IZH-27 is a double-barreled hunting rifle with vertical barrels, intended for both commercial and amateur hunting.

The IZH-27 shotgun has been serially produced at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant since 1973 and is the most popular shotgun in Russia among hunters. Taking into account all possible modifications of the IZH-27 (MP-27), more than 1.6 million units were produced and sold.

In the 90s of the last century, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant decided to enter the international arms market and new models of weapons began to be designated by the abbreviation in the Latin letters MP, which stands for Mehanical Plant. Since 2008, the plant decided to completely bring the weapon designation system to a single form and all models began to have the MP designation in the name. Thus, the IZH-18, IZH-43 and IZH-27 guns were designated MR-18, MP-43 and MR-27.

The IZH-27 (MR-27) shotgun was created on the basis of the IZH-12 shotgun, one of the first models of shotguns from the Izhevsk plant with vertical barrels, many changes were made to the IZH-27 design: the shape of the stock and forend was changed, a rubber shock absorber appeared on the stock , a ventilated aiming bar was installed on the gun, an automatic fuse, interceptors, an ejector appeared on the gun, the shape of the receiver at the junction with the stock of the gun was also significantly changed.

Currently, the IZH-27 (MP-27) rifle is produced in various modifications, different calibers, with different barrel lengths, and different decoration. Every hunter can choose a gun to suit their needs, budget and taste.

Characteristics of a hunting rifle IZH 27 (MR 27)

• Caliber: 12, 16, 20, 28, 32, 410
• Cartridge length: 70, 76.2 mm
• Barrel length: 675, 725, 750 mm
• Muzzle constrictions: fixed, replaceable
• Rifle weight: 3.1 - 3.6 kg

Description of the gun IZH-27 (MR-27)

IZH-27 shotguns are serially produced in 12, 16, 20 and 28 calibers. The weight of shotguns ranges from 3 to 3.6 kg and depends on the caliber of the shotgun and the length of the barrels.

The gun can have both permanent and interchangeable muzzle constrictions, permanent muzzle constrictions, as a rule, a choke in the upper barrel and payoffs in the lower one. Replaceable muzzles are preferred as they give the gun more versatility.

The barrels have a ventilated aiming bar, the bores of the barrels and the chamber are chrome-plated, the outer surfaces of the gun are anodized or oxidized.

The connection of the barrels with the block is carried out by means of underbarrel hooks and a hinge axis. The barrels are connected with a block by means of underbarrel hooks and a hinge.

Locking takes place with the help of a striker plate that goes into the groove of the rear underbarrel hook. The barrels are locked by a movable striker plate on the rear hook of the barrel coupling.

When the barrels are opened, the hammers are cocked. The hammers are cocked when the barrels are opened.

The firing mechanism allows for a smooth descent of the cocks from the cocked when closing the barrels. The trigger mechanism smoothly releases the triggers when the receiver is closed.

The casings are removed from the chamber by an extractor. Specifications IZH-27E: it differs in that it is equipped with a spent cartridge case ejector and is made switchable. In the gun, the casings are put forward by a common extractor, and in the IZH-27E model, an ejector mechanism is introduced, which can be turned off by the owner in a simple way, without the use of any special tool (only a screwdriver is required).

USM

The trigger mechanism of the shotgun has internal triggers, is mounted partly in the box of the shotgun, partly on a separate lower base.
The mechanism of the gun has interceptors, which intercept the triggers in the event of an accidental drop of the gun, this feature makes the IZH-27 safer compared to other guns. The mainsprings are coiled cylindrical.
Also, the gun has an inertial disconnector in the design of its mechanism, which excludes the possibility of a double shot, which also makes the use of the gun safer.


Since 1972, the gun has been produced with two triggers, in 1977 a single trigger mechanism was developed, which has the ability to switch the sequence of the shot. Initially, the trigger mechanism of the IZH-27-1S (IZH-27E-1S) rifle with one trigger was developed for the IZH-25 sporting rifle; it is also used in the IZH-39 rifle. After loading the gun, the sequence of shots is the standard lower-upper barrel, to switch the sequence, you need to pull the trigger forward, after the next reloading, the previous sequence of the shot will be restored.
Shotgun strikers are made separate from the hammers, have a sufficiently large output (up to 2.2 mm), and have return springs.
In general, USM IZH-27 is very reliable and, as a rule, does not raise any questions from hunters.

Butt

The stock on IZH-27 guns can be made either of walnut or beech, on serial guns the stock has a pistol neck in shape, on piece guns and custom-made guns it can be of any shape.
The forend is of a detachable type, when using a gun, especially during assembly and disassembly, you need to be careful and careful to avoid cracks on it.

Modifications

Over the years that the IZH-27 gun has been produced, the plant has mastered the mass production of several modifications of this gun.

The Izh-27 shotgun can be of various designs: serial, export, piece and souvenir.

On the basis of the IZH-27 rifle, many different models of hunting and sporting weapons have been created: the IZH-39 (MP-39) sports rifle was created for athletes, and a series of IZH-94 (MP-94) combined rifles was created for hunters.

Piece shotguns MP-27

In addition to serial production guns, the Izhevsk plant produces piece guns for individual orders of hunters. The build quality and fit of these shotguns is significantly higher than the production models.

Piece shotguns have improved barrel quality, and since the assembly of each shotgun is performed by one master, such shotguns have a better and more careful fit of parts and mechanisms, which ensures higher reliability of such shotguns.
A big advantage of piece shotguns is the ability, with an individual order of a shotgun, to adjust the stock to the anthropometric data of a particular customer. The stock of such a gun will ideally fit under the shooter, which will provide more accurate shooting from such a gun.

Many customers order the production of the IZH-27 piece shotgun with two pairs of barrels, for example: one pair of barrels can have a length of 720 mm, while it will have muzzle constrictions for chokes and pays, the second pair of barrels can have a length of 650 mm, while the muzzle constrictions on both barrels can be cylinders. The combination of two pairs of barrels can be any and depends only on the hunter's imagination. A double barrel shotgun is becoming much more versatile and can better suit different types and hunting conditions.
IZH-27 piece shotguns differ from the serial ones in the presence of a more serious decoration of the gun. Hand-engraved, engraved with precious metals, and art painting are used on piece shotguns. The metal parts of the gun can be silver-plated, nickel-plated, coated with titanium nitride. The wooden parts of the gun can be decorated with decorative carvings or beautifully cut.

