IZH-54 is a popular gun among Soviet and Russian hunters. This type of double-barreled weapon was mass-produced at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant from 1954 to 1970. Over almost 15 years of serial production, about half a million copies were produced, of which 70 thousand units were exported to countries near and far abroad.
The IZH-54 hunting rifle has proven itself to be a reliable and practical weapon. This allows him to be in sufficient demand among both experienced hunters and beginners. The owners speak fondly of the Soviet-made gun.
History of origin
After the victory in the Great Patriotic War, a large number of technical developments of German engineers were exported to the territory of the Soviet Union from Germany. Among the captured technologies were drawings and equipment from the German arms company JP Sauer und Sohn GmbH (Sauer & Sohn).
The design of the Sauer-8 rifle and the machines for its production helped to begin the serial production of the new Soviet hunting rifle IZH-49. Thus, the IZHMEX plant reached a higher quality level of shotgun production.
IZH-49 was produced from 1950 to 1954, after which it was decided to modernize this model, since it was heavy and not very well balanced.
After the modernization of the basic model IZH-49, a new development of the IZH-54 hunting rifle appeared. The improvements were introduced by small arms design engineer Leonid Ivanovich Pugachev. He made design changes, however, he chose to maintain the basic advantages.
The basis of the triple locking remains the same. The Anson-Delay internal trigger mechanism has changed, and updated sears have added durability to the design.
Other improvements helped the IZH-54 gun gain a reputation as a reliable and modern small arms. The modified design retained its Germanic roots.
Smoothbore double-barrel over/under BROWNING B725 HUNTER
The BROWNING arms company was founded in 1878 in Utah, USA. This is a private company that produces firearms for the military and police, as well as for hunters and ordinary citizens. The weapons of this company are in great demand and are distributed throughout the world. In Russia, BROWNING weapons are far from uncommon: especially smooth-bore and rifled hunting weapons.
Appearance, characteristics and modifications of the smooth-bore vertical rifle BROWNING B725 HUNTER
Hunting over/under rifle BROWNING B725 HUNTER has a classic breakout look, the barrels are located in a vertical plane with a ventilated rib for aiming. The breaking mechanism itself is of an original design with triple locking. Caliber 12, chamber 76 mm. There are modifications of 28 and 32 calibers, as well as combined versions, but they are quite rare on the Russian hunting weapons market.
Advantages and disadvantages of the BROWNING B725 HUNTER vertical camera
This is a fairly reliable and well-assembled hunting rifle, perfectly balanced, allows you to instantly aim at a target, easy to maintain, a wide range of models, excellent ballistic performance. Among the disadvantages: not all versions of BROWNING B725 HUNTER are presented on the Russian market, the cost is relatively high, and ranges from 200,000 rubles.
Brief conclusion
An excellent and high-quality hunting rifle, universal: it allows you to hunt birds, animals, and large ungulates. Perfect for the novice hunter.
Design
The barrel blanks of the IZH-54 gun were made from 50A weapon steel. The metal alloy underwent thorough heat treatment and the barrels were immediately drilled out. This technology took a lot of time and labor costs were high, but the result was the highest quality of manufactured parts.
Over time, the labor-intensive technology was replaced with a simplified one, using the “hot forging” method, which led to a decrease in the quality of the guns produced.
Models produced from 1954 to 1960 had barrels soldered together with hard solder and interbarrel strips.
Since 1961, changes have been made to the connection technology. Now the barrels were attached to a coupling, which simplified installation and reduced the cost of the process. Brief characteristics of the barrel:
- caliber - 12, smoothbore;
- length 730 or 750 mm;
- chamber length 70mm;
- barrel channel diameter 18.5 mm and 18.9 mm;
- parabolic choke: right choke 0.5 mm and left full choke 1.0 mm.
The surface of the trunks was covered with one of the following compounds: chrome, nickel or a special layer of paint. The difference in surface treatment was small.
The only thing is that with chemical coating, the gloss looked duller and the resistance to high moisture was less than other methods of external processing of steel. This coating method was used throughout the 60s for all produced copies.
Until 1954, bores were not chrome-plated.
It was only in 1955 that chrome plating technology was first used. The processing process was selective, and only one-piece specimens were subjected to it. Information about the coating was not included in the gun's passport. Beginning in 1958, records of chrome plating began to appear in the document.
The block went through the following manufacturing process: all soft metal parts were fitted and then carburized. After which the parts assumed the required strength.
