kimel Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 I am looking for a good, entry level O/U shotgun for casual clay busting and maybe the occassional round of sporting clays. My not-that-interested-in-guns wife has expressed an interest in clay busting and I want to foster that but am not ready to lay down kilobucks. She wants an O/U. I have looked at and handled several of the imported lower end shotguns and to me the EAA/Baikal models seem to be a cut above the Lanbers and others in that price range in terms of fit and finish. I haven't shot an EAA yet though. I see that the American Rifleman gave one of their newer models a pretty decent review but I have always been suspicious of AR reviews. Anyone shooting these? How are they holding up? General overall opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted August 10, 2004 Author Share Posted August 10, 2004 Wow...finally a topic which this forum DIDN'T have an opinion on! Amazing! Did a bunch of searching around and it appears the recent renditions of these are not too bad and good entry level guns...exactly what I am looking for. Aftermarket chokes are available and EAA is also importing parts and doing warranty repair. Will fish in the used market for a bit and see what I can find there in the way of something more name brand first though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishlad Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 I've handled a new Baikal but never shot one to be honest, at least not the ones they are selling today. They are "crude" by the standards of most O/U's today, but they are priced below what a replacement stock cost for many O/U's. The "reviews" I have read haven't been bad, for the money, so it might be a bargin. I believe Remington is going to or has started importing a line of shotguns similiar to the Baikal. You might want to check those out for the warranty, etc. Make sure parts are available. Overall, I think you would be better off in the used market for a Ruger, Browning or Beretta...more money I suspect. IMHO, if you wish to spend @$500, I'd also consider an auto like a Remington 1100. Lot's of cheap stocks to fit your wife or can be made to fit, softer recoil, bbl selections, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Buff Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 One of the local guys uses a Baikal (ST, EJ, MC) and does quite well in ATA and DTL- put on a good recoil pad... The guns are rough but will last longer than you....if you want to save - go for one...if you gonna go some 'smithing on it to smooth it up, etc - spend the money on a Baretta/Browning..... To find a shotgun that fits a woman is VERY difficult - think Baretta is one of the only ones that still make Woman shotguns...the complete stock is different due to diff's in build between M & F....so you'll have to get her her own or spend mega bucks to make it fit her.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 Kimel You'd be lots better off with a gas operated autoloader than an O/U for the lady.. Recoil is cumulative and you get lots less with the autoloader, plus it is lighter, the stocks from Beretta and Benelli fit a woman better than any O/U, and the fit/finish of the Baikal is terrible...hard to open, hard to close, ugly etc.. try a Beretta 391 and see how she likes it.. Tloop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 Just bought a new IZH27 Sporting, picking it up today... I'll let you know what I think of it, I just couldn't pass up the price, and it has had some good reviews... JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 Kevin, Bring your wifey over to Spokamo and we'll hit the range. Maybe we can borrow and O/U or two to try. I think the PMC/Verona truck is/will be at Sharp Shooting. Veronas are a very good value. The best deal is at Mitchells (see below). BTW, for anybody in the NW that's in the same boat and wants to try a bunch of different shotguns, Mitchell's Clay Target Sports near Salem, OR is THE place to go. Even if you're driving 400 miles, his prices and selection are so good it's worth the trip (AND no sales tax) . Plus you can test drive and have them fit the gun for you. [/shamless Plug] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 Kimel, Recently purchased a Beretta 391 Urika Target "RL" (reduced length) for my girl. It comes with two recoil pads to adjust length of pull and is set up with a parallel comb (does not bump your cheek under recoil). Optima (long) chokes skeet, IC, Mod, I Mod, and Full. Runs Win AA extra light 1 oz target loads. She said " this is the one" after handleing it at the White Elephant. Beautiful wood, fit, finish and feel. Got her breaking positions #1, #2 and #7 at the local skeet range. Maybe I can make it to Spokane when and if you test drive Eric's gear. Good Luck PK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted August 11, 2004 Author Share Posted August 11, 2004 Heh heh heh...figured the challenge of "no comments?" would roust y'all out of the woodwork. Thanks for the offers Eric and PK. Will probably take you guys up on that later this fall. Maybe I'll pack her along to Ephrata to the Shotgun match and we can play afterward. She has never shot clays at all but has expressed an interest in it. O/U is an "image" thing I am sure. She is patently afraid of anything auto. She will shoot a revo but won't hardly pick up and autoloader to hand it to me let alone shoot it. I really don't want to even consider a pump gun. My dad spent several hours with her on a range one day and actually got her to admit shooting was fun and she was getting rather good with his S&W .22 revo and my Ruger .22 Single-Six. I was over in the next bay enjoying myself. When I wandered back over to see how things were going she was nailing pop cans from 30 feet with regularity. Not great but hey, for a first time having shot I was darn proud of her! Considering she was raised in a non-gun (not anti...just no guns around) home I feel pretty lucky that she will even pick up a gun. I am trying to foster any interest in firearms whatsoever and hopefully find something we can do together. Mitchell's....me thinks I was there once a few years ago. Sounds like a fall road trip. Thanks again everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Kimel You are correct that using an O/U is a status thing...they are beautiful and balance well for the most part, and it is just very satisfying to drop those two shells into the breach....I have been shooting an O/U since I started in Clays in 94.. Now thinking