Last year, 2014, the RossImportOruzhie company expanded its range of hunting smoothbore weapons with two models of 12*76 caliber:

Inertia semi-automatic Chirok-12

Gas-operated semi-automatic Chirok-12G

Both models, commissioned by RossImportOruzhie, are produced in Turkey.

Today, the attitude in Russia towards Turkish 12-gauge semi-automatic devices is somewhat skeptical. Mainly, this is due to the fact that our market is saturated with various models of gas-operated and inertial semi-automatic machines produced in Turkey. At first (5-6 years ago), the cheapest weapons were imported to Russia from Turkey, so that later on the shelves of stores in our country they could successfully compete in price with the products of domestic arms factories. The result of this approach is known: maximum savings in the production process, starting from the quality of materials used to manufacture the gun and ending with low qualifications of personnel.

As a result, buyers began to treat cheap guns from Turkey as if they were cheap Chinese clothing or equipment. However, if we draw an analogy with China, it is there that the world famous company Apple places orders for the production of its products. And today no one would dare call, for example, the iPhone a cheap “shirporteb.” The situation is approximately the same in the production of weapons. If you initially put forward requirements for the quality of the final product to the manufacturer, he will certainly fulfill them.

True, the price of a weapon produced to order will be higher, but as practice shows, today a potential buyer of a hunting rifle is willing to pay a little more, but in return receive trouble-free operation of the reloading system, durability of the components and mechanisms of the gun, a high-quality chrome-plated barrel bore, a more durable buttstock plastic or a more noble drawing of a wooden stock.

It is precisely these requirements that the “Teal” series guns are manufactured to meet. Let us note that this was preceded by a year and a half of work with the manufacturer to adapt the guns to hunting conditions in all climatic zones of Russia and cartridges produced by Russian factories. As a result, we were able to obtain a completely finished product. Shotguns of the "Teal" series have high reliability, operational strength and excellent sharpness and accuracy of fire.

As you know, the barrel is responsible for the fire of a gun. Its internal diameter (caliber) is 18.3 mm, which is within the lower tolerance limits and provides a very sharp action. Each semi-automatic machine is supplied with a set of 5 chokes with a key for their installation. These are a cylinder (0.0 mm) and a cylinder with a pressure (0.25 mm) for firing caliber bullets and steel shot. The remaining 3 chokes with a diameter of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm allow you to get a compact shot with lead shot at distances of up to 45 meters. The bore and chamber of the "Teal" series shotguns are chrome-plated. The ventilated rib along almost the entire length of the barrel has an anti-reflective coating. Screw-in light-gathering front sight from the world famous manufacturer Truglo.

In terms of accuracy and sharpness of combat, 12-gauge hunting weapons of the “Teal” series are approximately equal. However, then the differences begin.

Chirok-12 is a semi-automatic machine with an inertial reloading system. The design of the gun is based on the proven system embodied by Benelli in the Montefeltro model. The barrel bore is locked by two lugs by rotating the bolt cylinder. A huge advantage of inertial shotguns of this design is their close to ideal balance. The center of gravity of a gun loaded with 4 rounds is directly under the bolt. This weight distribution was made possible due to the absence of a heavy gas chamber and a return mechanism on the magazine tube. The return spring of the Chirok-12 is located in the butt, which further relieves the load on the forend, allowing it to be made lighter and thinner without compromising ease of loading.

In the Chirok-12 inertial shotgun, the energy of the powder gases is used only for the shot. Gases do not enter the mechanisms of the gun, which allows you to spend less effort and time when servicing the weapon. Moreover, the design of an inertial gun is a little simpler than a gas-operated gun.

It would seem that with such advantages of the inertial scheme, the gas outlet would have to lose ground. But it is not so. In Russia, as in the rest of the world, adherents of gas-operated semi-automatic devices remain. Their peculiarity is that a very small part of the powder gases is removed from the barrel bore and initiates the reloading cycle. In an inertial shotgun, this cycle begins immediately as soon as the pressure in the barrel begins to build and the projectile leaves the cartridge case. In a gas-operated semi-automatic machine, the barrel bore remains locked and the moving parts remain at rest until the powder gases enter the gas chamber, located approximately 30 centimeters from the chamber. During this time, the projectile will have time to receive a solid impulse with the barrel locked. That is why the combat of guns with a gas-operated reloading system is slightly sharper than that of inertial semi-automatic machines.

You most often have to pay for a slightly sharper combat in the balance of the gun and longer maintenance. However, Chirok-12G is partially free from these disadvantages. Of course, the massive gas chamber and piston shift the balance of the gun towards the barrel, but the return mechanism of the Chirok-12G has been moved to the butt. This made it possible to reduce the preponderance of the reloading mechanism towards the barrel and make the handguard of the gun lighter and more elegant. The bolt weight of the Chirok-12G is almost half that of the inertial Chirok-12, so in terms of balance both of these guns are approximately equal.

