i got a baikal 410 side by side.
it isn't worth the money i paid for it. i know this is a rifle forum, but if the designers and manufacturing of the rifles are the same as the shotguns, this is what you can expect.
one other guy i shoot with bought a 12 gauge side by side baikal and his is as bad as mine.
here is what i can tell you about my baikal.
bad points:
machining - it is rough at best. the extractor/ejector is the worst example on the gun. the edges of the surface that engages the barrel range from razor sharp edges to blunt rounds on the same edge radius. both barrel muzzles had to be machined to remove ridges left on the inside of the barrel (wad material would build up on the ridges).
metal finish - the blue finish is watery and inconsistant. most bare surfaces are rough to the look and touch. the breach end of the barrel has no polishing or detail. the metal is prone to oxidize more so than western guns. there are blotches of very fine surface rust that seem to pop up like zits on bare metal surfaces, and yes, you must clean the thing and oil it up before putting it in storage for any period of time.
wood - cord wood or kindling at best. the stock and forearm wood grains are open, porous, and stain easily. there is no character to the wood at all, it lacks depth and smacks of a cheap oil finish.
selective trigger - the trigger selection is one of those transfer bars that you slide left or right and its above the trigger. if you do not press the bar all the way the trigger cannot be pulled. there is no detent or positive action of this trigger selector, kind of like a wall light switch that can be on, off, or somewhere in between. this gun should have definitely been a double trigger.
usage - the gun breaks open easily in cold weather, but you have to bend it over your knee to get it open the summer especially after a few shots.
lockup - the lockup is mushy or soft at best. i like to close my double guns slowly and feel the action snap shut, this shotgun does not do that. it hasn't ever popped open upon firing, but a good brisk snap to close the gun is needed before the tang seats itself.
good points:
large trigger guard - this gun is a real treat to shoot in the winter. you can wear ANY size or bulk fingered glove and your trigger finger will still pass through the goliath sized trigger guard. this is one item where my baikal beats ALL my other guns.
chokes - the chokes are good, improved modified and full. better than the typical full/full combo seen in most 410's.
odd points:
this shotgun crosses over at about 12 yards. the barrels at the breach end are the same size as a typical handi barrel and the muzzle ends are about 1/2" in diameter. i have to believe the 45-70 barrels would be about the same geometry so the right barrel shoots to left and the left barrel shoots to the right ! this makes for crazy leads depending on which way the bird (or water buffalo) goes and which barrel you shoot first !
recoil pad - this gun has one really nice recoil pad. the kind you wish you had on those 5 1/2 pound 30-06 synthetic handi's. mine is a full 1" thick brown rubber like material that has a honey comb body that collapses perfectly as you pull the gun into your shoulder hot or cold. a recoil pad as good as this is not needed on a 410 but would be a real asset on a 45-70 double gun.
in summary, handi's are built better, finished better, and basically are much better guns than what NEF's russian counterparts are building and what remington will be importing, in my experience and opinion only of course.
i havent seen any pictures of the baikal 45-70, is it a hammer gun ?
sg
