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Biathlon Basic 7-2KO (BI-7-2KO) & Izhmash Sobol (Sable): Factory Custom by Legion

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#1 · (Edited)
Biathlon Basic 7-2KO (BI-7-2KO)

BIATHLON MODEL 7-2KO version 02 Basic (BI-7-2KO Basic) - (Биатлон-7-2-КО исп. 02 Basic)






BIATHLON MODEL 7-2KO Hunting Rifle (BI-7-2KO) - (Биатлон-7-2-КО)



Biathlon 7-2 KO Version 05 - (Биатлон-7-2-КО исп. 05)





BI-7-2KO hunting rifle
The "BI-7-2KO" hunting rifle is intended for hunting feather and small game. The rifle is built on the basis of the "Bl-7-2" sporting rifle and retains all its positive qualities: accuracy and compactness of fire, convenience in operation.
The receiver, front-sight base and sight bed are made integral with the barrel. The receiver is provided with a rail to mount an optical sight.
The rifle allows to adjust trigger pull, travel and trigger release character by means of the adjusting screws, without stripping the rifle.
The single-column, interchangeable, five-round magazines are held in a magazine chamber.
The stock features a pistol grip.
The iron sights allow to deliver aimed fire at two ranges: 25 m and 75 m.
Used for firing are the 5.6 mm (.22 LR) rim-fire Russian made and international cartridges.

SPECIFICATIONS
Caliber: 5.6mm (.22LR)
Accuracy: 3 groups of 5 shots at 50-metes, mean spread not exceed 25mm
Magazine capacity, rounds 5
Weight of rifle (without optical sight and accessories) 3.5 kg
Trigger pull, adjustable, within 4.9 to 9.8 N (0.5 to 1.0 kgf)
Overall dimensions: Length 1000mm, Width 85mm, Height (w/optical sight) 260mm

On Customer's order the rifle may come complete with an optical sight and mounts to accommodate it.
Factory Information: http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/bi7-2.shtml
Factory Manual: http://gunshowonthenet.com/Gun_Manuals/Gun_Manuals2/EAA_Biathlon.pdf
Accuracy Claim:http://www.armrus.com/info/e_armDetail.php?mod_ID=1
The impact group at 50 meters do not exceed 1 inch.
Review: http://www.decadefirearms.com/pdf/TS0405.pdf
http://www.gunweek.com/2004/feature0801.html
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Izhmash Biathlon Basic - Review



http://www.gunweek.com/2004/feature0801.html

http://www.gunweek.com
EAA's Biathlon Basic .22 Accurate Out-of-the-Box

Photos & Story
by Scott Smith
Contributing Editor

When it comes to firearms, those in the caliber of .22 long rifle (LR) are by far the most popular on the market. Every rifle manufacturer seems to offer and inventory at least one model chambered for the ubiquitous .22 LR. For some companies, rifles in this diminutive caliber are the firms' life blood. The funny thing about rifles in the .22 LR family is that their retail prices can far surpass those of center fire rifles from the same manufacturer.

What makes the venerable .22 so popular? This is not an easy question to answer, since the reasons for having at least one .22 LR in the gun vault vary from owner to owner. A true .22 aficionado will have several and be able to tell you the differences in each and every one, even if there are several of the same model.

One thing that I have found is that dedicated .22 owners are like owners of 1911s: they can always make their .22s better. This seems to be something that shooters just have to do. Occasionally, however, you run across a firearm that falls into the category of nearly perfect out-of-the-box, that "requires" little if any "work."

One example of a rifle in this category is the EAA Biathlon Basic. One of the first questions that often comes up concerning EAA firearms is who makes it? The Biathlon Basic is made by one of the world's oldest arsenals, Izhmash.

Made to Last
Like many Russian-made firearms, this one does not come with any high gloss finish, embossing or engraving, but it will shoot and do it under the worst conditions. After all, firearms in Russia have to endure some of the worst climatic conditions in the world.

Ah, but I have digressed; back to the Biathlon Basic. As the name implies, it is an entry level biathlon-style rifle. It has a short stroke straight-pull bolt, recessed target crowned barrel, and what I considered a nice trigger pull. Hey, I am not a .22 Match Rifle shooter, what do I know? Unlike a true biathlon rifle which generally uses a variety of peep and post sights, the Biathlon Basic comes with a Picatinny rail to install your choice of optics.