A serious drawback of piece shotguns produced by the Izhevsk plant is their price, which is 2-3 times, sometimes more, than for mass-produced shotguns. For this amount, a hunter can purchase a high-quality foreign-made rifle, but its exclusivity speaks in favor of a piece IZH-27, a hunter acquiring such a gun may be warmed by the thought that a second such gun no longer exists.

Choosing between TOZ-34 and IZH-27 (MR-27)

These two rifles IZH-27 (MR-27) and TOZ-34 have been competing with each other in the minds of our hunters for many years.

Both of these shotguns are double-barreled shotguns with vertical barrels, both of domestic production, both have been produced for many years, have approximately the same cost, both are equally popular with our hunters, but with all this, they also have serious differences.


According to many hunters, the most serious difference between these guns lies in the quality of the barrels; it is traditionally believed that the barrels of the TOZ-34 are better than those of the IZH-27. In the IZH-27, the side bar of the barrels more often departs, which indicates the worse quality of the barrel soldering.

• The main springs of the IZH-27 are spiral and are considered more reliable than the main springs of the TOZ-34, which are curly and have both lower reliability and a shorter service life.
• The disadvantage of TOZ-34, especially for models of the early years of production, is the quality of manufacture of the platoon levers of strikers, which often broke and bent, which led to the need to replace them.
• These two guns differ in forend, for the IZH-27 rifle the forend is removable, its frequent removal leads to its breakage and cracks in the tree, in TOZ-34 the forend is of a non-removable type, it is devoid of these drawbacks.
• IZH-27 is usually much heavier than TOZ-34. The greater weight of the IZH-27 can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on what kind of hunting you prefer.
• For running hunting, where you have to walk a lot, a gun of less weight is better suited, TOZ-34 will be more appropriate here. If you prefer hunting that does not require too much walking, for example, hunting woodcock on a pull in the spring or hunting ducks on flights, the IZH-27 gun will be preferable. Due to the greater weight of the IZH-27 gun, it is possible to shoot with more powerful cartridges without experiencing a strong recoil due to the greater weight of the gun, shots from a gun with a greater weight tire the shooter less.
• The locking mechanisms for both guns are about the same in quality and reliability, they work great for many years.

Summing up, it should be noted that both of these guns are about the same, each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, it is no coincidence that they are both equally popular with our hunters. Choosing what to buy IZH-27 or TOZ-34 follows from your personal preferences and how well the gun will be for you.

Choosing a gun

Are you buying a gun from hand or choosing a new gun in gun shop you need to know what to look for when examining the IZH-27 rifle.

• Pay attention to the quality of the connection of the barrels, the bar must be firmly soldered, there must be no gap or white plaque between it and the barrel.
• The muzzles of the barrels should be perfectly round, no ovality, and the thickness of the barrel wall should be the same thickness. Any difference in wall thickness should not be visible.
• When examining the inner surface of the trunks, when examining the chrome plating of the trunks, no spots and gaps should be visible, the quality of the chrome plating of the IZH-27 is not too high quality, problems with chrome plating are useless for you.
• The aiming bar of the gun must be flat, without bends or any bulges, the front sight is strictly in the middle of the bar, defects in the aiming bar indicate damage to the barrels themselves.
• The barrels of the shotgun must be perfectly straight, inspect the barrel rings and the barrels themselves from the outside, usually any deviation of the barrels is visible to the eye.
• When shaking the gun, you should not hear and see any backlash and rattling of mechanisms. The gun should be easy, effortlessly disassembled and assembled.
• Pay particular attention to the quality of the fit of the wood and metal parts. There should be no gaps in the mating of these parts.
• On the wooden parts: butt and forend, there should be no cracks, burrs and chips, the presence of knots is also undesirable.

Storage and care of the IZH-27 (MR-27) rifle

The shotgun must be stored in a dry place, the shotgun must be stored disassembled, and when storing the shotgun the triggers must be pulled down to avoid wear on the mainsprings.

All parts of the gun, during storage, must be lubricated with gun oil to prevent rust, if you are not going to use the gun for a long time, for example in the off-season, it is better to coat all metal parts of the gun with thick grease.

After each shooting, the gun must be thoroughly cleaned and oiled. Bluing barrels and chrome plating are not of high quality and if the gun is not regularly cleaned and lubricated, the consequences in the form of rust and chrome plating will come very soon.

If lead appears in the barrel bores, you need to remove it with a soft copper brush, or using special lead removers, which can be purchased at gun stores.

The appearance of the barrels barrels may indicate that the clamping screw of the gun has loosened; in order to eliminate this problem, you need to unscrew two screws from the butt plate and tighten the clamping screw.

You cannot click the trigger of a gun when it is empty, without cartridges in the barrels, this has a bad effect on the strikers and their seats. If you want to pull the triggers without cartridges in the barrels, for example, if you train at home with a gun, insert spent cartridges into the barrels, or even better buy special dummy cartridges in the gun store and train yourself for health, without any damage to the gun.

When opening the rifle, do it smoothly, without jerking or sudden movements, with both hands, in order to prevent the shake of the rifle.
In order to extend the life of the gun, do not shoot old cartridges with an unknown expiration date, also do not shoot self-loaded cartridges that have significantly exceeded the charge rate. These cartridges can easily damage the barrel of a shotgun.

Bullets for rifle IZH-27

When firing a bullet from an IZH-27 gun, be careful when using round bullets, the diameter of round bullets should be 0.2-0.3 mm less than the muzzle of the barrels. The easiest way to test such a bullet is simply by passing it through the barrel, it should freely pass through it.
When using bullets with belts, the diameter of the bullet body should be 0.8-1 mm less than the muzzle, and the diameter of the belts may be slightly larger than the muzzle by 0.5-1 mm. You can check such a bullet in the same way by passing it through the barrel; when such a bullet passes through the barrel, it should stop 1-2 cm from the muzzle of the barrels.

