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Thread: Russian build quality

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Bolton
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    16,435

    Russian build quality

    Russian guns are said to be built like tanks - T 34s.

    Having once owned a Makarov pistol I can vouch for that. Never jammed, never failed to fire. I cleaned it after every shoot but it didn't really need cleaning.

    I just wondered about Baikal's 46m. I have no experience of Russian airguns.

    Do you think it has similar longevity to the Russian firearms? Could you leave it to your grandson?

    I have been shooting my FWB 80 with both weights and the plastic divider attached and find it quite difficult at my age, but I prefer a bit of weight up front. I will continue to use it because I enjoy shooting it.

    I imagine the 46m is a similar weight (perhaps even more front heavy), and since I am considering a pcp as an addition to my collection, I wonder if, pushing seventy as I am, if it might be too much gun for me.

    I know that a Feinwerkbau or Walther pcp would be a nicer gun in many ways, though not necessarily any more accurate in my hands: I'm a back garden shooter, and nothing more. However prices even for poor specimens of these guns are exorbitant. The Baikal is available new for 275 quid. I looked at the FAS 6004 too for a while but was put off by reliability issues and low velocity.


    I toyed with the idea of a nice pcp for a long time. I could get one but can't really justify the cost given my modest requirements.

    Just wondered if the Baikal would be a wise purchase for somebody like me. Or if, since I like the FWB80, it would be surplus to requirements. Should I just should save my money or would I find the 46m an enjoyable gun to shoot alongside my fwb? It isn't exactly expensive, is it, for what you get?
    Last edited by Arthur John Smithsplease; 30-04-2017 at 06:44 PM.
    Arthur

    I wish I was in the land of cotton.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bruton
    Posts
    6,591
    The guys in the US speak highly of the "Izzy" as a budget 10M pistol. Suggesting it is, as you expect, well made - if possibly a bit crude in some areas.

    Like you, I like plinking with match guns - I haven't shot in any kind of match for about 9 years (and that was CF rifle).

    I too have an FWB80.

    I'd guess that if you get on well with the 80, or any other classic 10M pistol, you wouldn't notice much improvement with the IZH-46M.

    And the thing is bloody ugly. I know that shouldn't matter, but it does.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Bolton
    Posts
    16,435
    Thanks Geezer.

    Strangely enough I don't find any of the pcp's particularly attractive to look at, particularly the FWB series. Even though they are the gold standard.

    I do have a bit of a soft spot for the Walther LPM1 though.

    For some strange reason.
    Arthur

    I wish I was in the land of cotton.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Bradford
    Posts
    43
    Hi

    i've had a Izzy for just over a year, but I've put about 10k pellets through already.

    It it comes with a spare set of breach and main seals and I've put 3 or 4 drops of pelgun oil on the main seal after each tin of pellets. Otherwise spares are hard to come by.

    The grip will need working to get it to fit your hand - there's a great grip inside that block of wood!

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I love my Izzy.

    HTH

    Paul

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Hastings
    Posts
    1,498
    Hello to All,

    +1 on Grunalf's comments

    For me, the IZH-46M is an excellent pistol - the sight picture is among the best I have used, and the trigger is as crisp as can be.

    The stock grip needs shaping - I did get a Rink grip, but have since switched back to my modded standard grips as I shot better (less badly !!) with them.

    Personally, I do not find the Izzy to be particularly front heavy, which is a criticism often leveled at the Izzy.

    The Izzy gives ca. 460 fps with JSB Match Green (7.32 gr.) - almost the same as my FWB65 (465 fps).

    Accuracy is very good - bench rested at 10m, I get exactly the same ten (10) shot group size with the Izzy as I can get with my FWB65, Original Mod. 10 and my friends Morini 162ei, using RWS R10 Pistol (6.99 gr.) or JSB Match Green (7.32 gr.) - that is < 8 mm C-To-C (the group sizes are obviously limited by my sh!te eyes and crap aiming/holding )

    Spares are very hard to come by - York Guns have a small selection of spares. The importers, Sportsman Gun Center, have none (!!).

    I did try and buy the main seal conversion (which uses O-rings and a flat ended compression chamber instead of the existing grooved seal, and chamfered end compression chamber) from MAC-1 Guns in the USA - basically the man walked off with 75 USD of my money

    Other USA vendors (who shall remain nameless, but they do have a few of them in Geza, Egypt) do not accept Cards from 'foreign Banks' - very bleeding helpful, and in addition they wanted 55 USD postage to send a seal set to the UK - the seal set was ca, 29 USD !!)

    However, I think this can be overcome by some thinking and ingenuity, and I will be having a go at some stage to make a replacement chamber & seal

    I have put just over ca. twenty-thousand (20000) pellets through my IZH-46M, and it is still on its first set of seals.

    Like Grunalf, I give my Izzy three drops of 30 wt motorcycle fork oil onto the compression chamber seal, and one drop into the valve system (via transfer port) per 500 pellets.

    From general comments on the Interweb, keeping the Izzy well lubricated is the secret of long life - the polar opposite of most target air-pistols

    The Izzy is one of my favourite air-pistols

    Have fun & a good Bank Holiday Monday

    Best regards

    Russ

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    swanley
    Posts
    1,707
    I purchased a 46m off here, I was amazed at how accurate it is, I now use it as a "club" pistol for informal shoots, it's not pellet fussy, and gets as many 10's as I can with my Morini. The only thing I have done is some grip shaping and stippling to get it to my liking. I would highly recommend the pistol to anyone looking for a SSP without spending the collectors price premiums on the Walther and FWB options, I've had an FWB 100 and although superbly engineered I shoot the Izzy far better.
    Steyr LP10, Steyr LP5,
    Vintage Collection - Walther LP53, HW77k Venom, BSF S20 Match, Original 35, ASI Target plus lots more

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Bolton
    Posts
    16,435
    Thanks for the replies.

    Pity about lack of spares.

    O rings seem to be available, but what happens if there is a major part failure.

    Who works on these guns?
    Arthur

    I wish I was in the land of cotton.

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