Self-loading smoothbore shotguns can hardly be called a novelty - the first representative of the class, the legendary “Browning Auto-5” appeared back in 1903. However, the distribution of such shotguns was initially limited, and in the Soviet Union, until its last years, the established image of a hunter was firmly associated with a double-barreled shotgun.
In the post-perestroika years, the situation began to change - factories, hoping to attract new buyers, began to expand their production program. And one of the first domestic semi-automatic devices that became truly widespread and “popular” was the Izhevsk MP-153 shotgun.
History of creation
In the early 90s, the Izhevsk plant began producing the Izh-81 pump-action shotgun. This shotgun quickly gained popularity, and not only among hunters.
Izh-81
It was common in private security companies (at a time when they were allowed to have service firearms), and was even exported, albeit to a limited extent. And at the end of the decade, having worked on the production of pump-action shotguns, in Izhevsk they decided to create a self-loading model based on them.
The first attempt to “convert” the Izh-81 into a semi-automatic weapon was not very successful.
The release of the MP-151 shotgun was limited to a small batch. But the reasons for the failure were not at all due to design flaws. The developers planned to enter the American market with a new gun, and the demonstration of the MP-151 at exhibitions made it possible to evaluate its potential. It turned out to be low.
Izhevsk residents were made to understand that a shotgun capable of using ammunition in the range of up to powerful cartridges with a case length of 89mm would be in demand in the United States.
In the same year, the development of an improved gun capable of meeting these requirements began. And in 2000, serial production of the MP-153 model began.
What can be concluded?
The characteristics of the MP-153 are ideal for hunting small and medium-sized animals. The simple design does not require scrupulous care, and repairs do not require serious expenses. An excellent option not only for beginners in hunting, but also for experienced hunters. The main advantages of the gun include:
- Stable operation, no jamming with proper maintenance;
- Large scope for choosing ammunition due to the length of the chamber;
- High rate of fire MP-153;
- Feeding cartridges without misfires thanks to the innovative structure of the tubular magazine;
- Possibility of installing an extended magazine;
- Chrome protection of parts exposed to powder gases;
- Medium weight category due to aluminum used in the production of the receiver;
- Budget price tag.
Before purchasing, every consumer should know about the disadvantages of MP-153:
- Average level of factory assembly. It is necessary to ensure that each specimen is thoroughly inspected in the gun shop;
- During shots, the gun falls forward;
- Unsuitable for use in high humidity.
The low cost makes it possible for any average citizen of our country to purchase a weapon. The technical characteristics justify all the disadvantages mentioned above.
Description of design
The MP-153 self-loading shotgun uses a powder gas exhaust system. They are retracted through two holes in the barrel bore, on its lower side. A ring-shaped piston is placed around a tubular magazine. The gas regulator is automatic; it releases excess amounts of powder gases from the mechanism into the atmosphere. The energy of movement of the gas piston is transmitted to the bolt frame by two rods located on both sides of the receiver (the Izh-81 shotgun had one rod).
The receiver, made of an aluminum-based alloy, has also changed - the length has been increased to accommodate a chamber suitable for long-length ammunition, but the width and height have been reduced.
A design feature of the MP-153 was that models with a “short” 76mm chamber also had a standard large receiver.
The barrel is locked using a swinging wedge located in the bolt. The standard capacity of the tubular magazine is four rounds, but the shooter himself could change it by simply replacing the extension nut. After the cartridges in the magazine run out, the shutter is delayed.
To disassemble the gun for cleaning, you need to perform the following steps. Unscrew the barrel nut, remove the forend, remove the barrel, moving the bolt back, and then remove the reloading handle. After this, you need to remove the rods, gas piston, return spring and bolt, and remove the trigger mechanism secured with pins. Assembly is carried out strictly in reverse order.
The shotgun barrel, like all components exposed to powder gases, was chrome-plated on the inside.
Barrels of different lengths were available - from 540mm to 710 and even 750mm. The length of the assembled gun, with a 750mm barrel, reaches 1280mm. A set of choke tubes was supplied with the gun.
The MP-153 was equipped with a sighting bar; a front sight was offered as an alternative sight option. Some simplicity of the sighting devices is justified - after all, the shot range of a hunting weapon rarely exceeds 100 m. The fittings were usually made of wood (as a rule, beech or walnut were used), sometimes they were plastic.
Placing the return spring in the magazine tube made it easy to create a version of the MP-153 with a lightweight folding stock and a pistol grip.
Operating instructions
4.1. The service life and reliability of a gun largely depend on skillful and careful handling of it.
4.2. Do not shoot the gun with primers alone without gunpowder, as the combustion products of the explosive mixture of the primers will damage the bores.
4.3 Do not use cartridges that fit tightly into the chambers: this may make it difficult to remove the spent cartridge case.
4.4 Do not idle the triggers - this reduces the survivability of the firing pins and their springs. If you need to simulate a shot, insert cartridge cases with used primers into the chamber.
4.5 Do not hit the gun barrels as this may cause dents.
4.6 Periodically tighten the screw securing the butt to the frame during shooting, especially during the initial period of operation of the gun, to prevent the butt from rolling.
When disassembling several products at the same time, do not allow the wedge and the bolt to be mixed up - they are not interchangeable.
Section 4.
