Often when watching movies, where the main character possesses perfect weapons, there is an irresistible desire to learn how to shoot as effectively. However, the fervor quickly cools from the mere thought that the weapon is quite expensive, and one cannot do without permission. And the desire fades away, leaving its mark in the corners of the subconscious. Years of life pass, and the list of unfulfilled desires only replenishes. But in the courtyard of the XXI century is the era of high technology. The dream of gun ownership is feasible. You can buy an air rifle or a gun for little money. The focus of this article is the legendary IZH-53M air gun, its review, performance characteristics and methods of application.
The permission system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
In the countries of the former Soviet Union, legal control of airguns is practically not carried out. The main criteria in the law for the acquisition of weapons without permits are two requirements. The caliber of the bullet should be up to 4.5 mm. The second criterion concerns the limitation of the speed of a bullet - 120 meters per second. The law so briefly describes the requirements that one cannot do without the help of a lawyer, because, logically, many air rifles with a caliber of 4.5 mm are capable of pushing a bullet at a speed of about 300 meters per second, which causes a lot of questions when buying weapons. It turns out that in the laws of the countries of the former USSR, the speed of a bullet limits the use of a caliber of more than 4.5 mm, regardless of the speed of the bullet. For example, pneumatics under 5.5 mm already require permission. In any case, manufacturers always supply their product with a certificate for each state, which clearly states that a permit for pneumatic weapons is not required.
History reference
In the early nineties of the last century, the post-Soviet space market was littered with foreign-made pneumatic weapons. And the choice of pistols was small - all as one had an equally flimsy device, and the bullet was ejected due to the energy of compressed air from the cylinder, which was not cheap. The Russian arms concern Izhmash quickly orientated itself in the pneumatic market, presenting the IZH MP-53M pistol to customers.
Over two years of operation, thanks to user reviews, all the shortcomings of the gun were identified, which were taken into account in the new version of the air gun. For example, users appreciated a change in the shape of the anatomical grip, which was designed only for the right arm. After all, it became much more convenient to hold the IL-53M in both the right and left hand. But the elimination of the dovetail sights put an end to the use of optical devices such as a laser and a collimator.
Miracle beast of Russian gunsmiths
The pneumatic pistol IZH-53M among the owners is called a “hedgehog”, and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, because of the marking - the name “IL” looks like “Hedgehog”. Secondly, because of its size, because you can’t put it in your pocket. The size of the gun is impressive. It looks more like a rifle, in which the barrel was cut in half and the butt was removed. But this is the value of the gun: as you know, the accuracy of the shot is achieved due to the length of the barrel.
The body of the weapon is made of black plastic. Let his appearance and far from ideal, but the strength of plastic at height. All other mechanisms, including the barrel, are made of stainless steel. The weight of the IZH-53M pistol is 1.2 kg, taking it in hand, you immediately understand that this is far from a toy, but a full-fledged weapon with great potential and wide capabilities.
Principle of operation
Since the gun fires a shot due to compressed air by the piston, the main component for the IL-53M is a spring, which is compressed by breaking the barrel. Those who have shot at least once in their lives with a Soviet air rifle will have no difficulty in mastering a pistol. Having broken the trunk, it is necessary to take it down to the stop - a characteristic click serves as the limit. A lead bullet of 4.5 mm caliber is placed in a special cell on the inside of the barrel. It is noteworthy that the bullet can be inserted as a cone in the direction of departure, and a skirt. In the latter case, due to the high resistance during departure, it is possible to arrange demonstrative shots with the knocking down of the candle flame. The platoon of the mechanism for firing is made by returning the barrel to its original position. Fixing the barrel in the final position requires little effort, since this action additionally cockes the trigger, which after the shot discharges the entire mechanism of the gun.
Specifications
The IZH-53M air gun has a long rifled barrel 215 mm long, designed for firing only with lead bullets of 4.5 mm caliber. The initial bullet speed declared by the manufacturer is 100 m / s. Numerous owner reviews indicate that the speed is slightly underestimated. According to tests, the initial bullet speed of the new gun is approximately 110 meters per second. The manufacturer also underestimated the aiming range, indicating in the technical passport - 10 m. In fact, it is 25 meters. The maximum range of a bullet is within a hundred meters. Muzzle energy does not exceed three joules. A low rate of lethal force indicates that the gun is not intended for hunting, where at least 15 joules are needed. Accordingly, there is no question of any beating of glass containers.
What are the purposes of this gun
The IZH-53M air gun is intended primarily for training firing. The manufacturer positions its product as sports and entertainment. For this, the gun is equipped with a unique sighting device called the rear sight. Although at first glance its appearance is doubtful, however, the rear sight has a mechanism for fine-tuning the sight in two planes. The feedback from the owners of this gun comes down to the fact that it was originally shot at the factory. But not everyone is satisfied with shooting from the right hand under the “bullseye”. Therefore, to obtain a high result, you have to shoot the weapon yourself.
The IZH-53M pistol shows excellent results of accuracy and accuracy of fire at distances of 10-25 meters. This is quite enough for learning and entertainment. The low speed of the bullet allows you to use the gun at home, but safety precautions still need to be observed.