Overall the EAA Biathlon Basic is a well-made rifle. The fit and finish of the rifle is good, trigger pull is about two to three pounds-crisp, and no creep. This is a solid, well-built rifle-no frills, no bells or whistles; just a good rifle.

To me this was just another rimfire rifle. Meaning that it was fun to shoot, it was fairly accurate, and ammunition was inexpensive to downright cheap. Since I wanted to get an opinion of a rimfire aficionado, I enlisted my bud, Bill Worthington to help with my test.

Old Hand at .22s
Worthington is, to say the least, a devotee of the .22 LR. He has an extensive collection of rifles chambered in this diminutive caliber. No, this is not a set in the vault or in a glass case to be admired collection, but his rifles are used regularly. I figured he would be a good candidate to give a true, unbiased opinion of the EAA Biathlon Basic.

Knowing that it is hard to get Worthington to venture to the range, I called him and mentioned that I was off to shoot and could he be ready in a half hour or so. Upon learning of the new .22, it was a done deal; he'd be ready.

One of the big reasons to get Worthington to shoot with me, is his working knowledge of rimfire rifles, plus he has a wide variety of ammunition that we could shoot through the Biathlon Basic. My inventory of .22 ammo was limited to some Federal and Winchester bulk packs as well as some GI training ammunition. Worthington did not let me down, and when we got to the range he unpacked several offerings from CCI, Eley, Laupa, as well as a number of hunting/target loads from Winchester, Federal and PMC.

This should be enough ammo to give the EAA a thorough test drive.

After Worthington got over laughing at my choice of scopes, my nearly ancient Redfield Widefield, he gave the Biathlon Basic the once over. Nice recessed target crown, good trigger, the classic M1/M14 push-pull safety, attached Picatinny/Weaver rail to mount optics, detachable 10-round magazine and a nicely finished stock were all noteworthy to him. Being the skeptic, his comments were something to the effect "it looks good, has a few nice features, but does it shoot?"

Range Test
Sounds like a fair question. Since I had already shot it and my answers would not suffice, I told him to shoot it. Granted the scope was not set-up for Worthington, but being the trooper he is, he drove on and shot the EAA. He ran several magazines through the little rifle to get a feel for it before getting serious about seeing how well it could really shoot. His test groups at 50 yards all hovered under an inch, not bad for a "plinker."

After a test drive of the Biathlon Basic, Worthington got down to shooting the rifle. He was amazed that this off-the-shelf rifle was easily capable of °-inch groups and this with an old scope that wasn't adjusted for him. His comment to punctuate the rifle's capability was simple: when can I buy it, and how much, so I have the cash. From a guy that breathes the lineage of the .22 LR, these are high words of praise.

Between Worthington and I, several hundred rounds of .22 LR were sent down range through the EAA Biathlon Basic. This rifle simply shot and shot, even the least expensive bulk .22 ammo shot well out of this rifle. Granted with match grade cartridges it shot extremely well, but at $12-15 a box of 50 it should.

The EAA Biathlon Basic would be ideal for use on the local varmint population, chasing empty beer cans down the range, or getting serious about shooting aspirin-sized groups. This is a fine shooting rifle and would be a good addition to any firearms collection, or as a starter for a new shooter in the family. For more information on this and other EAA firearms, contact: European American Armory (EAA), PO Box 1299, Dept. GWK, Sharpes, FL 32959; phone: 321-639-4842; on-line: www.eaacorp.com.

European American Armory nolonger stocks the rifle, only parts

Rifle Specs

OAL: 39 inches
Barrel Length: 19.5 inches
Weight : 6.1 pounds
1/8 twist
MSRP With rails as tested $369
MSRP With adjust. sights $419



By TEXASPROUD
AirgunBBS.com > General > Firearms reviews > Izhmash Biathlon Basic
After being on this website for some time I thought I would make an attempt at reviewing a rimfire rifle that I acquired some time back. Bear with me on this, I will try to keep my Texas colloquiallisms to a minimum, so, Lord willin, an the creek don't rise, I just might pass something on to y'all.

A quote often attributed to Col. Townsend Whelen, an early 20th Century American marksman, is, "Only accurate rifles are interesting." I believe the good Col. would have been interested in the Biathlon Basic, a Russian import from the Izhmash factory and the good people at European American Armory.

Weighing in at 6.1 lbs, with an overal length of 39 inches, the Basic has an unassuming appearance, yet there is something about it that tells you this might be more than just a .22 plinker. The wood is very plain, but there are no obvious machine or tooling marks on the receiver, and the 0.750" untapered 19.5 inch barrel forewarns you that there may be more to this rifle than meets the eye.

