Today, hunting enthusiasts are presented with a large assortment of small arms. Among various models, the MP-161K hunting carbine has gained particular popularity. The rifle is made using innovative materials. Both novice shooters and experienced users appreciated the high performance of the MP-161K carbine.
Reviews from the owners of this small arms, as well as a description of its technical characteristics, are presented in the article.
Decor
The MP-161K model is very attractive due to its original ergonomic design. The design of the weapon is characterized by laconic forms and the absence of unnecessary details. In the manufacture of the case, modern high-strength plastic containing reinforced fiberglass is used.
The working parts of the carbine are equipped with special, very elastic elements designed to make the process of using this weapon as convenient as possible. Regardless of weather conditions, a reliable grip and hold of the carabiner is ensured. Adjustable stock and comb complement the design of the MP-161K hunting carbine. Owner reviews indicate that this model is easy to configure according to the individual anthropometric characteristics of the shooter. The stock and butts, instead of swivels, are equipped with special slots for belts. Thanks to this, any metallic sounds, which are very undesirable during hunting, are eliminated.
Design of the MP-161K 2 carbine
Operation of the MP-161K 2 is particularly easy, due to the manufacturer’s use of one of the simplest designs. This makes the carbine accessible even to novice shooters.
The weapon has only 3 main parts: barrel, body and butt. The barrel is cold forged and equipped with optics that increase the degree of aiming. The trigger type trigger has a cocking indicator.
To install different types of sights, you can use the Weaver rail. The design is ergonomic and original. The parts are made of high-strength fiberglass reinforced plastic. The retention zones are made of elastic materials.
In traveling conditions, unless there is an urgent need, it is better not to disassemble the carbine - there are many small parts in it and it is not surprising to lose them
The slide stop is automatic, and there are slotted “eyes” for the sling. The built-in muzzle devices, like the muzzle itself, do not have threads.
The stock of the carbine is plastic - the material is not easily soiled, but pleasant. The role of the front sight in this model is very interesting - in addition to its direct purpose, it serves as a support for the forend. If it becomes necessary to remove the front sight, you first need to decide how to fix the forend.
In the middle of the forend there are plastic ribs that support the barrel. The length of the stock can be adjusted with screws and a butt plate; The cheekpiece is adjusted with screws in the range of 40 mm.
Device MP-161K
The weapon consists of three parts:
- Cases.
- Butt.
- Rifled barrel. Forging technology is used in its production. This element occupies 50% of the total length of the carbine.
The trigger part, butt and fore-end are connected to the carbine body with a screw fastening. Thanks to this design feature, the owner of the MP-161K has the opportunity, if necessary, to quickly disassemble the weapon, clean or repair it, and then quickly put it back together. For external elements (dies and front sights) a screw fastening is also provided. To remove them, the owner just needs to unscrew the fixing screw.
The hunting MP-161K is equipped with a trigger mechanism. The design of the weapon uses a longitudinally sliding bolt. It is used to inertially lock the carbine. Thanks to the MP-161K magazine, designed for nine rounds of ammunition, the weapon owner has the opportunity to fire automatically. To conduct such fire, it is enough to set the weapon to the appropriate mode. An easy and smooth release is a characteristic feature of this model of hunting rifle.
Sights
The carbine uses an open sight type that can be adjusted in the vertical and horizontal planes. The barrel has standard front sights. You can increase shooting accuracy by using special optical sights.
The production of carbines is carried out taking into account the further use of these devices of various types. For this purpose, the MP-161K is equipped with Weaver rails, thanks to which both lightweight optical sights and collimators can be easily installed on the weapon.
Performance characteristics
- Manufacturer: IzhMekh (Russia).
- The MP-161K uses 22LR ammunition. This model of hunting weapon is adapted for shooting various types of cartridges. The magazine can also be equipped with ammunition such as 22WMR and 17HMR. According to the owners, it is advisable to use 5.6 mm ammunition in the MP-161K.
- The aiming range is 50 m. If desired, each owner can zero his weapon at a distance of up to 100 m.
- The magazine capacity is 9 rounds.
- Trunk size – 50 cm (length).