Appearance
The designers paid great attention to the quality of the weapon, so the aesthetic design of the gun remained below average. We tried to add beauty in the following way: stamps of animal images and simple patterns were applied to the metal plates. Technical information was applied by engraving.
To add individuality to the one-piece models, skilled craftsmen were hired to apply various engravings on the metal plates and on the butt. But this did not help rid the gun of its rough appearance.
Moreover, high-quality individual design by a master was very rare. There is an opinion among IZH-54 owners that engraving on a gun is generally inappropriate.
Gift copies were decorated at a high artistic level.
The decoration used the method of tauching with precious metals, gold and silver. The quality of the engraving was distinguished by its clarity and depth.
Decorated examples were classified as souvenirs, but this did not prevent them from having all the standard characteristics of small arms.
The IZH-54 hunting rifle has a classic butt design. It was made from walnut or oak. There was no difference in appearance. The characteristics were as similar as possible. Excellent wood processing technology allowed the stock to maintain its original appearance for many years.
It did not dry out or crack with any use. The stock is fitted to steel parts with high precision. It was equipped with pads in the form of a heel and a rosette on the pistol grip.
Ammunition used
For the IZH-54 shotgun, hunters and athletes use various types of 12-gauge cartridges, which differ significantly from each other. To make it easier to understand shooting ammunition, they are divided into three types:
- shotguns (standard, reinforced, sports)
- buckshot;
- bullets.
Shot charge
A larger cartridge caliber guarantees a larger number of pellets. The usual size of striking elements is from 1.5 to 5 mm. The 12 gauge cartridge is considered rather large and the recoil after the shot is very noticeable. The more powerful the recoil, the less accurate the hit. Recoil depends on the amount of gunpowder.
Purchased cartridges are more or less balanced in terms of the amount of shot and gunpowder. And when loading cartridges with shot on their own, professional hunters take into account that the large weight of the charge reduces its initial speed and firing distance.
Such ammunition can be used at close range. Well, and vice versa, respectively. However, too little shot dramatically reduces the chance of a hit. For this reason, most hunters adhere to the recommendations. Most, but not all. buckshot
Buckshot ammunition is loaded with shot from 5mm.
In this case, the fraction can be either consistent or inconsistent. In addition, the damaging elements can be soft or hard.
Soft shot is used for shooting at short distances, and hard shot is used for shooting at a distance. Depending on this, the hunter selects the optimal ammunition option.
Bullet
This type of ammunition is used for hunting large animals. Although for this it is better to use a rifled carabiner. But the hunt for large animals with an IZH-54 gun was and is ongoing. Depending on the size of the game, the bullet weight is selected.
The larger the animal, the correspondingly heavier the bullet. Its weight can reach up to 40 grams. A special feature of a bullet is its deformation when it hits an animal. To catch small game, lighter striking elements from 25 to 28 grams are used, which do not have the property of being deformed.
To shoot prey at a distance of 50-60 meters, a heavy caliber bullet with a belt is used. Its distinctive feature is its destructive power.
Ammo manufacturers
It is not even possible to select several companies producing 12-gauge cartridges with positive reviews. The products are in demand among regular customers, but there are also those who do not like the ammunition.
Each hunter chooses ammunition from a certain manufacturer for himself, based on personal use.
It can definitely be said that the quality of Russian cartridges is becoming competitive and in some cases superior to foreign analogues.
Main characteristics of hunting rifles
When purchasing a gun, you need to clearly determine what type of hunting you are interested in and what capabilities it should have. The choice is a serious matter, so you should approach it with all responsibility, read the relevant articles and listen to reviews from fellow hunters. Based on their own ideas and collected information, they will already decide on the type and model of the gun.
All hunters begin, and most continue to hunt with smoothbore weapons, so let’s look at the main points that you should pay attention to when purchasing just such products.
1
Classification of hunting rifles
First of all, we’ll touch on a somewhat generalized topic that most young hunters won’t need, but it’s still worth talking about.
Modern guns are classified by system (device), type (purpose) and class (workmanship).
By manufacturing class they are divided into:
- high-quality, - serial.
The latter, in turn, are divided into ordinary, middle class (piece) and “Lux”.
According to its purpose, it can be sporting or hunting (for amateur and commercial hunting).
According to their design, all guns are divided into two large groups:
1) With folding trunks (fractures) With turning trunks there are one-, two- (vertical, horizontal) and three-barrel.
