Baikal IZH 18-MN - Am I convincing myself to buy a bad rifle?

LeftHandGuy

Well-Known Member
I have a dilemma. Or rather I should say that I have a series of dilemmas, over choosing a rifle.

It starts with wanting to find a centrefire which would be legal (and ethical) for all deer in all of the UK, and ideally be capable of taking boar as well.

It continues with my being left handed, and more to the point, blind in my right eye. Whilst I can and have shot right hand bolt actions from the left shoulder I can't help but feel that I lose the main benefit of a magazine/bolt combination, which I see as being the ability to loose a second or even third shot without disturbing my shooting position and therefore aim.

So, as you can imagine I have looked at left-hand actions. Apart from the fact that there is a pretty limited selection (fair enough most people will want R/H after all) there are even fewer L/H actions available in what I laughably recognise as my price bracket.

Sure there are some great looking packages on, for example, Savage Axis rifles, but I really don't want to be spending £400-600 on an R/H action that I'm going to end up using like a single shot. Which got me to thinking about single shot rifles. Surely there must be some true ambidextrous single shot rifles out there. When I was a cadet we had .22 rifles some of which were No.8 Enfield actions, and some of which were Martini-Henri actions, and I always shot pretty well with the latter.

So I looked, and found a couple of references to the Baikal IZH 18-MN break-barrel in .308 Win. The opinions that I've seen about it seem divided, but the only really serious sounding problem seems to be that the trigger is very rough and heavy. In all other aspects it seems to be a lot of weapon for the £100-£200 they seem to command second hand.

What am I missing? Is this a great chance for a lefty like me to begin shooting full bore, or am I likely to end up with an unsellable lump? Any advice, especially from those who have stalked with one would be really welcome!

Many thanks,
steerpike
 
A rough trigger? You have no idea...imagine grinding broken glass. A mate keeps one and occasionally brings it to the range. I honestly couldn't imagine stalking deer with it.
 
The trigger can be sorted by any competant gunsmith, it is the manufacturers name that puts people off - some folk are real snobs !!!
I have seen the Baikel doubles in 30-06 and .308 being used on driven boar trips to great effect, some times better even than my Blaser. They can be used to dig vehicles out of snow and still be used perfectly well afterwards.
If you can live with the name, you have a gun that will give good service and last a lifetime.
 
I had one in .223, agricultural sums it up well.
I spent a bit of time on the trigger, and it had been played with before, in the end it was passable.

Once out in the field to zero another problem reared it's head, the dovetail was not true to the barrel.
I managed to zero at 50 yards but used all the available windage to do so, on moving out to 100 yards the rifle shot 2 feet to the right :cry:
That said it was very accurate, 5 shots in less than an inch, but only really useable at the zero range, also the dovetail is only long enough
for a pair of narrow rings and the turret section of the scope, so no room to adjust for eye relief.
It hasn't put me off single shots, but I would look for a better made rifle, the Brno Effect is high on that list ?

Neil. :)
 
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I have a dilemma. Or rather I should say that I have a series of dilemmas, over choosing a rifle.

It starts with wanting to find a centrefire which would be legal (and ethical) for all deer in all of the UK, and ideally be capable of taking boar as well.

It continues with my being left handed, and more to the point, blind in my right eye. Whilst I can and have shot right hand bolt actions from the left shoulder I can't help but feel that I lose the main benefit of a magazine/bolt combination, which I see as being the ability to loose a second or even third shot without disturbing my shooting position and therefore aim.

So, as you can imagine I have looked at left-hand actions. Apart from the fact that there is a pretty limited selection (fair enough most people will want R/H after all) there are even fewer L/H actions available in what I laughably recognise as my price bracket.