Also, thanks to the transfer of the return mechanism assembly to the butt, cleaning and maintenance of the Chirok-12G gun after shooting was simplified. The Chirok-12G piston has a design that allows you to work out the full cycle of automation both on “sporting” hitches from 24-28 years, and on “magnum” hitches from 43-55 years. With a small projectile weight, all powder gases are used to reload the gun. With an increase in the weight and, as a result, pressure, part of the powder gases is vented into the forend, ensuring a smooth rollback of the moving parts and at the same time “blowing” soot out of the gas exhaust mechanism. Teal-12G is created on the basis of a very successful model from Beretta - the 300 series.

The receivers (receivers) of both models of the “Teal” series are made of durable aluminum alloy 7075. The receivers are unloaded when fired, since they do not participate in locking the barrel bore. The main load falls on the barrel and the locking elements of the bolt. This allows the receiver to be made from lighter aluminum. The trigger mechanism (trigger) pads are made of impact-resistant plastic. Aesthetically, an aluminum block would be more pleasing, but their operational strength is the same as a plastic one, but the failure rate of the trigger in a plastic block when the lubricant freezes or sand gets into the mechanism is noticeably lower. Thus, the plastic block provides the gun with slightly higher reliability in extreme conditions.

The butt and fore-end of the "Teal" series shotguns are made of Turkish walnut on CNC machines. For the vast majority of noticeably more expensive Italian shotguns, the forends and stocks are made in Turkey from the same material. Plastic stocks and forends can be black or camouflaged, just like the Teal guns themselves.

In conclusion, let’s say that the quality of workmanship and finishing of the “Teal” series guns is excellent. All this is due to the fact that our company, when ordering weapons from the manufacturer, did not skimp on such unshakable concepts for every hunter as simplicity, reliability and durability.

Sincerely,

chief technical consultant

Pavel Novichkov

Check out our product range

The layout of the Benelli M1 is a classic single-barrel self-loading shotgun. The basis for this gun was a very interesting automation system, which was developed in the mid-1980s at the Benelli Army company in Italy. The automatic operation of this gun uses recoil energy and the inertia of massive moving elements.

The Turkish company Akdal Arms, known as the manufacturer of the Akdal ALP 1071 and Akdal FSM 1453 smoothbore shotguns, in the spring of 2009 finally completed the development and began mass production of a new 12-gauge smoothbore self-loading shotgun - Akdal MKA 1919.

The Stoeger 2000 shotgun was created by engineers of the Turkish company StoegerSilah SanayiA.S., owned by the world-famous Italian arms company Beretta. The development of this shotgun was completed in 2001. The Stoeger 2000, according to its manufacturer accreditation, is presented as a well-built and inexpensive self-loading shotgun designed for any purpose

Fabarm SAT-8 is a smooth-bore semi-automatic rifle, developed and produced at the Fabbrica Bresciana Armi factory, Italy. The purpose of the gun is laid down by the manufacturer in the name: the abbreviation is revealed as Semi-Automatic Tactical - 8 (self-loading tactical with eight charges).

Starting from the mid-90s, the first smooth-bore modifications of the Saiga carbine appeared. The very first of these modifications was Saiga-410. This gun was created for the then little-known .410 caliber cartridge in Russia (according to the inch American caliber measurement system). According to the metric system, the caliber of the new shotgun was 10.4 mm. There are many different types of ammunition for smoothbore hunting weapons, and the .410 caliber is the smallest.

The MTs 21-12 smoothbore self-loading shotgun became a pioneer among hunting semi-automatic devices produced on the territory of the Soviet Union. Work on its creation began in Tula, at the Central Design and Research Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weapons back in the late 50s, but actual mass production for various reasons began only in 1965.

Essentially, the Saiga-20 is a smooth-bore, long-barreled, multi-shot repeating rifle with a detachable magazine in various modifications, differing in design, barrel length, stock type and sighting options.

12 gauge is the most versatile of the entire line of shotgun calibers, which is why the Saiga-12 has become very successful. The manufacturing quality of this weapon cannot be called high, but the price is also low, and given the wide model range, this weapon has become the most popular civilian weapon of IZHMASH.

The MP-153 smooth-bore semi-automatic machine is manufactured in the Russian Federation at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. The MR index is translated from English as Mechanical Plant. The developer of this weapon, intended for commercial hunting, sport shooting, self-defense and law enforcement, is the designer of the Izhevsk plant Evseev K.E. For the creation of the MP-153, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant and its Baikal trademark received the “National Security” gold medal and a diploma. Serial production of the gun began in 2000.

The Browning Auto-5 smoothbore semi-automatic shotgun is now familiar to almost every person interested in weapons - from amateur to professional. And such popularity is well deserved, because the technical solutions laid down in this gun by the weapons genius John Moses Browning became the basis for many subsequent modifications and many modern versions of semi-automatic smoothbore guns. During the development of this truly iconic gun, Browning came up with many design solutions that were revolutionary at the time, the best of which formed the basis of the Auto-5 model. We will consider the most significant of these decisions in detail. How successful the great gunsmith was in constructing this model can be judged at least by the fact that the Browning Auto-5 was included in the Guinness Book of Records as a weapon produced for more than a hundred years without any changes to the basic design. And throughout this time, the gun was in considerable demand. Currently, these shotguns, even those that have already changed several generations of owners, when properly handled, work flawlessly and have excellent fire, delighting their current owners with consistently high shooting results. ...

