Unidentified Russian .22

[Skillet]

Yesterday, I picked up a used .22 bolt-action rifle.

The tag was marked "Russian IMC2" and the barrel is stamped IMC2, 1983.

It uses a 5 shot magazine and I'd like to try to find a spare mag or two for it.

It's a typical Eastern-block product, solidly built if somewhat homely. Seems to be pretty tight and not used much. I was looking for an inexpensive .22 bolt-gun to scope and let my kids use before stepping them up to shooting more powerful guns.

Does anyone have any info on this gun and maybe where xtra mags could perhaps be found?

Best Regards,
Skillet

[Skillet]

Could be that it's Romanian? I've read some archived posts that indicate that IMC stands for "International Mechanical of Cugar".

I'll try to remember to get a picture to post tomorrow.

It appears to be a conventionally designed bolt action, except for the front sight, which is a military-type and can be adjusted for elevation with an AK/SKS sight adjustment tool.

The rear sight is missing (it already had a scope mounted) and the rear-sight dovetail looks huge, compared to typical dovetails.

I can't wait to get it out to the range this weekend.

Skillet

[jh45gun]

Yep I would bet it is a Romanian as that Cugar outfit made them. Another clue is the large dovetail as it held a 3 leaf sight that was 3 of them for 3 different ranges just like some of the African Hunting rifles had. Anther clue is the Date that was a common time frame in the 80's for these rifles to be made.  I would guess who ever marked the tag did not know any better and called it a Russian model when in fact it is a Romanian one.

[Skillet]

I haven't gotten a proper range-session in with it yet, but did try out some CCI CB caps on my 15 yd indoor airgun range and it was grouping very tight.

Another odd feature is the spring-loaded trap door in the steel butt plate for storing a cleaning rod and such. It's much like you'd find in the stock of an SKS. The trigger also has a very pronounced curve (hard to see in the pic as I've added a trigger shoe).



It ain't the prettiest gun, but I'm thinkin' it's a shooter.
Skillet

http://www.surplusrifle.com/romanian1969/index.asp

[jh45gun]

Yep they are accurate for sure and the supprising thing on them is the bore my gunsmith used a bore scope on mine and he said it had a bore like a target barrel does. They may not be pretty on the outside but they sure are made well in the inside. Like I said I wish now I would not have traded mine off. I have a Marlin Glenfield model 60 now that I am perfectly happy with so I doubt I will be buying any 22's for a while plus I just traded a 22 pistol for a Smith and Wesson 22 A which I really like so that will keep me buying bulk ammo for a while. 

[Skillet]

After a couple of range sessions, I'm happy to report that I'm satisfied with the accuracy of this less-than-beautiful Romanian trainer.

5 shot groups at 50 yds are averaging just under an inch with cheap/bulk Federal Ammo.

As an aside, sighting the gun in indoors, if I set it to hit 2" low with CB caps @ 15 yds, it gives a pretty much dead-on zero at 50 with std velocity ammo.

Well worth the $100 I paid for it. Got an extra mag, sling and replacement rear sight on the way (It bugs me to have a gun that's missing parts).

Skillet

[Skillet]

I left the second open sighted and zeroed for CB-caps at 15 yds. Tried it for the first time yesterday morning.

It's a decent shooting squirrel rig and with the CBs I don't have to worry so much about how far the slug carries when I shoot up into a tree. They chronographed about 700 fps out of this gun, are very quiet but still do the job.



HH All!
Skillet