Over the entire Soviet and early post-Soviet period, domestic hunters got used to the fact that the entire the lineup of our hunting weapon is represented by literally ten models produced in Izhevsk and Tula. It should be noted that such minimalism did not bother even hunters, and this was all the more beneficial to our "defense industry". As a result, the hunters were given a choice of only two models of the "vertical" - Izh-27 and TOZ-34, which are affordable. The Tula gun has now practically disappeared from the shelves, but the news of the replacement of the Izh-27 with a new model has become really sensational.

Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in its entire history has launched into the series not so many double-barreled guns with vertical barrels. The number of basic models can be counted literally on the fingers of one hand. Actually, IZHMEKH began to assemble "verticals" (and this was the Izh-59 model) in 1959. Having produced more than 21 thousand "Sputniks" in 2 years, the plant switched to a new, very successful model - Izh-12. This gun was produced from 1962 to 1974, almost 312 thousand copies were collected in total. After that, the production of the most massive vertical double-barreled gun in world history - Izh-27, produced, according to various estimates, with a circulation of more than 1 million, began. We will not consider sports models (Izh-25, Izh-39 and Izh-44) now, and only about 7-8 thousand of them were made.

And so it happened - a fundamentally new model of the IZHMEKH vertical is being prepared for serial production - the MP-234, which will be discussed in this article.

The first two copies of the MP-234. A shotgun with a darker stock and forend is essentially a prototype. The second is already a pre-production, "exhibition" sample.

MR-234 - Development history and design features

Development of the new model began in 2007. The purpose of the development was to create a new basic model of a sporting and hunting double-barreled shotgun with vertical barrels, as well as to replace the MP-27 rifle and the MP-233 model, which did not meet expectations.

In its original form the terms of reference (TOR) included the following items:

• Reducing the mass of the gun to 3.4 kg;
• Increasing the strength and survivability of the locking unit relative to the MP-27M model;
• Caliber 12x89 at the design and testing stage for the sake of checking strength and survivability (with the possibility of implementation later), caliber 12x76 at the production stage;
• Reducing the height of the receiver profile;
• Detachable (with the help of a tool, and not quick-detachable, as on the MP-233 model) single-release USM with a selector and lower trigger force relative to the MP-233;
• Improving the reliability of the ejector mechanism;
• Replaceable muzzle attachments;
• The development initially provided for the use of new promising high-tech equipment with a higher quality of trunks, wood, appearance of the final product;
• Reducing the volume of manual near-bay operations by narrowing tolerances and manufacturing on CNC machines.

First general ideas, which later formed the basis of this gun, were worked out by Konstantin Evseev, the author of the famous "self-loading" MP-153. He proposed a trunnion suspension scheme for the barrel unit and upper unloading hooks, as well as the basic design of the new trigger. Subsequently, Evseev switched to the topic, which is now the MP-155 model and no longer participated in the development of the "vertical".

More than 95% of all work on the creation of a rifle performed Yuri Yuminov. He proposed and tested on samples 01 - 04 various schemes for the implementation of the locking mechanism (it remained practically unchanged), the trigger mechanism with both upper and lower sear position, inertial (in case of a misfire, the second shot requires blow with the butt on something solid, but the likelihood of a double shot is reduced) and mechanical (it is enough just to press the trigger again, while the protection mechanism against a double shot in a single-trigger USM has undergone significant changes) by an uncoupler, various selector designs, as well as cocking mechanisms and ejector mechanism.

It should be recalled that any more or less significant change in the trigger mechanism entails a large-scale change in the most complex part of the gun - the receiver. Yuri did all this work virtually alone.

Since 2011 part of the work on the preparation of documentation in versions for the experimental workshop 28 and for the department of the Chief Technologist (preparation for development and serial production) Yuminov was helped by a young designer Alexander Konyshev.

Leads the development of the gun honored inventor Russian Federation, laureate of prizes of the Udmurt Republic and the Russian Federation, leading designer Vitaly Petrovich Votyakov.

The main reduction in the mass of the gun and the improvement of its balance was achieved by significant processing of the barrel unit. Firstly, in the initial versions chambered for the 12x89 cartridge, the outer contour of the barrel tubes themselves was revised, and the material changed from 50A steel to high-quality alloyed barrel steel 30XN2MFA, the tolerances for wall thickness were clamped (at the plant they joke that for many years Yuminov is the first person, who managed to push the technologists and "squeeze" the tolerances).

Secondly, lightweight inter-barrels were used. An arched aiming bar (of the MP-155 type) was also planned, but it was not even presented on prototypes due to the complexity of the technology of its manufacture and soldering, which had not yet been mastered by production. The non-disconnectable (due to increased manufacturability and reduced labor intensity of manufacturing and assembly) selective type ejector mechanism (ejecting only the spent cartridge case) and the cocking mechanism partially resemble those in the Beretta models.

In the design of the MP-234, you can see elements of several world-famous models at once - from TsKIB guns to modern Western ones. But not a single patent right was violated.

However, Yuri succeeded not only not to fall under foreign patents, but at the same time to reduce the number of parts of mechanisms, increasing their manufacturability and reliability. The connection of the block of trunks according to the trunnion scheme (the so-called unloaded Woodward trunnions) is now used everywhere in mass guns, even for powerful cartridges, it has proven itself to be quite reliable (with the proper manufacturing quality).

This design allows to reduce the height of the receiver profile, to make the gun more elegant and visually less massive. Since the box became lower, and the forend latch mechanism migrated from other IMZ models (the lower point of the forend remained at the same level relative to the axis of the lower barrel bore), it was necessary to make a layer of wood thinner when connecting the forming lines of the forend and the box (by the way, only a nut was laid , not beech or birch), sacrificing its strength in this place.

The improved technology for the production of MR-234 pads in machining centers makes it possible to do without volumetric factory "pilling"

To avoid breakage of the more elegant forend, the stem of the hinge was lengthened twice. Thanks to this, the forend latch is now attached directly to the metal of the hinge and the wood carries much less stress when fired. The upper unloading stops on the breech clutch showed themselves only with better side, removing part of the load from the underbarrel hook. They create a second point of support for the barrel unit, stabilizing its vibrations and reducing its relative deformations when fired. Such stops (but in combination with a locking knot tied to them) are used in Beretta models, including sports ones, and are also found in other manufacturers (mainly in Turks copying Italians).