“How many guns does a hunter need” is a very controversial question. Even 50 years ago, the great American hunting writer and weapons guru Jack O'Connor said that, by and large, a North American hunter can perfectly hunt all the game found on the continent, having only three weapons: a carbine v. 30-06, a shotgun 12-gauge caliber and small-caliber rifle.22 LR.

And we at Russian Hunting almost completely agree with him. “Almost” – because instead of the .30-06 we would prefer another cartridge that is very similar in characteristics, but we’ll talk about that next time. In the meantime, let's start discussing the required minimum of weapons with the type that is most relevant for the Russian hunter - smooth-bore.

According to Maslow's theory, not all human needs are of equal value. There are basic needs - for example, food. And there are needs of a higher order, which a person pays attention to only after satisfying the basic ones. This theory also applies to hunting weapons. The subtleties of patents, the historical value of the design, engraving, etc. - these are weapons needs of the highest order. But every hunter first needs to satisfy basic needs - that is, hunt as efficiently as possible with minimal costs. A gun that meets these requirements is usually called a “working” gun.

Among the new weapons today, the gas-operated semi-automatic 12×76 caliber with interchangeable choke constrictions and a plastic stock best satisfies the basic needs of a “working gun.” Walnut is a wonderful material when it is properly seasoned and processed, but on budget weapons it is more likely to suffer from swelling, cracks and peeling coatings. The 12 gauge is the most versatile of the smoothbore ones, and in any hunting store in the world there will be more choice of cartridges for it, from the lightest bench ones to magnums that threaten concussions and dislocations, than for any other. Modern production makes it possible to make a decent semi-automatic rifle much cheaper than a double-barreled shotgun. Pump-action shotguns are now not superior to semi-automatics in reliability, but they require the development of an additional skill in “playing the trombone”; single-barreled, single-shot action is completely archaic. Finally, “inertia” guns, even from premium brands, are often capricious, demanding either good ammunition or the correct insertion into the shoulder.

In Russia, a kind of standard for a “working gas outlet” is the MP-155. But this gun has been produced for many years, and all hunters are very familiar with it, if not from personal experience, then from publications in magazines. Can the market offer it an alternative in terms of price, quality and performance characteristics? In principle, maybe, if we are talking about the products of Turkish gunsmiths. We've selected a few models that we think are worth a look, and we'll tell you what they are. And now you can decide whether to take a closer look at them or not.

But first, a few general words. There are many Turkish manufacturers of smooth-bore hunting weapons; it is not so easy to understand them. Let's reveal a secret: this is because they are very similar to each other. It’s not that they are pouring from the same barrel, but both in design and in quality there are more similarities between Turkish semi-automatic devices than differences.

Almost all Turkish guns are made more carefully in appearance and seem to many hunters to be more practical than domestic ones. There are no frankly heavy models among them: either average weight (3.2–3.3 kg), or light (around 3–3.1 kg). Almost without exception, they shoot well out of the box and have good combat with both shot and slugs. In general, the level of mass production has now increased so much that you still have to look for a gun with a frankly bad firing - and the culprit, as a rule, turns out to be a replaceable choke. Which is replaceable so that you can buy a new one and fix the problem.

On the other hand, none of the Turkish semi-automatic machines can boast of the survivability of the legendary Browning Auto -5. In practice, they should withstand about 1000 shots with magnum cartridges, or 2-3 thousand ordinary hunting cartridges, or 5-7 thousand light bench loads. Further (or closer, depending on your luck) breakdowns and failures will begin, the likelihood of which depends not only on the manufacturer, but also on operating conditions. But honestly, most hunters will get tired of their guns before that happens.

As you know, all gas-operated semi-automatic shotguns can be divided into two generations. The first generation, dating back to the Reminrton 1100 and Beretta 300, does not have an overpressure relief valve in the gas assembly design. The second generation of gas exhaust systems, dating back to the Beretta 390 and Browning Gold, has such a valve. Accordingly, no matter what the pressure in the barrel, the gas unit always operates in the same mode, which increases the “omnivorousness” of the device. In general, the second generation, of course, is preferable - but in budget weapons the rule “fewer parts - fewer breakdowns” often applies.

Of course, not all products of Turkish craftsmen were included in our review. Some were left behind for economic reasons: they are either no longer supplied to Russia, or they are supplied, but the pitiful remnants of the previous delivery are clearly lying in the warehouses, and it is unclear when and at what price a new one will be available. Others - because we were unable to form an unambiguous idea about them. Which ones did you get?

ATA ARMS Pegasus – the lightest

ATA ARMS Pegasus

ATA Arms Pegasus, aka Companion E, aka Marocchi S 12, aka Weatherby SA -08 - one of the very first Turkish self-loading guns to come to the Russian market. Its main advantage is its weight: Pegasus is perhaps the lightest 12-gauge semi-automatic among those presented in our rating. In addition, the recoil spring is located in the butt, which has a positive effect on the balance.

The first generation automation is very reliable. The problem of adjustment to ammunition was solved simply but effectively: the design provides for two replaceable gas pistons - for light and for heavy charges. However, the complete set must be checked, since a “heavy” piston is sometimes not reported for the sake of economy. The gun will reload a magnum with a piston for light charges, but you shouldn’t abuse it, since increased loads on the automatic will sooner or later lead to breakdowns.

