O/U shotgun question

3830 Views 26 Replies 22 Participants Last post by Brian Cockfield, Apr 30, 2012

Shelby

Discussion Starter · Apr 27, 2012

OK I am looking at a Baikal 12 gauge 3" model IZH-27. I know its not a big name gun or expensive and I am sure I will get told to buy a diva gun. But has any one ever owned, or hunted with this Russian made O/U ? Thanks

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

Mark Teahan

· #2 · Apr 27, 2012

Can't comment on this one, but, I bought a huglu Turkish made o/u just for duck hunting. It's cheap, so to speak, but I sure won't cry if I scratch or ding it, like a Beretta, or other high dollar shotgun.
If you like it, it fits you, and patterns well, rock on.
Just be sure it can be fixed, if it should break down on you.

BonMallari

· #3 · Apr 27, 2012

the Baikal shotgun was imported by Remington for a couple of years and it was IMO a piece of junk,kicked like a mule, very poor wood,tried to shoot a round of skeet with one and gave it up at station 4..not even on the same level as the Huglu or the Yildiz

Boeinguy

· #4 · Apr 27, 2012

I owned one for a couple years. Gave it to my brother-in-law. It was cheap in price, quality, handling, and had a weird tuning fork type sound when fired.

You get what you pay for!

GDF

Happy Gilmore

· #5 · Apr 27, 2012

I'd go this route....

http://www.gunsamerica.com/99739170...odern/O-U/Hunting/101_w_engraved_receiver.htm

Lee Nelson

· #6 · Apr 27, 2012

From experience, next to impossible to find parts for them or a gunsmith who will work on them, for that matter.

Don Thomsen

· #7 · Apr 27, 2012

I had a Baikal...hated it...bought a Stoeger Condor....hated it.....that was enough of cheap O/U's for me. In my opinion, you are better off to buy a good used Ruger or whatever. Most O/U's are very well card for and you can sometimes find some very good buys on guns america or gun brokers.

Swampcollie

· #8 · Apr 27, 2012

I've been shooting one for over ten years now. It's kinda clunky but it has never missed a beat. I use it mostly as a dog training gun as the mechanical trigger allows you to shoot poppers out of it. It kills flyers just as dead as my nicer guns, and I don't worry about the abuse that dog training equipment takes. If it catches a scratch or two, it's no big deal.

A lot of guys enjoy having a nicely crafted gun to shoot and this isn't the gun for them. This gun is more like a wrench in the tool box. It's made to do work in a workman like manner, no frills attached.

John Lash

· #9 · Apr 27, 2012

I agree with the others. If it's cheap there's a reason.

I would suggest the Winchester 101, the new one. Cabelas had it on sale for $999.

SKB sells guns for a reasonable price. Even Beretta has reasonable prices for their lowest models.

I would say that any of the above are 2-3 times better than the Baikal.

There are good prices on used guns, but most have fixed chokes. I think for a couple hundred dollars more you'd appreciate the new gun with choke tubes.

Mike Boufford

· #10 · Apr 27, 2012 (Edited)

I've been shooting O/U shotguns for over 30 years and I believe that I have shot just about every manufacturers offering out there in one form or another. A clunky, unbalanced O/U shotgun is no fun to hunt with because it will swing like a tree branch and kick like a mule.

Either shop around for a good used O/U or save your cash until you can afford a mid-priced O/U from a quality manufacturer. From an overall standpoint you can't beat Browning or Beretta for their quality, customer service and availability. My preference is Browning and I am pretty certain you can easily get an O/U set up for duck hunting (camo clad, synthetic stock, 3 1/2" chambers). FYI, and this is my opinion, just because you have 3 1/2" chambers doesn't mean that you should use 3 1/2" shells unless you handle recoil well.

Ruger is out of the shotgun business now otherwise I would also add them into the new equation. If you can find a good Ruger Red Label on the used market, go for it because they are built like a tank and can take duck hunting abuse.

Shelby, where do you live? I would find a good high volume gun shop and do some hands on shopping instead of the internet route at least until you know exactly what you want. My favorite shotgun shop is Jaquas in Ohio. They have mopre shotguns in stock both new and used than you can possibly imagine. Prices range from inexpensive to outrageous. I took my son there to pick out his first adult shotgun. The first thing he came to was a used 20 gauge SxS Purdey Funeral grade. He says "I want THIS one". I looked at the $18,000 price tag and politely told him that I wouldn't spend that kind of money on me, and oh look the Beretta AL 390's are on half off sale (the 391 had just come out).

By the way diva is spelled Perazzi in Italian and Kreighoff in German.

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scott furbeck

· #11 · Apr 27, 2012

I was fortunate enough to purchase a 20 ga citori out of the classifieds of this forum for just a little more than a new Baikal and less than a nice CZ. It had been hunted, but not abused. There are a lot of fixed choke 3" citori's out there for not a lot of money. Cut the chokes out for steel shot and you are good to go. SKB is another great choice.

MooseGooser

· #12 · Apr 27, 2012

John Lash said:
I agree with the others. If it's cheap there's a reason.

I would suggest the Winchester 101, the new one. Cabelas had it on sale for $999.

SKB sells guns for a reasonable price. Even Beretta has reasonable prices for their lowest models.