At the expense a wider receiver, it was possible to make the locking bar much wider than in the MP-27 model, now it is not fixed cantilever, and it also goes into the side grooves in the walls of the box, due to which the rigidity of the locking unit was increased. After the end of the stage of scientific research (R&D), the TOR was corrected. In the final version, the mass of a shotgun for a 12x76 caliber was no more than 3.3 kg. Caliber 12x89 (due to low demand) was no longer considered.

USM non-removable, with switching the sequence of shots by pressing the trigger forward, borrowed from the MP-27, with the exception of a fundamentally new mechanism for protecting against a double shot. The barrels are made of 50A steel, the maximum unification of parts and workpieces was applied (except, of course, command: boxes, breech clutch and hinge) with the MP-27 model (due to the complexity of the production transition to a new range of parts). The mechanism of protection against "doubles" now tracks both phases of the movement of the gun in the recoil (the phase of acceleration during the shot itself and the phase of braking when interacting with soft tissues and the skeleton of the shooter).

the trigger trigger is borrowed from the time-tested MR-27. USM of an experimental choke based on MR-234

Summary:

In the conditions of experimental workshop 28, the first commercial batch of MP-234 rifles was manufactured, all tests were passed and certificates were obtained. The actual weight of the first two guns of the batch, according to measurements, is 3.18 kg. The plant is preparing for serial production. At the initial stage, it is planned to issue in small batches. Further, it is planned to gradually, over several years, replace the MP-27 family rifles (complete or not, the decision has not yet been made).

Judging by according to the not always constructive criticism of the rifle that has not yet appeared on sale and the somewhat hysterical reaction of hunters on Internet forums, people have understandable fears that the new product may turn out to be uncompetitive, dropping the already shaken prestige of the domestic manufacturer of hunting smooth-bore weapons.

However, most of the hunters, not suffering from excessive snobbery and hoping for the revival of our arms industry, are actively interested in the new product. If the plant (now part of the Kalashnikov concern) is able to maintain a decent quality bar for the new model in mass production, it has good chances to take its rightful place in the niche of an inexpensive working gun.

It makes sense here dwell a little more. Judge for yourself: the mass of the gun is 3.2 kg. It is unlikely that now you can find a modern "vertical" with a steel receiver with less weight than the Izhevsk novelty.

Retail price for serial guns MP-234 in Izhevsk is supposed to be at the level of 20 thousand rubles. Not a single "Turk" in the price segment from 20 to 30-35 thousand rubles in terms of the aggregate manufacturing quality (and the quality of the materials used) simply cannot compete with the MP-234. It can be assumed that the serial MP-234 will lose to more or less decent "Turks" only in one thing - in the outer gloss. For some hunters, this may be important. But they can be advised to remove a tree from some Turkish "masterpiece" like SARSILMAZ SP-300 or something similar (including a higher price range), in order to make sure that so beloved by many (although the same incomprehensible) the term "production culture" acquired a practical connotation.

06/01/2011 | Operating experience IZH-27 EM and IZH-27 MM TC "Rus"

I would like to note right away that the IZH-27 EM and IZH-27 MM TK "Rus" are, in fact, one and the same gun. Almost the same design, appearance, weight, balance - the differences are not fundamental. Both are equipped with automatic fuses. The main difference is the execution, respectively - serial and piece. Therefore, in practice, only this can be compared. IZH-27EM, caliber 12x70, 1995 onwards, with two triggers and an ejector. The trunks of the payday are a choke. Walnut stock as standard (with thick neck). The gun had a good fight from both barrels (there are no complaints about the barrels), the structure and color of the stock are beautiful for a serial gun. Its build quality gave me a lot of trouble. The following disadvantages were identified:

1. The most serious defect eliminated by the gunsmith was a poor fit of the striker plate, as a result of which, when a cartridge with an asterisk twist was fired from the upper barrel (slightly higher pressure than with rolling), the gun spontaneously opened. It was visually visible that the locking key did not reach the end to the place. After eliminating this defect (notching the underbarrel hook and installing a stronger spring), the defect was eliminated, and the key even began to go slightly further than 90 degrees.
2. The soldering of the sighting bar was done carelessly, rattling is heard when tapping.
3. The aiming bar itself was curved in the middle section.
4. The gun chambers had an increased diameter. The casings inserted into the chamber had a very significant backlash. As a result, the cartridge cases in the chambers were very often swollen.
5. The lower barrel ejector was made carelessly. Its axis deviated slightly from the axis of the bore and the recess for the cartridge flange was slightly larger than necessary. Because of this, a cartridge inserted into the lower barrel, especially if it was twisted with an "asterisk", could easily fall through the ejector. Careful installation of cartridges was required, which was often very difficult to do in the excitement of the hunt. Getting out the failed cartridge is a rather slow task and requires attention.
6. Due to the not entirely high-quality processing of the chamber - an increased sample for the ejector for the lower barrel, the sleeve was somewhat recessed in the lower barrel, its rim did not fix it flush with the breech line. This (or maybe something else, apparently a somewhat shortened drummer, as well as the design feature of all verticals - the hammer blow of the lower barrel with the middle) was the reason for the very high demands of the lower barrel for primers. The trigger of the lower barrel broke the usual "chews" only in sleeves with a twist, not an asterisk. "Chewed" from red metal - steel alloy (marking NG) did not break at all. Only KV-21s in any shells crashed without any problems.
7. On the inside of the forend there was a chipped wood next to the ejector mechanism, but, however, this defect did not manifest itself in any way.

