IZH-43: characteristics, reviews. Hunting rifle of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant

The Izhevsk Mechanical Plant has produced and continues to produce high-quality weapons, on which entire generations of hunters are raised. The IZH-43 shotgun is a double-barreled horizontal rifle, which became the next stage in the plant’s activities for the production of mass smooth-bore weapons. The model was created on the basis of the IZH-58 shotgun, which, in turn, came off the production line as a cheaper version of the reliable but expensive IZH-54 double-barreled shotgun. Today we will discuss the history of the appearance of the IZH-43 gun, characteristics, reviews and much more.

Production

The work of the designers of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant to develop the IZH-43 shotgun began in 1984. Literally two years later, the model already entered mass production. Gunsmiths managed to make a cheaper, but technically more advanced model. The improvements affected mainly the safety and ejector mechanisms. The issue with the fit of the block to the receiver block was also resolved.

The task of creating an inexpensive universal double-barreled shotgun was completed one hundred percent. In 1995, the number of IZH-43 shotguns produced reached 300 thousand copies. The production of guns in different versions, for every taste and pocket, continues today. Only now the model is called MP-43. The model is bought not only by domestic hunters, but also by foreign connoisseurs of good weapons.

Design features

The main trump card of the IZH-43 gun is its characteristics. Reviews from experienced hunters indicate that the model is an excellent combination of price and quality. Now let's talk about everything in order.

The IZH-43 shotgun is a double-barreled smoothbore weapon, the barrel block of which is horizontal. In the breech, the barrels are fastened with a coupling connection. And along the length of the barrels, their connection is ensured by the lower and sighting strips. The gun is hammer-fired. The triggers are made in the form of a monoblock with strikers and a release.

In the process of improving the gun, triggers began to be produced separately from the firing pins. On some modifications of the gun, external devices are installed for cocking and smoothly releasing the springs. These devices are made in the form of false skins. In other versions with two triggers, the ability to smoothly release the hammers from cocking is possible thanks to the safety lock. In addition, there are also models on which only one trigger is installed.

The safety mechanism is automatically activated when cocked. It blocks triggers and sears. Horizontal guns IZH-43 have twisted cylindrical mainsprings. The gun can be with or without selective ejectors. The barrels of this model have a constant choke and replaceable chokes. Magnum version barrels with a chamber length of 76 mm can be equipped with a cylindrical drill. To lock the barrel unit, you need to slide the locking bar onto two under-barrel hooks.

Service

The IZH-43 (MR-43) shotgun, like any other, needs careful care, regular cleaning and lubrication, only then will it serve you for decades, delighting you with well-aimed shots and hunting trophies.

The basis of careful gun care is regular cleaning of the gun from powder deposits, residues of polyethylene wads and lead, as well as lubricating the gun with gun oil.

The gun must be cleaned no later than one day after firing the gun. To clean the gun, all you need is a cleaning rod, a clean rag and gun oil.

Before cleaning, you need to partially disassemble the gun, to do this, separate the forend, and then the barrels from the receiver. It is necessary to clean not only the inner surface of the barrels, but also all parts and mechanisms that are exposed to powder gases.

You need to store the IZH-43 (MR-43) gun in a safe; it is a prerequisite that the safe is in a dry room. When storing a gun for a long time, it is advisable to coat all metal parts of the gun with a thin layer of thick gun lubricant. When storing a gun, the triggers of the gun must be lowered so that the mainsprings of the gun do not sag.

Kalinin trigger mechanism

The first copies of the model had the index “43” or “43E”. They were equipped with a special trigger, which was developed by design engineer A. N. Kalinin. The main advantage of these guns was that they had two triggers, each of which could fire two barrels. When the front trigger was pressed, the right barrel fired, and then the left. From the rear trigger, the barrels fired in reverse order. If desired, you could shoot in the usual way - by pressing the triggers one by one.

Soon the plant stopped producing double-barreled shotguns with such a trigger mechanism. Under the markings IZH-43M and IZH-43EM, they began to produce guns with a standard-action trigger. However, the plant retained the opportunity to equip its guns with the Kalinin USM. Such specimens were made individually, to order. A little later, the guns received their former markings. And since the 90s, the plant began producing shotguns with one trigger and the ability to switch the order of shots.