The ATA Pegasus comes with two replacement gas pistons and a set of spacers.

Among the design flaws, it is worth noting the magazine tube, made of duralumin: powder gases from the gas outlet holes have a destructive effect on it, and, neglecting cleaning, you can end up with through holes.

The reputation of this model was greatly damaged by the manufacturer’s desire to improve the technology: at some point, the shutters began to burst en masse. Now the defect has been eliminated, and the gun, as they say, “can be taken,” if not for the price. Pegasus costs significantly more than our standard MP-155. For this price, it can be recommended to those for whom it is important to have a light weight gun.

Kral M155 – the most complete

The names of Kral Arms models seem to tell the consumer that they are direct competitors of IMZ products: a double-barreled over-and-under shotgun from the same company, for example, is called M27. Indeed, the guns are structurally very similar, even down to the shortcomings: the Kral M155, just like the Izhevsk semi-automatics, sometimes loses the bolt handle.

The automatic operation of the gun is built on the principle of a long stroke of the gas piston and has a control valve, due to which it is automatically adjusted to the power of the ammunition. The gun comes with a set of spacers that allow you to change the parameters of the stock. There is a magazine cut-off, which, in principle, is a rather convenient feature.

In other words, for its price – “like the MP-155, but a little cheaper” – the Kral M155 is quite well equipped with options and would have become a leader in our review, if not for one aspect. This is one of the few models that were tested for survivability by shooting, and, unfortunately, it did not show its best side in them. However, a typical Russian hunter who shoots one cartridge belt a year at the opening of a duck hunt may be satisfied with this gun.

Huglu GX 512 (Tedna G125) – the newest

The winner of the “pig in a poke” nomination and the newest model among those presented, however, its novelty is relative. A special feature of this model is that the barrel is secured with a separate nut that screws onto the magazine tube, and not the forend fastening nut. The gas unit is unregulated, there is no slide stop. In the camouflage version, the GX 512 comes with a “tactical” bolt handle and an oversized bolt stop button, which look quite comfortable, as well as a standard reflective front sight and interchangeable choke tubes of increased length, which can be twisted by hand.

In Russia there is no particular experience in operating this model yet, but the previous model, Huglu 601, showed itself no worse than its compatriots. Under the CZ-USA 712 brand, this gun is very popular in North America, including as an entry-level gun for clay and practical shooting. This is also helped by the weight, which is quite serious for a modern semi-automatic machine - 3.3–3.4 kg, depending on the version. Here, however, there is a small nuance. The tactical and bench versions of CZ-USA shotgun semiautomatic devices are equipped with a local, American-made gas unit. Where the corresponding structural element of the guns supplied to Russia is made, and whether there are any differences in it, including in terms of workmanship, is unknown to us.

How it has not yet been possible to 100% establish a genetic relationship with the gun sold on our market as the Tedna G125 Black. According to reports, Tedna is the product of a deep rebranding of the Huglu company, which was concerned about the dissonant sound of its original name in the languages ​​of many consumers, including Russian. We were unable to detect any visible differences between the Tedna G125 Black and the Huglu 512 GX, so we will consider them one gun until proven otherwise. Be that as it may, ducklings and goslings who are hungry for a semi-automatic, which is not a pity, can be advised to take a closer look at the camouflaged version of the GX 512 or an analogue under the Tedna brand, if one reaches our market.

Hatsan Escort PS – the most balanced

A gun with a plastic stock is significantly cheaper than the version with a walnut stock, which is why we are considering it. Structurally, the gun is made quite traditionally, with wedge locking and automatic operation with a gas valve that relieves excess pressure, which, in turn, provides good omnivorousness. There is also a magazine cut-off, but there are no gaskets regulating the butt assembly units. The weight is average, about 3.2–3.3 kg. Hatsan has been present on the budget weapons market for a long time, not only in Russia, but throughout the world, and the fact that it did not go bankrupt or become a victim of rebranding suggests that it maintains its level of quality. Guns are widespread in Russia, so there is quite a lot of information about who broke what. In the official survivability test, the Escort, as is known, was inferior to the MP-155, but in independent repeated tests it withstood the same fire. The model has been tested by time and, based on a combination of factors, deserves attention.

Armsan A612 – the most honored

According to many experts, Armsan guns are the highest quality Turkish guns. A612 has long been successfully sold under various brands, including Verney-Carron. The gun is very similar to the ATA Pegasus, which is not surprising, because Armsan and ATA are part of the same concern. One of the differences is that the weight is slightly greater than that of the Pegasus (3.1–3.2 kg), due, among other things, to the fact that the magazine tube is made of alloy steel and, accordingly, is stronger. In addition, on the Pegasus the recoil spring is located in the buttstock, while on the A612 it is located on the magazine tube.

Instead of two pistons (as on the ATA Pegasus), the Armsan A612 has one universal one. It is made so that the friction force increases in proportion to the pressure in the system and thus, with more powerful ammunition, the recoil speed of the bolt is reduced. Nevertheless, you should not overuse magnum cartridges in this gun. There is no magazine cut-off, but spacers for stock adjustment are included. The gun is very reliable and durable, “out of the box” it may not reload light loads, but after a little break-in it works with the lightest cartridges. In general, it is absolutely no coincidence that this is the most expensive gun among those presented in our review.