2) With non-reclining barrels In this group there are single-barreled guns (a longitudinally sliding bolt, a movable forend, with a lever-brace) and double-barreled guns.
The most widely used guns for amateur hunting are:
- with folding barrels, double-barreled - with horizontal barrels (IZH-58), - vertical (IZH-27, TOZ-34), - single-barrel multi-shot with a movable barrel (MTs21-12) and with a gas release mechanism (Bekas-auto, MR -153).
What you need to know when choosing a weapon
Next, we will consider the main characteristics that should be taken into account when choosing a gun.
2
Double-barreled or single-barrel
Single-barreled guns have one important advantage - their light weight. Most often they are purchased for young novice hunters; they are convenient and easy to use. Many people at one time began their hunting life, even before joining the ranks of the hunting society, with these models. Double-barreled shotguns, horizontal or vertical, are considered universal shotguns suitable for most bird and animal hunting, which is why they are widely used. They allow you to fire two shots in a row, which significantly increases the effectiveness of hunts.
Hammered and hammerless
Shotguns of various systems can have both external (TOZ-BM, TOZ-63, TOZ-66) and internal triggers (IZH-58, IZH-27, TOZ-34). They were produced with external triggers in the last century; now they are becoming increasingly rare and are gradually becoming a rarity. The gradual cessation of their production is due to a more convenient location of the triggers in the firing mechanism inside the gun block.
Caliber
Main characteristics of the trunk. Smoothbore weapons are produced in the following calibers:
- 12 (18.2-18.7 mm), - 16 (17-17.25 mm), - 20 (15.7-15.95 mm), - 28 (14-14.25 mm), - 32 (12.5-12.75 mm).
The most common are 12 and 16 gauge; in commercial hunting, in addition to them, 20 and 28 gauge are also used.
Barrel length
It is not the same for different options, it depends on the manufacturer, caliber and purpose of the weapon. This value is very important, because has a significant impact on the action of the gun and its ease of use.
Short barrels have the following positive aspects - maneuverability, less weight, and ease of throwing. Disadvantages - reduction in the initial speed of the shot (bullet), accuracy and uniformity of the scree, a little more difficult to aim.
With an increase in the length of the barrels, the above disadvantages disappear, but others appear - weight increases, balance deteriorates, it is more difficult to hunt in dense thickets, reeds and bushes, and it is more difficult to shoot at a glance.
Many manufacturers have taken these points into account and selected the optimal barrel lengths for their products to ensure a good fight. Therefore, when comparing different models, it is necessary to take into account the nature of the upcoming hunts and pay more attention to the convenience of throwing and aiming.
Classic or semi-automatic
In Soviet times, hunter factories did not spoil hunters with self-loading rifles; the difficulty of choosing was minimal and most often came down to the following: single-barreled or double-barreled guns, IZH or TOZ. Nowadays, semi-automatic devices are in fashion, so many novice hunters are wondering what to choose. It’s difficult to advise anything here; both have a number of advantages and disadvantages.
In general, the following can be noted: classic guns with folding barrels are more reliable, easier to operate and clean, they are suitable for almost all hunts for a wide variety of game from woodcock to bear.
Semi-automatic is more difficult to master; it requires lengthy cleaning after each hunt; they most often have increased weight and long barrels. They require constant care; there are frequent cases of their failure due to snow, sand, straw, forest debris getting into the firing mechanism, and they are demanding on the quality of the cartridges. Moreover, these points are not at all affected by the cost of the gun; failures for these reasons, due to oversight, can occur both at MP and at Mossberg.
Well, self-loading guns, of course, would not have gained such popularity in recent years if they had not had a number of advantages. These include the ability to fire 3-5 shots in a row, which gives a tangible advantage, for example, when hunting geese and ducks.
Muzzle constriction
The diameter of the bore can be either cylindrical along the entire length, or with some narrowing or, conversely, an increase (bell). By changing these values, you can have a significant impact on increasing or decreasing the spread of shot scatter. In classic shotguns, the muzzle device is integral with the barrel; in semi-automatic guns, replaceable choke tubes are used.
Muzzle devices are as follows:
- strong choke, - full choke, - medium choke, - pay, - weak choke (cylinder with pressure) - cylinder.
Such parameters as the shape of the gun stock, weight, balance, fit, quality, etc. are important and are determined directly in the store during the process of selecting and purchasing a gun. Read about this in the next article - “Selecting and purchasing a hunting rifle.”
