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bamaranger · May 14, 2019, 03:24 AM

I bought a used Baikal from a pal for a song. It shoots.......but only the left barrel goes to point of aim, the right one is high right, at 25 yds, off enough to only fringe plate size targets at that distance. The gun has choke tubes, and I put the IC tube in the wayward barrel and hope for the best. At house distances, it won't matter much, but afield, I could not live with it. The Baikal also kicks like a mule with any serious ammo (buck shot or field loads) and the trigger guard busts my bird finger knuckle so much so that I had to wrap the guard with a piece of leather lace, which looks kinda neat actually, and helps a good bit. At the muzzles(s), a triangular piece about the size of a pea fell out from under the rib, and the resulting gap is unsightly to say the least.

I should sell or trade the thing for a short Maverick 88, but I like certain aspects of this SxS. Being a double, though it has 20" tubes, it is actually a bit shorter than a stocked 20" pump and also I like the way it breaks down into two short pieces. Bamawife made a "discreet" takedown case for it from some dowdy material (the case looks like grandma's book bag) and it stows easily too. Reassembled, it lends considerable piece of mind when traveling in motel rooms or even in the vehicle. Those same 20" barrels and that short receiver do not lend themselves to good shooting for me however. If I do not push myself to look DOWN the rib, I tend to look over it, and invariably shoot high as a result. I don't believe I could ever use it as a field gun on flushing small game.

May 14, 2019, 03:24 AM	#15
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	Baikal and stubby barrels I bought a used Baikal from a pal for a song. It shoots.......but only the left barrel goes to point of aim, the right one is high right, at 25 yds, off enough to only fringe plate size targets at that distance. The gun has choke tubes, and I put the IC tube in the wayward barrel and hope for the best. At house distances, it won't matter much, but afield, I could not live with it. The Baikal also kicks like a mule with any serious ammo (buck shot or field loads) and the trigger guard busts my bird finger knuckle so much so that I had to wrap the guard with a piece of leather lace, which looks kinda neat actually, and helps a good bit. At the muzzles(s), a triangular piece about the size of a pea fell out from under the rib, and the resulting gap is unsightly to say the least. I should sell or trade the thing for a short Maverick 88, but I like certain aspects of this SxS. Being a double, though it has 20" tubes, it is actually a bit shorter than a stocked 20" pump and also I like the way it breaks down into two short pieces. Bamawife made a "discreet" takedown case for it from some dowdy material (the case looks like grandma's book bag) and it stows easily too. Reassembled, it lends considerable piece of mind when traveling in motel rooms or even in the vehicle. Those same 20" barrels and that short receiver do not lend themselves to good shooting for me however. If I do not push myself to look DOWN the rib, I tend to look over it, and invariably shoot high as a result. I don't believe I could ever use it as a field gun on flushing small game.