The idea of ​​ejectors justified itself in theory. The remarks of some that, they say, with ejectors, the liners necessarily fly out to the ground and are often lost are completely untenable. In order to prevent the spent cartridges from falling to the ground (we are, of course, not talking about the need to reload as quickly as possible), it is enough at the moment of the final opening of the gun with the palm of your right hand to catch the cartridges ejected by the ejector. This is done very easily and can be done in complete darkness (the casings do not completely come out of the chambers, they rest against the palm of your hand until they are completely out of the chambers). The advantage in reloading speed over a gun with an extractor is small (approx. 0.8-1.5 s), but in some cases it can make a difference. In practice, however, at least on a production gun, there are more problems with ejectors. Due to their design features (perhaps this is a design feature of ejectors only in IZH-27, although there are similarities with other common designs) - a smaller contact area with the sleeve and the effect of a spring, as well as poor-quality performance, the sleeve can fail through the ejector, which is in the lungs in cases it is fraught with the loss of prey, and in difficult cases, when hunting for a large game, it is fatal. For this reason, the ducks left me several times and once the hare almost left (I got off with the loss of a failed cartridge, which I pulled out of the trunk with force).

Another drawback - spontaneous detachment and loss of the ejector is possible when the cartridge case swollen in the chamber is knocked out with a ramrod. When I first encountered this design feature, I only miraculously found the ejector and its spring in the thick grass. However, I read that the ejector can be lost even when simply disassembling the gun, but I myself did not notice it. Later, another inconvenience was discovered - when cleaning the barrels with your left hand, you have to rest against the exposed ejector, which is unpleasant, the cleaning rod, when moving, touches the sharp edge of the ejector and clogs the barrels and the space under the ejectors with its sawdust. It is much more convenient to clean a shotgun with an extractor.

As a result, I got tired of tormenting with the serial IZH-27 EM, and I replaced it with a piece IZH-27M-M TK "Rus" (they say they are made at Izhmeh in the 28th workshop, which specializes in the production of piece guns under the "Rus" brand). IZH-27 "Rus" is much superior in quality to "just" piece rifles of the Izhevsk plant (but also 2 times more expensive!) , perhaps, the shape of the box at the "Strela".

Originally I wanted a shotgun with an ejector, 1 trigger and interchangeable chokes. These guns are especially popular in the USA and Europe. Unfortunately, a Western-made gun in this configuration (the Sport-active gun was considered - there were no others) cost 10,000 rubles, which was too expensive. I had to make a choice from domestic guns. Accordingly, the ejector in the IZH-27 (and this is the only Russian double-barreled shotgun chambered for "Magnum") was embarrassing with its unpredictable performance, and I immediately abandoned it.

The number of triggers was more complicated. I hesitated for a long time. On the one hand, the 1st trigger is more convenient for shooting, since there is no need to move your hand along the neck of the stock, the attachment for both shots is the same. On the other hand, the main problem is the shot selection mechanism. The opinion of some that 1 trigger avoids double shots (and, they say, was specially invented for this) is not confirmed in practice (at least for Izhevsk rifles). In all 4 years I have had only one case of a double shot. All double shots on guns with 2 triggers are caused by shooter errors. My shot occurred in the second year of hunting (I was still not experienced enough) when a hare suddenly appeared and in extreme haste with a shot from a distance of 3 m.On the contrary, my friend has an IZH-39 with 1 trigger, from which double shots are not so rare phenomenon, and the shooter has nothing to do with it. In guns of Izhevsk production, to change the sequence of shots, it is necessary to move the trigger forward. This procedure practically excludes the possibility of selection of the trunk after take-off of the game. Since in most cases the cartridges in the barrels have very different shot numbers, the correct choice of the barrel is of great importance. In the Sport-active rifle, as well as in other foreign rifles, the transfer is carried out using the safety button, which has a lateral movement in the "Safety" position and moves along the U-shaped groove. The mechanism is switched from the impact of recoil (at least in the "Sport-active" gun). Therefore, if there is a misfire, then you can shoot from the second barrel only by moving the button back-side-forward. This makes fast replay impossible when misfiring and is, in my opinion, a poor choice for a hunting rifle. I have already had two cases when the first shot misfired, but with the second shot I managed to get the game. In addition, the translation of the side-forward button itself is not very fast and interferes with the fastest possible shot. Another selector mechanism used in Western shotguns (in particular, Franchi shotguns) is that the trigger has a transverse button in its upper part, with which the barrels are switched. This system is better than the previous one, but it still slows down the production of the shot. Unsurpassed in the speed of firing when choosing a barrel is the old, proven centuries-old, mechanism with two triggers. In addition, all mechanisms with 1 trigger do not have a smooth trigger release. Therefore, I settled on a mechanism with 2 triggers, besides, I am already used to it, and the second shot (in any sequence) is also fast and accurate. The only thing is that sometimes (but, incidentally, already extremely rarely), with the fastest and most sudden appearance of game, a shot is fired from the upper barrel, since the position of the rear trigger is more ergonomic.

IZH-27M-M TK "Rus" had a caliber 12x76 "Magnum", in a piece design with silver engraving, a walnut stock and two pairs of barrels: a 725 mm pay-off and a 660 mm cylinder-cylinder. 2 triggers and extractor.

Taught by bitter experience, I only wanted a piece shotgun. And this approach has justified itself 100% - it does not have all of the above disadvantages of the previous IZH-27EM! The gun looks an order of magnitude better than the previous one.

The build quality and fit of the shotgun are quite high.

Much better quality, beautiful and comfortable stock with a thin pistol neck, the notch on the stock is much better and stronger.

Different than on serial guns, more beautiful and reliable bluing of the barrels.

The balance of the gun is slightly better than that of the serial. More reliable modernized locking mechanism with carbide insert.

Instead of a lurid wretched stamped drawing, there is an elegant drawing and engraving in silver.

Capsules can hit any, including "impenetrable", from any barrel! The fuse works clearer.

The front sight at first seemed smallish (it is slightly smaller than the standard one), but then I got used to it and now I don't feel it. The only thing that could have been put on a front sight of a completely different type, like on sports rifles, is a red luminescent capsule, but then the aiming bar would have to be changed to a slightly wider one. But even this front sight is absolutely sufficient - with a quick shot you still don't notice the front sight, but with a leash you can see it well.

The fight at the gun is good - heapy and sharp. Sharpness was tested by shooting at the boards.

Cartridges in a 70 mm case give a slightly sharper hit than 76 mm cartridges.