- Dimensions MP-161K 995x181x74 mm.
- The carbine weighs 2.9 kg.
The model is distinguished by high technical parameters, combining optimal barrel length and excellent destructive properties. This explains the high popularity among novice shooters and professional hunters of the self-loading semi-automatic carbine MP-161 K.
What’s good for a Russian... MP-161K carbine tested by the Germans
For example, the IZH-35M pistol in .22 LR caliber was once highly respected by shooters. The company Carl Walther GmbH even imported it in “white” form from Russia, modified it and sold it under the designation KSP 200. And back in the mid-1990s, the Frankonia catalog offered IZH-35M under its own name Frankonia IJ 35 Spezial or also Frankonia Favorit. However, in the end, the pistol could not withstand the competition and remained only in the history of elite sports.
5.6-mm sports pistol Walther KSP 200. Also known as IZH-35M
The MP-161K self-loading small-caliber (.22 LR) carbine was manufactured by Izhmekh, part of the Kalashnikov concern. Of course, none of the hunters in Germany or Austria will go on a concealed hunt with a small-caliber rifle, and the main buyers of the MP-161K in Europe are sportsmen.
MP-161K is a compact small-caliber rifle that is well suited for dynamic shooting
The carbine is not suitable for classical shooting disciplines, but is, for example, suitable for shooting at falling targets at a distance of 25 m, developed by the Association of German Sports Shooters (BDS - Bund deutscher Sportschutzen) or for dynamic shooting with a small-bore rifle "2" of the Association of Military and Police Shooters -athletes (BdMP - Bund der Militur- und Polizeischützen). At the first glance at the rifle, the prejudices that exist in Germany regarding Russian weapons seem to blow away with the wind. The MP-161K has a comfortable and elegant stock, which is not at all associated with a cheap product, but rather with air rifles from popular large European manufacturers.
Plastic inserts on the fore-end, pistol neck and back of the MP-161K butt provide better grip
The wide stock with a thumb hole enhances the impression of a sporting weapon, which appears immediately as soon as you pick it up for the first time. With the exception of a short (120 mm) picatini rail, which is sufficient for installing a collimator or optical sight, and a mechanical sight - a rear sight with a front sight, there are no sharp edges on the MP-161K - everything is rounded. The black stock features gray inserts on the lower surface of the fore-end, on the pistol neck at the level of the palm muscles, and also on the back of the butt. These elements are made of a soft synthetic material and should improve the grip, as well as give the surface anti-slip properties. In addition, the MP-161K has an adjustable cheek, which, after loosening two screws, can be adjusted vertically steplessly.
The MP-161K stock provides the ability to adjust the comb and butt
It is more difficult to adjust the length of the butt. To do this, you need to unscrew several screws on the butt again in order to move its halves apart enough to pull out the back of the butt. The back of the butt has protrusions that fit into reciprocal depressions inside the butt halves. When a suitable position has been found, the screws must be tightened again. The handguard consists of two halves, tightened with two side screws; the halves of the forend are connected into one whole by an insert on the lower surface. The halves fit together so well that they interlock without play.
To clean the weapon, the manufacturer recommends only removing one screw in front of the magazine window to gain access to the receiver, trigger and barrel, which are completely enclosed by the stock. It also consists of two halves connected by several screws, which, like the forend, are connected by a gray insert, but on the pistol neck. The MP-161K has a classic blowback bolt that slides gently along the guide. The bolt handle is rounded and large enough to be comfortably grasped with the index finger of the right hand. The thin barrel with a muzzle diameter of only 12 mm has a length of exactly 500 mm.
Barrel and front sight MR-161K
The magazine holds nine rounds and is shaped like a small banana. It's made of steel, and our tested gun was heavily oiled. The button, which is designed to compress the magazine spring, has such sharp edges that very soon a cut appeared on the finger.
The MP-161K magazine, shaped like a banana, holds nine rounds
The magazine in its shaft is very loose. But during testing there was not a single delay in delivery. The magazine release is a lever type, located behind the magazine cover. The lid is made of plastic and has a comfortable grip.
