Separated at birth? Baikal and Beretta - 1/28/12 update

[imanaknut]

Got a new toy today. I have liked the futuristic style of the Beretta CX-4 Storm Carbine since I first saw it, and wound up with his and hers since my daughter enjoys it as well.

When I first saw a photo of the Baikal prototype a couple of years ago it was like they took the storm and stretched it out into a really cool .22LR. Finally got a chance to get one and so far glad I did. It shoulders nicely, points well and is well balanced. I intend to put a scope on it soon, and the adjustable cheek rest is a nice feature. Also equipped with a last round bolt hold open, adjustable length of pull, and two magazines serial numbered to the rifle. Can't wait to shoot it!!!!!

[Richard Simmons]

Interesting. Where did you find it?

[imanaknut]

Friend of mine who is an assistant manager at a local gun shop ordered it for me. Looking at it more, it looks nicely designed with a huge charging handle not too unlike an AK style.

I have been looking for one on and off since I first saw it, and ran across a guy who did an ammo test on one. He really had a good time, and the rifle had no trouble with any of the ammo he tried from subsonic to high power stuff. Googled a few other articles and desided since there were really no bad reviews, I would risk my money on it's "good looks". Russian heritage didn't hurt either!

[awp101]

I finally saw one a couple of weekends ago at at show. Not bad, but not sure it's in my "goattahaveitRFN!" list...

Mandatory range report due soon.

[imanaknut]

Just finished mounting a scope on it. I used an adjustable ring set which is a pain to install but heard someone complaining that the scope mount on his rifle wasn't straight, so I installed mounts that could account for some severe out of alignment.

Hope to hit the range this Saturday.

[vit]

Never seen or heard of one. Tell me more!

[imanaknut]

Never seen or heard of one. Tell me more!

Made in Izhevsk, Russia. Overall length about 39", barrel just under 20" with a recessed target crown. Supposedly accurized what ever that means, not free floating as it appears that the front sight is clamped to the barrel and held in place by a bolt through the front part of the stock. Huge bolt handle makes racking it a breeze, and I like that it locks back after the last round. Nice even deep blue, with what appears to be a chromed bolt. The ejector looks big enough to handle a 30-06!!! The rail on the top appears to be screwed down from inside the receiver, and the rear sight is fully adjustable for height and windage.

About the only issues is I can't find extra mags yet. Have an email in to the importer, USSG. They only hold 9 rounds so it would be nice to have more than two. The other issues are also very minor. The front sight is a bit wide for a target rifle, but I put a scope on so it really isn't an issue. The other is I personally like a wider trigger, but it still feels good, nice smooth pull and nicely rounded so it feels wider than it really is.

You can see slots in the front and rear parts of the receiver, and unless they are reinforced inside, I really wonder how a sling through plastic would stay in place after carrying through the woods.

Listed weight is just under six pounds, and both with and without the scope it shoulders and balances very nicely.

About the only true thing that worries me is the bolt rides on a single guide rod that is offset to the left making me wonder if over time it will remain straight.

I can't wait to find out!!!!!

[Schuetzenman]

The name said Russian but the look says Beretta. Funky, I am looking forward to hearing the range report on it.

[slamfire51]

A slick looking rifle.
Congrats.
Price was never mentioned.
Do you mind revealing price?

[imanaknut]

A slick looking rifle.
Congrats.
Price was never mentioned.
Do you mind revealing price?

Don't mind, paid $290 plus tax. There might be some less expensive .22LRs out there but not many look this slick!!

[hazmat]

Looks to me like someone put the Buck Rogers to a 10/22. Course that's because the pics don't give much detail. Sounds like a hell of a rifle.

[slamfire51]

Not a bad price at all.
Extra mags would be my only concern.

[hazmat]

I guess one of the things that would bother me is the magazine capacity capped at 9 rouds. Of course with the sporting purposes clause on that which shall not be infringed, what do we expect?

[imanaknut]

Well I finally got to the range today, after almost three months of something always coming up when I wanted to go shoot.

So I get to the range and notice I forgot my steady rest, so a Beretta pistol box was pressed into service as a surrogate. Also the fact that it was cold and winds were 20 and gusting didn't help, but at least the sun was out.

Scoped the Baikal with a Tasco World Class 22 3-12x40AO. To sight it in initially I set up on a 25 yard range. Using CCI Blazer I fired four shots just to see where they were going, and without trying too hard, they were easily covered by a quarter, just not where I was aiming, but for the first shots, to be expected.

After getting the scope dialed in, I managed to shoot several one hole groups of 5, each easily covered by a dime. I was amazed at how accurate the rifle is, shooting exactly to point of aim time after time. Ran 100 rounds through before switching to Remington Thunderbolt and ran a couple of mags through it before moving to the 50 yard range. I would post a photo of the target, but that wonderful wind decided that I would donate the paper to the county, and a gust blew it out of my hand and it sailed up, and over the berm. I am sure that was intended so that I don't have proof of how well this Rusky shoots.

At the 50, the wind was so blowing horribly because the 50 has a cover over it, which worked as a wind tunnel and with the wind over my shoulder, it was getting into my glasses causing my eyes to tear up. Only shot two mags worth without really trying for groupings before I decided I was getting too old to put up with the cold!

Of the 150 rounds fired, I did have one fail to load, with the round jammed nose up against the breech. When I pulled the bolt back to let the round drop out, it fell into a nice slot behind the mag, and got wedged between the plastic stock and the steel mag guide. Nice having tools around to pry it out. Never had a round do that, but...

Other than that, it was a really nice, easy to shoot with a great trigger feel and virtually no recoil. Great rifle.

Can't say that about a bubba-MAK-90 I took with me. It had a Tapco G2 trigger group, that slapped my finger so bad I had to wear gloves just to fire it, and because of the trigger slap, I caught myself flinching, not at the recoil, but my stinging finger! Other than that, it was true Norinco, firing off 200 rounds pretty much on target as best as I could at the 50 yard range considering that pesky wind!

[imanaknut]

Finally got around to cleaning the rifle today. Usually they are never put away until clean, but I was trying to be in too many places at once, and the firearms got to stay dirty overnight.

Anyway, I split the rifle in half as instructed, easy, then went to remove the pin that keeps the bolt in place. IMPOSSIBLE!!!! The pin can only go in one way and out one way, up, and what sits on the barrel directly above the pin, that great scope on the expensive windage adjustable scope mounts. If I remove the scope to clean the bolt properly, I risk losing my zero.

Then I pull the bolt back, and the only way to lock it back is install the empty mag. No easy way to manually lock the bolt open.

I cleaned what I could on what I could reach of the bolt and chamber area as I did have access from below that aided in cleaning, but my thumb started getting tired holding the bolt open.

So I put the rifle back together, installed the mag and locked the bolt open. Then cleaned the barrel like any other rifle.

I guess I will just shoot it and clean the bolt face and barrel until enough gunk builds up that I have to remove the bolt from the upper half. At that time I will remove the scope by taking it out of the mount instead of the whole scope and mounts off as an assembly.

Still, as nicely as this baby shoots, I am thrilled with it.

Now if I could only get a few more mags!!!!