The shotgun is equipped with an additional cylinder block, which greatly increases its versatility. Those. you can get by in general with 1 gun for any hunts! (True, for me this is not relevant, since there is a choice). Of course, screw-in chokes would probably have been better, but after a short experience they stopped making them at Izhmeh. True, they say that screw chokes worsen the fight somewhat, require additional maintenance and do not react well to moisture entering the threaded space, especially at negative temperatures (for example, with rain and snow). The "Magnum" cartridge, in my opinion, is preferable. A shotgun weighs the same as for a regular cartridge, and since shooting at 45-55 m is not such a rare occurrence, a larger amount of shot will provide a more confident defeat of the game. In addition, nothing prevents you from shooting with ordinary cartridges - the accuracy and uniformity of the debris when using containers are absolutely the same as from a conventional rifle.

The fight with a bullet from a gun with ordinary barrels ("pay-chok") turned out to be just excellent. Poleva-1 bullets, when fired at 50 m while standing with hands, fit into a 6x4 cm rectangle (6 shots). Bullet Polev-2 gave more top scores.

Shooting cartridges with a bullet from a gun with "cylinder" barrels showed that the barrels with cylinders were not well made. They are too light, and even worse, made thin at the muzzle, with almost no rollout. As a result, at 50 m while standing with hands, the fight with the "Arrow" bullet turned out to be bad, the fight with the "Poleva-1" bullet gave a spread of 20 cm, with the Poleva-2 bullet - 15 cm. All bullets had a lateral displacement to the left by about 15 cm. Fight with a shot from barrels - standard for the cylinder. By the way, no matter how much I examined the IZH-27 with "cylinder" barrels (and I looked at about 20 of them), I have never seen good barrels, they were all very thin at the muzzle and almost without rolling out. Barrel leash is also very common. Most likely, all cylinders, without exception, are made using the same technology, and the result is poor.

In general, I support the widespread opinion that the quality of modern serial Izhmekh rifles has dropped significantly. When I was choosing a new gun for myself, I went through about 30 serial guns (out of curiosity, in fact, I’ve already tuned in to a piece), including the export version. So, with half a fault, 3 more or less acceptable in quality were selected, two of which showed very poor results during test shooting, one of them stubbornly left 3 large "windows" in the same place). After this test, I was completely disappointed in the modern serial rifles of Izhmekh. But there is, however, a method of dealing with this phenomenon. In fact, the fight of most serial guns, incl. my first IZH-27EM, not bad. Although, of course, you have to choose - many guns have a strong barrel leash, varied wall thickness, and, very often, a chamber drilled out of alignment with the barrel bore. The chambers of serial guns are often slightly oversized. All this combat does not improve at all. I also dislike the standard thick-necked stock. I recommend categorically abandoning the ejector on the IZH-27 serial rifles. So, the main thing is to pick up a sample with more or less decent barrels, all other assembly defects (except, perhaps, reworking the aiming bar) will be helped by an experienced gunsmith. The reliability and survivability of the IZH-27 design is very high, which is unconditionally recognized by foreign specialists.

Since the gun is actually bought for life, I personally recommend not to be greedy and buy a piece IZH-27 "Rus" or "Arrow" for a regular cartridge or Magnum (a matter of taste, but the latter is more versatile), with an extractor and 2 triggers. I recommend taking a shotgun with a second pair of barrels - this expands the capabilities of the shotgun. The cost of such a gun is 2-3 times higher than the cost of a serial (5.5-7 thousand), but it justifies itself. This is exactly that golden mean, the maximum according to the criterion "cost / efficiency". More expensive guns, which are an order of magnitude more expensive (TsKIB models, foreign guns) - 14-80 thousand, in their properties practically do not differ from piece Izha (well, except that TsKIB's guns are superior in survivability, and a significant number of foreign guns are made lightweight), and according to combat - do not differ at all (with the exception of sports models - but they are of little use for hunting). Money is spent only for prestige. You don't need to think that from "Perde" for 50,000 dollars it is enough just to approach the game about 60 meters and shoot in its direction - and it will hit by itself. The main thing in a weapon is the head of its owner. And the ability to shoot cannot be replaced by any prestigious gun.

In "ROG" I read a lot of articles about domestic guns, I also wanted to tell me about my IZH-27. And not only good things. And not only about the gun.

Since my youth, I have had a special relationship with Izhevka. At the age of sixteen, having tested a friendly IZH-58 of the sixteenth caliber, he was delighted with the heap and sharp battle. But a school student could not afford to buy a good gun (I received a hunting ticket at the age of fifteen, attributing to myself, I confess, three years). And so, for a start, he took a loose hammer tulku for a symbolic price.

She poured the shot as if from a handful. Then, three years later, with the money of the construction brigade, he bought a new TOZ-54, which was also not distinguished by a good fight. Of course, holding a new double-barreled gun in my hands in the store, I forgot a lot. But, I think, if there was a shooting gallery at the store, I would not have taken it, because at the age of nineteen I already knew something about the accuracy and sharpness of the battle.

By the way, until now, when buying new weapons, we take a pig in a poke. Yes, by wiping the oil in the barrels, you can see whether they are drilled correctly, whether the soldering is accurate, but what the fight of the gun will be like, the most experienced specialists are unlikely to tell.

They know very well that there are no equally beating barrels made by the same master using the same equipment. Probably, there are still no shooting galleries at any hunting store in the country. The situation is paradoxical: we buy in a store, for example, a vacuum cleaner, a meat grinder or the same car and be sure to check how they work. Why don't we test the work of the gun? And his job is a fight.

Well, we bought a gun, tested it, and the battle rates are lower than the passport ones. Will the store take it back? I doubt. And how is all of the above linked to the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights?

Thinking in this way, I began to look for a more or less new, good-hitting gun, sold "off hand." I was lucky: a friend who lived nearby decided to change the private IZH-27, with which I hunted for only a year, for a similar, but piece production. I knew what kind of combat it possesses, so I immediately gave the amount announced to me.

Varying the weights of gunpowder and shot, using containers and starch, I quickly achieved more than one hundred percent shot "two zeros" from the upper barrel, which suited me perfectly for hunting foxes from the approach. I beat her boldly in the side at 60-70 meters. I do not urge other hunters to do this, because for most guns the limit is 45-50 meters.

