IZh-54
Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (Baikal) · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1954
Also known as: IJ-54, ИЖ-54
Overview
The IZh-54 is a Soviet side-by-side hammerless double-barreled break-action hunting shotgun produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant from 1954 to 1969. Chambered in 12 gauge, it pairs two horizontally arranged smoothbore barrels with a boxlock action and double triggers, a chrome-plated bore for corrosion resistance, and a walnut or beech stock and fore-end. It was the first Izhevsk hunting shotgun exported in large quantities.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3400 g (119.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1150 mm (45.28") |
| Barrel Length | 730 mm (28.74") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 400 m/s (1312 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2560 J (1888 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12GA, 12 Bore
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Open 2 Round
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Tang Safety
- Features: Side By Side Barrels, Boxlock Action, Double Trigger, Extractor, Fixed Chokes, Chrome Lined Bores, Walnut Stock, Iron Sights
Variants
- IZh-57 - 16 Gauge
Service history
Operators
- Soviet civilian hunters · adopted 1954
- United Kingdom civilian hunters
Production
Estimated total produced: 477,695 · Production years: 1954-1969
477,695 units built; more than 70,000 exported, making it the first Izhevsk Mechanical Plant hunting shotgun sold abroad in large numbers.
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: A. A. Klimov
Discontinued: 1969
Notes
Total production reached 477,695 units, of which more than seventy thousand were sold abroad, chiefly to the United Kingdom. Standard guns cost 90 roubles in 1964, while engraved walnut custom versions ran 170 to 250 roubles. The 16-gauge derivative was designated IZh-57.
Background
Designed by Anatoly Klimov, the IZh-54 became the Soviet Union's first mass-export hunting gun: shipped to more than fifty countries including Britain, it helped turn a state that once imported its sporting arms into a sporting-arms exporter.