Every winter, millions of people eagerly await programs about sports. Many people are interested in skiing and biathlon. Some people are interested in winter sports not only as a fan. In this article, we will talk about the best biathlon rifles for 2022. The article will be useful not only to professionals, but also to ordinary amateurs who want to not only ski through the forest, but also shoot at targets.
"Three-line" in sports uniform
The first specialized rifle for biathlon created in the USSR was the BI-59 model designed by E.F. Dragunov and A.S. Shesterikova. It was developed in 1959 as a sports version of Mosin’s famous “three-line”. It was distinguished from the base model by an improved barrel and stock, as well as a special sight with snow protection. In the year of release, the rifle brought our athletes first places at the World Championships, and at the 1960 Olympic Games - the first Olympic medal.
Rifle BI-59. Photo: kalashnikov.media
Izhmash managed to produce the BI-59 rifle in small quantities, since already in 1961 a more advanced model BI-7.62 was developed. This rifle became the main one for Soviet athletes for many years. At the IX Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, our biathletes with BI-7.62 rifles became triumphant in the 20 km individual race, taking two first places.
An important step forward for Izhevsk craftsmen, which ensured leadership in the future, was the gradual departure from military standards in favor of a reduction in caliber. In 1964, Izhmashevites developed a lightweight version of the rifle - BI-4 based on the standard small-caliber (22LR) rifle SM-2. BI-4 was intended for the initial training of teenagers, and was mass-produced in 1970-78. The next model, the BI-5 rifle, was developed for the 5.6x39 centerfire cartridge. It became the first biathlon rifle with fast reloading. This weapon brought our athletes Olympic gold in 1976.
Revival under the Kalashnikov brand
Until the end of the 1980s, domestic rifles occupied leading positions in the world. But in the 1990s, for several reasons, Izhmash was inferior to the German manufacturer Anschutz. Firstly, due to the decline in the economy, the plant was unable to update its equipment in a timely manner, which affected the quality of the rifles. Secondly, the Russian team could no longer afford to have an Izhmash gunsmith on staff, which affected timely service. All this led to the fact that even Russian biathletes for the most part switched to rifles from a German manufacturer, which became a global monopolist.
However, in the 2000s the situation began to improve. The Russian Biathlon Union places its first order for 30 Izhevsk rifles. A full-time gunsmith returns to the team, and this is the designer of the BI-5 rifle and all subsequent modifications, V.F. Susloparov. He provided technical assistance to athletes and prompt feedback from the manufacturer.
Today, the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant is part of the Kalashnikov concern of the Rostec State Corporation. The upgraded BI-7-4 rifles are produced under the IZHMASH brand. The weapon has been improved in accordance with the most modern requirements: accuracy, reliability, ergonomics, and sighting devices have been improved. Having inherited the main advantages of previous models, the modernized BI-7-4 rifles are distinguished by improved accuracy characteristics at temperatures down to –20 ° C, as well as increased smoothness of the trigger mechanism. These improvements made it possible to reduce the time and make the process of reloading weapons as easy as possible, increasing its rate of fire.
A significant advantage of Izhmash rifles remains the price: BI-7−4 costs about half as much as the analogue Anschutz-Fortner 1827
Another important component of the revival of interest in Izhevsk weapons was the improvement in the situation with rifle service. Kalashnikov operates a service center for the repair and maintenance of biathlon rifles, as well as a mobile service team
BI-7-7: designed digitally
For more than half a century, biathlon weapons from Izhevsk have been helping athletes defend the honor of the country at international competitions. The rifle develops along with biathlon itself. Today, the Kalashnikov concern and the Russian Biathlon Union are jointly improving sports weapons, continuing the glorious traditions of our country in popular winter sports.
The latest development of the Kalashnikov concern is the biathlon rifle BI-7-7. The rifle is completely designed using digital technology. Its “electronic twin” corresponds to all the physical components of a real weapon.