of selling the 682 Beretta and going to the 391 Sporting...softer shooting and less recoil If you can get past the thought of any real advantage of two chokes helping you...it probably will put 5 birds a round on my score... At this point in my shotgunning efforts, I believe you should just screw in somekind of Mod choke and leave it there till you sell the gun...and this is coming from a guy who has EVERY choke Briley's makes for my 682...just need to move, mount and shoot and forget the rest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Buff Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 The main thing about clays is the fit of the gun....If it fits you get hit and thats what counts... I use a Browning Citori Sporting Hunter O/U with 26" barrels for skeet, ATA, DTL and hunting, and guess what - I score just as high as the guys with the 686E Golds, B125's/525's, etc...my gun fits me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted August 12, 2004 Author Share Posted August 12, 2004 Yep...I know about fit making a huge differance. When I was in High School dad and my friends and I used to spend a lot of time busting clays and steel pop cans...they flew great out of the thrower and you could re-use them a few times. I was doing great when winter came and thoughts turned to skiing and whatnot (oh...the days when I still had knees that worked without sounding like a cement mixer). The next spring I couldn't hit squat. I got very very frustrated until Dad realized that I had done the growth spurt thing. Put another 1/2 inch of recoil pad on the stock and it all started working again. EricW found a local-ish place doing a deal this fall where they need lots of beginner students so will send the wife with a flat of shells and some bucks and see how she likes it. Thanks everyone...especially EricW! How many cold ones do I owe you now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 Thanks everyone...especially EricW! How many cold ones do I owe you now? You and Pat are in some serious trouble. The problem is, I have to take all that brewski and pass it right down to Bill Sahlberg - so I'll be buying my own anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted August 12, 2004 Author Share Posted August 12, 2004 Hmmm....seems to me Bill said something about owing me a brewski....if we work this right it could be an interesting event. <BURP!> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted August 13, 2004 Share Posted August 13, 2004 Picked up my IZH27 Sporting, 29.5 inch barrels, ported, selectable trigger, turn on/off the ejectors, good looking wood, mid barrel bead, front bead is slightly fiber optic. Takes Tru Chokes too! Comes with a nice soft case. So far, so good! Will shoot it tomorrow Sporting Clays and Skeet... JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 Shot 3 rounds of 5 stand and 4 rounds of skeet today with my new Bakal IZH27 Sporting. Gun ran well and seemed to do what it is supposed to, points well, it is not too heavy or too light so swing weight is just about right (for me anyway...) It came with 3 chokes, full, modified, & IC... kinda tight for skeet (but still shot a 22 on the first round), the IC and Mod worked well for 5 stand. The chokes are Tru Chokes, Brownells sells lots of Tru chokes, most of them are made by Colonial Arms so I need to get some cylinder chokes for skeet. So far, I am impressed. For the price & the way it shoots makes it a great gun for all clay games. Time will tell on duralibility... From what I have heard, they are very durable and reliable, which is why I bought one. Two thumbs up on the Baikal IZH27 Sporting! JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 Great...let us know how it does in the longer run I shot some scattergun today at the gun club...a round of clays...84...could have been 5 or 6 better but it was the first time since last year...felt pretty good... the old Beretta 682 ran like the proverbial Swiss watch... Life is good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 EAA Bakal IZH27 Sporting report, after some use. Well, my Russian Pool Cue, as I call it, the case it comes in looks kinda like a pool cue case, is still running just fine. I've shot at least 2500 rounds thru it, maybe closer to 3000. I had a softer butt pad put on it, but other than that it is still stock. It shoots soft and points & swings well, I've used it in all clay games too. Bought some skeet chokes for skeet, and modified chokes for sporting clays for it too. I would highly reccomend it to anyone looking for a inexpensive starter! Their new sporting model, the 233, looks like it could have some promise. Haven't shot a perfect round of skeet with it yet, but been close a couple of times! JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted September 10, 2004 Author Share Posted September 10, 2004 Thanks for the update. I think that later this fall one of these will come to take residence in my safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 When I was a partner in a gun store, we sold many Baikal shotguns including dozens of IZH27 O/U's. They tended to be a little tight when new, but after a little shooting would loosen up a tad to be quite smooth. I only had two guns come back with a problem. The first was a customer who was suspicious because it was too cheap to be a good gun. I told him to buy it, shoot it for 30 days, and if he was unhappy for any reason to bring it back and I would give him full credit against anything he wanted. After about two months, he brought it back. It had an ejector screw come loose and fall out. He wanted to keep the gun, just wanted it fixed. I took a screw from one of my shop guns and he left a happy customer. A phone call to EAA got me 5 replacement screws in a few days. I still have the other four. The second was from another customer with a 20ga who complained that, after 3 years of ownership, the second barrel wouldn't always fire. After inspection, I found that it was so covered in grunge, I don't know how it could work at all. After a good cleaning, it worked fine. After removal of the buttstock, the entire mechanism is clearly visible. The gun was returned to the customer with an admonition that it needed to be cleaned at least once in a while. These are things that could happen to any gun, no matter how expensive. The Baikal shotguns are an excellent value for the price. I would recommend to them to anyone for a good starter O/U. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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