About disassembling a gun
What primarily attracts the IZH-53M air gun to itself - price, ease of assembly and maintenance. The low cost of a sports pistol on the market forces the buyer to opt for this weapon. The technical data sheet supplied contains complete instructions for disassembly and assembly. Responses of owners assure that many children's designers are much more complicated than IL-53. During operation, there is no need to disassemble the gun; at the factory, all operating mechanisms provided long-term lubrication. Only in emergency situations, after getting the weapon into the water, during rough handling, it is necessary to disassemble and lubricate all the mechanisms. The gun is also disassembled during modernization, but more on that later.
Proper operation of weapons
The package "hedgehog" provides for a ramrod, which is very convenient to clean the barrel after firing. At first it may seem that the ramrod has a larger diameter, but this is not so. Cleaning is done by screwing the ramrod into the barrel of the gun in the direction of rifling the barrel, which must be broken to facilitate cleaning. For full factory cleaning, two full ramrod passes are sufficient. If there is engine oil, you can apply a few drops to the muzzle and make a third pass. Oil scrubbing immediately before firing allows the shooter to observe smoke coming out of the barrel after firing, which from the side looks very funny. Storage of airguns is recommended when discharged. To do this, after the last shot, it is necessary to return the broken barrel to its original position and produce a blank shot, unclenching the spring of the cocking mechanism.
What is popular with IL among shooters?
Low cost, ease of maintenance and high durability of the pistol mechanisms open up enormous opportunities for owners, first of all, the IZH-53M upgrade. The main thing is to start. Having shot enough, the shooter comes to the conclusion that it would be nice to increase the speed of the bullet. Having disassembled the gun, the owner will pay attention to the weak spring stiffness. It is recommended to replace it. You can search for a similar spring in the market or order the manufacture of craftsmen. Reading reviews in reliable sources on upgrading the gun, there is a more interesting suggestion - to install the spring from the IZH-512M air rifle, having previously shortened it by four turns. Before installing the spring, it is recommended to fill the plunger piston groove with the epoxy resin. It fixes a spring that goes two turns in depth, which will not go anywhere in an enclosed space. Having made such an improvement in weapons, you get a significant increase in bullet speed - up to 160 meters per second, and the gun falls into the hunting category. Along with high power, a new problem arises - throwing a light trunk upward when fired.
Barrel weighting
The main mass of the IL-53M pistol is in the area of the handle, where the metal trigger mechanism is located. In a normal shot, throwing the barrel up can be controlled by the power of the wrist. But after the upgrade, it is very difficult to do. You can weight the barrel with ordinary lead, gently squeezing the edge of the barrel, but the appearance of the gun will be unpresentable. Experts recommend installing a 250-300 gram muzzle, which, along with a counterweight, will play the role of a silencer.
As a muzzle, a small cylinder is suitable, which must be equipped with two screw caps. One cover is drilled according to the diameter of the barrel, threading is carried out , the second - according to the diameter of the bullet. A standard fly is removed from the barrel, and a thread is cut into its edge. The weight is screwed onto the barrel. The front sight can be glued on the trunk closer to the frame, or you can continue to upgrade with the installation of optics.
How to achieve shooting comfort
After the technical improvements made, it will be another gun. Pneumatic IZH-53 along with high power will have a magnificent view. And in weight it will significantly increase. Holding one and a half kilograms in one hand when shooting will be quite difficult. After studying the reviews of the owners of this wonderful weapon, you can find many detailed instructions for installing the butt on the IZH-53M pistol. The upgrade price will depend on the material and type of device. There is no limit to creativity - from an ordinary wooden plank to a folding metal butt, like an AKS-74U assault rifle.
If the owner wants to install optics on the gun in the future, it is worth considering improving the handle and the trunk for the barrel. Indeed, on the outside of the trigger cylinder, it is impossible to install additional devices. Having made a single bed, a handle and a butt from metal or wood, further modernization can be greatly facilitated.
The right approach to optics
The installation of optical devices often falls under the upgrade of IZH-53M. First of all, we are talking about a collimator. The device significantly increases the speed of aiming, and also allows you to accurately shoot in the dark. In the market, the cost of a collimator is quite high, but it is still in good demand among weapon owners. As a cheap option, sellers suggest using a laser sight, which exists in different color variations. Multiple optics are rarely put on a gun. Due to the low speed of the bullet, relative to air rifles, this will be an irrational purchase for the IL-53M. The price of powerful optics is high. There is no place for the installation of optical devices on the pistol; accordingly, it will be useful only to owners of upgraded weapons who independently installed the necessary components.
conclusions
Having found out that a permit for pneumatic weapons is not required, having decided on the budget, you can begin to search for suitable weapons. In the world there are a huge number of air rifles and pistols. But most owners, judging by their reviews, recommend the newcomers the purchase of an IZH-53M pistol. Taking the cheapest weapons and shooting at plenty, many owners leave the toy dusting in the garage for many years, never regretting their choice. Low price - from 2500 thousand rubles, high performance characteristics, the ability to independently upgrade and ease of maintenance make this purchase the most successful.