Tell me about the Baikal doubles

ninepointer

ninepointer

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I'm looking for a 20 ga. double (o/u or sxs) to serve as:
1) My go-to cottontail and upland gun; and
2) Recreational skeet gun (around 100-200 rounds per month)

This will be a brush-busting working gun; well cared for but no safe queen. I'm less concerned with wood-to-metal fit or quality of finish; I'm more concerned with dependability. I just can't justify the cost of a Beretta or a Browning at this stage of my life, so I'm thinking of a used Ithaca/SKB double or a Baikal IZH-27 & IZH-43, new or used.

The Baikal single shots (including one I have now) seem to keep going and going and going (very simple action), but how do the Baikal doubles hold-up down the road?

With the Russian double am I risking the same issues that I hear about in regard to the "soft" Turkish & Brazillian guns on the market? I really don't want a gun that will wear-out on me. If this is a problem with Baikal doubles, please tell me now.

Is the 20 ga. Baikal built on a smaller frame or is it a 12 ga. frame? Are they in the appropriate weight league for a 20 ga. or are they on the heavy side?

Anything else I should know about in the "We told you so" category?

Thanks :)
 
Baikal

I had a 12g O/u many years ago and I recall it being a little on the heavy side to carry all day. It was however reliable.
I made a inquiry a short time ago from the distributer regarding if the 20g was bullt on the smaller frame or if it was built on the 12g frame, and if my memory serves me correctly they said the 20g was on a 12g frame.
You might want something a little lighter if upland or bunny hunting and covering great distances and out all day
 
Many years ago I had a Baikal 12 gauge sxs, it was hell for stout but was heavy and slow for an upland gun, I have an older SKB (Ithaca) 20 gauge sxs that is very light and fits me well, I'd look for a used SKB 500 as a good all round shotgunn.
 
I hunted partridge with a Baikal SxS when I was a kid. I loved it, never had any trouble with it. A bit of a kicker but good. My dad uses it as his turkey gun now and would not give it up for anything.
Solid gun, they seem to last for ever.
 
ninepointer said:
I'm looking for a 20 ga. double (o/u or sxs) to serve as:
1) My go-to cottontail and upland gun; and
2) Recreational skeet gun (around 100-200 rounds per month)

This will be a brush-busting working gun; well cared for but no safe queen. I'm less concerned with wood-to-metal fit or quality of finish; I'm more concerned with dependability. I just can't justify the cost of a Beretta or a Browning at this stage of my life, so I'm thinking of a used Ithaca/SKB double or a Baikal IZH-27 & IZH-43, new or used.

The Baikal single shots (including one I have now) seem to keep going and going and going (very simple action), but how do the Baikal doubles hold-up down the road?

With the Russian double am I risking the same issues that I hear about in regard to the "soft" Turkish & Brazillian guns on the market? I really don't want a gun that will wear-out on me. If this is a problem with Baikal doubles, please tell me now.

Is the 20 ga. Baikal built on a smaller frame or is it a 12 ga. frame? Are they in the appropriate weight league for a 20 ga. or are they on the heavy side?

Anything else I should know about in the "We told you so" category?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

The answer all depends on which model. In general, Baikals are built utilitarian - they're rugged and dependable, but they waste no effort on embellishments. My experience is limited to a trio of SXS Baikal hammerguns. I bought the 16 gauge version as a refinishing project and liked it so much as a field gun that I sought out and purchased a 20 gauge and a 12 gauge as well. I'm partial to open-hammer guns and there aren't many makers of nitro-proofed SXS's of that description, other than makes that I'd be loath to bash around in the bush with.

I don't find the hammerguns particularly heavy, but that could be inherent in the side-lock design. Most of the hammerless Baikal SXS's I've handled did feel heavy and slow to swing. I'd expect a 16 or a 20 guage to lend themselves better to carrying in the field, but any guage other than 12 guage isn't practical for skeet (from a cost and availability of ammo point of view, not because you couldn't dust the clays just as well).

A used U/O in 12 gauge would work nicely for you, though. Because skeet is a close shot game, you'll most likely want improved cylinder and modified chokes, if you can find one in that config. Alternately, you could have them opened up for a modest shop charge.
 
They r recycled lottas haha as the skeet guys tell me great guns built like tanks will last longer then dirt. I love my 58 I beat it threw the bush after bunnies duck crows coyote and this year I took a turkey with it. They handle great for me chocked mod and full in the sxs usually. I've put over 9000 rounds or so threw mine with no problems ever
 
When I remustered and left CFB Petawawa for my first airforce posting to CFB Moose Jaw, a friend gifted myself a fair amount of 0 size buckshot.
He knew I had a Biakal IJ-58 double barrelled shotgun in 12 gauge.
I found this to be an excellent choice for shooting moving jackrabbits on the Saskatchewan prairies.
Shotgunners more knowledgeable than myself were very surprized (so was I!) that it was not uncommon to roll mature jacks @80 yards, on the run, with this combo. I had the chokes measured and sure enough it was almost a turkey choke in tightness.
Easy to clean chrome plated bores and this hammerless model had those cocking indicators you could feel with your finger. Got a few teals and mallards before lead shot was bannned too. That left hand modified barrel, took a few sharptails and so tasty huns as well.
Great shotgun, super tough, I should never have let it go.
 
