IZH-12 - a modern gun half a century old

The most popular classic gun of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, which enjoys great and well-deserved popularity among beginners and professional hunters, is, of course, the IZH-27M. Over the more than thirty-year history of this gun, more than one and a half million copies were put into mass production. Design developments have reached the highest degree of reliability. The IZH-27M shotgun has a stable action and excellent balancing, and is also distinguished by its simplicity and reliability among its competitors. In terms of performance characteristics and technical capabilities, this hunting rifle is not inferior to the best world models.

Innovative solutions

Izhevsk gunsmiths made the following changes to their new product:

• a rubber butt plate was installed on the butt;
• the usual sighting bar became a ventilation one;
• the new model has an ejector;
• the shape of the forend and stock was changed;
• adjustments were made at the junction of the box and the stock;
• the barrel is made of high quality steel;
• increased corrosion resistance of gun channels and chambers is ensured by reliable chrome plating;
• the locking unit has become simpler and more reliable;
• shockless trigger release is ensured.

The most innovative change, however, is the fuse. The new IZH-27M shotgun received an automatic safety lock. For the reliability of the gun, an interceptor (trigger interceptor) was added. Accuracy of fire is ensured by the muzzle constriction and, if necessary, replaceable choke tubes. The fore-end and butt are made of walnut and beech, which gives the hunting sport rifle a special aesthetic appeal.

History of creation

The development of models of hunting rifles, which were planned to be mass-produced, took place in the early 60s of the 20th century. The first “swallow” was the IZH-59 “Sputnik” model, which is the prototype for the IZH-12 described in this article. Prior to this, the vertical gun was manufactured in limited quantities only at the Tula Arms Plant.

If Sputnik was released in 1960, then the IZH-12, simultaneously with the single-barrel IZH-17, began to be mass-produced 4 years later. The twelfth model solved the problem of correcting the shortcoming of the Sputnik: during the shot, the lower barrel directed the projectile above the target, and the upper, on the contrary, below the target. To do this, instead of using couplings to attach the barrels to each other, they began to use soldering. The dimensions were also changed: the diameter of the barrel and its length were slightly reduced.

A major development of the twelfth model was the IZH-27 smoothbore shotgun, production of which began in 1974. The appearance and shape of the fore-end, as well as the stock, were changed. The sighting bar became ventilated, and the design of the box shape was changed at the points of fixation to the stock.

Security measures

When handling the IZH-27M gun, you should follow the safety rules that you need to remember.

So:

1. Even an unloaded gun should never be pointed towards people.
2. When transferring the gun to another person, you must ensure that the chamber is empty.
3. When shooting, the butt must be pressed firmly against the shoulder. You shouldn't shoot from two barrels at once.
4. You only need to turn off the safety just before the shot, when the target is identified.
5. When selecting a target, your finger rests on the safety guard, not the trigger.
6. For confident shooting, use only proven factory brands of ammunition. Moreover, their shelf life should not exceed four years.
7. If it misfires, you should not move the gun to the side. It is quite possible that a “lingering” shot occurs due to a malfunction of the cartridge primer. Wait 2 minutes and unload the gun with the muzzle and chamber facing away from you.
8. If you can hear a change in the sound of the shot, then you should stop shooting and clean the barrel channels of the gun.
9. It is prohibited to shoot from a faulty IZH-27M gun.
10. It is necessary to constantly carry out preventive work.

IZH-12 in sports

It is worth noting that in those days, shooting, or more precisely, skeet sport, was quite popular in the USSR. Sports societies trained good shooters. The sections, as a rule, used inexpensive guns, one of which was IZH-12. Caliber, characteristics, price, reliability are the main arguments when choosing a weapon for the section. Beginner shooters with this gun received 2nd and 3rd categories without any problems. At the trench stand, especially talented shooters with the IZH-12 rifle even managed to get the first category. However, almost no one succeeded in this in the round. More expensive guns were not available in all circles and were given only to the most promising athletes.