Sure there are some great looking packages on, for example, Savage Axis rifles, but I really don't want to be spending £400-600 on an R/H action that I'm going to end up using like a single shot. Which got me to thinking about single shot rifles. Surely there must be some true ambidextrous single shot rifles out there. When I was a cadet we had .22 rifles some of which were No.8 Enfield actions, and some of which were Martini-Henri actions, and I always shot pretty well with the latter.

So I looked, and found a couple of references to the Baikal IZH 18-MN break-barrel in .308 Win. The opinions that I've seen about it seem divided, but the only really serious sounding problem seems to be that the trigger is very rough and heavy. In all other aspects it seems to be a lot of weapon for the £100-£200 they seem to command second hand.

What am I missing? Is this a great chance for a lefty like me to begin shooting full bore, or am I likely to end up with an unsellable lump? Any advice, especially from those who have stalked with one would be really welcome!

Many thanks,
steerpike

To be honest you are probably better off looking for a left handed bolt action. They are generally more consistently accurate than single shots due to various bedding issues and you do have the option of a more readily available second shot. Having just had a quick look on guntrader.co.uk there is a secondhand Remington 700 that Steve beatty has in that would tick the deer legal, boar capable boxes very well. The Remmie action may not be flashy but it is reliable (battle proven) and has more parts available so you can upgrade whatever you want to your hearts content. Therefore if you fancy a better trigger, synthetic stock, detachable magazine system etc you can do that very easily. Over the years I have owned many rifles including Sako, Tikka, Anchutz etc but currently have 2 remmies and a tikka in deer legal calibres. If you are sold on the idea of a single shot then the Ruger number 1 falling block rifle is worth looking at
There is also a secondhand Tikka T3 in cack handed format for sale on this site that I have just seen that would do the job and be far better than a Baikal though the 6.5 cal may be marginal for Boar
 
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Actually if one looks at the proof marks the MH 18 break actions rifles are manufactured at Ishavik (Selling?)

As for the poster with off centre dovetails ............................ knowing that they are small , about 3/8", I'll wager he used soem cheap rim-fire rings and it was likely those which were out of kilter .............................................. but nope it HAD to the the Russian made rifle :rolleyes:.

What I have never understood is why the shotguns wiht eh same basic action and trigger mechanism can be given a good trigger from the factory yet the rifles are all very heavy. I suspect the American litigation market I the cause of this.

The trigger mech is fairly simply and it's no brain surgery to reduce the pull weight. Removing the creep is more difficult though. This is the trigger of he MH 18:-

TriggermechRHS.jpg


​Mine was in 222 Rem. I had not problems with a scope:-

NewlookRHS.jpg


using decent rings that is.
 
I don't totally rule out single shot rifles but in the long run I think you will be better served by a left handed bolt action rifle especially if it's going to be the only rifle.
Buy a few tickets for the SD prize draw in aid of H4H when they go on sale, you never know you might win the Browning X-bolt rifle and that can be had left handed in the calibre of your choice.
 
C,mon there is about as much chance as Pigs flying, with out using helicopters that is, as winning a lottery or raffle.

​Sure buy tickets to support the cause but let's be honest and don't expect to win.
 
C,mon there is about as much chance as Pigs flying, with out using helicopters that is, as winning a lottery or raffle.

​Sure buy tickets to support the cause but let's be honest and don't expect to win.

Quit with the negative vibes man. :rofl:

 
Thanks all. Yes I'd love to be able to go for a L/H bolt action. And yes the L/H Remmington 700 looks beautiful, and yes a Tikka T3 would be amazing (I have shot one in 6.5 x 55 and it was a pleasure to shoot).

My local RFD, Chris Potter in Tunbridge Wells, let me handle a Browning X Bolt Hunter left handed, and whilst the action felt rougher/stiffer than the Tikka, I expect that was only because it was brand new, so would I be happy to own one? Very much indeed!

Maybe that is a bit more sensible, I just couldn't help feeling swayed by the Baikal's simplicity, and price. Also I thin that the barrel on the Baikal looks beautiful. I guess the other thing is that if I had, say, £400-500 to spend, I'd rather have a basic rifle and reasonable scope, than a really nice rifle with a crap scope, if that makes sense?
 
