Anyone seen Page 76 of the Nov. Shooting Times about the new Baikal double rifle? A side by side in either 30/06 or 45/70.
The $1,000+ price should get some folks entered into the world of Double Rifles.
Evidently wood to metal fit is not world class and the triggers are gritty but the 30/06 tested shot very well.
This would have been fun on several of my safaris as most of my African game has been shot with an old Rem. Mod. 721 in ought six.
I think I may have to have one of these for poking at some whitetails at the ranch this season. May become my new Kawasaki Mule gun.
A friend of mine who can afford about any gun toy he wants said he has killed tons of deer on his ranches in Mexico with a 30/30 double.
I am sure there will be lots of negative comments because it is not English and does not cost a fortune....I bet with a bit of TLC it could become something better than what you first unbox.
Years ago I shot sporting clays against a fellow shooting an inexpensive Stevens 20 ga. double with lots of rust and he outshot eveyone on my squad that day. His gun always went bang and a couple of those higher dollar ones failed that day.
Better tomorrows to all!

If I am not mistaken it is the same as the Remington sxs that where offered several years ago in 30-06 or 45-70. They initially where to sell at about $500 but that turned in to $900 when they hit the US I have the one in 45-70, fun gun for the money but I wouldn't use them on dangerous game.
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raamw
What peep sight do you have on the rear?
I have no intent to use it on dangerous game but there is a lot of critters you can shoot with ought six or 45/70 and have the fun of doing such with a double.

It is a nec peep for a ruger rifle

You can find them for less that $700 on the used market.

I have examined a couple of the Biakal double rifles, and they are what they are, a rifle with two barrels! It was surprising to me when I looked at the first one I saw. And once trigger pull is cleaned up, and regulation is properly adjusted they soot very well. As Harry says they are not H&H rifles but are quite acceptable as a double for daily use resting in a gun rack of a Kawasaki Mule, canoe, or truck.

Roscoe, had one down at one of our DRSS get together, down at 4K ranch in Texas. For the original price of about $600 it was surprisingly well fitted, and the wood was at least as good as the run of the mill mod 94 Winchester. It shot pretty well. I just wish they had come out with the small rifle chambered for 30-30 instead of the rimless 30-06. If they had I would have bought one in a heart beat for canoe rifle. Certainly if you capsize the canoe and loose the rifle it is not the same as loosing one of my better double rifles.
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Mac - I am betting you don't take one of your better double rifles anywhere near a canoe!!
Just saying.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member


OTE]Originally posted by MacD37:
I have examined a couple of the Biakal double rifles, and they are what they are, a rifle with two barrels! It was surprising to me when I looked at the first one I saw. And once trigger pull is cleaned up, and regulation is properly adjusted they soot very well. As Harry says they are not H&H rifles but are quite acceptable as a double for daily use resting in a gun rack of a Kawasaki Mule, canoe, or truck.

Roscoe, had one down at one of our DRSS get together, down at 4K ranch in Texas. For the original price of about $600 it was surprisingly well fitted, and the wood was at least as good as the run of the mill mod 94 Winchester. It shot pretty well. I just wish they had come out with the small rifle chambered for 30-30 instead of the rimless 30-06. If they had I would have bought one in a heart beat for canoe rifle. Certainly if you capsize the canoe and loose the rifle it is not the same as loosing one of my better double rifles.
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I bought one in 45-70 about 3 years ago. Had a gunsmith go through the triggers and cocking action. He was able to at least smooth the trigger up so the broke clean at 3 lbs each. Couldn't do much about the take up or over travel but at least they are smooth. He was able to get the cocking action to at least stay fully open under the weight of the barrels once cocked.

Took me a long time to sort out the regulation - finally settled on just good old Rem 405's at 1600fps. Mounted an old Weaver K2.5 on it and finally able to get it to shoot 4 shoots (2 each barrel) into less then a 2" circle at 100 yds. After that the barrels got too hot to grab to re-cock/re-load without a rag or gloves. Very thin barrels heat up fast but they cool fast too.

Finally "blooded" it in Namibia last year on a few cull Gemsbok out to 125 yds or so jut to got confident with it and see what it was capable of. All were one shot kills via spine shots and two that missed the spine didn't go more than 75 yds. Ha a couple broadside shots that were pass throughs.

Would I try to make it into something it is not - NO. Would I use it on DG - Leopard yes, but that is all. Lots of fun for under a grand and if the airline loses it or busts it up....at least I'm not out tens of thousands.

It's going back with me again next year too.

I have one in 45-70. Attempts to regulate it for 50 yds. has been an exercise in frustration. I have the PDF file on regulation which was provided by one of AR members.

There must be a secret to get both barrels to shoot relatively close to point of aim @ 50 yds. I have not found it. Can anyone please help with sharing their successful procedure?

Thanks in advance.

Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Mac - I am betting you don't take one of your better double rifles anywhere near a canoe!!
Just saying.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

You know me well Larry!

Geoff:

It was frustrating as hell - some of it was self inflicted because I didn't settle on a load FIRST and kept trying to do load development AND regulation at the same time. Once I settled on one and only one load it still took some time and multiple trips between my workbench and the range. When I first got it, at 25 yds both barrels shot 6" apart and the right one 6" high.

Second tip is the regulation jack screw between the barrels not only moved the horizontal impact points but some vertical too. And the more pressure the screw applies pushing the mid-point of the barrels apart (moving the impact point closer together) a "one click" adjustment had a lot of movement. With only a little pressure I could turn it half a turn and only move the impact point an inch or so, but the more pressure that got applied just one click would move the horizontal impacts one inch or more. I was again the biggest problem by continuously over correcting.

I resolved the vertical issue via the use of a large bench vice, a large wrench and torque - it is Russian after all! Decided to try this out of absolute frustration. Took the barrels off the receiver, wrapped the chambers in some leather and clamped it in the bench vice. Wrapped another piece of leather around the end of the barrels where they are joined together, added the wrench and twisted in the direction I needed to go. I used a TLAR gauge. Reassembled and headed to the range. Once I got them close, I played with a set of "shims" I cut from a set of automotive feeler gauges.

I still had a little vertical spread that was taken care of by adding the scope. When I mounted it I just canted the cross hairs a degree or two to get them shooting damn near parallel at 100 yds. And yes this entire process took me over two years playing with it off and on until I got fed up and put it away for awhile and then try again.

I have to say that the satisfaction of seeing the first Gemsbok drop in its tracks from an 80 yd frontal spine shot was worth every frustrating second of it.

It will take you a lot of ammo - you've got to basically shoot two shots instead of one every time.

M3taco,
Thanks much for you input and advices. I too committed the same errors that you have mentioned. I will start again, following your recipe. Although I hunt Namibia annually, I have no plans to use the Baikal. I acquired it as a new toy, with hopes that it may be used to whack some pigs, if it could be fairly regulated. It's former owner gave up. Foolishly, I thought that I could outdo his inability.

It is no wonder why properly regulated doubles are expensive. You help is much appreciated.

Geoff

Geoff:

Send me a PM with your normal email address and I'll send you a photo of the target from our last day at the range before this years trip to show you it can be done...even with one that was as screwed up as mine was when I pulled it out of the box.

Be patient and make small adjustments and it can get there. Once you get it shooting trust me...you WILL end up taking it to Namibia to whack something. Cheap or expensive, it is damn fun to carry and shoot a double in Africa.

Bought one and sold it after 2 months!!the expression you get what you pay is SOOOO right....