Rifle BI-7-7. Photo: kalashnikov.media
Compared to the previous model, BI-7-7 has improved ergonomics and more opportunities to fine-tune the weapon to the individual characteristics of a particular athlete. The rifle has a new stock, new adjustments have appeared, the trigger mechanism and sight have been improved, the parts are unified with other models. The butt is adjustable in length, height and angle in the vertical plane. The design of the stock allows you to adjust the “cheek” of the butt in a horizontal and vertical position. The trigger mechanism is equipped with an additional trigger locking device. The position of the rifle's center of mass is controlled by the weight.
The BI-7-7 rifle has already been in the hands of eminent Russian biathletes and received good reviews. The start of mass production is planned for 2022.
Rating of the best rifles for biathlon for 2022
Bi-7-5
The civilian rifle projectiles used in biathlon include the Biathlon-7-5 pneumatic sports rifle. Its characteristics are perfect for those who are interested in shooting. Caliber: 4.5 mm, and weight: 3.5 kilograms. Ideal for competitions and training with a distance of 10 meters.
Bullets for the Bi-7-5 must be selected carefully, taking into account the fact that they must sit securely in the sockets. Also, when choosing a bullet, you need to pay attention to the fact that its internal shaping surface should be made in the shape of a cone. The best bullets for the Bi-7-5 are “RWS”, “Match Finale”, “Bumblebee” and “Match Kugeln”.
The rifle itself consists of a barrel, box, locking mechanism, sight, cylinder, magazines and stock assembly. The sight must be installed and secured to the base on top of the box. Where the base of the front sight is located, ring front sights are installed, the sizes of which vary. The sight itself is diopter and can be quickly removed. Thanks to the successful design of the stock, the butt can be adjusted in vertical and horizontal directions. The butt cap and height-adjustable hooks are located on the butt of the stock. The magazines are mounted in a cassette on the butt of the rifle. Overall dimensions: length (1010), height (270) and width (85). Produced by KTC OJSC "Kalashnikov Concern".
You can buy it on the manufacturer’s official website or in specialized stores. Price: 74283 rub.
Advantages:
- Suitable for beginner biathletes;
- Russian production;
- Spring-loaded "open" damper;
- Factory quality surface treatment;
- Small-caliber;
- Easy to use;
- Used by professionals;
- The sight is located close to the axis.
Flaws:
- Price.
Bi-7-4
Another popular rifle designed for shooting at a distance of 50 meters is the Bi-7-4. It is fired using sports-type and rimfire cartridges of 5.6 mm caliber. The production of cartridges can be both domestic and foreign. The bore of the gun is locked using a crank-type mechanism, the axis of rotation is vertical. Thanks to this, the weapon is quickly reloaded. The trigger mechanism is designed in such a way that it is possible to regulate the nature of the descent and monitor the position of the trigger. The convenient design of the stock is made so that you can easily adjust the cheek of the butt, regardless of horizontal or vertical directions.
The sight is quick-release and diopter; it is attached to the receiver using conventional clamping nuts. A high-quality sight provides perfectly accurate shooting corrections. There is a protective cover on the sight. To adjust the diopter sight at eye level, you need to move it around the base. All rifle magazines are interchangeable and single-row, made for five rounds. The design includes a shoulder strap with spring elements. The rifle is produced in four versions: BI 7-4 isp.15, BI 7-4 isp.14, BI 7-4 isp.13 and BI 7-4 isp.12.
You can buy it for 110,000 rubles.
Advantages:
- Suitable for beginners;
- The bore and front sight are protected by a special cover;
- There is a shoulder strap;
- Interchangeable cartridges;
- Quick release shooting sling;
- Easy to use;
- High-quality functionality.
Flaws:
- High price.
BI 7-7
For biathlon lovers, the Kalashnikov brand offers a small-caliber sports rifle for biathlon BI 7-7. Compared to the above option, it has improved ergonomics, which means there are significantly more opportunities to fine-tune the gun, adapting it to a specific athlete. The reloading mechanism is equipped with a direct stroke of the bolt handle, which ensures maximum rate of fire.
