Almost a third of the male population of our country, over time, wants to prove themselves as a hunter and a happy owner of a weapon. True, it is worth admitting that not everyone manages to fulfill their dream, but if a hunting license is received and there is permission obtained from the Russian Guard to purchase weapons, then everyone immediately rushes to the hunting store. It is in this act that the main mistake of beginners is often hidden: impatience often plays a cruel joke. In a hurry, it’s easy to make a mistake in choosing a gun and joy can be replaced by bitterness of disappointment, and hunting trips can turn into trouble.
The image of a weapon is born in the head
To choose the right hunting rifle, you need to figuratively speaking, suffer through it. Of course, the range of several dozen options is impressive, but how can you avoid making a mistake? It is highly advisable to spend some time wandering around the hunting grounds with other hunters. Take a closer look at their weapons, listen to the nuances. The characteristics of the future hunting area and the presence of species of living creatures in it are of great importance. When hunting in forests, steppes, mountains and swamps, preference is given to a certain type of gun. The future game is also taken into account: for large ones, they choose a more powerful weapon, specialists in squirrel and marten use only rifled ones, and for poultry and hare, slaughter and light ones are suitable. One should not ignore such a feature as the weight of the weapon.
During long marches, heavy weapons can be a serious problem
After several trips with hunters, half of the beginners lose their desire for such a hobby and the question of purchasing a weapon often disappears altogether. If the passion for hunting has not diminished, then two questions remain to be answered: • Where to hunt; • Who to hunt. If there is an exact answer, then it is much easier to decide on the model, weight and most importantly the caliber of your future hunting rifle, which will become a reliable support in any, even the most unforeseen situations.
Number of trunks
Hunting rifles come in single and double barrels. The latter have choke constrictions that regulate the accuracy of the combat. Double-barreled shotguns also allow you to load 2 different cartridges, although in practice this is rarely needed. Double-barreled shotguns also have their disadvantages:
- when positioned horizontally, aiming becomes difficult;
- when vertical, the trunks sway in strong winds.
The most basic types of popular hunting rifles
For the most part, only two types of weapons are available on the shelves and in the windows of hunting stores: • Rifled. These are, of course, fittings, carbines, rifles. And since these weapons shoot exclusively with bullets, they have a long sighting range, but you won’t be able to hunt a hare with them, since the result will be zero. However, a beginner will not be able to obtain a license for a rifled weapon, and accordingly, buy such a weapon either, since special requirements must be met, namely, an uninterrupted experience in owning a smooth-bore weapon of at least 5 litas and the absence of administrative penalties related to the possession of weapons during this period. To be honest, these requirements, in the opinion of most hunters and experts, are too stringent and do not justify themselves. We can only hope that the legislative power of the Russian Federation will soon pay attention to these requirements and reconsider the approach, at least following the example of the fraternal Republic of Belarus, by reducing the period of ownership of a smoothbore or even abolishing this condition. But we will talk about this in another article.
• Since a new hunter can initially purchase only smooth-bore weapons, let’s talk about it. Such guns shoot only shot or buckshot. Before buying, you first need to decide on the caliber, and only then, based on it, select a gun. The most popular calibers are, of course, 12 and 16 gauge.
Smoothbore weapons are divided into 2 main groups: • With a non-reclining barrel, or as they are also called self-loading. But they are a little less in demand and are much more expensive. • And breakers, that is, with folding barrels, which are the most common weapon among hunters.
Breakthroughs Over many decades of development of the arms industry around the world, the mechanism and design of guns of this type have been perfected to perfection. Nowadays, fractures can be confidently called the most reliable, durable and simple guns. Some of the main advantages of such guns are increased reliability, ease of maintenance and price. Fractures are divided into 2 groups: 1.) Hammers. Their origin is older, but they are more reliable and stronger. At the moment it is difficult to get them, since production has almost stopped. The cost of such weapons is high.
2.) Bumpless. The most popular type, but at the same time a little more complicated than triggers. The spent cartridges are removed using an ejector or extractor. The first simply ejects the spent cartridge case using a spring, the other pushes it out of the chamber and the hunter then needs to independently remove it from the chamber. As for the rate of fire, it is higher for an ejector gun. Undoubtedly, the design of ejector weapons is more complex, the price is higher, and various breakdowns, although not significant, occur somewhat more often than with guns with an extractor.
