Baikal O/U

Bob Locke · September 16, 2000, 11:28 PM

Has anyone out there "played" with these any?

I have read VERY good things about them, and the shop I work in has just gotten several of them in (as well as some of the full-length SxS versions).

They appear to be of very good workmanship, and they feel great in the hand and on the shoulder. Balance is very good as well.

Looking for some real life experiences (if they are available) with these. I'm going to get one, in all likelihood, but would like to hear some pros and cons first.

johnbt · September 17, 2000, 04:09 PM

Hi Bob - The owner of a local range is impressed with them. I'd finished shooting one day and he was showing two of the O/U's he'd ordered to another customer. The owner had just returned from shooting a round (or two?) of clays w/ one and was very impressed even though he missed one or two. To be fair he brought out his high-dollar Browning clays gun and let us compare and there was a definite difference. This gentleman is from a family of Serious collectors and shoots, or used to, serious clays (is AA the right term?). FWIW, he also let us handle a $6k Chandler(sp?) rifle that day.
My opinion is that they aren't the logs I'd expected and appear to easily be worth the $400 or so asking price. Do you know if parts are available or anything about service on them? John

Gremlin · September 20, 2000, 08:06 PM

I bought the Baikal IZH27 new in the box for $350 at my local gun shop. No regrets whatsoever.

The dual-selective trigger is unique--with the gun loaded and the safety off, a push forward on the back of the trigger allows you to change the sequence from bottom barrel first to top barrel first. The trigger pull was comparable to a Ruger Red Label that I shot while in Nashville a few months ago. The ejectors work well and the dark walnut stained wood is beautiful for a gun that cost me less than 400 bucks. The checkering was uniform and felt great under my fingertips after a hundred rounds or so.

Mine did have a minor flaw in the blueing at the business end of the barrel, but a "touch" of cold blue cured it easily and the flaw would only be noticed by the most demanding eye.

Most every other moderately priced O/U that I have shot when they were new (Ruger Red Label, Browning Citori, Franchi, etc) were absolute demons to break down "out of the box". The new Baikal broke, ejected, loaded, and returned quite easily by comparison.

Accuracy wasn't quite up to par with the All-Weather Red Label that I had shot recently, but it wasn't bad either. The "kick", however, is much more significant than my Remington 870 Wingmaster. You definitely need some quilted padding on your shoulder if you're going to work more than a box or two of shells through the weapon at one setting.

Guns & Ammo named the gun "runnerup" for Shotgun of the Year in '99. After owning one for a couple months and putting four or five hundred shells through it, I can see why. I don't know if it will hold up through five or six thousand rounds, but I intend to find out...

Hope that helps.

------------------
Take the long way home...

September 16, 2000, 11:28 PM	#1
Bob Locke Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 1999 Location: Greeley, CO Posts: 2,518	Has anyone out there "played" with these any? I have read VERY good things about them, and the shop I work in has just gotten several of them in (as well as some of the full-length SxS versions). They appear to be of very good workmanship, and they feel great in the hand and on the shoulder. Balance is very good as well. Looking for some real life experiences (if they are available) with these. I'm going to get one, in all likelihood, but would like to hear some pros and cons first.

September 17, 2000, 04:09 PM	#2
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,004	Hi Bob - The owner of a local range is impressed with them. I'd finished shooting one day and he was showing two of the O/U's he'd ordered to another customer. The owner had just returned from shooting a round (or two?) of clays w/ one and was very impressed even though he missed one or two. To be fair he brought out his high-dollar Browning clays gun and let us compare and there was a definite difference. This gentleman is from a family of Serious collectors and shoots, or used to, serious clays (is AA the right term?). FWIW, he also let us handle a $6k Chandler(sp?) rifle that day. My opinion is that they aren't the logs I'd expected and appear to easily be worth the $400 or so asking price. Do you know if parts are available or anything about service on them? John

September 20, 2000, 08:06 PM	#3
Gremlin Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 1999 Location: Just left of center Posts: 544	I bought the Baikal IZH27 new in the box for $350 at my local gun shop. No regrets whatsoever. The dual-selective trigger is unique--with the gun loaded and the safety off, a push forward on the back of the trigger allows you to change the sequence from bottom barrel first to top barrel first. The trigger pull was comparable to a Ruger Red Label that I shot while in Nashville a few months ago. The ejectors work well and the dark walnut stained wood is beautiful for a gun that cost me less than 400 bucks. The checkering was uniform and felt great under my fingertips after a hundred rounds or so. Mine did have a minor flaw in the blueing at the business end of the barrel, but a "touch" of cold blue cured it easily and the flaw would only be noticed by the most demanding eye. Most every other moderately priced O/U that I have shot when they were new (Ruger Red Label, Browning Citori, Franchi, etc) were absolute demons to break down "out of the box". The new Baikal broke, ejected, loaded, and returned quite easily by comparison. Accuracy wasn't quite up to par with the All-Weather Red Label that I had shot recently, but it wasn't bad either. The "kick", however, is much more significant than my Remington 870 Wingmaster. You definitely need some quilted padding on your shoulder if you're going to work more than a box or two of shells through the weapon at one setting. Guns & Ammo named the gun "runnerup" for Shotgun of the Year in '99. After owning one for a couple months and putting four or five hundred shells through it, I can see why. I don't know if it will hold up through five or six thousand rounds, but I intend to find out... Hope that helps. ------------------ Take the long way home...