Design

The gun is double-barreled, the barrels are positioned horizontally. The breech and channels of this model are made of carbon steel alloy and do not have a protective coating. Inside the muzzle there is a section with a metric thread that allows you to install replaceable choke constrictions. The trunks are connected by a strip using the soldering method. The sight is represented by a classic bar, which has a recess and corrugation that does not emit glare, and a bronze front sight.

The barrel channels are locked with a pair of lower latches; the unlocking lever is located on top of the receiver. The extractor lever is mounted in the lower part of the chamber; when the block is broken, it extends.

The trigger trigger is internally located, with a release mechanism and safety cocking. The rebound springs and strikers with triggers are made one-piece. A separate removable block assembled on the rods consists of screw-type mainsprings and a stop fixed with a pin. At the moment the barrels open, the springs are compressed and the hammers are cocked.

IZH 43K with external false triggers

The escapement mechanism is mounted on a separate cylinder with a pair of independent hooks with holes for the axle and a window for the springs. The fuse bracket is screwed onto the bottom. Another difference is that the triggers are spring-loaded to the heels of the sear, which made it possible to eliminate backlash. The front trigger was also spring-loaded for the purpose of protecting the finger from impact when firing with the left barrel, which presses the rear trigger. The protrusions on the triggers (located in front and on top) do not allow firing when the barrels are not completely closed. This feature increases the level of safety when operating domestic weapons.

The safety on the gun is automatic; it locks the trigger and sear hooks. You can smoothly release triggers that are cocked by switching them to safety. To do this, open the barrels completely and move the safety button forward, press the triggers with your fingers and smoothly close the gun. The fuse is represented by a flat part, fixed with an axis on the shank of the receiver and spring-loaded in the direction of movement of the clock hand. The push-button axis moves in a shaped safety groove and is secured by a pin from below through the holes. A distinctive feature of the production of the new gun from previous modifications is the additional fixation of the automatic safety, which locks the triggers, with a ball.

The butt is attached to the center, located between the shank of the receiver and the cylinder. Its front end is tightened with a screw to the oblique surface. The hole for the screw in the end is covered with a butt plate secured with a pair of screws.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of a gun are mainly related to the combination of price and quality. Being relatively inexpensive, the IZH-43 double-barreled shotgun has a very good firepower, gives decent accuracy and sharpness when working with shot, shows good results when shooting bullets, and also has reliability and safe predictability in handling. The model has a good balance. The design of the trigger completely eliminates the possibility of an accidental shot. Without pressing the trigger, a shot is impossible.

As for the shortcomings, they, as befits inexpensive mass products, manifest themselves in different ways, depending on the batch and model. Experienced hunters who want to buy an IZH-43 gun carefully choose the best one among several models. Owners who are not lazy to work with a file also benefit, because most of the shortcomings can be eliminated on their own, at home. Several examples of such tuning are given below.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• The main advantage of the IZH-43 (MR-43) is the low cost of the gun with fairly good quality. A hunter can purchase either a new MP-43 gun at a gun store or a used gun in excellent condition for 6-9 thousand rubles.
• The design of the gun is simple and reliable, the gun is unpretentious in operation, easy to disassemble, and easy to repair.
• With correctly selected cartridges, the gun shows good accuracy and sharpness of the shot.
• The gun has good balance, it is easy to throw up and has good grip.
• Good safety of the gun is ensured by the presence of a safety lock and the design of the firing mechanism, which eliminates the possibility of an accidental shot.

Flaws

• The production quality of IZH-43 (MR-43) shotguns is extremely unstable. The hunter can get either a specimen of excellent or disgusting quality. If you do not have sufficient knowledge and experience, then when choosing a gun it is better to contact a knowledgeable person.
• Gun owners often complain about the quality of processing of the wooden parts of the gun: the butt and fore-end. This drawback can be eliminated both by the hunter himself and by a specialist to whom the owner of such a gun can turn. The wooden parts of the gun are sanded and then treated with a special impregnation.
• On some shotguns, a poorly made safety guard causes damage to the shooter's fingers. This drawback can be eliminated by polishing its sharp edge or even slightly changing its shape.
• The ejector mechanism of some guns does not work well; the problem can be solved by processing the ejector parts with a small needle file.
• Blueing the barrels of the IZH-43 (MR-43) gun does a very poor job of preventing rust; to avoid its appearance, experienced owners recommend wiping the gun with a dry cloth and covering it with a thin layer of gun oil immediately after hunting.