Characteristics: rifle caliber - 5.6 mm, barrel length - 550 mm, weight 0 from 3.5 kg. The diopter sight is adjustable and equipped with a protective cover. The muzzle of the barrel and the front sight are also provided with a hinged cover that protects from snow and dirt. To make reloading quick, the manufacturer has created a new, convenient design for mounting magazines. By placing the sight and front sight on a special base, you can adjust the aiming line as you wish. The ergonomic stock is made of wood and allows for adjustment of the back of the head and cheek of the butt.
You can find out the price by contacting the manager of the official website.
Advantages:
- Improved ergonomics;
- Additional options for fine-tuning weapons;
- The crank is firmly locked by a pair of levers;
- There are the necessary protective covers;
- Adjusting the aiming line;
- Suitable for beginners and professionals.
Flaws:
- Can only be purchased by pre-order.
MR-61 isp.09
If you were going to teach children biathlon, then we advise you to pay attention to the MP-61 spring-piston multi-shot air rifle. This is an excellent example of pneumatics with manual spring charging. The comfortable, adjustable stock makes the gun great for teaching children or for adult shooters who need practice. The characteristics include: caliber - 4.5 mm, barrel length - 450 mm, weight - 2.1 kg. The weapon comes with a fixed barrel. Its spring is cocked using a side lever. The MP-61 isp.09 is equipped with a diopter removable sight, a ring front sight and a detachable magazine designed for five bullets like Diabolo. It is possible to attach belts, and there are cassettes for additional magazines. The material from which the ergonomic stock is made is impact-resistant polymer. A nice feature is the firing lock, which is activated when the cocking lever is not locked.
Of the biathlon weapons, the MP-61 isp.09 is considered budget, since its price is about 8,500 rubles.
Advantages:
- Easy to use;
- Suitable for children's learning;
- Lightweight;
- Ergonomic bed;
- Budget price;
- The butt is adjustable in length;
- There is a shooting block.
Flaws:
- Professionals need something more serious.
BI-7-2 Co.
The most famous Russian rifle is, perhaps, the BI-7-2. On its basis, a whole series of sports weapons was created, and still, many athletes do not forget the “ancestor”. The rifle is small-caliber and at the same time modernized. Its design features a thick-walled match barrel, an orthopedic butt and a safety lever. You can notice a funnel-shaped chamfer on its muzzle. This feature provides excellent ballistic properties. Using the crank mechanism, you can fire at a high rate. The rate of fire is high and absolutely not inferior to semi-automatic weapons. The ergonomics of the stock amazingly meet the requirements of sports competitions. Sighting range: from 25 to 75 meters. The basic version of the BI-7-2 Ko assumes a wooden stock with an orthopedic butt, conveniently there is a shock-absorbing non-adjustable butt plate. Rifles of this type are very popular not only here, but also abroad. Specifications: caliber 22LR, total length 1000 mm, weight 3.5 kg.
Advantages:
- There are no unnecessary mechanical sights;
- Elegant stock;
- Miniature plastic magazine for five rounds;
- Wherever you need it, there is protection;
- Shooting results are as accurate as possible;
- The escapement is of medium length and functions perfectly;
- Convenient shutter operation.
Flaws:
- Modest appearance.
IZH-38
A budget rifle for amateurs is the domestic IZH-38 rifle. It belongs to the spring-piston action and has decent performance characteristics. The bullet is pushed out by a stream of compressed air. The design of the weapon allows you to easily adjust the sight, regardless of the vertical or horizontal position. The device has a locking mechanism that enhances the safety of the weapon. Characteristics: caliber - 4.5 mm, size - 1050 mm, weight - 2.8 kg. This variation of pneumatics will be perfect for initial shooting training, and will also appeal to professional shooters. If you want to improve performance characteristics, you can always replace the standard spring with a more powerful option. In general, the source of energy for the IZH-38 is a spring, so it cannot be used at all temperatures; this point must be taken into account. In a weapon, it is important to control the barrel rifling. There should be no dark spots on the inside, and the wooden elements should be free of cracks and chips.
