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Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 863 Location: NoDak

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum as of today and I must say that I'm glad to be a part of it!!! Like all of you I'm a 16ga fan (best upland gauge in the world!). I have a couple of 16s but I wish I had more!

Anyway, I've read some posts on the Spartans. Well maybe I have an exception but the one I have is just fine. Granted its no English best gun but they are not all that bad. After I had the stock refinished (there is some nice wood under all that gunk), cleaned up the action (they need it) and getting some after market choke tubes. I feel its a nice gun, a bit heavy, but not to badly balanced.

The true test of this gun came today, as this was the grouse opener here in ND. Well took it out and it performed great! Got a nice double on grouse with it and it pointed and shot right were it was supposed to. So for me I'm happy with it.

I'm a BIG fan of side by sides and I must say this gun may become one of the ones I'll use the most, maybe just maybe more than my sweet little 20ga AyA.

Does anyone have any thoughts pro or con on the Spartan? Would be interested in hearing from you.

Take care and God Bless!!!!

Greg

Welcome Greg and you didn't help my 'pity party' being stuck in the desert and two months from going to Kansas and you already got a DOUBLE on sharptails Very Happy

Good for you and it's obvious why 16ers have more fun Wink

!

Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 863 Location: NoDak

Sorry about that! Its not well known, but here in NoDak we have quite a few sharpies. Alot of the folks around here don't hunt them unless they run into them hunting pheasants. Some call them flying carp (not the best eating), but some of us love to hunt them.

Take care!!!!

Greg

*Last edited by Haiwee on Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total*

I almost hate to admit it, but I, too, own a Baikal gun. It's an o/u 28 gauge imported by EAA before Remington became the importer. It's not much to look at and it weighs a ton (six and a half pounds), but my buddies stop laughing at me when I start to shoot it. At the sporting clays course I regularly outshoot them, even with them using their fancy 12 gauge guns.

Bottom line: in my opinion, the Baikal guns are built like tanks, can take lots of punishment as a bush gun, shoot great and are a good value for the money. In fact, I can think of lots of more expensive doubles that aren't near the gun as the Baikal.

got any pictures of the refinished stock?

does the action open easily after you cleaned it up? the one I've checked out requires 2 people to open it (o/u) for the record

and why the aftermarket chokes? are the OEM Remys or something else?

congrats & enjoy.

Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 863 Location: NoDak

Hi, well I don't have any pictures of the stock (don't have a camera) sorry. As to chokes, the one that come with the gun are awfully thin, infact they can bend, plus they don't shoot as stated (mine shoot tighter than stated. These are good guns and do shoot were you point them, except for looks (which can be improved) and weight these are fairly well balanced and are built like a brick S-house.

For the price I'd recommend them to anyone!

Good Luck!!!!!

Greg

who did you go with for aftermarket chokes?

if they don't shoot as stated, it sounds like a design/quality issue or something...

Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 863 Location: NoDak

Hi, Yes quality was the issue. My problem was solved when I got my chokes from Colonial Arms (check www.colonialarms.com). They have about every choke you would want (lead or steel) DO NOT use the chokes that came with the gun for steel (except Cyl & IC tubes).

Hope this helps!!!!!!

Greg

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Greg I bought one ,stuck a slip on recoil pad on and now use it as my main hunting gun.I have also run some good skeet scores with it.Not prety but a functional gun Wink

Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 311

I too have a Baikal 16 SxS. Altho it is too heavy for a 16 I must admit I can shoot mine very well using Remington 1 ounce game loads that I buy by the flat. The Baikals seem to be well built and lacking only in asthetics. Plus, the fact it was jut $330 made it impossible for me to pass up (one should never walk into a gunshop with "extra" money in the wallet!). Mine was imported by EAA and has fixed chokes.

Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Washington State

I'll echo the comments about the baikals- have 2- 1 a 12ga SXS & 20 ga O/U. Both solid perfomers I use often here in the wet pacific north west. Not beauty queens, not lithe, but fit me well enough to take birds reliably.

Will I give up my Brownings and Merkel for one- no, but when the outside conditions are nasty, they are the guns I reach for to hunt.

Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 863 Location: NoDak

Hi all, well my boy and I were out today after work for a couple of hours and I took my 210 16ga out again, boy the more I use it the more impressed I am with this gun. I took a long shot on grouse and it went down! It seems this gun shoots very well. The action is opening much easier each time its used and perhaps its me but it seems to carry easier also.

I guess I really like this gun. I think Remington has a winner here!

Take Care!!!!!!!!

Greg

Joined: 12 Sep 2006 Posts: 3 Location: ohio Eaton

My granddaughter shoot a Baikal single shot sporting gun with a29.5 "barrelshe shoots 78 to84 percent with it. We like it.that is trap that she shoots.

Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 62 Location: Driftwood, TX

I have a Baikal combo 12ga/30-06 and just purchased a Spartan combo 12/223 they are work horses.

Interestingly, I had a Beretta that I felt was too nice for the Texas Hill Country, so I traded it for a Huglu O/U 20 ga, a Stoeger SxS 12ga and a Tikka .270, the Stoeger was for me. I have since purchased a 16 ga Stoeger

Based on what I own I would rate the Stoeger and the Baikal similiar, I like the foreend on the Bakail, but I wonder that if in the long run the Baikal might last longer.

Member Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 182 Location: Minnesota

I bought a Baikal single shot, Model IZH18 16 ga 28 while I was home on R&R this summer. It was $99. Extra money in the pocket syndrome set in. I had read about them since Remington took over the deal. It is sort of homely looking, but interesting, sort of like an ugly hunting dog Rolling Eyes

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I have not shot it but my daughter did at a college trap meet last weekend. She usually shoots my 20ga Wingmaster and she told me she likes the feel of the Baikal better. Said it kicks less too. She has rather short arms and said it shouldered nicer for her. Not a real big gal and the weight didn't bother her at all and she said the action worked well by the end of the day. Beat her roommate and her Beretta 20 ga all six rounds. Now I am anxious to shoot that as well as my new Browning White Lightning 16. Geez, kids got to use both before me.

ed55
Baghdad