Having paid tribute to the battle, I will focus on the shortcomings of my gun, although for me they will never outweigh its main advantage, especially since I gradually got rid of them. But could any hunter be able to do this? And why should a person pay for an unfinished product?

Having purchased a gun, I began to look more closely at it and realized that, how well its metal part is made, so bad is the wooden one. Apparently, the manufacturers have forgotten the proverb: "Barrels shoot, but the stock hits."

How is the stickiness of a gun determined? Blinking his eyes, the hunter raises his gun, as if shooting, then opens them. And so several times. The gun is useful if the aiming bar is neither open nor closed, but is a narrow horizontal line with a clearly visible front sight.

Every time my rifle was lifted up, which means that the downward retraction of the butt was small. Further. The two side protrusions running along the top of the butt neck were clearly redundant, increasing its thickness and making it difficult to reach the trigger. I neatly cut them off, the neck became oval, like that of TOZ-34.

The fore-end was incredibly thick: if a person's fingers are not long, then they cannot be grasped. On a sander, I removed a good centimeter of excess wood.

But what was to be done with the butt? I removed some wood from its comb, then began to insert pads under the butt plate, thereby changing the angle between it and the butt end. Having found what was necessary for himself personally, making the gun well-applied, neatly, with a hacksaw for metal, he ripped off the butt. Now the gun in my hands became like a toy. However, I rejoiced early ...

I will not talk about how difficult the transition from "horizontal" to "vertical" was, but I passed it. But the automatic fuse has let me down more than once. A wounded duck swims away into the reeds, I, having reloaded my gun, press on the trigger, but there is no shot. Until I remember the reason, the duck is already in the reeds. But okay, duck - not a lot of prey. How about hunting a fox? And the boar?

A godfather with a TOZ-34 did not have such a problem, the safety catch for the gun is not automatic. What to do? He took off the butt and began to study the "automatic" mechanism. The “fault” was the small engine, which, when the gun is closed, puts it on the safety catch.

Of course, if I started hunting with the IZH-27, I would get used to taking off the safety lock with the thumb of my right hand before firing. But is it easy to rebuild after more than ten years of hunting practice? And I removed the engine. The hunt became more cheerful. But I was waiting for the opening of the season for foxes, hoping that now with such a gun I would significantly reduce their number.

The November day was beautiful: a little frost, light haze with a dull sun, wind. While plowing in the remaining kopeck of straw, I noticed a sleeping fox and soon came close enough, even too much. It’s about thirty meters away, my heart is pounding in my chest, my hands are trembling. You shouldn't even raise her head from this distance, I decide, and shoot the ball from the top barrel.

But, apparently, at the last moment the hand trembled and strong accuracy played a negative role. The wounded fox rolled off the shock and began to do this ... Somehow I target it again and press on the second descent. But instead of a shot I hear a quiet click. Misfire! I broke my gun and ... Another misfire. And the fox, regaining consciousness and getting to its feet, slowly at first, then began to leave more and more quickly.

I make a third attempt - and again a misfire. Having followed her with a melancholy glance to a nearby log, I opened my gun, took out a cartridge. There is a slight dent on the capsule. I put a cartridge in the upper barrel, I press the trigger - a shot is thundering. What's the matter?

Returning home, I take off the stock and begin to study the work of the percussion mechanism. It turns out that if the trigger of the upper barrel hits the striker with its top, then the lower barrel hits it with its middle. This means that the force of the blow is less. In the cold, apparently, the oil froze and the impact was very weak. I cock the trigger and try to tighten the spring again. There is a free play, three millimeters.

I make a ring out of a wire of the required diameter, I press a spring with it. Then I remove the existing lubricant, use a more liquid one. Since then, for a quarter of a century, the gun did not misfire. Maybe the developers should have provided a stronger spring for this trigger?

The weight of my "Izhevka" is 3.4 kilograms. Of course, a bit too much for running hunting. In search of foxes, bypassing fields, logs, you sometimes catch a hare, so I carry a gun in my hands to be always ready for a shot. And by the end of the day it pulls on "pood". It happens that in the evening you raise a little hawk, throw up your gun and from fatigue you cannot catch up with it with your barrels.

But, on the other hand, I understand that a heavy gun is a plus, it allows the use of reinforced charges, which is important when shooting from a long distance. And most often it is necessary to shoot foxes in the fields. Therefore, I'm not going to change it to an easier one.

And a few critical words about Izhmash employees. As a quarter of a century ago, and now, rifle butts do not stand up to criticism. Recently acquired by my friend IZH-43 of the twentieth caliber, he will not praise his battle, and the appearance of the gun because of the butt is unprepossessing.

I think that at home I would make it prettier and more beautiful. Why not take over the experience of the same Tula or foreign gunsmiths from Izhevsk and work on the shape of the butt?

IZH-27 - the pride of domestic gunsmiths

The IZH-27 double-barreled shotgun, produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, which was released in series in 1973, became a significantly modified previous version of the IZH-12 - and as a result, it became the best-selling rifle for amateur and commercial hunting in the USSR, and then in Russia - in the entire history of the production of domestic hunting guns. Taking into account all the modifications (in 2008, the IZH-27 also turned into the MP-27), over 1.6 million copies of these double-barreled guns were sold.

The IZH-27 double-barreled shotgun produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, released in 1973, became a significantly modified previous version of the IZH-12 - and as a result, it became the best-selling gun in the vastness of the USSR, and then Russia - in the entire history of the production of domestic hunting rifles. Taking into account all the modifications (in 2008, the IZH-27 also turned into the MP-27), over 1.6 million copies of these double-barreled guns were sold.

The design features of this "IZhevka" were the vertical arrangement of the detachable barrels and the presence of interceptors (trigger interceptors in case of not pressing them with a finger, for example, an accidental fall), which do not allow hitting the striker in such situations. Another distinctive feature of the IM-27 were strikers with a sufficiently large (up to 2.2 mm) output, which made it possible to free the gun from such an unpleasant event as a misfire in cases of a deep-set primer.