In traditional fishing regions, the choice of weapons is of a different nature. Fishing involves a long stay in areas located tens and sometimes hundreds of kilometers from populated areas and usually without means of communication. In such truly extreme conditions, the hunter must be completely confident in the reliability, reliability and maintainability of the gun, therefore the requirements for choosing them are different.
Hunters, of course, are well aware of what characteristics and parameters a weapon should have, because... Since childhood they have lived and hunted in the taiga, adopting the experience of old taiga inhabitants, but we will still indicate the main ones.
So, a fishing gun should be as universal as possible, inexpensive, simple in design and easy to disassemble in field conditions, trouble-free and preferably lightweight. They do not need various decoration elements. Such models must work in any difficult conditions and in any situations.
In our country, combined weapons (IZH-56-3 “Belka”) were produced specifically for this purpose in small batches; some people liked them, but there were many complaints. In addition to their advantages, combination guns also have a number of disadvantages. There are no universal guns as such; the closest characteristics to those were IZH-27, TOZ-34, IZH-17, IZH-18, IZH-58. Some fishermen prefer to take two guns to their lands - one of the above, the other - a small-caliber rifle.
When and by whom was it released?
The IZHMEH weapons company produced a fairly large number of modified IZH-54 models. Two types were production versions, and the rest were converted models.
The basic versions were the main type of gun. Basically, the entire production cycle was mechanized. Handwork was used to apply stamped images and drawings. The cost of the basic version was 90 rubles. Depending on the build quality, the price could reach up to 120 rubles for an IZH-54 gun.
Piece models were designated by the letter “Ш”. Its modified copies were designated as: Ш1 and Ш2. These one-off specimens had high-quality barrel alignment and excellent hit accuracy.
In addition, the weapon featured an exclusive design and engraving with images of birds and animals.
The forend and stock were made from valuable walnut species. The trigger module was plated with chrome.
The second basic version of the IZH-54 was a souvenir version of the gun. It was significantly distinguished by its handcrafted quality and individuality. The price for this type of weapon exceeded 200 rubles.
An experimental model of the IZH-54 shotgun with a 16-gauge barrel was produced in a very small batch. Today it is almost impossible to find this option.
The IZH-54 “Sport” is also a rare model. This modified specimen was manufactured to special orders and included two pairs of barrels of different lengths.
The good technical characteristics of the gun made it possible to begin export production of weapons. This type did not have expensive finishing. The inscriptions “Made in USSR” were written on the sides of the pads.
Choosing a hunting rifle for novice hunters
When choosing a hunting rifle, you should be guided by the following:
1) Carefully inspect the gun when buying, don’t take anyone’s word for it, remember - the seller wants to sell it. Just because the gun is brand new doesn't mean anything.
It is with great regret that I must warn gentlemen hunters that the quality of manufacturing of domestic guns has fallen and sometimes takes on frankly dishonest forms. Several years of an artificially created shortage of hunting weapons, when guns were not chosen, but “procured” and no one looked at the quality anymore, and there was no such opportunity, our manufacturers were completely spoiled.
In recent years, I have repeatedly seen domestic guns recently purchased in stores in people’s hands, which can only be described as defective. Several times I had the opportunity to hold in my hands guns that had just been brought from the store, the quality of manufacturing and assembly of which made shooting from them dangerous for the shooter.
The foreign origin of a gun is also not a quality certificate. Our dodgers can easily introduce into the country a consignment of substandard goods intercepted on occasion at half the price.
2) The gun must be practical. This means that with repeated throws, it uniformly fits into the shoulder, and its aiming line aligns with the direction of your gaze every time with almost no adjustment.
It depends on how well the gun fits your figure in terms of its dimensions, as well as on the balance of the gun, i.e. from the location of the center of gravity. It should be positioned so that when raised, the gun does not “nod” onto the barrels and does not lift them up.
3) The gun must be suitable for your weight. The weight of the gun is important. Especially on running hunts, when you have to carry it in your hands or on a shoulder strap for many hours. A heavy gun is so exhausting even for a strong person.
Many years of practice have determined that the normal weight for the average man will be a gun equal to one twenty-second of his weight. From some experienced hunters - fans of expensive high-quality foreign shotguns, you can hear praise for lightweight shotguns (less than 3 kg with a 12 gauge).