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I never owned or fired a Baikal gun but theres is 2 things I have ALWAYS heard about them. 1) They are not very pretty and are a little heavy and 2) They are solid, built well and most importantly go bang everytime.
 
Mine was heavy, cantankerous, and unreliable. You get what you pay for, most find them rugged, mine I don't have many positives to say. I'd buy a CZ a million times before if looking for a cheap double, you'll get 4 times the gun for twice the price (cheap's under $2,500 in the double world).
 
The only complaint i have about mine is the cheap bluing... worn off quite a bit under the receiver... it doesn't really bother me though as mine is well used and not a safe queen... great small game / bush gun, and has never let me down... i don't find it heavy at all but then again i don't have a ton of experience with other side by sides. mine has shorter barrels so its great in thick brush, and i keep it close as my home defense gun as well :)
 
I have a nice little 410 sxs and have used for a few years. Never had any problems with it. The only thing I don’t like is that when the action is opened and closed the safety goes on automatically, so sometimes I get caught off guard with the safety one in a quick reload situation. I sure wish it was a 20 ga. instead of the 410. I would use it more often...
 
I'd check out the CZ line first. You might be surprised at pricing.

Particularly if you're concerned about fit and finish. CZs, especially for the dough, are one of the best in this department. Make a lot of "famous" brands in the same price ranges look pretty cheap by comparison.

Son-in-law bought this one, 20 ga., last year at Wholesale Sports, about $800. Even had case hardened coloring! Awesome shotgun!

http://cz-usa.com/products/view/bobwhite-202-b-case-hardened/

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350tracker said:
I have a nice little 410 sxs and have used for a few years. Never had any problems with it. The only thing I don’t like is that when the action is opened and closed the safety goes on automatically, so sometimes I get caught off guard with the safety one in a quick reload situation. I sure wish it was a 20 ga. instead of the 410. I would use it more often...
Click to expand...

I'm sure you know this, but just in case you or others haven't heard, it's a minor modification to disable the "auto" in auto safety. The safety will still work properly when you choose to manually activate it, but it won't set itself every time you open the action.
 
NO, I did not know that. Would you instruction on how to accomplish that ?



straightshooter said:
I'm sure you know this, but just in case you or others haven't heard, it's a minor modification to disable the "auto" in auto safety. The safety will still work properly when you choose to manually activate it, but it won't set itself every time you open the action.
Click to expand...
 
350tracker said:
NO, I did not know that. Would you instruction on how to accomplish that ?
Click to expand...

It varies from one maker to another, depending on design. But, it's usually not a complicated procedure. The reason that the safety still works after the modifications, is that the safety is essentially a manual safety. The only difference is that a mechanism is added to automatically push the safety on each time the action is opened.

With some makes, it's a rod or an off-cam disk that pushes the safety into position when the top lever is moved over to the right. With others, it's a rod or bar that is actuated by the cocking levers. And, to avoid patent infringements, other clever ways are devised to push the safety when the action is opened.

I'm not fluent in the Baikal approach but, if you're comfortable taking off the butt pad/plate and then removing the through bolt to remove the butt stock to get into the receiver, you'll be able to see what they employ to activate the safety. Chances are you'll need to cut the rod, so that it no longer activates the safety, but leave a piece at the safety end to hold it in position.

Be extra careful when loosening the through bolt in the butt stock. As you can imagine, the thickness of wood that's left once that big hole is bored down the center of the stock is minimal. A turn screw slipping off the through bolt head while force is being applied can easily result in the turn screw shaft coming right through the side of the stock.

If you don't feel comfortable opening up the receiver, take it to your local smith - it's a small job and not particularly expensive.

For specific details relative to Baikal, consider posting a question in the gunsmithing forum.
 
I've had boito/IGA, Baikal, and Browning O/U and SxS. The cheaper ones don't compare to a B gun, although the Baikal was batter than the IGA. Try to find a used Browning Superposed, Citori or other Italian O/U.

350tracker said:
NO, I did not know that. Would you instruction on how to accomplish that ?
Click to expand...

I had the auto safety disabled in my Baikal 20ga O/U. There is a lever inside the receiver that needs to be removed. I had my smith do it, and he said he had to take the whole thing apart to get it out.

If you take the buttstock off, you will see it attached to your safety.
 
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