Today the Izhevsk plant produces 4 serial modifications of this most popular gun.

How to choose IZH-27 (MR-27)

The first thing to check is the presence of a white coating under the connecting strip. If it is present, the bar will soon move away, and a gun with such a defect should not be taken under any circumstances.

Next, you should make sure that the muzzles are perfect circles, and the metal is of the same thickness. And you should not be led by the sellers who utter phrases from the series "they are all like this" - because guns are NOT ALL like that.

Not only the rings should be perfectly even, but also the trunks themselves, as well as the correspondence of the sizes and axes between each of them. Usually, even a slight deviation from a straight line is visible to the eye.

The next factor is the condition of the chrome coating on the trunks. No spots and gaps - even small ones, since the chrome plating on serial products is not of very good quality anyway.

The bar must be the same perfectly flat - without the slightest bulges and indentations, and the front sight must be exactly in its middle.

In addition, when shaking, there should be no rattling or dangling parts, and the gun should be assembled and disassembled quite easily - and not literally just over the knee.

And, finally, it is advisable to choose an instance with wooden parts that fit the metal as closely as possible - the forend and the butt. It goes without saying that there should be no cracks or chips in them.

Comparison of IZH-27 (MR-27) with TOZ-34

"IZhevki" with "TOZovka" makes sense because the second gun can be safely called "people's gun No. 2" in the vastness of our country. In addition, both double-barreled guns have been successfully sold for decades, and are in the same price category. The first difference (unfortunately, in favor of TOZ-34) is the above-described problem of IZH-27 with worse barrel soldering, as a result of which the side bar on them departs many times more often than on TOZ.

At the same time, the combat coil springs of the IZhevka are much more reliable than the curly TOZ ones - and if the breakdown of the former is something unique, then for the latter you can safely buy a second spare set right along with the gun. A similar situation is in favor of IZH-27 and drummers' cocking levers.

But the very locking of the barrels for both brands is about the same, and in terms of reliability it is quite satisfactory.

When evaluating the forend, the victory will again be on the side of the TOZ, since the forend is not removable. Accordingly, in IZH-27, its frequent removal leads to breakdowns and the occurrence of cracks in the tree.

The next difference lies in the different weight of the two guns - the IZhevka is much heavier than the Tulchanka. However, this is difficult to attribute to both advantages and disadvantages, since it all depends on the use of the gun and the choice of the beast. The lighter double-barreled shotgun fits more comfortably to the shoulder and is good for long hunts, when after many hours of wearing a heavy gun seems literally overwhelming. At the same time, the IZH-27 allows the use of more powerful bullets and does not give a strong recoil - so in this respect, parity can be established between the guns.

Bottom line - TOZ-34 as a whole wins in terms of the quality and durability of parts, but the IZH-27 has a more reliable and stable mechanism.

Considering the sad statement of a large number of defects in domestic guns, the choice of the ideal version of an inexpensive and reliable gun in all respects should still be attributed to the future.

Storage and care

The place where the gun is stored must be absolutely dry - otherwise the slightest presence of moisture will lead to oxidation and rust of metal parts. In this case, the barrels on the gun must be separated, and the locking locks and triggers must be kept in a deflated state (to bring the lock into this state on the IZH-27, a small dog is pressed inside the barrel landing nest).

And, of course, lubrication of all components is mandatory - barrels, pads, pivot pins and forend. Especially considering the fact that even with a thorough check of chrome plating upon purchase, most often it begins to crumble after the first days of hunting. In the case of intensive shooting and the formation of a significant layer of carbon deposits on the inner surface of the barrels, before lubrication, they should be rinsed in warm water and wiped dry with a rag, and the remaining lead from the shot should be pre-cleaned with a soft copper brush. The easiest way not to forget to carry out all the above procedures will be the motorized riflemen who served in the army - for whom cleaning the machine is becoming absolutely commonplace.

Another prerequisite for maintenance is the need to periodically tighten the tightening screw - in the event that the slightest shake appears. This is easy to do - just unscrew 2 screws and remove the shock absorber.

Also, do not forcefully press on the triggers delayed by the interceptors when the gun falls. It is enough to fully open the barrels - and the strikers can be easily removed.

For the durability of the mechanisms of strikers, springs and pins, you should also not click the trigger in the absence of cartridges in the barrels. Of course, the trigger often needs to be pulled. And it is necessary to do it correctly this way: either with the spent cartridges inserted into the barrels, or by pulling the lever sideways with the hammers clamped - when disassembling the gun. And you always need to open / close the gun smoothly, without sudden jerking - the durability of any weapon is not unlimited, and careful handling will protect your double-barreled shotgun from the bolt.

About bullets for IZH-27

The diameter of the round ones should be less than the diameter of the barrel by about 0.2-0.3 mm. For bullets with a belt, the difference should be greater - about 0.8-1.0 mm. At the same time, the belts themselves can exceed the muzzle diameter by the same amount. If you do not walk with a caliper or micrometer, you can easily assess this compliance with size. If it stops at a distance of about 1.5 cm from the muzzle, the dimensions are suitable.

Also, do not shoot with old cartridges or much exceeding the manufacturer's specified rate. This will not add speed to the bullet, but it can easily damage the barrel.

Piece models of rifles IZH-27

As already mentioned above, the overall quality of serial domestic guns (including "IZhevki") leaves much to be desired.

However, lovers of this particular model, the manufacturer provides the opportunity to buy piece items created by the masters of workshop No. 28 under the name IZH-27 M-M TC "Rus".

There is also engraving in silver, and 2 pairs of barrels, and, accordingly, a 725-millimeter pay-chok and a 620-millimeter cylinder-cylinder. Add to that the amazing, almost flawless build quality, fabulous blued barrels, improved carbide locking and balancing, as well as an almost perfectly fitted forend and stock and a smooth safety catch.

In a word - an almost ideal gun, with one single "drawback". At a price 2-2.5 times higher than the cost of the serial IZhevka. Considering that for that kind of money you can buy a very good foreign woman (the quality of which is a completely different song), the choice in favor of the domestic version will be more likely due to habit, patriotism and pieceiness of the product.