Every beginning hunter who just bought a gun often thinks about how guns for hunting have become what they are at the moment. If you try to find information about this, then in Russian-speaking sources it is almost impossible. The only thing that can be found is the reviews of modern models, the history of Izhevsk or Tula guns, well, rare descriptions of old German-made hunting weapons.
Not everyone knows that even 150–200 years ago, hunting weapons were the most advanced, since it was hunters who experienced all the latest systems of those distant years. This is understandable, because in Europe before the First World War, the arms industry worked just for them. Only the beginning of the war could put an end to the rapid development of rifled and smooth-bore weapons for hunting.
The device of the hunting rifle and the principle of its work
The term "gun" itself used to designate flint. Only after many decades, this term began to be called firearms, intended for hunting and warfare. Most modern guns have a fixed or breakable barrel. The gun consists of the following parts:
- Stem;
- The lock;
- Pads;
- Descent;
- Handguards;
- Butt;
- Necks;
- Pads;
- Triggers and other parts that differ from different models.
The internal parts of the gun may differ from each other, as there are different systems. Some of them are recharged by cocking, others by the pump method or based on the operation of automatic powder gases.
Shoots a gun due to the fact that the shooter pulls the trigger, which actuates the trigger. He uses a drummer, who breaks the cartridge primer. After this, a shot occurs.
Stages of development of weapons for hunting
In Europe, the first small arms appeared on the territory of modern Spain, many surprising the local knights. The Arabs, who owned this country at the time, saw uneducated Europeans as real demons, whose weapons spewed smoke, flames and deadly bullets.
Little is known about the device of the very first guns, but one thing is for sure - they were bulky, single-shot mini-guns that had a lot of weight. The first firearms fell to the Russians along with the Tatar hordes who received it from the Chinese. It is possible that they were wick Polish or Turkish guns.
The first mention of the use of firearms can be found in ancient chronicles, saying that the prince of Lithuania Godemint was killed by a bullet in 1341. In the 15th century, the first arquebuses appeared, and the wicking systems were improved over the following years. Around the same time, the first single-barreled shotgun appeared. The huge minus of the first hunting models was their low rate of fire, so bows and crossbows were used by hunters for a long time.
The whole history of hunting firearms can be divided into several stages:
- The era of the pistol weapon with wick and flint locks;
- Capsule guns;
- New models with unitary cartridges.
This division is very conditional, but it is possible to distinguish the stages of the evolution of hunting weapons.
Flintlock - First Revolutionary Modernization
In 1504, the Spaniards showed Europe the first flintlock gun. This type of weapon was borrowed from the Moors, who in those years achieved a huge jump in the development of firearms. It significantly exceeded the wick model. It was with such weapons that they hunted and fought for centuries. In Russia, a flintlock gun was used until the beginning of the 20th century, since firing it did not require ammunition. The hunting flintlock gun was often decorated with rich engraving and had a fine finish. Especially distinguished German and Turkish guns.
In the 16th century, a kind of first cartridges appeared, consisting of a paper sleeve, in which there were gunpowder and a bullet. This invention has reduced the time it took to reload flint weapons. In the same century, the first shotguns appeared. Since the gun was used for hunting or in battle, as a rule, only once, many gunsmiths tried to increase the rate of fire. Thus, not only double-barreled, but also multi-stem models appeared. Unfortunately, a flintlock gun with several barrels was too cumbersome, which made it effective only for defense or ambush hunting.
In the 16th century, the first German rifles with a rifled barrel appeared. This made it possible to give the weapon an incredible range and accuracy for smooth-bore models.
Multiple flint rifle with improved design
In the 16-17 centuries, firearms began to be divided into military and hunting models. The most popular option for hunting were double-barreled guns. If at first weapons were made with wheel locks, then after a while they gave way to more convenient double-barreled guns.
In 1738 there was a real revolution in the history of hunting weapons. Frenchman Le-Clerk has mastered the production of lightweight double-barrels, convenient in operation. The oldest flintlock gun with two barrels, which was made in Russia, dates back to the 17th century. This weapon was made specifically for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
18th century hunting weapons
In the 18th century, such a concept as the caliber of a gun was clearly defined. Began to produce different models, each of which was designed specifically for its niche. All the guns that were produced at the time, now would be called piece, as they were made only to order. This formed their high cost. The most common types of guns were:
- Single or double-barreled threaded nipples. Their caliber varied from 16 to 26 mm. It was a very powerful weapon, the direct ancestor of combat muskets. Their main difference was the presence of a rifled barrel. With the choke it was possible to go without fear of a big beast, since its destructive power was extremely high;
- Single-barrel rifled carbines, whose caliber was about 12.5 mm;
- Rifle single-barrel rifles, whose caliber varied from 7 to 9 mm. This tool was much lighter, so it was good for hunting the average beast;
- There were combined guns. One barrel was usually smooth, and the second - rifled. Unlike modern combined models, these guns had horizontal barrels;
- Smooth rifles. The most popular and cheap weapons, very popular in Russia in those years. More secured shooters bought double-barreled weapons, the rest were content with simple single-barrels. Smooth-bore models had a caliber from 15 to 20 mm. Their weight ranged from 2.6 to 4 kg. Naturally, the lighter hunting weapon was much more expensive;
- The first shotguns, intended for birds, mainly waterfowl, appeared. They were smooth-bore, could have one or two trunks, and differed in weight from 4 to 6.5 kg. The caliber of these guns ranged from 19 to 26 mm. Such heavy models were not too popular with hunters.
