Well I took delivery of my Baikal MP 153 with 71cm barrel, yesterday and my first impressions are good.
Here are a few pictures of it out of the box:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5944607...7626073217470/

I havent had the chance to fire it yet but hope to this Sunday.

When I opened the box I was a little disappointed with the finish on the gun it seemed, as many had said, to be rather agricultural and dull. The gun arrives in two parts with the barrel removed, so before assembling the parts I decided to give the whole thing a good clean and re-oil with some Batisol. The results were impressive, with the barrel coming up glossy and clean. The woodwork is solid, but the fit, as can be seen in the photos, isn't perfect and the staining is a little uneven, however it all feels very nice to the touch and doesn't look bad at all. In terms of the metal work that all looks spot on with just a few rough edges and burs that can easily be sorted or ignored. The only part that doesn't quite fit is the front stock which is just a little wobbly.

So for 400euros I have a very usable piece of kit which I hope to put to the test this Sunday

i will let you know how it goes.