Cost: about 5000 rubles.
Advantages:
- Budget;
- Easy to use;
- Suitable for beginner biathletes;
- Available for most consumers;
- Easy tuning will improve performance;
- Small dimensions and compactness.
Flaws:
- Single-charge tool;
- The axle bolt may become loose;
- Not used at all temperatures.
Anschutz
One of the best foreign companies producing accurate small-caliber rifles is Anschutz. There are different variations of this weapon, just like the Kalashnikov. For modern shooting skiers, the company offers the Anschütz 1827F model. A variety of professional biathletes compete with such a rifle. Its highlight is a special bolt that does not require turning the handle to reload. Judging by the statistics, this type of weapon has collected the most awards at Olympic competitions.
The only “but” due to which not all biathletes can afford the Anschütz 1827F model is its provocatively expensive cost. The price of weapons starts at $3,500, so the company decided to create a simplified version of the rifle for novice athletes. In it, the Fortner bolt was replaced with a classic bolt from the 64 model. An interesting layout results in the affordable Anschütz 64 Biathlon Sprint. Its benefit is that the cost will be one and a half times cheaper than its predecessor. In terms of weight, force and trigger, the rifle ideally complies with the conditions of the International Biathlon Union. The match barrel of the tool is made in the form of a cylindrical shape and covered with a nitrided coating, ensuring reliability and longevity. The stock is made of excellent walnut wood, lightweight and equipped with the necessary adjustments that allow you to change the position of the butt plate and cheek piece.
Technical characteristics of the Anschütz 64 Biathlon Sprint: caliber - 5.6 mm, barrel length - 535 mm, magazine capacity for five rounds.
Advantages:
- Famous brand;
- High-quality weapons;
- Will last for many years;
- All the nuances of modern sports are taken into account;
- It is in the ranking of the best weapons;
- Easy to use;
- There are types for beginner biathletes and for professionals.
Flaws:
- Difficult to find on sale.
Ready for a change in standard!
1977 was a year of revolutionary changes in the biathlon movement. For greater safety, small-caliber rifles chambered for 22LR rimfire are becoming the new standard weapon. Taking into account the fact that Izhmash already had developments in this direction, the designers in the same year were able to present the BI-6 rifle, which complies with the new standard. It was also possible to quickly respond to the new requirements because the BI-6 rifle had a single design base with the already mass-produced Ural-2 rifles.
In 1979, Izhevsk designers developed the BI-7 rifle with a fast reloading system with a skewed bolt in a vertical plane. This system gave athletes precious winning seconds.
Rifle BI-7-4, version 14. Photo: Izhmash
After the appearance of the BI-7 and BI-7-2 rifles at the Olympics in Lake Placid in 1980, a scandal erupted. Impressed by the success of the Soviet team, some members of the biathlon federation demanded that the use of these models be banned. The matter ended with the USSR Biathlon Federation being obliged to sell rifles to its competitors, and several countries developed their own similar designs.
Model BI-7-2 with a crank-type locking mechanism with vertical axes of rotation became one of the most famous rifles from Izhevsk. Its rate of fire, which is as close as possible to the level of self-loading rifles, helped our biathletes win gold in three Olympics - 1980, 1984 and 1988. It is noteworthy that Izhmash rifles were also popular among foreign athletes. Based on the BI-7-2, the following models of rifles of the Biathlon series were created - BI-7-3 and BI-7-4. It is BI-7-4, with some design changes, that has reached the present day.
Legal information
Small-caliber rifles belong to the category of civilian weapons and are mainly intended for sporting activities. The owners of such weapons can be athletes or people engaged in hunting who have reached 18 years of age.