The best pump-action shotguns for hunting
Remington 870 WINGMASTER shotgun
(cal. 12x76, barrel 710 mm)
While in Russia pump-action shotguns are not particularly popular for hunting (their absence in Soviet times affects the first civilian “pump”, Izh-81, appeared in stores only in 1994), for USA is actually a classic. Well, the classic of the classics is, undoubtedly, the 870 Remington, produced in many modifications since 1951 (more than 11 million guns have already left the factory).
Among them were purely hunting rifles, including those equipped with “purely American” 12-gauge rifled barrels (“deer gun”), and police “shortened” rifles, familiar to everyone from militants. Well, since we are talking primarily about hunting use, we will focus on the Wingmaster version with a long shot barrel and a four-round magazine.
There is no point in describing the design of this gun - it is a simple and reliable mechanic that has been proven over 67 years, and even the recent reduction in the cost of production has not greatly affected the resource, and the tuning industry for Remington has worked to get rid of “childhood ailments.” In Russia, craftsmen produce a lot of “nice things” of quality that is not inferior to the American aftermarket, but at much more reasonable prices.
You should not expect an exquisite finish or filigree fit from the “rem” - it was, is and will be a real working gun, old-fashioned weighty thanks to the steel receiver, and this was in the days of light alloys.
That's why they love him, actually. Main advantages
:
- Simplicity and reliability, proven by everyone - from hunters to the Marine Corps
- Availability and variety of tuning
Minuses
:
- The quality of components and assembly has dropped noticeably recently
- Solid mass
- “Black” barrel (the channel is not chrome-plated)
Shotgun Bekas-12M (VPO-202-09)
(cal. 12x76, 3 barrels (bullet cylinder and paradox 535 mm), shotgun 750 mm)
A real all-rounder from Vyatskie Polyany has long earned a reputation as the best domestic pump-action shotgun, and the configuration with three barrels is also useful for self-defense (short “cylinder”), and for hunting large game (bullet “paradox”), and will not fail on the feather after installing a shot barrel. And for all this, according to the price list, they are asking only 31 thousand - even with markups from third-party stores, the price by today’s standards is very interesting.
The weight of the gun is quite tolerable, which, knowing that “Hammer” follows the main principle of Boris Razor, is even unexpected. The structure itself is durable and does not suffer from pronounced “sores” - everything that may need to be bent and filed has long been described on specialized forums. The barrels are cold forged, and the quality is noticeably superior to those from Izhevsk. The handguard is convenient for short-armed shooters; at this point, many “pumps” are punctured - their handguards are moved further forward, so here, too, “Bekas” gets its plus to the rating.
For fans of tactical tuning, this hunting rifle will not be the best choice - not only is there virtually no tuning for the Bekas, but even extending the magazine will require filing down the standard one with a hacksaw.
Main advantages
:
- Complete with barrels “for all occasions”
- Durability and reliability
Minuses
:
- The plant does not offer options with the classic “bullet cylinder + shot barrel” set - either a shot barrel and a “paradox”, or three barrels
- Average quality of fit - often, for example, it is necessary to modify the rubbing forend
Single-barreled guns
It would be difficult to call such guns high-rate of fire. It is impossible to fire a second shot quickly, and if the first one was unsuccessful, then it will not be possible to correct it. If you have little experience with single-barreled weapons, the hunt itself can be disappointing. But if we take such models of single-barreled guns as IZH-17 or IZH-K, then these guns have forever entered the history of domestic hunting weapons and are still quite successfully used by the same hunters in the taiga.
Single-barreled guns are used by professional hunters, but they are not recommended for novice hunters
All single-barrel guns have a lot of advantages: • Weight. Single-barreled guns are quite lightweight, carrying them does not cause additional physical strain and allows you to take more of the same cartridges that a hunter can carry; •Good fight. The barrel of the gun is slightly longer than that of 2 barrels, the walls are thicker, and therefore the action is excellent. A skilled hunter shows excellent results when working with it.
