soviet | Dogs and Doubles

Da, comrade! A legendary Cold War OU with clay-crushing in its DNA …

September 25, 2023September 26, 2023 by Gregg

Russian MC-8-3 MU-8-3 12 Gauge Competition Trap & Skeet O/U DBL Shotgun

Bid on this a legendary shotgun that’s also a piece of Cold War history. This handmade, Soviet-era Trap/Skeet Competition OU is on Gunbroker.com now.

Some guns are built to shoot birds. Some are built to break clays. The over-under you see here was built to say F-U to the United States.

Back in during the Cold War, the USSR did all the could to win every international competition out there. For their shooting teams, that meant building a new, Soviet-designed over-under shotgun.

The name of the company that built this shotgun translates in different ways — Vostok, Baikal, TsKIB. Trap/Skeet models like the one you see here were known as MU-8s, MT-8s, MC-8s, or MTs-8.

Most of the Soviet national team used a plainer, but mechanically identical version to beat the US and win a ton of international competitions, including an Olympic Gold Medal in 1968. All these guns were handmade, perfectly balanced, and had excellent trigger pulls. They also had unique actions that were designed to never break. Models like you see here were beautifully polished and blued, hand engraved, and featured European walnut stocks with a nice reddish hue.

Bid on this Russian MC-8-3 MU-8-3 12 Gauge Competition Trap & Skeet O/U DBL Shotgun*

The 26 1/2″ Skeet bbls for this gun feature Tula chokes, which were cutting-edge shooting technology back when the gun was made. You can read more about them here: Tula Chokes, Bruce Buck, The Technoid, Shotgun Report and here MYTHS OF RUSSIAN WEAPONS. Tula-chok. Tula Choke.

Russian MC-8-3 MU-8-3 12 Gauge Competition Trap & Skeet O/U DBL Shotgun*

Blast from the Past: Baikal MTs-8: This vintage gun was Russia’s response to the West when they decided to get in on the sporting-arms race

FYI: The accuracy of this listing has not been verified by Dogs and Doubles. All information has been provided by the sellers. Buyers are responsible for verifying the physical condition and all specifications of the listed items. Dogs and Doubles recommends you and a qualified gunsmith physically inspect an item before purchasing.

The beast from the east: a Tula MC6-03 OU shotgun …

December 3, 2018December 2, 2018 by Gregg

RARE 12g TULA 12g MC6-03OVER UNDER SKEET/TRAP, TWO-BARREL SET, CUSTOM CASE

Back during the Cold War, America fought with the Soviet Union about most things, including about who could win the most medals at the Olympics Games.

As part of USSR’s attempt to beat at trap and skeet shooting, the country developed several shotguns for Soviet shooters. The most successful design was a plainer version of the OU you see here. With that gun, the Soviet shooters crushed other shooters at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games and piled on more medals in subsequent competitions through the 1970s.

Mechanically, the OU pictured here is the same gun those Soviet shooters used. I’ve shot one just like it many times, and I can tell you it’s a fantastic target gun. While it’s heavy (like a target gun should be), it handles well and is a pleasure to shoot. It smashes clays, too.

RARE 12g TULA 12g MC6-03 OVER UNDER SKEET/TRAP, TWO-BARREL SET, CUSTOM CASE: EXTREMELY RARE ON CURRENT MARKET CASED RUSSIAN(USSR) TULA (NOT BAIKAL) MC6-03 TWO SET OF BARRELS CUSTOM SHOTGUN FROM 1978. BARRELS 28.5″ (FULL/IMP MOD) 26″ TULA RETRO CHOKES(SKEET/SKEET). Price: $3500

Rarely seen in America: a Baikal MU 7 12ga over-under…

November 8, 2013November 7, 2013 by Gregg

Baikal MU 7 12ga Over-Under Double Barrel Shotgun

The Soviet Union isn’t the first country that comes up when you mention fine shotguns to people. It isn’t the last, either. In fact, it doesn’t come up at all. That’s because very few people know that the Soviet Union made fine shotguns.

Starting in the 1950s, the USSR began building a Soviet-made shotgun for their Soviet Olympic shooters. The over-under shotgun you see evolved from that program. It’s MT-7 (not an MU-7), and instead of being build for competitive shooting, it was made for hunting.

For few of these guns made it out of the USSR, and even fewer made it here to the States. It on Gunbroker.com now, and the listing ends on 11/17/2013 @ 7:00:00 PM ET. Here’s more info on it from the seller:

Baikal MU 7 12ga Over-Under Double Barrel Shotgun: An exquisite and rare Russian Made Baikal Best Quality Nickel Engraved 12 ga MU 7 model Over/Under shotgun. 2 ¾” shells. 29.5” solid rib barrels choked Imp/Full. Ejectors. LOP of 14.5” to end of recoil pad. 1.75” Drop at comb and 2.75” at heel. Weight 7.5lbs. Non import marked. Three piece take down forend. Production estimated around 1970.

Hand nickel engraved receiver to the highest quality including animal scenes of deer, moose along with scroll engraving on receiver, tang, and barrels. Original blue on barrels is excellent with one tiny scratch on left side toward muzzle on close inspection. Outstanding European walnut made with English straight stock with hand checkered wood which is excellent with original finish. Bores are bright and shiny. Originally manufactured with an automatic safety, the original owner had this changed to a manual safety (transfer bar included if you want to change it back).

This gun was thought to have been brought into the US by Control Data Systems of Minneapolis in the 70’s or possibly early 1980’s during the period of detente as a barter with Russia for computer goods. The USSR, unable to use hard currency, would often pay in gold or other means…in this case shotguns! Originally made for the European market, this gun still has the Cyrillic-Russian characters for fire/safety!