Modifications
In addition to various variants of the main model (different sights, different barrel lengths), several separate modifications were also produced in Izhevsk. The service version of the MP-153S differed slightly from the base version, and, one might say, “not for the better” - it could only use cartridges with a case length of 76mm. But the KS-P, which entered service with the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, received an enlarged magazine (capacity reaches 6 rounds), plastic fittings and a folding stock.
Also, accessories such as a Picatinny rail and a flash suppressor were standardly installed on the weapon. Despite the fact that the KS-P is essentially a police shotgun, it is officially classified as a “smoothbore carbine.”
The sports MP-153, intended for use in practical shooting competitions, did not receive a separate designation.
But it was quite different from the usual one - in addition to the elongated magazine and Picatinny rail, other interceptor and safety buttons were used to install sights - they were increased in size.
In the period from 2006 to 2008, an export gun was produced, which was distributed in the United States through the Remington dealer network. It was sold under the name Spartan 453 or SPR453. From this we can conclude that the American manufacturer considered the weapon good enough to sell under its own name and complement its own model range.
Tuning MP-153 Baikal
The MP-153 shotgun provides great tuning opportunities. There are a large number of spare parts and tuning elements on sale, like for no other gun. The owner can replace the wooden butt with an impact-resistant plastic one and vice versa. You can replace the stock with a pistol grip.
Often, gun owners equip them with a collimator sight; for this purpose, a special rail is installed on the receiver. It is recommended to purchase additional choke constrictions for tuning the MP-153 shotgun. You can also install a magazine extension to increase its capacity.
By tuning the gun, the owner can adjust it to his individual requirements.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of the MP-153 was the trouble-free operation of its automation. It didn’t matter what cartridge or what equipment was used – you could simply “load and shoot” without making any additional adjustments. And the very ability to use ammunition of varying power is a significant advantage.
The disadvantages of a gun are usually the low quality of finish.
This was even indirectly acknowledged by the operating instructions, which advised that the first shots should be fired specifically to break in the mechanisms. But a shotgun was initially considered an inexpensive, “budget” hunting weapon, and most hunters did not place high demands on it - as long as it functioned reliably. And in this, the MP-153 completely justified itself.
And more demanding shooters, having certain skills, were able to “bring” the gun to the state they needed on their own. The ease of caring for the weapon was also rated well - a clear plus.
Sometimes the receiver was criticized - supposedly, despite the heavy weight, which should provide a significant margin of safety, its materials were not strong enough. And the decision to use the same box on all models was subsequently assessed as unsuccessful by the designers themselves.
To battle
Now you can “break in” the gun. First, it’s better to shoot a lot, say, at cans, and preferably with Magnum-type cartridges. It is necessary that all parts and automation mechanisms get used to each other. This is a natural process, because a new gun, like a car, needs to be “run in”. As a rule, after this there are no problems when using cartridges of any type. It is not recommended to adjust the gas exhaust mechanisms yourself; it is better to leave this to specialists. Although, as a rule, there are no problems with this part of the gun - everything works perfectly.
Main characteristics
On the Russian market, the MP-153 competed with weapons such as the classic Soviet “self-loading” MTs 21-12 and the Tula TOZ-87 gun, launched into production, as the name suggests, in 1987.
| MP-153 | MC 21-12 | TOZ-87 | |
| Caliber | 12/89 | 12/70 | 12/70 |
| Weight, kg | 3,4-3,5 | 3,4-3,7 | 3,1-3,2 |
| Length, mm | 1280 | 1285 | 1240 |
| Magazine capacity, cartridges | 4-8 | 4 | 4 |
The MTs 21-12 shotgun, produced since the 60s, practically replicates the Browning system in design using barrel recoil. This is a weapon that has been proven in production for a long time and is reliable in operation. TOZ-87, having a unique automatic design, is distinguished by accurate combat and lighter weight, but is “demanding” on the quality of ammunition, and its design is considered too complex. Hunters also complained about the build quality of the weapon.
But the main advantage of the Murka was not only the ability to use cartridges of any quality - but also of any power. Analogues were produced only with a chamber for a sleeve length of 70mm.
In 2011, the MP-153 semi-automatic shotgun was discontinued and replaced with the MP-155 model.
The new shotgun has become lighter, and its gas engine design has been optimized. Obviously, the changes are serious enough to consider the weapon not just an improved version, but a new model. The MP-153, of course, was not revolutionary in design and did not open a new era in the development of shotguns.
But the Murka showed many thousands of Russian shooters that a semi-automatic shotgun is not a “luxury”, but a completely affordable working tool. And the versatility of Izhevsk weapons made it possible to break the stereotype that the niche of self-loading rifles is bird hunting from ambush.
What should you pay attention to?
The most important thing is the trunk. It needs to be removed from the gun and wiped dry (for this it is better to bring a rag and cleaning rod with you, since hunting stores have a hard time with them). The barrel, of course, must be smooth, with a straight aiming rib, without variations in thickness and without obvious “waviness” of the outer surface. You should also pay special attention to the alignment of the choke tubes with the barrel - this is the most important factor in accurate combat. If this part of the gun is without defects, then the rest is not so scary. Now you can smoothly pull the shutter, listening to the tactile sensations on your finger, and squeeze the trigger. Please note that the trigger length should be 3-4 mm, otherwise, when shooting game, you will be a little late with the shot until you get used to this feature of the gun.