Well, this is how things look today, if we talk about the required minimum - guns that are in the most budget segment. Didn't like anything? You can consider models with inertial reloading or look a step higher, where the “premium” models of Turkish gunsmiths compete with entry-level offerings from Italian brands. But that, as they say, is a completely different story...

Russian hunting magazine, August 2018

12/17/2009 | Semi-automatic weapons: which weapon is better?

It is unlikely that anyone would dare to dispute the fact that recently semi-automatic weapons have begun to become popular not only among hunters, but also among sports shooters.
There are several reasons to explain the phenomenal rise in popularity of semi-automatics. Firstly, it is a lower price compared to double-barreled shotguns, secondly, it is lighter in weight (certain models), thirdly, it is ease of shooting due to the fact that part of the shot energy is used to reload the gun, and fourthly, it is the ability to produce up to five shots, which is important if we take into account the level of shooting training of many hunters, especially young ones.

The smaller mass of semi-automatic weapons (for certain models) can also turn into a disadvantage - the moment of inertia of the gun is reduced, so the hunter or shooter needs to make more effort than when shooting from a double-barreled shotgun to control the position of the gun when leashed. Despite this, semi-automatic machines are distinguished by fairly high ease of use and maneuverability.

If Russian manufacturers can offer the Belarusian hunter about a dozen models, the imported line of semi-automatic devices includes more than fifty models. This review compares four models. These are Beretta AL391 Urika, Browning Gold Fusion, MP-153 and MC 21-12. These guns are the leaders in sales of weapons of this class and are the most popular among semi-automatic weapons in Belarus. There have long been debates on Belarusian Internet forums about which weapons are better - imported or Russian.

Browning Gold Fusion

This weapon has become popular since its appearance on store shelves. The choice of hunters was determined by reasonable price, quality of manufacture and high reliability during operation in extreme conditions. However, interest in this model has decreased somewhat today, and not without reason.

During operation, weak points began to emerge that were not taken into account by the designers during the creation of the gun. The greatest number of complaints were caused by frequent breakdowns of the strikers and the operation of the mechanics. To the credit of the designers, they made the necessary changes to the design of the gun, and as a result, all the shortcomings identified in actual operation were eliminated.
Browning Gold Fusion looks solid. Browning Gold Fusion wood is dark, almost chocolate brown.

Upon careful inspection, you can find traces of soldering in the places where the barrel and the sighting bar are fastened, which is somewhat strange for a weapon of this class. In addition, the sighting bar itself makes the silhouette of the gun a little “humpbacked”. The huge gold lettering on the Fusion receiver (translated from English as “alloy”) looks a little tacky.

The gun weighs 3.6 kg, barrel length - 76 cm, total length - 128 cm. Compared to the Beretta AL391, the Urika Browning Gold Fusion is somewhat heavy for a semi-automatic, but at the same time it has high grip, and shooting from it is quite comfortable. The only complaint about the gun is the fairly large trigger pull, almost 2.5 kg. The optimal force would be no more than 2 kg.
Gas-operated semi-automatic devices, incl. and Browning Gold, are known primarily for their shooting comfort. After several hundred shots, the hunter will not experience any discomfort. Automatic reloading works flawlessly.

The triangular, all-over checkered safety of the Browning Gold Fusion is much better than the Beretta AL391 Urika. It is also located on the base of the trigger guard, but in the rear part, closer to the butt.

Unlike the Beretta, the Browning can be loaded either cocked or deflated.
The semi-automatic kit includes three fiber optic front sights - white, red and greenish-yellow. The shooter can choose the color of the front sight according to his preferences.

This is exactly what a modern semi-automatic hunting rifle should look like: nothing superfluous.
As Michelangelo said, creating a masterpiece is very simple - you just need to cut off everything unnecessary from a block of marble. The words of the great artist and sculptor are quite appropriate: the external appearance of the Beretta AL391 Urika was worked on by the Giugiaro company, a famous design studio.

The shape of the gun resembles a shark - due to the “gills” of the compensation valve located at the end of the tubular magazine.
One of the distinguishing features of the AL391 Urika, the trigger guard, is rounded and blends into the stock to ensure safe, quick access directly to the trigger. The increased diameter allows the use of gloves. The large, ergonomic, stylized bolt handle minimizes the effort required to operate the bolt.
The Beretta AL391 Urika safety is located at the base of the trigger guard and is a round button. It works clearly, but it may seem that the button area is too small and requires significant force to press it.

The surface of the receiver is coated with an anti-reflective matte compound that contrasts with the polished sides.
Charging the Beretta AL391 Urika is carried out through a window at the bottom of the receiver, and this can only be done with the trigger mechanism cocked.
The gun has a magazine cut-off, as well as a quick loading system: having inserted one cartridge into the magazine, just press the bolt stop button so that in a moment the cartridge is in the chamber.
The gun's grip can be rated as excellent. The quality of the fit of the metal and wood parts, as well as the quality of the wood itself, deserves praise. The color of the wooden parts is light brown.

