The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I've had my trusty Baikal for a couple of years, it doesn't hit too much, but that's my carp shooting (and starting to shoot a rifle hasn't helped much either - tend to stop and shoot, not shoot whilst moving the gun). It's a bit short in the stock for my gorilla like arms, even with the extra bit I've stuck on it.

Sunday was our new year shoot, and after the first 40 normal clays, we had a "flurry" which I'd not tried before, 2 shooting at a time at a total of 40 clays from three traps running continuously (four would have been better really). This is great fun, much more engaging than shouting "pull", but after about the first 20 birds I went to reload and my gun fell apart. "Err, bit of a problem here" I cried, having got four bits where only one was expected. Much mirth ensued, and another gun was passed to me, not sure who it belonged to, but it went bang. Didn't score that much, but enjoyed trying.

Turned out that two M4 machine screws had failed just below the head, and the bit of the fore-end that clamps the barrel onto the stock had become detached. No sign of corrosion, but when I drilled them out the hardness of the steel was very inconsistent along the length of the screw, not sure if they were always like that.

I'm glad my clays club is so informal, p*** taking instead of disapproving looks and muttering. Someone said I needed to take the gun to the local gunsmith, and I pointed out last time he saw it he suggested I buy a new gun, he clearly doesn't like Baikals. Didn't stop him sorting it or giving me a bill for so doing mind!

shugie wrote:I've had my trusty Baikal for a couple of years, it doesn't hit too much, but that's my carp shooting (and starting to shoot a rifle hasn't helped much either - tend to stop and shoot, not shoot whilst moving the gun). It's a bit short in the stock for my gorilla like arms, even with the extra bit I've stuck on it.

Sunday was our new year shoot, and after the first 40 normal clays, we had a "flurry" which I'd not tried before, 2 shooting at a time at a total of 40 clays from three traps running continuously (four would have been better really). This is great fun, much more engaging than shouting "pull", but after about the first 20 birds I went to reload and my gun fell apart. "Err, bit of a problem here" I cried, having got four bits where only one was expected. Much mirth ensued, and another gun was passed to me, not sure who it belonged to, but it went bang. Didn't score that much, but enjoyed trying.

Turned out that two M4 machine screws had failed just below the head, and the bit of the fore-end that clamps the barrel onto the stock had become detached. No sign of corrosion, but when I drilled them out the hardness of the steel was very inconsistent along the length of the screw, not sure if they were always like that.

I'm glad my clays club is so informal, p*** taking instead of disapproving looks and muttering. Someone said I needed to take the gun to the local gunsmith, and I pointed out last time he saw it he suggested I buy a new gun, he clearly doesn't like Baikals. Didn't stop him sorting it or giving me a bill for so doing mind!

Once or twice I have been caught out on flurry shoots ... If I know there will be a flurry then I will use my OU, but on the days when I have my SxS and the person deciding the setup has gone for a flurry I have a little problem

10 shot flurry OK buy when it gets to 2 the barrels are getting HOT and for a 30 - "OUCH". I will be shooting teh latter clays with the fore-end resting on my hand!

Why does it make a difference if the barrels are side by side, or stacked?

*curious*

meles meles wrote:Why does it make a difference if the barrels are side by side, or stacked?

*curious*

S/s has a splinter forend which gives no protection from the hot barrels but an o/u has a more wrap round forend affording more protection from hot barrels for your leading hand .

Oh, we sees: you primates have delicate paws...

Not just the fore end.

An SxS tends to be a game gun and will be considerable lighter as it will be carried all day. A lot of the weight is removed from the barrels - check out wall thicknesses! An OU wall can be twice, three or four times an SxS wall

So, the same amount of heat energy is pushed into the thinner barrels - and as such they get a lot hotter and a lot quicker.

I did a 50 bird one man flurry once - and even then my OU got rather hot and I would not have used my SxS for it.

a good way to warm your hands up on a cold day :-), until you burn your fingertips. They stay sore for ages

AL8 wrote:a good way to warm your hands up on a cold day :-), until you burn your fingertips. They stay sore for ages

isn't that what the leather barrel guards were for ? tongueout

kennyc wrote:

AL8 wrote:a good way to warm your hands up on a cold day :-), until you burn your fingertips. They stay sore for ages

isn't that what the leather barrel guards were for ? tongueout

But the heat still penetrates those ... and can stop the heat dissipating from the barrels quickly enough.

The best way is to have a matched pair of guns and a loader!

A good side by side for clays and flurries is the Wincester Model 23. The fore end is a bit beaver tailish and much thicker than a normal game SBS.

I had three of these at one time 28inch 12g and 30inch 12g and 28inch 20g. Why? Illusions of grandeur probably. The 12g 28inch was a beaut but finances forced sale a few years back.The other two went ages ago.

In fact, anybody got one for sale?