Double-barreled shotguns
You can often hear the 2-barrel being called the queen of hunting rifles. This name is fully justified: almost any weapon system has a large number of guns in this direction. The trunks are fastened horizontally and vertically. Verticals are considered to hit more accurately, since their view is more open. Otherwise, there is no significant difference, and this is a matter of taste for each hunter.
Weapon selection criteria
When purchasing a new gun, it is carefully inspected. If there are doubts about the correctness of the inspection, you can invite a more experienced hunter friend. The main thing for sellers is to sell. They will say that the weapon is new, but will remain silent about the fact that the quality may be low. Often, domestic manufacturers produce low-quality guns, and a novice hunter, due to lack of experience, may not notice a serious flaw. • Appropriateness. It is extremely important that during numerous throws, the hunting rifle rests on the shoulder the same way every time, which in the future will help to avoid discomfort when shooting. With the correct selection of a gun, the aiming line and the direction of view should instantly coincide and adjustment with the head is practically not required. Excellent grip is ensured by the correct balance of the gun, the shape of the butt, its compliance with the hunter’s figure and dimensional characteristics.
When raised, the gun should not rise or nod in any way.
• Weight . This is one of the most important criteria, as we said earlier, since heavy weapons quickly tire you out on a hunting hunt, especially for a poorly trained hunter. Based on many years of practice, hunters claim that the optimal weight is 1/22 of the user’s weight, i.e. the hunter himself. But this rule has not been proven in any way and you can only take its word for it. • Trunks. The inner surface of the gun barrel should be especially carefully inspected for corrosion. Of course, this does not apply to new guns, but when buying used ones. this should be given special attention. The muzzle and breech sides of the barrels should not have different thicknesses; the cut relative to the axis must be strictly perpendicular.
Check the curvature of the barrel using an empty cartridge case placed in the chamber of the barrel
• Soldering. To determine whether there is a soldering defect, hang the barrel on a rope by the front hook and lightly hit the bar. A rattling sound indicates a defect. • The barrels are wiped free of grease and connected to the stock. The butt rests on the thigh, the gun easily swings longitudinally - the slightest rocking is perfectly noticeable. Lateral rolling is also determined. Such defects in a gun are unacceptable and are considered defective. • Trigger. If it is available, this applies to trigger guns, then the cocking should produce ringing clicks. It is not difficult to check the force of the trigger strike - you need to place the cartridge case on the firing pin. When descending, the rebound of the sleeve should be at least half a meter. • Wood. The only condition is the absence of the slightest chips and cracks.
Buying used weapons
When purchasing a used gun, the first thing to inspect is the inside surface. The cartridge case is removed, the barrels are turned, slightly swaying along the axis. The presence of defects, rust coating with cavities - indicate low-quality weapons and unsatisfactory condition. One should also be wary of the fact that, upon external examination, all signs of a weapon being maintained are visible (gray barrels, metal burns, worn stock), and the entire interior shines. A sure sign is that the trunks are rusty. The gun's combat is 99% lost. In order to relax your soul while hunting, the gun must be chosen without haste, correctly. You should not start from one criterion, brand or cost. Hunters choose their guns with their souls, and it can also be noted that it is not the hunter who chooses the gun, but the hunter’s gun.
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Flintlock gun - the first revolutionary modernization
In 1504, the Spaniards demonstrated the first flintlock gun to Europe. This type of weapon was borrowed from the Moors, who in those years made a huge leap in the development of firearms. It was significantly superior to wick models. It was with such weapons that they hunted and fought for many centuries. In Russia, flintlock guns were used until the beginning of the 20th century, since shooting from them did not require cartridges. Hunting flintlock rifles were often richly engraved and had fine finishes. German and Turkish guns especially stood out.
In the 16th century, something like the first cartridges appeared, consisting of a paper cartridge case containing gunpowder and a bullet. This invention reduced the time it took to reload flintlock weapons. In the same century, the first double-barreled shotguns appeared. Since a gun was usually used only once during hunting or combat, many gunsmiths tried to increase the rate of fire. This is how not only double-barreled, but also multi-barrel models appeared. Unfortunately, the flintlock, which had multiple barrels, was too bulky, making it effective only for defense or ambush hunting.
In the 16th century, the first German guns with a rifled barrel appeared. This made it possible to give the weapon incredible range and accuracy for smooth-bore models.
