Just ten years ago, a hunter who met in the forest would be armed with either a “tulku” or a “horseman” with a horizontal or vertical arrangement of trunks. However, time passed, and hunting lovers more and more often began to acquire a gas evacuation semiautomatic device of the Izhevsk plant, known as MP-153, which became a truly "people's" gun.
Murka
Today, hunters are holding a lot of TOZ-87, MTs21-12, Bekasov, as well as conversion Veprey and Saeg, not to mention Turkish consumer goods or better, but disproportionately expensive European weapons, which are advertised as "Elite". However, the hunting rifle MP-153 - a very controversial instance. It has loyal supporters and violent opponents. Nevertheless, affectionately nicknamed “Murka” by hunters, the gun confidently leads in terms of prevalence and sales. Let's try to give an objective assessment of these weapons, which at one time became a bright novelty both in our and in the import hunting market.
Information from the manufacturer
MP-153 is the only domestic model of a self-loading shotgun. It is designed for the cartridge type 12/89, however, it functions reliably with the whole range of cartridges of this caliber, from the 70s to 89s in various combinations, without the need for additional switching and adjustment. So the cartridges for MP-153 can be used any standard (12 gauge, equipped with both shot and bullet). Also available with a chamber length of 76 mm. MP-153 weapons are made with different barrel lengths - from 510 to 750 mm. With a maximum barrel (750 mm), the length of the gun is 1280 mm, and the weight does not exceed 3.5 kg (may vary depending on the material from which the bed is made). "Murka" is produced in several modifications: with interchangeable barrel nozzles designed for firing steel and lead shot; without an aiming strip with a front sight and entirely; with different options forend and butt (made of beech or walnut, with a rubber shock absorber, made of plastic), as well as with a folding butt. The plant also produces specialized versions. For example, a service modification (MP-153 C), designed to equip private security organizations, or a sports practice model.
Design
The design of the gun: the removal of gases generated during the combustion of gunpowder, with an automatic regulator of the pulse motor of automation. Unloading at the time of the shot of the receiver, as well as the durability and strength of the locking is ensured by the coupling of the bolt directly to the barrel. The receiver is made of a special aluminum alloy. The bore, piston, gas chamber, chamber, outer surface of the magazine and other parts that are exposed to powder gas are coated with a protective layer of chromium. Piston rings and valve are made of stainless steel. The underbarrel tubular magazine is improved by a special system that cuts off cartridges during feeding. The store capacity can be increased due to the extension cord. The trigger type trigger mechanism is made in the form of a detachable node. It is equipped with a safety system that locks the trigger when the shutter is not fully closed.
Application
MP-153 is a completely universal weapon. About hunting for game birds and so everything is clear, because semi-automatic machines here are much more effective than double-barreled shotguns. The engineers of the Izhevsk plant timely felt the situation and as a result were able to establish the production of "Murok", intended for practical shooting. This gun with the appropriate configuration is suitable for law enforcement. After all, a reliable smooth-bore self-loading weapon in urban conditions is much preferable to army automatic rifles. "Murka" is very compact during transportation, easy to maintain and undemanding to maintain, but it takes a lot of time to clean the exhaust gas circuit of automation.
Weapon selection
This gun is a reliable weapon that has a long resource. So, for athletes involved in the practical type of shooting, the operating time of "Murok" often exceeds 30 thousand shots. However, rarely any of the hunters complains about problems with the MP-153: they got it out of the package and hunt a lot and successfully, without even thinking about finishing the gun. In any case, in order to minimize the likelihood of acquiring defective weapons, it is necessary to pay close attention to the selected product in the store. The main thing - do not be shy, you need to require the seller to show all the copies available in the warehouse. They receive a salary for such inconvenience, and weapons, like his wife, must be chosen very carefully so as not to regret the choice made for many years.
What should I pay attention to?