As you rotate the rifle in your hands and look at the underside you notice the triggerguard and magazine port appear to be made of a polymer. The safety is built into the triggerguard and is engaged by pushing on the safety from the outside surface of the trigger guard. Once engaged, neither the trigger nor the bolt may be activated. To deactivate the safety, simply push on the safety from inside the trigger guard.

The rifle comes from the factory without any sights, but does have a Weaver type rail attached to the receiver. This may be a proprietary type mount as the Burris Signature Zee Rings I tried to install refused to tighten enough on the rails. I ended up using a set of Weaver mounts and a BSA 6-24x40 that wasn't attached to anything.

The crown of the the barrel has the deepest recess I've ever seen, it reminds you of the flash suppressor on a jungle carbine. It should provide additional protection if you decide you want to use it for hunting small game or vermin control.

What draws your attention to this rifle is the bolt handle on the right side. As you pull back on the bolt, you immediately engage the articulated toggle style action that is unique to Biathlon rifles. It is faster than a standard bolt action, but not as fast as a semiautomatic. I also feel that it is easier to stay on track with your targets using this style of action vs a standard bolt action, at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

As with all new rifles, it is a good idea to pull the bolt and clean the barrel of the preservatives that protect it from the time it leaves the factory till the time it gets to you. If you are a fanatic about accuracy, or even if you're not, it is best to clean the barrel from the breach if possible.

This is one of the only negatives I have about the rifle. The E.A.A. manual does not tell you how to remove the bolt. A call to E.A.A. did not help, as they told me, "We don't encourage you to remove the bolt." A quick trip www.rimfirecentral.com and their forum on "Romanian trainers and others" gave the information needed to properly field strip and clean the Biathlon Basic.

Field disassembly involves removal of the scope, also remove the magazine, pull back on the bolt and insure there is no round in the chamber. With the toggle action half-way open, push on the spring loaded detent at the back of the bolt assembly and pull the pin straight out from the top of the receiver. With the pin removed, you may now pull the bolt assmbly out for cleaning from the breach end of the barrel.

Reassembly was just as simple, and once reassembled it was time to test it out for accuracy. Due to time constraints I grabbed a brick of Aquila 38 gr subsonic .22 long rifle and went to the range. I didn't bother with sorting by weighing rounds or measuring rim thickness, I just loaded, sighted, and shot over sandbags and this was the result.

The best 5 shot group measured .401" at 50 yds, and that's nothing to sneeze at. The question I now have is, "What will it do with Eley, Lapau, and some of the other high quality ammo." Don't get me wrong, Aquila has proven to be an outstanding load in certain rimfire rifles I have and has beat out the big honcho brands. Like any other .22 rimfire, you need to try a variety of loads to find out what shoots best. In this case I am using Mexican ammo that I can buy at $15.95/brick of 500. (Do I hear a groan?)

I did not have a trigger gauge, but the trigger felt light with a certain amount of takeup. The release was crisp and accuracy as I stated was good. This has my curiosity aroused so much I can't help but wonder, "How well does the full blown Olympic Biathlon shoot?"

For those of you that keep up with military rifles, the SV-99 sniper rifle uses this same type action with adjustable trigger, enhanced adjustable stock, bipod, and a slightly shorter threaded barrel with silencer that , overall, measures right at 1 meter in length. The rear stock can be removed and replaced with a pistol grip for shooting from cramped quarters. After shooting the Biathlon Basic, I can see why they adopted it for use in Chechnya.

The Biathlon Basic was acquired for less than $300 at one of the local Dallas Gun Shops, well below the MSRP. It may not be the prettiest rifle out there, but for better than average accuracy, medium weight, and a rifle good for hunting, vermin control, and maybe even CMP sporting rifle, this rifle has a lot to offer.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Izhmash Biathlon Basic Modifications

Fuzzy's Projects . . . !
Bryan "Mick" Knight and others

Izhmash Biathlon Basic Rifle Modifications

This rifle . . . a relative newcomer to the American shooter, and intended as one of several "sporterised" versions of the original Russian Baikal/Izhmash Biathlon match rifles . . . is proving to be one of the best acquisitions on the market for the smallbore rimfire shooter desiring good accuracy and reliability at a relatively low cost. Other variants of the BB, as it's becoming known to the American shooter, are equipped with barrel-mounted open sights, or storage for extra magazines in the butt. Like much of the inexpensive Russian equipment it will not win any prizes for superb aesthetic finish, but the actual important parts - the receiver, trigger mechanism and barrel - are well made and appear to offer the reliability of the proverbial brick outhouse ! The stock, is of some unknown hardwood, and might even have been whittled out of a convenient 2x4, but overall this rifle will outperform the vast majority of the current American crop of smallbore rifles right out of the box !