IZH-27M shotgun: storage and care

The gun must be stored in a completely dry place. Any penetration of moisture can lead to oxidation and rust of metal parts and components. The barrel must be separated from the gun. The triggers and locking locks must be in the deflated position. All gun parts, such as the forend, barrel, pads, and hinge pin, must be well lubricated. This is a mandatory condition, since even with high-quality chrome plating of gun parts, after the very first shots it begins to crumble. With intensive use of a weapon, carbon deposits always form on the inner surface of the barrel.

Therefore, before lubricating this key part of a hunting rifle, special attention must be paid. The inside of the barrel is washed with warm water and wiped dry. Lead residues are removed with a soft brush. Experienced hunters know that the pinch screw must be constantly tightened. Even a small amount of play can affect the quality of shooting.

In order for the gun to serve its owner as long as possible, you should not click the trigger when there is no cartridge in the barrels. It would be more correct if the spent cartridge case is in the chamber; only in this case can we guarantee minimal abrasion of the key parts of the gun.

Advantages and disadvantages

One of the main advantages of the IZH-12 shotgun is its excellent workmanship. To produce this model, the designers used high-strength weapons-grade steel. Additional wear resistance is provided by uniform hardening, and silver-containing solder is used to solder the barrels.

Long service life is ensured by the chrome plating applied to the inside of the barrel and chamber. This is how the steel becomes resistant to caustic chemicals, which are often released when using low-grade gunpowder, as well as to the vagaries of bad weather.

You can achieve the highest combat performance by using kapok cartridges, since this gun was designed specifically for them. However, if desired, the shooter can use cartridges with plastic sleeves.

The gun was designed for cheap paper cartridges

Key advantages include:

• simplicity of design, which ensures overall unpretentiousness in shooting and maintenance (this gun is almost completely free of complex mechanical elements that can jam and malfunction);
• excellent design, reflecting the immortal classics (IZH-12 has an impressive appearance, and the engraving applied to the metal parts gives it special luxury);
• optimal weight that will be pleasant for a professional shooter and will be a real gift for a beginner who is just getting used to shooting from a 12 gauge;
• reliability - according to the owners themselves, this gun retains excellent performance even after firing 10 thousand shots (of course, with proper care);
• savings - it is ensured by the moderate cost of the IZH-12 gun itself and its ammunition.

There are also disadvantages, but they are few:

• the aiming bar is too wide, which takes some getting used to;
• close location of the triggers, which does not allow the hunter to quickly shoot a second time;
• thin walls of the forend, as a result of which cracks may form on it.

Handguard for IZH-12 made of beech

Despite the fact that production of IZH-12 ceased more than 40 years ago, modern parts and spare parts can be found for it. So, a cracked wooden fore-end can be replaced with a plastic one. Many owners gave this gun to knowledgeable craftsmen for modification, which helped elevate it to the rank of the best double-barreled guns, not only domestic, but also foreign.

Specifications

All design changes that were made in subsequent years in the development of new models of hunting weapons, to one degree or another, repeated the innovative solutions of the IZH-27M. The characteristics, both technical and dynamic, do not differ significantly from the base model. For example, the Sever combination shotgun, produced in 1993, combined a rifled upper barrel chambered for rimfire and a lower 20-gauge smooth barrel.

As you can see, the basic design idea of ​​the basic IZH-27M gun was retained. The characteristics of subsequent samples also did not undergo any significant changes. In 1995, a new product appeared on the shelves of hunting stores, the IZH-94 model, which repeated the basic idea of ​​the 27 model.

The upper smooth barrel is 12-gauge, the lower one is rifled for various Magnum or Winchester cartridges. It is worth noting that a year later the IZH-94 still received separate zeroing of the barrels. A new type of trigger mechanism was installed on the gun, which made it possible to release the trigger of the lower barrel with a trigger. This significantly improved the quality of shooting.