MP-153

Without giving up its ambition to become a world-class sporting gun manufacturer, the Russian company BAIKAL (Izhevsk Mechanical Plant) has released a new multi-shot shotgun of modern design MP-153, capable of firing all 12-gauge cartridges, lengths 70 mm, 75 mm and 89 mm with both lead and steel shot. It is a semi-automatic device with removal of powder gases.
The barrel of the gun is made of carbon steel by hot forging, chrome-plated, equipped with replaceable chokes adapted for steel shot. The shotgun has a blued barrel, ventilated rib with checkering to reduce glare and a white metal front sight. In the first quarter of its length before the muzzle, the bar becomes solid and ventilated for the last three quarters of its length. Each gun is equipped with interchangeable chokes in a set: a cylinder with pressure, a half choke and a full choke.

The weapon has a malleable aluminum alloy receiver and dual rods to prevent jamming. The hammer mechanism is secured inside the receiver with two pins and can be easily removed for cleaning. There is a single gold-plated trigger and a release-blocking safety located at the rear of the trigger guard.
Locking occurs using a single, recessed cam at the top of the bolt, which fits into a cutout in the extension of the barrel. The bolt moves on a carriage driven by two rods. Dual extractors pull the bolt casing out of the chamber. The cartridge case is ejected by a fixed ejector with two teeth, mounted on the left inner side of the receiver. The bolt is locked in the open position after the last cartridge is fired. To release the bolt, press the bolt release button on the right side of the front of the receiver. The carriage stop lever is located on the right side of the receiver at the front end of the trigger housing. When cocking the hammer, the bolt will not lock in the rearmost position if this lever is not pulled back.

The gas exhaust system operates on the principle of removing high-pressure gases through two holes at the bottom of the barrel. The gas pushes the piston and both rods back to activate the compression mechanisms of the return spring, which is concentrically placed on the tubular magazine. Excess gases are released through an automatically adjusted control system. The surfaces of the tubular magazine, the piston and the internal cavity of the housing of the MP-153 gas cylinder are chrome-plated.

The outer surface of the extended part of the choke tubes with knurling allows them to be easily replaced without a key. The fire control system is simple, durable and easily removable.
Despite the weight, the balancing of the MP-153 is excellent, which greatly simplifies the use of the gun. For example, the balance point is located under the front end of the receiver, which gives a sufficient advantage forward and promotes smooth operation of the gun without feeling bulky. A comfortable thin pistol grip with a slight thickening for the palm is another important characteristic.
The MP-153 looks elegant - good wood, high-quality metal inserts. The appearance is slightly spoiled by the strange shape of the magazine cover.
The Russian company created a good gun, although later, based on the results of its operation, significant improvements had to be made. Of course, there are some elements in the gun that give rise to doubts, but it works without problems on almost all cartridges (12/70, 12/76, 12/89).

During the operation of the weapon, many hunters complained about the edge of the steel cup of the cartridge case sticking into the sharp edge of the rim of the chamber. The manufacturer did not pay attention to the dulling of sharp edges, but this is not difficult to eliminate. When reloading, cartridges must be calibrated, even all-metal ones, and a ring that is not too strict must be selected. Modern imported cartridges are very weak and are poorly calibrated, but the edge of the cup, which bends outward when fired, must be bent inward, otherwise sticking cannot be avoided.

A disadvantage of the MP-153 may be that the sharp edge of the cartridge case flange sticks into the junction of the magazine tube and the box jumper. The edge of the latter has to be chamfered. Such a drawback was noticed in Tula semi-automatic machines, especially when using a metal sleeve with a flange sharper than that of a plastic sleeve cup, or a calibrated imported sleeve in which the flange became flat.
The MP-153 charging handle has a mounting design similar to the Beretta AL391 Urika and is very easy to remove from the bolt. In the first release guns it was often lost. Later this deficiency was eliminated.
Like the barrel bore (and other parts that work with powder gases), the magazine tube must be regularly cleaned and lubricated - despite the chrome coating, powder gases can burn through it quite quickly. By the way, on the gas pistons of many guns of the first releases, there are through holes from milling in the corners of the grooves for placing thrust. This is not a defect, although it does make cleaning the weapon somewhat more difficult after firing.

Like many other automatic systems, some samples of the MP-153 may malfunction when firing without pressing the butt to the shoulder.
The magazine design allows the use of extension cords. The conventional extension nut allows for more capacity per round due to a longer spring, and is typically factory installed on 89mm chambered shotguns shipped in the United States. To make it easier to handle a disassembled gun (without a barrel), a special plastic plug is placed under the magazine nut, which must be removed before hunting to increase the magazine capacity, although this will complicate disassembly and reassembly due to the longer spring length than the magazine.

The MP-153 is a reliable, well-made semi-automatic magnum shotgun that comes complete and has features that are important to most shooters. Its price is reasonable. It is the best choice for waterfowl hunting and for recoil-sensitive shooters. Its rugged design and reliability are another significant argument in favor of many shooting enthusiasts paying attention to the gun.

