Baikal O/U Shotgun - Opinions Requested

VaTom · May 11, 2021

Looking at a Baikal O/U 20 gauge shotgun with USSG import markings. I am not a shotgun guy but always thought I would like an o/u. Never heard of Baikal but did some on-line research. It is Russian made, gets decent reviews for a shotgun in the price range. It is like new in box. Haven't got to look at it up close or handle other than pictures.

Does anyone on the forum have one and what are your impressions?

Thanks!

smithra_66 · May 11, 2021

VaTom said:
Looking at a Baikal O/U 20 gauge shotgun with USSG import markings. I am not a shotgun guy but always thought I would like an o/u. Never heard of Baikal but did some on-line research. It is Russian made, gets decent reviews for a shotgun in the price range. It is like new in box. Haven't got to look at it up close or handle other than pictures.

Does anyone on the forum have one and what are your impressions?

Thanks!

What are your plans for it?

If you want to shoot a few boxes of shells per year, maybe hunting, etc., it MIGHT do okay.

If you expect it to be something like a quality target shotgun, it won't be.

In the world of shotguns, there pretty much is no such thing as a good, cheap O/U. These guns are pretty much junk...they are crude and club-like compared to a good O/U, but for a kid or maybe for someone that might shoot sparingly, they would be okay. Maybe.

Triggers are usually pretty bad and the firing pins have a habit of breaking too. I've also seen the ribs fall off.

VaTom · May 11, 2021

Thanks. Just to take to the range and shoot from time to time. I am not a hunter but have a couple of friends who have inquired from time to time if I would be interested in shooting skeet. Don't owned a shotgun. In my LEO days carried a High Standard Riot or Remington 870. That is the extent of my shotgun experience.

smithra_66 · May 11, 2021

VaTom said:
Thanks. Just to take to the range and shoot from time to time. I am not a hunter but have a couple of friends who have inquired from time to time if I would be interested in shooting skeet. Don't owned a shotgun. In my LEO days carried a High Standard Riot or Remington 870. That is the extent of my shotgun experience.

Gotcha. As a target shooter myself, I can say that unless it's just a very passing fancy, I'd save the cost of one of those and get a good semi-auto. If you can bump up to about 1500, you can usually find a good quality used O/U.

Those guns are usually short barreled and the stocks usually don't fit most people well either, so you'll be fighting it to fit.

I have a few because they are usually given out as door prizes at clays tournaments and I wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy. I use them for supplying my non-shooting friends with guns if they don't have one during an outing.

Remember though this is just my opinion. I'm sure you might find someone else who has thousands of satisfactory rounds downrange with one!

Jessie · May 11, 2021

I have a Baikal SxS coach gun. It's ok for the hall closet or truck. I did have some rust show along the rib in the chamber area but it cleaned up alright. I don't think they're made for heavy use but fine if shot occasionally and looked after closely.

ruger 22 · May 11, 2021

If you are going to do any amount of shooting at all stick with the old standbys which have a well deserved reputation like Browning, Beretta box locks at the low to mid range and Perazzi, Krieghoff at the high end just to name a few. You can often get a good used one but be careful that if they are trap or skeet guns ,(particularly trap guns),that they have not been modified by their owners. Anyone of these in good shape will give you a lifetime of shooting pleasure and owners' pride.

colt_saa · May 11, 2021

They are obviously not top shelf. For fun and just fooling around they are great.

Now I am probably spoiled as my first two O/Us were Browning Superposed and the only one I own now is a Valmet 412 with both rifle and shotgun barrels.

I have a couple of the SxS Baikals. I shortened the barrels on the first one to make a true coach gun

I have another one, but I need someone to do the wood work for the next project.

I would buy a Baikal O/U if it came along at the price these two did. Then I would shorten that one as well.

I have always wanted an O/U entry gun

Nevada Ed · May 11, 2021

For light duty or trap loads, it will hold up but I don't know about heavy hunting loads, that have a lot of recoil and high pressures?

My first O/U that I used for trap was a Churchill, that I bought at Long's Drug store in Reno in the 1980's, that cost $299.
It worked great with light trap loads.

Give it a try.......
you can always sell it, if it does not work out.

rockquarry · May 11, 2021

If you ever decide to sell or trade, the cheap, lesser quality guns are hard to get rid of and have poor resale value. Even if you don't shoot much, spend a little more and get something of good quality. Over the course, you'll be glad you did and won't wish you had bought something better in the beginning.

Hawkeye3844 · May 11, 2021

I have a buddy who has had a Baikal SxS 12 ga for over 15 years now, and he uses it to go dove, duck, goose, and turkey hunting.
He has predominantly shot only magnum steel loads, and nothing has broken, or come loose.
He had a friend that gave him another one, and he uses the same loads for it as well. Still going strong!
His owning one, and using it was a big enough endorsement for me to get one myself.
While they aren't the top of the line shotguns, they are well built, and will hit what you aim at.
Our Baikal's have screw in chokes, and have been as reliable as any other shotgun out there.
Oh yeah! My buddy is the type that he doesn't really clean or baby his firearms while out hunting, and after he's done hunting, will just plop his shotgun back in the safe after the hunting day is over. So I can imagine that his Baikal has rust up and down the steel parts. If his use, and abuse hasn't said enough about the firearm, then nothing else will!
To me, for the money, they're hard to beat.
But that's my 2 cents worth.

Hawk

Sent from my REVVLRY+ using Tapatalk

Bladeswitcher · May 12, 2021

Russian shotguns are beautiful like tractor, strong like wife . . .