Basic characteristics of IZH-27M:

• Barrel caliber, mm – 12, 16, 20.
• Weight of the gun, kg – 3.2-3.4.
• Barrel length of IZH-27M, mm – 675-750.
• The diameter of the barrel channel is 12 gauge, mm – 18.2.
• The diameter of the barrel channel is 16 gauge, mm – 17.0.
• The diameter of the barrel channel is 20 gauge, mm – 15.5.
• Chamber length, mm – 70 and 76.
• Pistol stock, wood - beech, walnut.
• Muzzle constriction of the lower barrel, mm – 0.5 (payday).
• Muzzle constriction of the upper barrel, mm – 1.0 (choke).

Modifications of the MP-27 shotgun

Over the four decades of serial production of the MP-27, a whole family of models has grown on its basis: with an ejector and a single trigger mechanism (MR-27EM, MP-27M-1S, MP-27EM-1S), sporting shotguns (MR-39, MP-39E, MP-27EM-1S in the “Sporting” version, combined shotguns (MR-94 and MP-94 “North”), double-barreled rifled shotgun (IZH-94 in the “Express” version), MP-27M in the “Junior” version and etc.

The gun is produced in serial, including export, piece and souvenir versions in several different modifications:

MR-27M (previously called IZH-27M) is a gun without an ejector, with two triggers. The MP-27M with an interchangeable block of barrels with an oval-screw drill is a universal smoothbore shotgun.

It has a block of 12/76 caliber barrels and an interchangeable block of barrels with an oval-screw drill (Lancaster drill), the gun is ideal for hunting large game. Thanks to the additional stabilization of the bullet by rotation, obtained due to oval-helical drilling, the gun ensures that the bullet will hit the kill zone at distances of up to 100 m with bullet cartridges (with Brenneke and Gualandi bullets). This ensures acceptable scree characteristics when shooting shotguns. The design of the replaceable barrel block makes it possible to adjust the position of the dispersion centers of both barrels. The replaceable receiver unit is equipped with an open sight, adjustable horizontally and vertically. It is possible to install an optical sight.

MP-27M “Junior” is a lightweight and compact modification of the base model.

The gun is aimed at women and teenagers, so the main dimensions of the stock have been changed relative to the basic ones, taking into account the physical characteristics of this group of users. A lightweight bolt box, the dimensions of which are adapted to small calibers, reduced-length barrels, and the presence of a shock absorber, make the gun very comfortable to use and during hunting.

MR-27EM (previously called IZH-27EM) is a gun with a selective ejector - it ejects only the spent cartridge case and, if necessary, can be turned off.

Has two triggers. The MP-27EM modification of the shotgun is equipped with an ejector that ejects only the spent cartridge case. If necessary, the owner of the gun can turn off the ejector in the field without disassembling it and without using a special tool. The gun is indispensable for various types of hunting that require quick reloading. In the photo - with interchangeable barrels 720 and 660 mm.

MR-27M-1S (previously called IZH-27M-1S) is a gun without an ejector.

The firing mechanism with one trigger allows you to fire from both barrels in the desired sequence. The firing sequence is changed by pressing the trigger from the rear.

The MP-27E-1C model implements an original solution: switching the order of shots from a constant sequence “lower barrel - upper” to the reverse by pressing the trigger forward. This ensures ease and speed of switching and logical manipulation.

MR-27EM-1S (previously called IZH-27EM-1S) is a gun with a selector-type ejector - it ejects only the spent cartridge case and, if necessary, can be turned off. The firing mechanism with one trigger allows you to fire from both barrels in the desired sequence. The firing sequence is changed by pressing the trigger from the rear.