I would say that any of the above are 2-3 times better than the Baikal.

There are good prices on used guns, but most have fixed chokes. I think for a couple hundred dollars more you'd appreciate the new gun with choke tubes.

I really think this winchester gun is the current sleeper among O/U's
Very well made Belgium gun. resonably priced.

I will say though, I picked up a New Browning Citori lightning for just a tad over 1100.00

I am very pleased with it. It will out last me and my son.

MICHEALBAKER

Keith Stroyan

· #13 · Apr 27, 2012

This shop knows how to sell:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=284049364

There are occasionally good deals on Gunbroker.com

==

Gooser: Is the new 101 made on the same patent (or did they just use the name)?

==

I thought I wanted an O/U and bought a pretty Rizzini and had the stock fitted. It looks nice above the fireplace when I'm hunting with one of my semiautos. (A light one for upland and and a easy-to-clean one for waterfowl. They just shoot better for me.)

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Mike Boufford

· #14 · Apr 27, 2012

Michael Baker said:
I really think this winchester gun is the current sleeper among O/U's
Very well made Belgium gun. resonably priced.

I will say though, I picked up a New Browning Citori lightning for just a tad over 1100.00

I am very pleased with it. It will out last me and my son.

MICHEALBAKER

The new Winchester 101 is a nice looking weapon and seems to be priced at the same price points as the comparable Browning which it should be given the manufacturing locations and ownership of each. Maybe it's me but there seems to be a bit more drop on the Winchester stock than the Browning?

My clays gun is a Browning Sporting Clays Edition 12 gauge and would be a bit too heavy to carry in the field. My upland shotgun is a Browning Lightning Feather 16 gauge that is perfect for all manner of upland game. What a beautiful weapon to carry all day long at roughly 6 pounds.

BonMallari

· #15 · Apr 27, 2012

Mike Boufford said:
The new Winchester 101 is a nice looking weapon and seems to be priced at the same price points as the comparable Browning which it should be given the manufacturing locations and ownership of each. Maybe it's me but there seems to be a bit more drop on the Winchester stock than the Browning?
.

my brother in Austin bought one of the new Win 101 Elite and it is a fairly straight stock for a field gun, very close to the old Browning Superposed specs...but not like my old diva Kreighoff K80

the new 101's have probably the best price point vs quality gun that is currently on the market, you can pay a whole lot more but it doesnt mean you are getting that much more gun..whole different fit than some of the Italian O/U's, if you prefer the more traditional Browning type fit (as I do) you will like this gun

Shelby

Discussion Starter · #16 · Apr 27, 2012

Thanks guys...... Thought I would get others input on this gun, glad I passed on this one

Dustin D

· #17 · Apr 27, 2012

Don Thomsen said:
In my opinion, you are better off to buy a good used Ruger.

I'll 2nd that!

The Ruger Red Label's I've handled are some very fine O/U's.

It's no Browning or Beretta high end model, but it's a 100% American Made if that means much to you. I also know some guys who have around 30,000 through their Red Labels without so much as a Hiccup.

IMO any O/U that you want to last and not have to worry about repair is going to start around $1500 and up.

Just the nature of the beast when it comes to these type shotguns.

TONS of them on Gunbroker.

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43x

· #18 · Apr 27, 2012

Shelby said:
OK I am looking at a Baikal 12 gauge 3" model IZH-27. I know its not a big name gun or expensive and I am sure I will get told to buy a diva gun. But has any one ever owned, or hunted with this Russian made O/U ? Thanks

I have a Baikal IZH 27 in 12 ga . First let me say it's not a Browning but then again it doesn't have a high $$$ price tag like a Browning.

What the Baikal is good for, is a excellent meat O/U gun. it has mechanical trigger and uses true choke system. I have put several cases of "HEAVY" field loads through the gun and have never had a issue. It's built like a tank as far as any work on the gun, EAA is the importer and does the work

I've seen a few of the Turkey made lower end shotguns and I'll take the Russian made Biakal any day over them.

The one I own goes bang every time you pull the trigger, that's all you can ask ;-)

jerrod denton

· #19 · Apr 27, 2012

I know a guy that has one and have shot it. IMO its a piece of junk and he thinks the same thing and is fixing to sell it. I really like browning o/u

Mike Boufford

· #20 · Apr 27, 2012

BonMallari said:
my brother in Austin bought one of the new Win 101 Elite and it is a fairly straight stock for a field gun, very close to the old Browning Superposed specs...but not like my old diva Kreighoff K80

the new 101's have probably the best price point vs quality gun that is currently on the market, you can pay a whole lot more but it doesnt mean you are getting that much more gun..whole different fit than some of the Italian O/U's, if you prefer the more traditional Browning type fit (as I do) you will like this gun

I had to go check the specs out. The Winchester 101 and Browning Citori Lighning stock specs are extremely similar. Maybe it was the one I was shooting? Who knows.

I agree that these O/U's are the best value for the money. I personally do not like the way the Berettas fit or handle. Just about any Browning fits me right out of the box, but not the Beretta O/U. You are also paying for the name whatever that is worth to someone.

Perazzi and Kreighoff are just fluff. A Remington 3200 by any other name..... ;-)

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