The action - a toggle bolt type - will be somewhat strange to the average American shooter. Borrowed from its' Biathlon parent, ( I suspect that the actions actually used are those from the high-end Biathlon Rifle production line that didn't "quite make the cut" in quality control ), and designed primarily for speed, and ease of usage when wearing gloves, it offers re-loading times much faster than the typical bolt action, and approaching those of a semi-automatic. It offers an alternative approach to that used in the more sophisticated Forstner action of the very expensive Anschutz biathlon rifles. Here are full views of the stock BB from both sides:



Overall the lines of the rifle are pleasing . . . it offers good balance in the hands .... points naturally . . . and has a heavy enough barrel to offer considerable stability in the hold. The trigger, as delivered does exhibit some creep and over-travel, but typically has a pull-off weight of approximately 2#. The trigger mechanism offers some facility for adjustment to suit personal needs . . . some rifles, apparently randomly, are even fitted with a fully adjustable mechanism similar to that on its' big brother, the more expensive, Izhmash Biathlon used in formal competition.

If you are considering using one of these BB's for current CMP Rimfire Sporter competition in the 'Scope-Sighted "T" Class, as many of us are, it will almost certainly have to undergo some minor modifications. When fitted with anything other than the simplest fixed-magnification scope, the overall weight will probably exceed the CMP 7.5# maximum limit . . . so some "dieting" is required ! Secondly, with that 2# trigger pull, a little exploration of the trigger mechanism will be needed to bring it up to the CMP 3# minimum. Finally, and again probably due to the "quality control considerations" noted above, you may have to do a little adjusting/polishing of action components.

Stage 1 - 'Scope Installation and Preliminary Weighing

So . . . . let's get started ! Assuming that you've decided on a suitable set of Weaver-style rings and a 'scope, install them and check the correctness of 'scope location, fore and aft, for correct eye relief in all three shooting positions - (Prone, Sitting/Kneeling and Offhand). & Now weigh the rifle, using an "accurate scale". I have found the Rappala digital fish scale sold in the Sporting Goods department at Walmart to be accurate enough within, say, +/- 0.1# for the purpose. (Ref: Topic #11 on the Projects Index page).

If you meet weight limits - Fine ! If not, then consider your options . . . switch to a lighter scope/rings combination and try again . . . or start whittling on the stock ! Some ideas for "stock whittling" are shown in Project #9, including my own "Tatiana", the slinky city lady in 'basic black' that we created from the original peasant gal BB. For reference I found that it was possible to remove almost 0.5# of weight from the original stock in that transformation process. Always keep in mind that the rifle "MUST FIT YOU" if you want to shoot your best !

Stage 2 - Checking the Action for Smoothness

Before starting on any modifications or general tuning, first find out what the rifle can do . . . how smooth is the original OOB action !

Referring back to the "possible quality considerations" how smoothly does each round feed from the magazine to the chamber, when actuating the toggle bolt, as compared to the smoothness when actuating the bolt without any rounds in the magazine ? From first-hand examination and trial of several examples of the BB action, it has been observed that there can be a distinct "end-of-travel" hang-up in the feeding operation. If this is observed, take a closer look at the way the incoming round is gripped by the face of the advancing bolt, particularly with regard to it "sliding freely" into the bolt face pocket, and under the claws of the two extractors. If the extractor claws exhibit insufficient clearance from the bolt pocket face, then the round does not fully enter the pocket and tends to hit the chamber entrance at too steep an angle. There is a tendency for the extractor claws to show a little skewness in their pockets, and to have rather sharp, burry edges.