The MP-153 was included in the list of “One Hundred Best Products of Russia”; many Russian arms dealers recognized it as a sales leader, and two hunting magazines - Guns & Ammo and Sports Afield - named it the gun of 2001 in the USA.

MC 21-12

None of the domestic shotguns has been written about in the press as much as the semi-automatic MC 21-12.
The historical prototype of the MTs 21-12 is the Browning AUTO-5 - a semi-automatic hunting weapon that operates, like some artillery pieces, on the “recoil-roll” principle and was created at the beginning of the century by John Browning. This model was originally manufactured by TsKIB SOO. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, this model was produced in small quantities, with a 675 mm long barrel, having a fire accuracy regulator and a chamber for a 65 mm long sleeve. Currently, the gun is produced in regular and piece versions with a barrel length of 750 mm and a chamber length of 70 mm.

There is not a single screw in MC 21-12. It is easy to disassemble and assemble. The stock mount is much better than its prototype. But still, MC 21-12 is not the legendary Browning AUTO-5, which has been produced unchanged for a hundred years by many countries around the world (Belgium is the main manufacturer) and does its job almost flawlessly. The main disadvantage of the Russian semi-automatic machine MC 21-12 is the level of production technology and the quality of work of the gunsmiths.

The MC 21-12 has power, strong combat, accuracy, range, and five quick shots in a row. So what are its disadvantages?
Significant weight, however, only in comparison with the Beretta AL391 Urika. Difficult maintenance, sensitivity to lubricant, contamination, cartridges, uniform selection of cartridges, i.e. inability to choose one fraction or another. And most importantly - possible failure of the mechanism. This weapon is not suitable for a novice hunter.

Before 1990, the quality of MC 21-12 was higher; they are more reliable than modern, although more affordable, crafts. The gun can “jam”, double shots, eject two cartridges at once, etc.
The main distinguishing feature of the MC is the operating principle of the mechanisms. The MTs 21-12 is a semi-automatic, reloaded by the recoil of the barrel, and the Beretta AL391 Urika, Browning Gold Fusion and MP-153 are semi-automatic with a gas-operated reloading mechanism.

Operating principle of MC 21-12
Let's try to briefly but clearly talk about the main thing - the operation of the gun mechanism, hidden from the shooter's eyes both by the casing and forearm, and by the lightning speed of the processes taking place.
The entire operating cycle of the gun’s mechanisms is divided into two phases: “rollback” and “rollback”. the beginning of the first phase - “rollback” - is the extreme forward position of the shutter. At this moment, a loaded cartridge is in the chamber, the next one, partially extended from the magazine, rests against the cartridge stop located on the bolt. The combat stop, located in the bolt frame, is located in the hole in the barrel shank, due to which the barrel and the bolt are in an interlocked state. The hammer is cocked and its lug is on the trigger lug.

When fired, the pressure force of the powder gases is transmitted through the bottom of the cartridge case to the bolt and the barrel connected to it, imparting movement to them in the box. This coincides with the beginning of the movement of the projectile along the barrel and is accompanied by compression of the springs: the hammer (the hammer is cocked), the return barrel and the bolt. The barrel, with its protrusion, releases the left stop of the cartridges, and it, coming out of the groove of the receiver, delays the cartridge, allowing the latter to exit the magazine by a small amount. Next, the protrusions of the barrel and bolt release the right stop of the cartridges. The barrel and bolt continue to move backwards. Having reached the rearmost position, the bolt is delayed by the feeder lever, and the barrel, under the action of its return spring, disengages from the bolt (the lug is retracted into the bolt frame). In this case, the release hook of the trigger is placed on the corresponding hook of the disconnector. The feed tray is in its lowest position.

After the completion of the “rollback” phase, the next phase begins - “rollback” - the movement of the barrel, and then the bolt, forward, under the influence of its springs. The barrel, disengaged from the bolt, releases the spent cartridge case held on the bolt by the extractor and lock, and with the help of a fork-shaped protrusion on the shank reflects the cartridge case from the box through the side window of the lid. When the barrel approaches the extreme forward position, with its protrusion on the shank it presses on the left stop of the cartridges and recesses it into the groove of the box. The released cartridge, under the action of the magazine spring, moves to the feeder tray and presses the feeder latch with the sleeve flange, which leads to the release of the bolt, which begins to move forward. Moving, the bolt presses on the feeder, which, rotating, lifts the cartridge, and the bolt moving forward sends it into the chamber. The extractor and bolt latch snap onto the flange of the bottom of the cartridge case, entering the corresponding grooves located in the front of the chamber. The next cartridge is held in the magazine by the right stop until the bolt reaches its extreme forward position. When the bolt approaches the extreme forward position, the bolt with its protrusion presses the right stop of the cartridges, and the released cartridge, under the action of the magazine spring, moves slightly back, until its flange stops against the cartridge limiter on the bolt. Since at this moment the release hook of the trigger is on the corresponding release hook, then to fire the next shot it is necessary to release the trigger. As a result, under the action of the spring, it will rotate around its axis, and the trigger, under the action of the mainspring, will jump from the disconnector hook to the trigger hook.

