I see them from time to time locally and they are pretty cheap online.  I was thinking about getting a SxS to mess around with.  WHat do you guys think?

I've got three, two Over and Unders, and one Autoloader.  Only one of the O/U is flawless.  The others have faults - in the case of the autoloader, is unusable.

Ray

I had a IZH-43 side-by-side in 20 gauge. I probably only ran about 300 rounds through it before I traded it off. The LOP was so short it would slap the shit out of my cheek. I've never owned a 20 gauge that kicked more than that gun. I loaned it out a couple times to guests at the skeet range with mixed results. One guy loved it. My wife didn't make it through one round with it. We had to find her a different gun to finish the round. So, first thing: make sure the gun fits you. If it doesn't you won't like shooting it.

That said, I generally believe that the Baikal shotguns are fairly solid values. The stocks are crude, poorly finished and don't fit most Americans. But the guns go bang, time and time again. One of the guys I shoot skeet with uses a Baikal over/under and likes it well. We shoot once or twice a week, generally three or four rounds (of 25) each trip to the range. I've never seen this guy have a problem with his gun. Another fella used a Baikal for about half a season before he bought a Citori. He never had a problem with his either. By comparison, I've seen a couple of guys who brought low-end Turkish guns out experience problems. The Mossbergs/Savages, etc. have a reputation for broken firing pins, triggers that double and other reliability problems. You almost never hear that about the Baikals.

FWIW, I also own an older Baikal, a IZH-54 that was made back in the '60s. It's an entirely different gun than the current Baikal offerings. Folks that know Russian guns will tell you that the IZH-54 is the best shotgun to ever leave the Baikal factory. I really like this old gun. It fits me and I shoot it pretty well. Everybody who handles it is pleasantly surprised by its quality . . . You won't find one of these on your local dealer's rack but, hey, I'm going to post a couple of photos anyway . . .

It's been rode hard and a lot of the case hardening is gone but it still shows decent workmanship (again, you won't see this on the current Baikals). It's got a Greener type lock and is still tight, despite the left-of-center lever rest position:


note the servicable firing pins and captured screws, that's a good sign . . .


bone, not plastic, butt plate . . .


Unlike current Baikals, the stock on this gun is designed to fit a real human:



ETA: OP, I realize I answered your question from the perspective of a skeet shooter, without ever asking how you're going to use the gun. If you just want a Joe Biden special to guard the home front or to blast stationary targets, the Baikal should be great. Gun fit really only comes into play when you're trying to connect with flying targets.

I've owned two of their coach guns, one with the external hammers and one without. Both were well-made and reliable. I liked the chrome-lined barrels which made cleaning a snap. If you want a gun that you can admire the beauty of the gunmakers art, I wouldn't get one. If you want a gun that can take a beating, it is definately the right choice.

I liked the coach guns since they are compact, and I only sold mine to fund other purchases. However, I wouldn't hesitate to get another one.

I heard that the O/U is a Russian copy of the Superposed. This month's American Rifleman has an article on the Browning SxS guns. These look awfully close to the Baikal SxS. I wonder if it too is a copy of the Browning.

Get a limbsaver slipon pad. Mine LOP was so short, that I would double with it due to it moving around on me. I would like to put a limbsaver screw on pad on it, but it's not easy to find a match. I paid under 3 bills for my Baikal/Rem Spartan SxS.

No.

Back in the late 80s I bought a Baikal IZH-43 SxS 28" 12 ga exposed hammer gun in Germany.  The left hammer was very hard to cock but the Rod & Gun club took it back and had it worked on.  Still not as easy as the right hammer but doable.  I've shot lots of skeet, squrriels, rabbits, doves, and one coyote with it.  Over all a very serviceable SxS for what I paid.  Did use it on opening day this month for a few more doves.


CD

I suppose that they are fine if you don't shoot them much.  You never see them used by high volume clays shooters for a reason.

I have a MP153 and it's been rock solid since day one. The big downside is how heavy it is, but it cycles everything from 2 3/4 to 3.5 shells.

At work, we sold a brand new Baikal O/U in 20 gauge. Customer comes back that afternoon and says it isn't a 20 gauge. Sure as shit, barrel is marked 20 gauge, but it is really a 12 gauge. Box said 20 gauge, everything said 20 gauge, but it was not.

OP:

I've owned an IZH-12 O/U for years.  Skeet, clays, upland bird hunting, all of it done with one gun.  It is made like the Russians make everything:  Ugly, heavy, and indestructible.  Simply put, I love this gun.  The heaviness helps manage the recoil, and I don't buy hunting guns for their looks anyway.  Everytime I bring this gun out clay shooting or pheasant hunting, the guys with guns that cost ten times the price want to know what it is after shooting it.

I can't speak for the coach guns or anything other than the 12 ga. O/U, but I love mine.  These guns were also imported for a time under the model name "Spartan" by Remington themselves, but with EAA bringing the Baikal line back you can find them for a decent price most anywhere.  Mine is compatible with the tru-choke system, so finding chokes is not difficult either.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of these if you find a good deal, as long as you know what you're buying.  FWIW.