To remedy this problem start by removing the bolt . . . Depress the pawl at the rear and after lifting out the rear toggle pin, slide the complete bolt block and toggle linkage out to the rear of the receiver. Now take a round of ammo, and test insert it into the bolt face pocket by lightly sliding it upwards as if it were being fed from the magazine. In all probability it will only go about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way in before becoming "tight". The remedy is to examine the extractor claws for skewness and/or burrs . . . if found a LIGHT filing or stoning is recommended . . . keep those under-surfaces of the claws basically parallel to the bolt face, with just a slight relief on the lower leading edges. Remove just enough material to remedy the problem . . . NO MORE ! . . . and keep testing with the re-assembled rifle/bolt and a round of ammo as you go. I'd suggest using an old style ignition point file, or better yet, one of the "el cheapo" diamond-coated Chinese ones now available, for the operation, which can then be done without removing the extractors from the bolt.

Clean the bolt and toggles thoroughly after this adjustment and re-lube the complete assembly with a suitable product . . . I have used either Shooters Choice High-Tech grease, or Primis Lube Gel with good results.

Stage 3 - Trigger Mechanism Adjustments and Modifications

For the purposes of this article I'll assume that we're going to "heavy up" the trigger for CMP competition . . . if you want a lighter match or bench-rest pull-off, then some operations will need to be "reversed".

Let's start by removing the barreled action from the stock . . . first a single screw at the rear of the trigger guard must be removed and the moulded plastic guard lifted out . . . it has a lip at the front that engages in a recess in the stock. Then undo the the two captive screws holding the barreled action to the stock, and separate the two pieces. Lay the stock to one side and let's take a look at the barreled action, and particularly the trigger mechanism

Fig A - Left-Hand View


Fig B - Right-Hand View


Fig C - Bottom View


Fig D - Trigger Mechanism Bits
 
#4 ·
this information couldnt come at a better time i found one of these at the shop today, and it had my intrest once i picked it up, felt very light and the action was fast, i might just have to dig out for this one,, any clue as what a good price is for m=one, the one i found was just over 300. thanks
mike
 
#6 ·
cool, this one is new so hight priced is explained, im just curious what the biggest scope i get get for it and still be able to hold it good, that rear only mount is my dilema,,, i want a 6-19x44 scope but it might be to long,, still gotta find out if i can get it rifle tho, hope to lots of good reviews so far
mike
 
#8 · (Edited)
IZHMASH BL-7-2-KO .22 Silhouette and Hunting Rifle

RPG ESTATE FIREARMS: "GUNS n GOODIES!"

IZHMASH BI-7-2-KO .22



Remember the days of the good old "TOZ" and "BAIKAL" .22 rifles, remember there 450kg triggers, strange stocks, rudimentary sights, "creative" fit and finish as well as the non existent instruction manuals.
Well it looks like those days are over.
Enter the "IZHMASH BI-7-2-KO in .22 Lr, a quality Russian target gun with the soul of a hunter.

I had the opportunity to look over one of these guns and what I saw imprested me greatly.

Now before I start, let me say from the outset that I'm giving my opinion not as a technician or as a professional gun writer but as an average "Jo Bloggs" shooter, someone who takes a gun out to the range or into the sticks and tries to hit the thing he aims at...
Ok, I had a visit from the good people of Industek who brought along not only the rifle but a selection of their night vision scopes as well. (See review soon)
The BI-7-2 has a certain feel to it, a good balance, a nice "heft" is how I would describe it, it comes up to the shoulder and sits there without the whippy wondering of a sporter or cumbersome front heaviness of a target gun.
This is due to a well designed stock and heavy, though not to heavy, hammer forged barrel.
The gun is designed for the Olympic Biathlon, an exhausting cross country skiing marathon that requires the participants to engage targets at different points along the way, though here in Australia it will more readily find a home on the metallic silhouette range or hovering over the numerous Rabbit warrens dotting the countryside.
The first things you will notice about the Izhmash is its straight pull bolt and hammer-forged barrel.
I can only describe the action as being similar to a Luger toggle action, laid on its side and hand operated as opposed to semi auto, it's quick to load and ejects the empty cases a good meter with little effort and is as solid a lock-up as any bolt action I've encountered.
The removal and reassembly of the bolt is a simple task. Just depress the spring loaded catch at the rear of the bolt, remove the locking pin and the whole assembly slides out of the receiver.

The parts you don't want to loose!


The barrel is probably the best of its type I've seen, being hammer forged and very deeply crowned. It is also, I believe the only hammer forged barrel that comes as standard on any .22lr...



The gun comes with two five shot mags (a ten shot is available) made of a very tough polymer of some type and they are, without doubt the worst finished mags I have ever seen, being covered with tool marks and generally looking rather poor and tatty!