Old is sometimes better than new

Shotguns with a production date before 1991 are especially popular among hunting professionals. It was during that period that manufacturers allowed the least amount of defects and technical deviations in the IZH-27 M model range. The price for such a gun still remains high. Modern models, unfortunately, are significantly inferior in quality to old and proven models of Izhevsk gunsmiths. Today there is a very high demand for the IZH-27M gun, the price of some exclusive (piece) samples reaches 2-3 thousand conventional units.

Also in this section:

Multi-shot hunting shotguns MP-133, MP-153

01.01.1970

Section: "Directory"

Repair manual.

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Expensive hunting rifles. Prices and types of models

Every amateur or professional hunter wants to have in his arsenal a special, exclusive gun that would fully satisfy his interests and wishes. Unfortunately, our needs do not always coincide with our desires. It is known that world brands are much superior to domestic manufacturers in the quality of hunting and sporting weapons. Some hunting enthusiasts specifically collect exclusive hunting rifles, the prices of which are sometimes astounding. Here are some examples:

• An Italian double-barreled shotgun with a block of vertically connecting barrels was sold to an unknown collector for $111,000.
• The largest American holding company for the production of hunting and sporting weapons, Remington, sold its smoothbore model in 1922 for 134 thousand US dollars.
• A legendary American hunting Winchester was sold to a Japanese collector for £152,000.
• The Belgian manufacturer of hunting rifles “Browning” valued its creation at 222 thousand dollars and presented the smoothbore weapon to Adolf Hitler. After Hitler's death, the gun disappeared without a trace. Unfortunately, the fate of this model is unknown today.
• The most expensive collectible gun in the world is considered to be an exclusive model from the Swedish family company VO Vapen AB, founded in 1977. The gun costs 820 thousand dollars. The King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, owns such an exclusive product.

  

Piece guns

Today, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant offers all lovers of hunting weapons custom production aimed at the discerning buyer. The most popular model is IZH-27M 12 gauge. Improved engraving is done in silver. The build quality of the offered models is very high; the gun is adjusted to the individual wishes of the customer.

Other features of the exclusive production of weapons at IzhMEH include:

• barrel bluing;
• improved balance;
• the barrel locking mechanism has a carbide insert;
• the fuse moves smoothly;
• Individual adjustment of the stock and fore-end.

Naturally, the cost of such an individual gun is several times higher than serial models. See the photo of the piece-assembled IZH-27M below.

Disadvantages of the IZH-12 gun

The main drawback of the gun is the solid sighting rib, which makes the barrel heavier. And in the summer heat it heats up and causes vibrations of hot air above it, which prevents the shooter from aiming. The handguard sometimes cracks due to overload. But this is normal for guns that have a solid groove-shaped fore-end.

Now let's briefly look at other famous 12-gauge models from the Izhevsk plant.

Owner reviews

Of course, every gun produced at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant has its own flavor. The IZH-27M model line was no exception. Reviews from happy owners of this hunting rifle are very diverse. There are both positive and negative opinions.

The advantages of this model are:

• Ventilated sighting bar, which eliminates the phenomenon of mirage in the summer.
• Due to its considerable weight, compared to imported models, the IZH-27M is less loose, which compensates for recoil.
• The thick bed remains intact when dropped. What cannot be said about imported versions of guns with a thin stock.
• Even in frosts down to -35º Celsius, the IZH-27M, reviews confirm this, practically eliminates failures and misfires, which speaks in its favor.

This is where all the positive qualities of the weapon end.

Unfortunately, there are many more negative reviews and complaints against the Izhevsk manufacturer:

• The quality of chrome plating needs to be better.
• Sometimes it becomes necessary to adjust wooden and metal parts and assemblies to each other.
• In some models, breaking the barrels and locking them back must be done with great difficulty. A good half of the owners of the IZH-27M gun complain about this.

In addition to the above complaints about the gun, hunters complain about the frankly weak varnish coating of the butt, as well as the plastic butt plate on some models. It is much more convenient when the butt is equipped with a rubber shock absorber, which is present in some models. In a word, whoever is lucky.