I have no real experience of the Baikal rifles, but plenty of experience with their shotguns which are no where near as bad as some would have you believe, no frills thats for sure but well enough made.

And I am sure the trigger could be fettled if thats the only issue.

Now you say you would like a bolt action , and you have shot a right hand action left handed but it more or less reduced it to a single shot.

Not necessarily so, I am not left handed but have worked with plenty left handed stalkers and from a time when it was very difficult to find a real left handed action, estate stalkers were supplied a rifle by their employers and if you were left handed tough.

The technique is to work the bolt left handed, the left hand coming across the top of the action to work the bolt
now may look a little awkward to the observer, but these guys could work a bolt as quick as any of us right handers and without any movement of the rifle, sight picture or loss of accuracy.

Just a thought:old:
 
​What's negative about being realistic?

Kevin you really are one of those persons for whom the glass is always half empty. Try putting a positive spin on things there's always someone worst off than yourself even when things are going a bit rough. My comment was made half in jest and half as a prompt that there are several makers that manufacture left handed rifles. It also doesn't do any harm to slip in a reminder about the H4H prize draw at ever opportunity either. So cheer up mate and live in hope things can only get better.
 
I have no real experience of the Baikal rifles, but plenty of experience with their shotguns which are no where near as bad as some would have you believe, no frills thats for sure but well enough made.

And I am sure the trigger could be fettled if thats the only issue.

Now you say you would like a bolt action , and you have shot a right hand action left handed but it more or less reduced it to a single shot.

Not necessarily so, I am not left handed but have worked with plenty left handed stalkers and from a time when it was very difficult to find a real left handed action, estate stalkers were supplied a rifle by their employers and if you were left handed tough.

The technique is to work the bolt left handed, the left hand coming across the top of the action to work the bolt
now may look a little awkward to the observer, but these guys could work a bolt as quick as any of us right handers and without any movement of the rifle, sight picture or loss of accuracy.

Just a thought:old:

That's a really good point and totally valid - all I can say is that I don't think I'm skilled enough yet that crossing my left hand back over to work a right handed bolt won't ruin my sight picture. And I have tried to do it. It's a little easier when shooting from prone, but I really didn't enjoy trying to work the bolt that way from a high-seat.

Of course, working a break-barrel will certainly spoil aim and sight picture anyway....
 
As for the poster with off centre dovetails ............................ knowing that they are small , about 3/8", I'll wager he used soem cheap rim-fire rings and it was likely those which were out of kilter .............................................. but nope it HAD to the the Russian made rifle :rolleyes:.

Just for the record, the cheap and nasty rings (yes two sets) were first a set of Warne steel 3/8" rings and then a set of Talley steel rings, also for a 3/8" dovetail.
Nest just incase you think it was a cheap and nasty Chinese scope, first was Nikon (Philippines) which has been faultless on several rifle before and since the Baikal, and then
a Swarovski, also proven on other rifles.
Still not convinced, I set the barrel up between centre and then clocked the dovetail just to confirm what I already knew.

You have now convinced me with your constant moaning and groaning about anything and everything, the BSA or Parker Hale is superior to anything else attitude and the police are all villains who persecute everybody and especially you, that you are probably best ignored from now on, at least as far as I am concerned, and it seems many others on here.

Neil.
 
i would think you could sort out the trigger ok but if going for a bolt action i am left handed and as bogtrotter said cycle the bolt like that over the scope if shooting free hand but if i am using sticks or other shooting aid i use my right hand to cycle the bolt and i can keep in a shooting position and will also be in a position to take a couple of beasts like this as it doesnt need me to change position at all in fact after shooting like this in company a few right handed shooters have commented about getting a leftie for the same reason . have a go and see what you think, atb wayne
 
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