At this point, the “roll-up” phase ends, and the gun’s mechanisms are in the appropriate position necessary to complete the next working cycle - the gun is ready for the next shot.
However, the gun has one drawback: the operation of the mechanisms is poorly protected from atmospheric influences. The entry of dust, reed particles, and straw into the bolt box through the cartridge ejection hole and the feeder hole can significantly impair the smooth operation of the mechanisms, and sometimes leads to their complete failure. It is necessary to constantly monitor the cleanliness of all mechanisms and lubricate them with appropriate oil on time.

Particular attention must be paid to the “recoil” system, which includes the brake, brake buffer, buffer-return spring, barrel return spring and support ring. All these parts are located on the magazine body. When fired, the support ring with the barrel, moving back, compresses with its internal cone the brake, which is a cut ring, which is compressed from the outside by a ring spring. On the other hand, the brake is compressed by the inner cone of the buffer, which is acted upon by the barrel return spring. In this position, you can fire more powerful charges (with proper lubrication). When turning the buffer backside, i.e. with the inner cone to the spring, increasing the amount of lubricant appropriate to the season, you can shoot with reduced charges. Thus, the correct selection of charges, temperature conditions, type of lubricant and a properly assembled “recoil-roll” device make it possible to shoot cartridges of different power from the same gun, widely varying the weight of the shot shell and gunpowder.

In addition to the problems encountered when shooting from a self-loading gun, indicated in the passport, it is necessary to note several other possible failures of the mechanisms. This is a cartridge falling out of the chamber, jamming of the bolt when it is retracted manually (the lug does not disengage). Sometimes, when using cartridges that have not been checked by the control sleeve or for other reasons, the barrel and bolt get stuck in the rearmost position. The reason for this is that the lug did not come out of the hole in the barrel shank. Sometimes it happens that after a shot the cartridge case remains in the chamber, and the next cartridge from the magazine is lifted by the tray onto the chambering line. When the bolt moves forward, the latter sticks into the cartridge, and the cartridge into the cartridge case, which is not removed from the chamber.
In addition, a likely cause of failure during reloading may be poor lubrication of the bolt return spring, which is located in the butt body tube. Some hunters, after many years of hunting with a gun, not only do not lubricate this spring at all, but also do not clean it of old grease and dirt.

There are spontaneous or double shots. They may be caused by clogging or poor lubrication of the parts of the trigger, disconnector and trigger, which with their hooks move from the release hook to the firing hook when the trigger is released to fire the next shot.

With the above types of failures, reloading the gun most often leads to normal operation of the automation, but then the failure recurs.

All shotguns are disassembled in the traditional manner for semi-automatic shotguns. First you need to unscrew the plug of the tubular magazine, then remove the forend and, moving the bolt back, remove the barrel from the receiver. Disassembly does not require special tools and can be done in the field. As for maintenance, special attention should be paid to cleaning the gas outlet unit, because... the reliability of the functioning of the gun as a whole depends on its correct operation.

conclusions

The main advantage of domestic semi-automatic machines is, of course, the price, but the quality leaves much to be desired. If we were to rank the models under consideration, then the places could be distributed as follows: Beretta Urika AL391, Browning Gold, MC 21-12, MP-153.

The appearance of such smooth bores dates back to the end of the 19th century. The authorship of the first model - the legendary "Browning Auto 5" - belongs to John Moses Browning. Its design was so reliable and successful that many “Auto 5” produced in those days still function perfectly and can be used for their intended purpose.

Why should you buy a smoothbore semi-automatic shotgun?

The most important and important reason is the desire to give the hunter the opportunity to quickly fire the third, fourth and fifth shots with a high rate of fire, similar to the speed of the second shot when shooting from a double-barreled shotgun. After all, often game, especially waterfowl, do not die on the first hit, and if it is not possible to quickly finish off the prey, then there is a high probability that it will escape. So the possibility of the third and subsequent quick aimed shots is simply necessary. That is why this hunting weapon is in great demand.

Disadvantages of hunting rifles, automatic 12 and other calibers

But for the sake of some important qualities and properties, you always have to sacrifice others. Many semi-automatic models are inferior to the good old classic double-barreled shotguns in some respects.

Firstly, the best smooth-bore semi-automatic machines are always longer than double-barreled shotguns with the same barrel size by at least the length of the cartridge case. And at the same time, structurally, most of the mass of the gun - the bolt, the barrel, the magazine with cartridges - is shifted 8-10 cm forward. This cannot but affect the balance, so the handling is worse than that of the classics.

Secondly, this “extra” length significantly affects the dimensions of the weapon, increasing them. But compactness is an important factor in comfortable hunting, especially in thickets, from hidden areas or from boats, where conditions are cramped and space for maneuver is limited.

Semi-automatic shotguns for sale. Price from 30,000 rub.

Our catalog contains a wide range of high-quality and reliable weapons that will definitely increase the effectiveness of your hunt and help you get trophies that will honor the most experienced fisherman. All models presented in the catalog are from manufacturers whose products are very popular in the arms market.

How to buy a semi-automatic machine in St. Petersburg

There are two ways:

• by pre-booking the selected gun for a day, during which you must arrive at the store, pay the price and pick up the purchase;
• directly when visiting the store located in St. Petersburg on Leninsky Prospekt, 125.