Home tuning

IZH-43 double-barreled shotguns often suffer from poor impregnation and processing of wooden parts. Self-impregnation and grinding (and in some cases even adjustment) of these parts helps solve the problem. The next problem is ejector failure. This is where you will need a file.

Sometimes when shooting, the safety guard of the triggers injures a finger due to its unfortunate shape. To get rid of this problem, you need to either redo it or cover it with a layer of protective material. The anti-corrosion coating in guns from the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant often leaves much to be desired. Therefore, many users additionally lubricate the gun with oil to prevent rust during long hunts.

Versions

Today the gun is produced under the name MP-43 in the following calibers:

1. 12th (70 or 76 mm).
2. 16th (70 mm).
3. 20th (76 mm).
4. 410th (76 mm).

The length of the chamber is indicated in parentheses.

The 410-caliber version of the shotgun is produced with drilled barrels in two versions: a cylinder with pressure and a choke, or a cylinder with pressure and a choke. The barrel of the IZH-43 model (12 gauge) has a length of 750 mm. For smaller caliber versions, the length ranges from 510 to 710 mm. Now let's look separately at all the additional modifications of the gun.

MAKSIMOV.SU

I have already written more than once about old Soviet models of classic hunting double-barreled shotguns, recalling both Tula shotguns and the long series of Izhevsk “horizontal” shotguns.

These guns

in good condition, many more left. And they continue to be actively used in Russia and abroad. Unfortunately, TOZ has long stopped producing shotguns with horizontally paired barrels, but IZHMEX continues to produce the descendant of the legendary post-war models - the “Model Izh-43”, which is now officially called MP-43.

The laconicism and asceticism
in everything in the MP-43 is truly captivating: everything is honest

In 1984

A.N. Kalinin’s team, based on the Izh-58MA, developed the Izh-43 and Izh-43E models, which differ from their predecessors primarily in the design of a universal two-trigger trigger, which allows firing both in normal autonomous mode and in single-trigger mode.

Wherein

the choice of the order of operation of the barrels could be done by simply moving your finger to another trigger.
MP-43

However

During the production process, it quickly became clear that the assembly capacity simply did not allow the production of all guns with a universal mechanism.

That's why

Quite quickly, variants of the Izh-43M and EM were developed with a mechanism closer to the Izh-58MA mechanism with conventional autonomous triggers. A little later, the documentation was reworked into a single one, and the letter M completely disappeared from the designation.

MP-43, diagrams

Izh-43.
History and design features
Already

the following year, V.D. Zagrebin developed a gun, which received the Izh-85 index. It differed from the Izh-43 by the presence of a single trigger mechanism, which was later used on the Izh-43-1S, and also by a slightly modified ejector.

Impossible

track the history and evolution of weapons in isolation from the history of the country. In this case, the influence of time resulted in the fact that as a result of a landslide conversion, hunting weapons became vital for the plant, they began to pay more attention to it and allocate more funds.

Especially,

that it brought not rapidly depreciating rubles, but hard currency. And within the country, the demand for guns has increased very sharply.

Shotgun Izh-43

Experience

We have already had a “acceleration” of the domestic arms industry. The post-war conversion of defense plants was not very long and far from complete.

Nevertheless

, this experience allowed, for example, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant to avoid complete disaster even during the shutdown of military production in the most difficult 1990s for the entire country. And the crisis gave impetus to the introduction of new developments.

Shotgun Izh-43

As a result

constant demands of large wholesale buyers, primarily foreign ones, the first version of replaceable choke tubes with Sp.M20x1 thread and a small base box for small caliber guns were finally developed and put into production (the box for 20.28, 32 and 410 cal has an interaxle distance 25 mm instead of 27 mm for 12 and 16 gauges).