The most important thing is the trunk. It must be removed from the gun, wiped dry (for this it is better to bring a rag and ramrod with you, since there is stress in hunting stores with them). The barrel, of course, should be flat, with a straight aiming bar, without difference and without a pronounced "waviness" of the outer surface. You should also pay special attention to the alignment of the muzzle nozzles with the barrel - this is the most important factor in accurate combat. If this part of the gun is defect-free, then the rest is no longer so scary. Now you can smoothly jerk the shutter, listening to the tactile sensations on the finger, and squeeze the trigger. Please note that the descent length should be 3-4 mm, otherwise, when shooting a game, you will be a little late with the shot until you get used to this feature of the gun.
The main problems and their elimination
Bringing a new weapon home, one should immediately (before the first hunt) carry out a series of preventive operations with it to prevent damage during firing. So, the wooden butt MP-153 can crack after the first shots. Therefore, it should be removed and a narrow chisel slightly deepened in the front end of the groove, which at the time of rollback enters the shank of the bolt frame. Its reach is about 6 mm, so it is better to cut a groove with a small margin - to a depth of 8 mm. At the same time, you can slightly cut the tree hanging over the receiver (primarily in its upper part). You can also adjust the geometry of the pistol grip. Shorten or lengthen the butt by machining the front end or using a self-made gasket. Treated areas should be wiped with rags soaked in linseed oil. If the MP-153 rifle you purchased has a folding stock, then the procedures described above need not be carried out.
Also, if you want, even before the first firing, you can take care of the metal. For example, remove burrs and sharp edges in the receiver and other parts, grind, polish the frame, shutter, gas exhaust parts. And also make a radial notch on the front of the tray for feeding cartridges, in order to eliminate the "biting" of the finger when filling the store. Carrying out all these operations, one should not forget that all the work must be done without fanaticism, adhering to the principle: "a hundred times pretend and change your mind once."
To battle
Now you can "run" the gun. At first it’s better to shoot plenty, say, at banks, and preferably with Magnum cartridges. It is necessary that all parts and mechanisms of automation rubbed together. This is a natural process, because a new gun, like a car, needs a “run-in”. As a rule, after this there are no problems when using any type of cartridges. It is not recommended to regulate gas venting mechanisms on your own; it is better to leave it to specialists. Although with this part of the gun, as a rule, there are no problems - everything works fine.
Shotgun MP-153: price
The difference in price between the domestic Murka and foreign counterparts can reach several times, however, as it most often happens, the final result does not depend on the manufacturer and price. Usually, relatively inexpensive imports can outperform our Murka exclusively in brochures, and in the field remain far behind. Yes, and weapons from Europe, which we offer in stores, as a rule, leaves much to be desired. One gets the impression that European businessmen are “pouring” into the CIS countries not only poor-quality products and expired medicines, but also the entire industrial marriage. Judge for yourselves, because for some reason the commercial will not show part of the cracked butt, the raw edges of the mechanisms, the torn receiver and the bursting of the shutter. But, having bought a gun for a lot of money in a hunting store, all this can be seen firsthand. It should not be forgotten that most of the things that are presented in advertising as "elite" are just consumer goods. It is much more reliable to purchase a domestic shotgun MP-153. Its price is (depending on version) 20-25 thousand rubles.
If you can purchase a high-quality shotgun MP-153 in the store, then it will serve you reliably for many years. Minor flaws are easily fixed. In fact, "Murka" is a reliable and "omnivorous" weapon, which has a huge margin of safety. MP-153 can confidently work where eminent import fails, for example, in the conditions of the taiga and tundra, this has been checked repeatedly. In addition, the ability to use a variety of
muzzle contractions makes it universal. So, the replaceable nozzle on the MP-153 ensures the reliability of the battle, and the balance can be leveled using a lead insert in the butt.
Conclusion
Summing up, it can be noted that “Murka”, due to its low price, is included in the niche of budget weapons, which is available to almost every hunter in our country. Despite the advantages of this gun, described above, it has disadvantages. For example, a large weight (3.5 kg). Often, hunting for game birds, it takes a rather long time to stand with arms raised, waiting for the dog to raise the bird. As a result, after several hours of such hunting, there is a strong fatigue in the left hand and back, which leads to a longer raising of the weapon.