However, they work and work very well indeed and when it comes to the crunch that's all that matters!
The BI-7-2 has a solid scope base on the rear of the receiver, I would suggest that another be placed at the front as well as your scope mounting options are a little limited with the present arrangement.
The trigger has a little too much take up but is otherwise as light and crisp as the average shooter could wish for.

Silhouettes and rabbits beware!


All in all I find the Izhmash BL-7-2-KO to be a very sound gun and one well worth serious consideration wether you are hunting for Rabbit, Fox or Steel Chickens, Pigs, Turkeys and Rams.

Available now for $880 with two five shot mags, cleaning rod and instructions.

RPG.
 
#9 · (Edited)
#10 · (Edited)
Biathlon Basic - Russian American Armory, 1st Part

The Biathlon Basic is Back! Now from Russian American Armory
by Jeff Quinn, photography by Jeff Quinn, March 25th, 2007


A few years ago, I walked into McLain's Firearms in Carlisle, Tennessee, and Michael McLain, the owner of the establishment and the county's gunsmith, handed to me an odd .22 Long Rifle chambered rifle with a toggle link action, sometimes referred to as a "straight pull" action. The rifle looked okay, with a rather plain wood stock and a dull black metal finish. I immediately asked him; "How's she shoot?" In Mike's usual manner, he took the long way around the barn in answering. Taking the rifle from my steely grasp, "First", he said, "try the trigger", and he inserted a fired case to protect the firing pin and chamber edge, and handed me the rifle again. Pulling the trigger, I just looked at him cross-eyed. He stated "I haven't touched it, they are all that way!" Then he reached under some papers and pulled out a used paper target, and showed me the groups that he had fired using the rifle. I was impressed. The rifle was called the Biathlon Basic, and was being imported by European American Armory. Mike had been ordering them in quantity for the local squirrel hunters. A hunter would buy one, and later come back with a hunting buddy who wanted one for himself. Some hunters were buying two or three each, just to have a backup. Later, shooting one of the rifles, I fell in love. As so often happens with love, it is a fleeting thing. I kept hearing rumors that a left-handed version of the rifle was to be available soon, so I delayed in buying one, but "soon" never came. Then all of a sudden, the supply dried up, and I had waited too long to get one. McLain tried, but could get no more. I looked online, and none were to be found.

LEFT: The Biathlon Basic from Russian American Armory.
RIGHT: As befits a rifle of this accuracy level, the Biathlon Basic comes equipped
with a Weaver-style scope base, and no iron sights.

After a while, I got over the agony of unfulfilled desire, and moved on to other rifles. Then just before the 2007 SHOT Show, I heard that another importer was bringing the Biathlon Basic into the United States. The importer is Russian American Armory of Scottsburg, Indiana, and one of my main objectives of the show was to seek them out. On the third day of the show I found the RAA booth, and sure enough, among the several different firearms on display, was the object of my desire, and I immediately started trying to secure the delivery of the rifle.

The heart of the Biathlon is its unique toggle action.


Barrel is free-floated along its entire length (top), and features a deeply-recessed crown (bottom).

 
#11 · (Edited)
Biathlon Basic - Russian American Armory, 2nd Part

The Biathlon Basic is Back! Now from Russian American Armory
by Jeff Quinn, photography by Jeff Quinn, March 25th, 2007




The Russian-made Biathlon basic is, as the name implies, a "basic" or stripped-down version of the Ishmash Biathlon rifle that is used in serious small bore rifle competition. The Biathlon rifle wears special micrometer adjustable target sights and has a radical target stock, which is perfect for serious competitors, but a bit out of place for a hunting rifle. Enter the Basic. It has the action and design of the competition rifle, but in a style more suited to the woods or small bore metallic silhouette rifle range. The proper name for the rifle is Biathlon 7-2-KO Basic. It wears a wood stock of what appears to be birch, and has cut checkering on each side of the pistol grip area. The factory specs calls for birch, beech, or walnut. The sample rifle weighs in at six pounds and seven ounces, but factory specs calls for 7.7 pounds, with the weight difference probably coming from the wood on a particular rifle. The barrel measures just under nineteen and three-quarters inches long, and is of a semi-heavy profile, measuring right at three-quarters of an inch diameter at the muzzle, which has a radically inset crown. The barrel is free-floated its entire length forward of the action, and the barreled action is finished in what appears to be a black epoxy finish that is both good looking and functional. The barrel also appears to be hammer forged. The RAA Basic comes supplied with both a five-round and a ten-round magazine, and like many Russian made rifles, comes with a cleaning rod and oil bottle. The trigger guard and floorplate are made of plastic, as are the magazines. The safety is a handy little unit that slides forward to fire, is inset into the front of the trigger guard, and is in an ideal location for both left-handed and right-handed shooters. The toggle action is very quick and easy to operate; much faster than a turn-bolt action. Simply pull back to eject a fired case and push forward to chamber a cartridge from the magazine. During testing, the action functioned perfectly, never failing to feed, fire, extract, or eject. The Biathlon Basic comes with a Weaver style scope base atop the receiver for easy scope mounting, and wears no open sights.