Izh-43
shotgun breech-cut barrels

More and more

early attempts, even those made under pressure from the all-Union foreign trade association Raznoexport, were hindered by a lack of production capabilities. Now in production are not only Izh-43 20 caliber, but also 28-gauge and even 410-gauge, including single-trigger ones and with interchangeable choke nozzles.

In counting

primarily for export to the USA, the design of the choke tubes was changed; Florida nozzles with a two-start fine inch thread were taken as a basis.

Izh-43
shotgun pad guard

Have been tested

samples 12, 16, 20, 28, 32 and 410 calibers. Most of these calibers are produced, of course, according to bulk orders.

Naturally,

Most of all, 12-gauge shotguns are produced, significantly less than 20, 28 and 410, and 16-gauge guns are produced only in very small quantities.

Izh-43,
disassembling the gun

Except

smaller distance between the axes of the firing pins, the Izh-43 20-caliber receiver has a recess along the hinge axis and the transition from the pads to the shield is chamfered instead of radius.

A little bit later

A version of the 12-gauge magnum shotgun was developed, for which the box was widened by approximately 4 mm, while the center-to-center distance remained the same.

Izh-43
shotgun disassembled

Bottom of the block.
The mark of the gun model is clearly visible. But the USSR Quality Mark is poorly pierced. Under Gorbachev, everything began to be done badly...

Every,

anyone who could compare the Izh-58 and Izh-43 guns, especially in disassembled form, could not help but note their close “kinship”. The ejector has been changed quite seriously.

Instead of

a single working spring placed at the bottom between the barrels, two springs were placed in the upper part of the coupling, one per barrel.

Swivel
on Izh-43 barrels

On the ejector version

the sector of coverage of the sleeve by the ejector was sharply increased (in the ejectorless version, the sector of coverage of the sleeve and the position of the ejector-based pin changed several times).

According to the results

analysis of complaints, the ability to turn off the ejector was removed, since it was found that most of the complaints about ejector failures are simply the result of its accidental shutdown when wiping with a rag: for most users, reading a passport is especially hard and wasted work...

Shotgun Izh-43

To date

Izhevsk “horizontal guns” finally received external triggers. This design idea was embodied in the Izh-43K model (designer V.D. Zagrebin), originally intended for the American market.

To be fair

It should be mentioned that on the Izh-43K it was not the hammers themselves that became external, but only their cockers.
And the triggers and strikers themselves were the same as on the Izh-43. Izh-43 shotgun triggers

A little bit later

A.E. Popovich developed the Izh-43KN gun, which already had real external triggers and firing pins in fire tubes. Although the mainsprings had to be strengthened, they remained cylindrical screws and were still located at the front in the box cushions.

Americans

They ordered the Izh-43K mainly for “cowboy shooting” competitions (in the USA the model was supplied mainly with short barrels, was called “John Wayne” and had an image of a cowboy on false boards).

Izh-43
shotgun barrel cushions

That's why

The gun was subject to increased safety requirements: an automatic safety (which has never happened anywhere on trigger guns) and additional blocking of the firing pin from firing when the trigger hits a hard surface as a result of the gun accidentally falling from the hands of a shooter sitting on a horse.

More likely

, the last requirement was born from the experience of using a revolver, but on guns, due to the increased mass, such blocking is much more difficult. However, the blocking was quite successfully installed.

Izh-43
shotgun butt plate

Izh-43 yesterday and today

A few years ago,

When looking for the first double-barreled shotgun for my younger brother, I had every reason to believe that the ideal option for him would be the Izh-43 16-caliber model.

Caliber

was chosen more according to “family” traditions, but fully corresponded to the purpose of “Izhevka”. And the gun was supposed to be used on quail and pigeon hunts.

Izh-43KN is a wonderful gun
for hunting with a dog

Eventually

For literally a couple of thousand rubles, a practically unused gun was bought in Kuban. It turned out to be from the time of the damned “perestroika”, it was rather carelessly processed, but in practice it proved to be a reliable, durable, practical, lightweight and effective tool on the above-mentioned hunts.

