I'm interested in Baikal's shotguns.
Anyone have an O/U Baikal shotgun?
What can you tell me about it?

Thanks

If they're good enough for Remington, they're good enough for us. They used to be re-branded by Remington and sold as the Spartan line. 

Some Baikals O/U's even have the Remington logo on them (You have to look closely since they've added several other "embellishments" in order to make it less visible).

QC and finishing is less than the "high-euro" shotguns but I've read LOTS of positive reviews. Been once tempted to buy one for myself, but I opted for a Remington 870 (pump not O/U) instead.

In fact I read some reviews and heard that they are quite good guns and a very good value for money since they are cheap.
To tell you the truth I'm interested in buying one of them for clay pigeon shooting so I want it O/U, because I'm fed up shooting clay pigeons with my SX3 semi auto.

About three years ago I went with a friend of mine to buy an O/U and the dealer showed him a new Baikal for only the price of Lm250 at that time. It didn't have any engraving and finishing was very simple. But I'm not interested in engraving anyway, I want to shoot! What I liked from the gun was that the barrels were perforated to reduce recoil effects.

Anyone that have any info about these Baikal O/U please post.

Thanks

The price difference between a cheap shotgun and a more expensive one is due in no small part to the fit and finish. Certainly materials and treatments come into the picture too, in a big way, but if you are buying from a brand that is known to produce reliable products, i.e. you can safely exclude that, then it's up to you whether you are prepared to pay for better finish.

One thing you mentioned about the Baikal's barrels - they are ported ("perforated").

I would check, maybe even ask Edwin Vella on here, whether that will be a problem - I have heard of such guns not being allowed on certain ranges (not locally, for accuracy's sake) because the porting means that your gun may be very noisy to bystanders.

I would also bear this in mind - if you buy a more desirable gun that is not new but has been looked after, you will always have a gun that will be easier to sell on at a good price, maybe even for as much as or more than you paid for it, and maybe give more pleasure of ownership.

Your new less desirable gun on the other hand will still be a less desirable gun several years down the line, and it will be just as "used".

Just food for thought.

RB

Hi nemesis,
                I've bought one about 2 years ago for the price of  LM 175.   It is'int the ported barrel model, its the hunting/sporting version . For me i'ts more pointable and swingable than  
                the ported model . The mechancal parts are all the same in the two models . The difference is longer barrels , stock dimentions ( lenght of pull, drop at comb ,drop at heel,
                cast off) and muzzel break  ( verry noisy ).

               The first thing I do when I buy a shotgun is take a look inside,( dismantel )     I can assure You that the locking mechanisim, trigger group, ejectors, etc. are robust as an
               AK 47 action    I'ev fired thousands of shells in it wthout any  malfunction on clay targets and still verry tight to close and open.  

               For closeining and opening it is not like a Berreta or Perazzi  he  he ,, i'ts a RUSSIAN .   I have to use more force !!!   But I like it.

              

That's my impression too, BE.

Have to leave now, it's beer-talking :BURP: 

Black Eagle, thanks for your positive review. I'm getting more and more interested in getting a Baikal O/U now.
They are really cheap and seem to be very good too.
Afterall it is a Russian firearm, and I don't know why I simply fancy and trust Russian waepons. 

Thanks again

Must be cuz they're both "cheap" and functional.

It would seem that so are the women!!!     

RB

To tell you the truth guys, the dealer who showed us the gun told us that he had more problems from clients owning a Rizzini and Perazzi than a Baikal.
In fact no one ever reported a problem with a Baikal to the dealer.

Nemesis,please tell me exactly what kind of these Rizzini'smore trouble for the dealers
Battista Rizzini,Emilio Rizzini,Isidoro Rizzini???...!!!!

I don't know to which Rizzini he was referring to, but I rememder him saying that the trouble was with the firing pins.

Yes still any kind of weapon need a servicing the firing pins you may change them.like my shotguns sometimes they broken,and
still I change them it is very common for thier repair!!!!! :'

Anyway, I'm telling you what he said. But the dealer said that no one from the clients that bought a Baikal ever came to change a firing pin unlike the others. And to tell you the truth neither I never changed the firing pin of my shotgun and use it for both hunting and clay pigeon shooting.

Nem,how many times you shoot with your shotgun every day every month? So you did'nt change
a firing pin of yours? do you know that I change 5 or 4 pins per month  !!!!!