Seriously, they're crude. Fit and finish is poor at best. That said, they go bang. Given the choice between a Baikal and a cheap Brazilian gun (or an aluminum frame Turkish o/u), I'd go for the Russian. I used to shoot skeet with a guy who shot a Baikal O/U and the thing never bobbled once that I saw. He shot two or three rounds of skeet every week and never once had an issue.

My biggest beef with the Russian guns is the stocks tend to be short. Gun fit is THE MOST critical factor in successful shotgun shooting and Baikals simply don't fit the average American. You can't hit the target if you can't mount and swing instinctively/naturally.

Also, OLDER Baikals are better. THe guns made in the USSR days are actually quite useable, though that's probably not what we're discussing. They also have fixed chokes. I have an older side-by-side Baikal (a model IZH-54) that I actually like quite a bit.

Bladeswitcher · May 12, 2021

VaTom said:
Looking at a Baikal O/U 20 gauge shotgun with USSG import markings. I am not a shotgun guy but always thought I would like an o/u . . .

Baikals aside . . .

Shotgun newbies often think they need an over/under. They don't. What a newbie needs is a good shotgun. Cheap over/unders are not good shotguns.

A fella with $500 to spend on a shotgun is FAR better served with a used semi-auto. Buy a second-hand Remington 1100 for $500-$600 and you'll always have $500-$600 in the bank. The gun will last forever and serve you well. No matter how involved you get in the shotgun sports, you'll always have a use for that 1100.

Conversely, if you spend $500 on some **** over/under, you've essentially flushed your money down the toilet. It will never satisfy you and it will do nothing to encourage your growth or enjoyment in the shotgun sports. You'd have to find some sucker to pawn it off on when you give up, and you'll be lucky to get a fraction of your money back.

VaTom · May 12, 2021

Thanks all for the responses - very educational. The shotgun is in an auction and I put a low ball bid on it. Don't plan on changing the bid (I am winning now) so may not get it as auction still has a week or so to go but you never know.

diyj98 · May 12, 2021

I'm glad to read honest opinions on the Russian guns. I agree 100%. I had one local 4H firearms instructor telling me how they're built like tanks and will last a lifetime, but that's not true. They may very well last the average squirrel hunting a lifetime, but I've watched several of them break on the skeet and trap ranges. They just aren't built for heavy use.

Johnnu2 · May 12, 2021

About 20+ years ago, my wife came up to me in a big gun store with a Bailkal single shot 12ga. She wanted to buy it. I asked her WHY. She said, 'where can you get a new shotgun for $49.95 + tax?'... We bought it. I was surprised that it had chrome lined barrels. The fit and finish was a solid $50 worth. She shot it twice, and I picked her up off the ground twice. We kept it about 10 years and sold it for $85.
Good, solid gun.
J.

cmansguns · May 12, 2021

Still some good ones out there

I haven't had any trouble over the years with my Pedersoli (Italian) 12 ga. O/U. These were made long before Pedersoli dropped new gun production and concentrated on BP reproductions like these days. The one I have is back when it was Davide Pedersoli and has very nice fit and finish. 30" barrels, both chocked Cylinder, 2 star/PSF (high pressure) Italian (Garbone) proof stamps, "AU" date code (1989). full vent rib, dual bead sights, dual triggers, BMR (Italy) ribbed rubber recoil pad. Wood is sound, no chips, no cracks, bluing is 85-90%.

Overall this has been just the right gun for seasonal hunting, 1 or 2 outings for trap (heavy dude it is). Have not had this guy out in years....and no intention for future....sits in safe these days.

I don't know anything about the Russian guns, but this Italian one seems to have been built with decent quality, fit and finish and has held up and still is solid and well. These were imported and sold by NAI, Ridgefield, NJ in those days.

Haven't seen any for sale on big sites, or local lists, but if you lose your auction VA Tom then PM me...you are in State so I'm sure we could work a deal for sale/trade/transfer...and if you have access to a field..I'll bring some bird shot to give her a whirl

pistolpete10 · May 12, 2021

The Baikal may hold up for hunting or casual shooting but not for a lot of shooting as in Skeet, trap or sporting. Couple friends of mine had them, one plagued with broken ejectors, the other rust problems.
and, we don't shoot a whole lot. A used 1100 gun would be a better deal til you can afford a Citori or a Beretta of some kind. Cheap gun are usually cheap guns.

mtgianni · May 12, 2021

Baikal made a 22 lr that rivaled Aunschuz in Biathlon. It was a near copy, the screws and small parts were from quality materials and not surface hardened only. Their shotguns were not given the same level of care.

HOUSTON RICK · May 12, 2021

It all depends on what you plan on doing and your school of thought, A cheaper gun may be all you need for a couple of outings a year. Anything more frequent, you might want to spend more. Ruger Red Label might be good compromise? The Beretta Silver Pigeon is very nice for all purposes.

Scharfschuetzer · May 12, 2021

Over Under Shotguns

I agree with most of the above posts. It's an entry level gun that within a year of shooting, you'll want to upgrade it if the skeet, trap or the hunting bugs bite you. I've seen that happen a few times at our air base shotgun club.

I think that you'll be much happier with a Beretta Silver Pigeon or a Browning Citori over and under. You might look on the used gun market for a Charles Daly OU also. It was the predecessor to the Citori and they can often be had for a reasonable price. Any of the above will shoot literally thousands of rounds a year for a lifetime and, importantly, hold their value. I shoot on average 100 rounds a week through mine every week of the year and they show no sign of wear.

Here is my Citori 12 gauge with 20 gauge liners as well as a Charles Daly skeet 410 over and under. These two will cover just about all you'll want todo with a shotgun other than sticking it in a patrol car. Like you, my patrol car shotgun was an 870.

Baikal O/U Shotgun - Opinions Requested

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