Passport
A weapon passport is required by its owner when registering. It also indicates the brand, manufacturer, production date and some technical characteristics of the rifle.
Permission
A permit to purchase, possess and carry is required for firearms with a rifled barrel. A permit is not required for smooth-bore and small-bore rifles.
License
Also, to use small-caliber weapons, a license is required, which is a requirement of Federal Law No. 150 “On Weapons”. The same applies to sporting weapons. The license is issued by a special department of the territorial division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
User manual
Instructions must be attached to any type of weapon that is purchased as a civilian weapon. It specifies the design and configuration, as well as a step-by-step algorithm for assembling, disassembling, cleaning and repairing the weapon.
Small-caliber rifles of various modifications are considered practical weapons among shooters. Their advantage is ease of use and simplicity of design. Subject to safety rules, the rifle owner will be able to independently clean and repair the weapon. Durability is considered a distinctive property of rifles. It can be used by both beginners and experienced shooters.
Are there any dangers from biathlon rifles?
It must be remembered that weapons are always a source of danger and require careful and proper handling. If you do everything correctly and strictly follow the instructions, then the occurrence of dangerous situations is reduced to a minimum. To familiarize yourself with basic safety rules, it is best to contact a shooting specialist.
Do not forget that any weapon must be transported unloaded, and it is also useful to know that pointing a weapon at people is strictly not recommended.
Please note that the manufacturer develops biathlon weapons taking into account the possibility of falling and breaking, thereby trying to prevent accidents for the athlete. But it’s still impossible to predict everything, so you need to not only be good at using weapons in practice, but also have an excellent knowledge of the whole theory.
Weapons are varied in cost, and their characteristics differ from this; you will need to find your own approach to each rifle, making it ideally suited to your shooting style.
A well-chosen rifle will bring you great pleasure from biathlon, but in addition to the weapon itself, you must have excellent physical fitness.
Who to hunt
These guns have been used by hunting enthusiasts for several decades. Such weapons are distinguished by a quiet shot, low recoil and a relatively low price. But it is better to choose a rifle based on the purpose of the hunt.
Feathered
When hunting ducks, geese or wood grouse, you can achieve good results using small-caliber weapons. But shooting birds in flight is quite difficult. Therefore, you can purchase small-caliber cartridges that use shot instead of bullets. This will make it possible to use the small thing as a shotgun
Furry animal
Small-caliber weapons are most often used when hunting small fur-bearing animals. With small fish you can hunt squirrel, marten, ermine, weasel and other fur-bearing animals.
How to choose a rifle
Before purchasing the long-awaited sports equipment, you should know that there are a number of problems. They concern not so much the monetary issue as the legislative one, because such sports equipment is a rifled weapon. It is prohibited to use or store weapons for sports outside sports facilities. That is why it is most convenient to engage in biathlon in various sections. They use junior BI-7-ZA and modern BI-7-5.
Beginning biathletes are recommended to purchase spring-piston type pneumatics, which include samples such as MP-512 and MP-61. However, some experts argue that using such a technique as a biathlon technique will be difficult at first. The following nuances must also be taken into account. Firstly, they are inferior in speed of fire to specialized weapons. And, secondly, they will most likely have to be altered a little to make them look like biathlon ones.
The rules for biathletes state that they must use only small-caliber weapons and the ammunition must be rimfire. Gas-cylinder and spring-piston tools are well suited for this purpose. Any rifle should be equipped with a wooden stock, which ideally should be made taking into account the individual anatomical characteristics of the athlete. The weapon must also have a bolt mechanism, a diopter sight, a barrel, a magazine and a muzzle guard. A shoulder strap is welcome. The weight of the product should not exceed 3.5 kilograms.
What do professionals choose?
Most professionals prefer foreign ones; the German company produces excellent sports equipment for biathlon. There is a Fortner bolt, famous for its high-speed reloading. Among our products, products from Izhmash “Biathlon” stand out.
