On the Cheap
 

I picked this up about a month ago just on a whim. Wasn't expecting much but I am very pleasantly surprised. This thing eats everything from full on goose loads to reduced recoil junk and everything in between. It can be adjusted for light loads but I haven't bothered. Functions fine so far with everything. It won't win any beauty contests but it's definitely a "worker".

I think Remington bought all the rights to it and they are jacking the price up. Got this one at Dick's ( which I hate) for a shade over $360.00. A good deal for a pretty good shotgun.

Student of mine told me about these guns recently. I hadn't heard of them before. He ordered his through a local dealer and paid right around $300 for it. He claimed that it is a rebadged 1100 with cheaper parts. I haven't handled one but for $300 for an autoloader, might be a pretty good deal if it will hold up.

It is made in Russia, and it is NOT a rebadged 1100. If you like it, fine. Remington was importing them as their Spartan line, but they quit.

I would be concerned about a student who claims things without doing research himself. That is not a "rebadged 1100". If it was an 1100 at birth, it would be labeled by Remington as a 1100.

Your student needs to study some more.

Please let us know how it holds up long term. There are some very underrated inexpensive firearms out there. The Bersa Thunder is one that comes immediately to mind.

i would really love to see a range report on this one. I have a friend that is very interested in purchasing a Baikal.

I had an opportunity to pick up a Baikal 12ga. SxS a few years back. I blew it. It was a nice gun, exposed hammers, nice blue, pretty wood and included several chokes. Dang hindsight.

Baikal
 

We have had Baikals in the UK for quite some time and in the scheme of things they are garbage, OK they are cheap but you get what you pay for.
The quality of the woodwork is at best mediocre - some times you can still see the word "Bananas" through the polish. The blueing frequently turns to browning and needless to say they are worth jack when you try to sell or trade them in. Oh and they are made in Russia.

photopro

I realize this is an import from Russia. I didn't buy it for a show piece, I bought it so I wouldn't feel bad about laying it down in a slush filled canoe while duck or goose hunting.

I have about three hundred rounds through it with no issues, as mentioned above. The sythentic stocks are just about as "high quality" as any other factory offering, on a shotgun anyway. The blueling on the barrel is thin, but it has gone bang ever time thus far.

Again I bought this as a beater. Cosmetics can be overlooked considering the price. God invented Dura Cote for a reason...

You are correct, by the upmarket British shooting fratterity they where looked down upon, however many a working class lad like myself whilst growing up it was all we could afford. They are simply a typical Russian weapon no frills work horse. I had one for 15 years and it never let me down. I am now in a position where I can afford almost any gun I please but this gun snobbery we still get in the UK still makes my blood boil.