LEFT: This screw adjusts the safety slide's tension.
RIGHT: A look at the sear spring.

Now we come to the most impressive part, to me at least, of the rifle; that wonderful trigger! The trigger pull on the sample rifle measured just one pound and six ounces on my digital trigger pull gauge. The pull has about an eighth inch of take-up and then a perfectly crisp feel as the sear is released. It is absolutely the best trigger pull that I have ever found on a rimfire rifle, at any price.

Surfaces of receiver and stock are grooved to eliminate any movement.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Biathlon Basic - Russian American Armory, 3rd Part

The Biathlon Basic is Back! Now from Russian American Armory
by Jeff Quinn, photography by Jeff Quinn, March 25th, 2007



When it's time to really test the accuracy of a rifle, Jeff reaches for his
trusted Leupold 6.5-20x target scope.

For accuracy testing, I mounted my trusted Leupold 6.5 to 20 power target scope, to try to see just how well the little rimfire will shoot. As expected, the accuracy was superb. I tried the rifle with several different types of ammunition from subsonic heavy bullet loads, to hyper-velocity varmint ammunition, and most everything in between. The Biathlon Basic shot well with everything tried, as the groups shown will attest. At twenty-five yards, one hole ten-shot groups measuring under one quarter of an inch were easy to achieve and repeatable using match ammo from Wolf and PMC. Fifty yard five shot groups were also very accurate, with any pulled shots being my fault, every time. The pictures tell the story better than words. I was very well-pleased with the accuracy and performance of the Biathlon Basic rifle, and am very glad to see this rifle once again available on the American market. This is not a plinking rifle, but one with which a shooter can use to hunt small game, and then take to a silhouette competition and be competitive with any rifle on the line. The Biathlon Basic is, as are all good rimfire rifles, all about the accuracy. The rifle has the built-in accuracy, along with a superb trigger that allows the shooter to take advantage of that accuracy. It is also a very good value, priced along with rifles of much inferior quality.

Author tested the Biathlon Basic with a wide variety of ammunition.


50 yards did not diminish the Biathlon's ability to impress, as these 5-shot groups show.

For more information on the Biathlon Basic and other rifles and shotguns from Russian American Armory, as well as a list of distributors in the US, go to: www.raacfirearms.com.

For details on Leupold target scopes and other optics, go to: www.leupold.com.

Jeff Quinn
 
#13 · (Edited)
Sobol (Sable): Hunting Rifle (.22lr) - IZHMASH



Sobol: Sable - (Соболь)

SOBOL IS A SMALL BORE RIFLE with a wood classic stock (with a holder for extra magazines). The Sobol rifles are intended for hunting the winged and small game. The barrel bore is locked by the crank locking mechanism with vertically arranged axles of rotation. The rifle is manually reloaded with cartridge feeding from the magazine.

The iron sight of Sobol Carbine of 5.6(22LR) caliber is intended for 25 and 75m of 22WMR caliber - for 50,100 and 200m. The receiver is provided with a dovetail base to accept an optical sight. The design of the mounts allows to deliver fire over the iron sight without detaching the optical one. The stock may be made of various kinds of wood (birch, walnut, beech).
Factory Accurracy Claim:
Mean spread of impacts at 50-meter range, "Match" cartridge 3 groups of 5 shots each, not exceeding 25mm
Sobol Hunting Rifle: Sable - (Соболь)

The rifle is intended for hunting small and fowl.

The 5.6 mm (.22 LR) rim-fire Russian made and international cartridges are used for firing.

The barrel is locked by a crank type locking mechanism with vertical axes of rotation. Reloading and feeding of cartridges are manual.