The MP-161K magazine cover is made of plastic
Of course, for dynamic shooting, the standard MP-161K sighting device is sufficient, which consists of a simple rear sight with micrometric adjustment vertically and horizontally and a sports-type front sight.
The rear sight of the MP-161K is adjustable both vertically and horizontally. In front there is a simple rectangular front sight
The MP-161K's trigger pull, measured using a Lyman dynamometer, was 3500 g, which is a bit much. The descent creeps a lot and there is no warning. The steel trigger is almost “to the limit” when it fires, and this moment is not clearly felt. This quality cannot be called good, but you can somehow get used to it.
The MP-161K trigger guard contains a small safety button
Behind it, in the safety bracket, is a simple push-button type fuse, which can be easily reached with the finger of your working hand. According to the operating manual, the manufacturer guarantees a dispersion diameter of no more than 25 mm for four shots at a distance of 50 m. For comparison, falling targets for the 25-meter disciplines of the German Shooting Association have a diameter of 85 mm. The MP-161K should “kill” them in any case, which is why we shot this rifle, taking this aspect into account, while at the same time taking into account the manufacturer’s statement, to put it mildly, as overly optimistic. In our shooting test, the best results were achieved with Lapua Pistol King (26mm) ammunition. The remaining results are presented in the accompanying table.
To determine the dispersion cross-sections, we fired one series of 5 shots with each type of cartridge, from a sitting position supported by a Front Rifle Rest from MTM. Distance to target: 50 m. The dispersion width was determined as the distance between the holes most distant from each other in each series
I was very pleased that the MP-161K apparently “recycles” any type of cartridge. And, if we take as a criterion for evaluating a weapon the guaranteed defeat of falling targets at a distance of 25 m along with reliable operation, then the MP-161K meets these requirements. At the same time, the rifle also looks good.
Master Timo Lechner MA, translation by Mikhail Dragunov
Owner reviews
Consumers using this carbine model have highlighted the following strengths of this self-loading semi-automatic small arms:
- Compactness. The size of the MP-161K does not exceed 1 meter. Thanks to its small dimensions, the carabiner is very convenient during transportation.
- Ease. Due to this, this weapon is no less popular among women and teenagers.
- The ability to customize weapons specifically for the shooter. This ensures special operating comfort of the model.
In addition, the adjusted dimensions of the weapon ensure high shooting accuracy.
- No recoil. This is achieved through the use of low-power 22 LR ammunition, the ability to adjust the length of the butt and independently set the height of the cheek rest.
- Availability. MP-161K, unlike other similar models of foreign or Russian production, has a low cost. The price of this model varies within 20 thousand rubles.
- The presence of high basic tactical and technical indicators, which, if desired, can be significantly increased. To do this, many owners of these self-loading semi-automatic carbines use various devices: optical sights, collimators and night vision devices. To better navigate the terrain at night, experienced hunters recommend installing special flashlights on their weapons.
Reviews from owners of such carbines are predominantly positive. However, some users noted as a disadvantage that the manufacturer uses plastic rather than natural materials in the manufacture of stocks and cases. Nevertheless, experts believe that polymer components are the best material for many modern models of small arms. Each batch of released MP-161K carbines is thoroughly tested before being delivered to the shelves, taking into account possible risks during their further use.
Disassembly
To work, you will need a drift and a slotted screwdriver (not included). Using a screwdriver, the disassembled carabiner is divided into 2 parts:
- Sight, handguard, box and barrel;
- Butt with trigger.
These 2 parts are connected with a slotted screw. The stock consists of 2 plastic halves, one of the support points is the front sight.
Use a drift to remove the cocking handle. On almost all models there is a slight play on the lever, but you can only notice it in slow motion.
With each shot the lever plays and vibrates
When disassembling the MP-161K 2 carbine, many owners are bothered by the fact that the rules stipulate first removing the pin, but the mushroom-shaped shape allows this to be done exclusively upwards. Naturally, first you have to remove the optics, breaking all the sights.
Professional hunters immediately replace the awkward pin with a suitable nail
When removing the pin, you should hold the buttplate, as the bolt spring, although not tight, can send it flying. Assembly is carried out in the reverse order: the process is not complicated, but it requires attention and getting used to.