Izh-43
shotgun bottom view

Exception

was only an aesthetic component, but, unlike modern “disposable” Turkish and European inexpensive models, the Izh-43 was designed and made in accordance with all the requirements of the Soviet weapons school, has more than sufficient service life and excellent maintainability.

Izh-43
shotgun “apples” pads

Taking into account that

that now even respected specialized enterprises do not always undertake the repair of imported shotguns, the simplicity of the design and the availability of spare parts make the cheapest domestic double-barreled shotgun competitive, incl. - and on the foreign market.

Shotgun Izh-43

Unfortunately,

Still, it should be noted that until recently Izhmekhzavod did not pay due attention to the quality and properties of hunting weapons.

For example,

weighing modern Izh-43 12-gauge barrels (and even 20-gauge barrels) shows that they have 200 grams more mass than, for example, Izh-58MA 12-gauge barrels.

Box Izh-43

A 20-gauge box, which differs from a 12-gauge box by a smaller center distance and a smaller thickness along the axial bolt, has the same weight as a 12-gauge box.

shotgun :
safety operation

On the background

Even ordinary guns produced in the 1960s-1970s, “newly made” domestic weapons, including improved, expensive versions, look very pale.

Despite

the obvious increase in the living standards of the people and understandable requirements for quality, as well as real competition, the level of quality of guns continues to decline.

Shotgun Izh-43,
block

Trends

to simplification of design and fitting, abandonment of manual filing and finishing are observed to a greater or lesser extent throughout the world, and not only in hunting weapons. But for some reason, in our country these tendencies manifest themselves most acutely and unsightly.

Moreover,

Unlike the others, in Russia they are practically not compensated by improving the quality and accuracy of machine processing and coatings. This is all the more disappointing because there are real opportunities for improvement.

Izh-43
shotgun pad guard

But there is

and hope for the best: the MP-43 releases of the last few years show signs of improving the quality of manufacturing and assembly of guns.

Even

the notorious “oak” gun butts finally acquired a more ergonomic shape, and metal processing also became noticeably better.

Izh-43
shotgun breech barrels

If

Izhevsk residents will pay more attention not to options like replaceable nozzles or USM variations, but to banal high-quality grinding and polishing of external surfaces and metal settling into wood; the demand for the 43rd model in Russia and abroad will continue indefinitely. Time will put everything in its place.

Shotgun Izh-43

The article was published
in the magazine “Hunting”, in March 2013

IZH-43KN

Full-fledged external hammer model. Available only in 12 gauge. When the hammers are cocked, the possibility of an accidental shot is reduced to zero. Even if you hit the trigger spoke, nothing will happen.

Versions of the IZH-43 gun can be called either as stated above, or with the marking “MR” instead of “IZH”. In addition to the listed ordinary models, the Izhevsk plant also produces piece guns, which are distinguished by excellent fire and beautiful finishing using precious metals. These are the characteristics of the IZH-43 gun.

Reviews

Users for the most part speak very positively about the gun of this model. Someone may ask: “Well, what about the shortcomings?” The fact is that for the price category in which this product is located, it works very well. Therefore, speaking about its shortcomings, it is worth thinking about how much guns that do not have these problems cost. Well, since most problems can be solved at home (and Slavic men do not disdain repairing equipment and even really love it), the gun really managed to win the hearts of hunters.

Disassembling the gun, according to reviews, is very easy and quick. The weapon is unpretentious in operation and has sufficient accuracy of fire for novice hunters. But even experienced shooters speak quite well of it. Since the IZH-43 shotgun works without problems with self-loading cartridges, it will be a real gift for those who like to load cartridges themselves. In this case, the cartridges do not have to be calibrated too carefully. In cold weather, weapons work no worse than in the summer heat. No particular complaints were noticed in the owner reviews.

Specifications

Technical characteristics are what tell about any weapon better than any words. In the IZH-43 weapons passport you can find a table with the following indicators:

Due to the fact that the weapon has become more powerful and lighter than its prototype, many hunters have decided to switch to the IZH-43. In addition, the new gun is much better suited for modifications due to the presence of an 11 mm dovetail rib.

Passport for IZH-43