Of course, a lightweight gun is nice, but we must remember that these lightweight models are not designed to hold normal, full loads for a given caliber. These guns are intended for hunting with a gun dog. When using normal, and even more so enhanced, charges in them, they quickly wear out and fight painfully with brutal recoil.
4) Next, you need to inspect the trunks, their internal and external surfaces. This is especially true for guns that have already been used. No potholes, cracks, snatches of metal, swelling, or damage are allowed.
Now let's examine the barrels from the muzzle and breech. The barrels should not have different thicknesses, the muzzle of the barrel should be strictly perpendicular to the axis of the barrel, otherwise the charge will be deflected towards the bevel. The correctness of drilling is best determined by examining the inner surface from the muzzle side, inserting an empty cartridge case without a primer into the chamber.
In this case, you can see many concentric shadow rings arranged in a row along the entire trunk. These rings must be regular, strictly concentric and equally spaced from each other. If not, then the trunk is bent.
When inspecting the barrels, we must remember that the vast majority of double-barreled guns have their barrels slightly tightened by soldering, which slightly, almost imperceptibly, violates the perfection of the shadow rings. This does not affect the firing of the gun in any way.
Indeed, bent trunks should be rejected. If you purchase a used gun, you should also examine the degree of preservation of the inner surface. To do this, take out the sleeve and, turning the barrels along the axis of the channel, shaking them, look through them at the light. A tarnished barrel mirror, a slight rash, small caverns are not a hindrance. If the gun is good, then these witnesses to its rich past life can be neglected.
It’s another matter when the inside of the barrel is corroded by rust, or it is “decorated” with cavities. You should refrain from purchasing such a gun. If the gun has a very used look, the stock is worn, the barrels are gray on the outside, there are metal burns around the firing pins (by the way, all of the above in itself does not affect the quality of the weapon), and the inner surface of the barrels shines like a new gun, be wary: the barrels are most likely loosened, those. A layer of metal was removed inside the trunk to destroy shells.
Sinkholes in the barrel of a gun
After shustovka, in 99% of cases the fire of the gun is irretrievably lost. Therefore, this operation is carried out mainly in order to sell the gun. At this point it is necessary to make a reservation that everything said about the shustovka applies to very expensive guns from famous companies. Shustovka is a delicate and expensive operation. No one will make noise with ordinary guns - it’s cheaper to throw them away.
When buying a gun, new or old, you need to check the quality of the soldering of the barrels. We hang the barrels by the front under-barrel hook on a string and hit the slats with a stick several times. A rattling sound will tell us that the soldering is defective.
After this, we will wipe the grease off the barrel pads with a cloth, connect them to the stock, but will not attach the forend. We rest the butt on the thigh and swing the gun in the longitudinal direction. The hand will immediately feel the slightest sway.
Also, only by opening the locking mechanism and swinging the gun in the transverse direction will we determine the presence of lateral swing. Guns with such defects should not be purchased.
When cocking the hammers, sharp, loud clicks should be heard. The strikers must have sufficient impact force. You can check this by placing a cartridge case on the firing pin and pulling the trigger. The sleeve should jump at least half a meter.
When purchasing a gun, you need to carefully read the passport and check the operation of all mechanisms. They must all perform all the described operations and show proper operation with clear sound, without clanking or rattling.
The stock wood of a used gun should be free of large chips and cracks. For both old and new guns, you need to pay attention to ensuring that the wood of the butt fits snugly against the metal of the block everywhere. Remember, any gap is a path for dirt into the innermost mechanisms of the gun.
And lastly, don’t rush into buying a hunting rifle, do it thoughtfully. A gun is a thing that needs to be changed as little as possible. You have to get used to the gun, you have to master it. You have to love the gun. Look after him.
Owner reviews
The IZH-54 smoothbore gun has positive reviews from its owners. They claim that in most cases the gun never failed. However, there were funny situations. One of the hunters said that when he was hunting hares in winter, the weapon began to fire double shots.
The recoil was so strong that the shooter's shoulder was knocked off and his lip was broken.
Returning home, he disassembled the block. The cause was discovered immediately. It turned out that the lubricant of the striking mechanism had thickened and did not allow the trigger to move into place. By removing the excess lubricant, the problem was solved.
More than half a century has passed since the start of production of the IZH-54, and interest in it has not waned, on the contrary, it has grown. It’s difficult to say what this is connected with, but it’s worth assuming that hunters are attracted to Soviet quality. The price for them is still quite high, and this is after 60 years of operation.
