. Shooting Times / ShootingUK, 2010-03-19. magazine · Archive
  22. Second-hand Miroku MK70 shotgun review, firing-pins. ShootingUK / Mike George, 2011-12-05. magazine · Archive
  23. Miroku MK manual: identification and choke checks, unloaded. Miroku / Browning. manual · Archive
  24. Miroku MK manual: identification and choke checks, tightness. Miroku / Browning. manual · Archive
  25. Second-hand Miroku MK70 shotgun review, predecessor. ShootingUK / Mike George, 2011-12-05. magazine · Archive
  26. Miroku MK38 Sporter review, family-history. The Field, 2023-08-16. magazine · Archive

Revised