Russian build quality

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

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?