The iron sight is designed for shooting at 25 m and 75 m range. The receiver top features a "dovetail" base to mount an optical sight. The design of the rifle allows to fire through the iron sight without detaching the optical one.

The stock of the rifle can be made of different kinds of wood (birch, walnut, beech).

SPECIFICATIONS:
Caliber, mm 5.6 (.22LR)
Cartridge 5.6 rim-fire (.22 LR)
Barrel length, 500 mm
Muzzle velocity, 320 m/s
Magazine capacity, 5 rounds
Weight of rifle without optical sight and accessories (not exceeding) 3.0 kg,
Overall dimensions (not exceeding),
- length 990 mm
- width 85 mm
- height 195 mm

Mean spread of impacts at 50-m range, "Match" cartridge
3 groups of 5 shots each,
Not exceeding 25 mm


The rifle comes with:
- set of tools and accessories for maintenance of the rifle;
- magazine - 3 pcs.

On Customer's order the rifle may be complete with an optical sight and mounts to accept it.


Russian American Armory Company
SOBOL IS A SMALL BORE RIFLE with a wood classic stock (with a holder for extra magazines). The Sobol rifles are intended for hunting the winged and small game. The barrel bore is locked by the crank locking mechanism with vertically arranged axles of rotation. The rifle is manually reloaded with cartridge feeding from the magazine.

The iron sight of Sobol Carbine of 5.6(22LR) caliber is intended for 25 and 75m of 22WMR caliver - for 50,100 and 200m. The receiver is provided with a dovetail base to accept an optical sight. The design of the mounts allows to deliver fire over the iron sight without detaching the optical one. The stock may be made of various kinds of wood (birch, walnut, beech).

Model: Sobol
Caliber: 5.6 ... .22WMR
Cartridge : 5.6(.22LR) ... 22WMR
Barrel Length: 19.6"
Overall Dimensions: 38.9"
Magazine Capacity: 5 or 10
Weight w/o Magazine or Accessories: 6.6 lbs ... 7.0 lbs


SOBOL Model 1 - ARMUS Inc
 
#14 · (Edited)
#17 ·
#22 ·
I wonder if US manufacturers have tried to make it difficult to import...

It seems that there are some fine rifles used around the world that have a difficult time getting into the USA. I can't imagine that a properly priced Sobol, if marketed well, would not be a popular choice.

The Zastava Z5 is another import that seems to be a quality firearm yet it is not being sold through most mainstream US outlets. I've seen Z5s under $250, and I think the Sobol would do well at that price point. Over $300 and I'd rather start looking at a CZ 452 Trainer for $350.
 
#24 ·
Remington ... Baikal ... Zastava

I wonder if US manufacturers have tried to make it difficult to import....
No, I don't think so.At one time Big Green (Remington) imported some of the Baikal line and a few of the Zastava series.
But, they just didn't import the complete line - so did Charles Daly and EAA.

Moreover, when Remington imported some Zastava centerfire rifles and rimfires,
_they replaced the traditional (desirable) walnut stock with a
_domestically produced laminated (love or hate) version - poor marketing.
And, the price on the rifles was higher than the MSRP for the Charles Daly version - how high? ... They didn't sell.

Currently, EAA is importing some of the Zastava firearms and has dropped the Baikal guns.
And, before anyone points-out that Baikal, Saiga, Izmash, et cetera are not the same,
_what has happened to one model line ... has or may occur to another.

Why?!?!?! ... That's another long story ... based, mostly, on speculation and conjecture.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Here is a picture from www.tnguns.com that seems to be the Sobol, but with a slightly different stock. They currently have one on Gun Broker, but they are starting it at $600, and the stock finish looks terrible. This picture actually looks nice, and I like the Sobol configuration more than the BB. Notice that the magazine looks like a 10-round and there doesn't appear to be any storage under the butt stock:



It's too bad that their site says they "used to be able" to get them in.

Here is the picture from RAA for comparison:

 
#25 ·
#29 ·
Study Links

Thanks for those links. So Legion converted the Izhmash Sobol to their own "artistic" version?
Or are they similar, yet separately manufactured firearms?
<SLV> ... Grasshopper :eek:man: ... study the links I've provided.
In a short time ... you will answer most of your questions.

LEGION Ltd
LEGION Ltd. was founded on the basis of Izhevsk Arms Factory....
Firearms weapons produced by the company features high quality,
period artistic treatment (threading, engraving, incrustation) and improved finishing....
Or, maybe you have - aom22. :D
 
#31 ·
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