All of the above models were, as a rule, flint, as the shock-capsule lock appeared only in the 19th century.
The best hunting rifles of the 19th century
At the beginning of the 19th century there was a real breakthrough in the history of firearms. This is due to the appearance of the first shock-capsule guns. The first strike team was opened in France at the end of the 18th century. Thanks to the experiences of a Forsyth priest from Scotland, weapons using a completely new type of ammunition appeared.
In 1815, the first primers appeared, which had explosive mercury as an impact train. In 1817, the first samples of capsule guns appeared. In modern museums you can find such old models that are perfectly preserved.
Most of the first guns, even equipped with a new capsule system, remained charged with a barrel or a pistol. These were both smooth-bore and rifled models. Since their main problem was insufficient rate of fire, work was constantly carried out to create breech-loading samples of hunting rifles. Only in the 19th century were these works finally crowned with success. The first gun of this type appeared in France in 1808. He was invented by the gunsmith Pauli, known in those years. Despite the fact that before the appearance of capsule cartridges remained about 10 years, the breech-loading hunting weapon already existed.
Weapons Lefoche and Flaubert
The best models of the 19th century are the works of Lefoche and Flaubert. In 1835-36, Lefoche created the first breech-loading rifle, which used unitary hairpins. A new hunting weapon worked as follows:
- The barrels were folded back, after which the shooter could quickly insert cartridges into them;
- When firing the trigger beat on a special stud that was sticking out of the cartridge case;
- Thus, there was an explosion caps.
The patrons of Lefoshe were very popular in their years, they are issued even in our days.
In 1842, new ammunition with a ring ignition cartridge appeared. They were created by Flaubert, who himself was a passionate hunter. These cartridges do not have a powder charge. In 1856, Flaubert perfected the cartridges of Beringer, who added gunpowder to them. Such ammunition is used in our days. But the cartridge central battlefield, which is currently the most common, invented Potte. As it often happens, another person received a patent for his invention. It was Schneider.
After some time, a group of English gunsmiths developed a new weapon that used central ignition cartridges. Soon all the cartridges of this type received a brass sleeve.
New store hunting rifles
When the first single-barreled and double-barreled rifles were still flint, the first samples of magazine rifles appeared. They were very heavy and uncomfortable for everyday use. Here are some of the most famous representatives of those years:
- Italian six-weapon weapons from the gun workshop "Antonio Constante";
- New fashion has touched Russia, where in the 18th century a nine-shot rifle appeared, which was made by gunsmith Savischev.
Despite the attempts, simple double-barreled guns with flint locks were considered the best in those years.
A new round of development began in 1855, when S. Colt created his famous revolver cartridge. After that, the development of shop guns went forward at a rapid pace. In the second half of the 19th century, new models of shop-guns appeared, which differed significantly from their massive predecessors:
- Rifle "Volcanic";
- Henry-Winchester Carabiner;
- Shotgun Spencer-B. Henry.
Thanks to the conquest of the Wild West and the civil war in the United States, the new systems quickly gained popularity throughout the vast country.
Pump models and rifle guns
In modern Russia, many believe that pump guns appeared in the 1980s. In fact, the first weapon of this type appeared in 1883 in the USA. For more than 130 years, this system has proven to be reliable and reliable. At present, pump-action shotguns are also produced by domestic weapons factories, although the pump has never managed to catch up with the classic double-barreled rifle. Recharging in such systems occurs due to the manual movement of the forearm.
In Russia, Turkish rifles of this system, and American ones, are very popular. Shotguns are available in various sizes:
- Guns 12 caliber are considered the most powerful and versatile;
- Guns 16 caliber more specific. They are not recommended for big game hunting;
- A gun of 20 caliber - only for medium and small game. They have a lighter weight.
Currently, pump systems are pushing out semi-automatic models from the gun arena. One of the most famous domestic representatives of this category is the semi-automatic gun MP-155.
Hunting rifle weapon
Another popular system, which is trying to press the classic double-barreled guns, are the guns with the longitudinal sliding gate. This is a single-barrel weapon, which, as a rule, is rifled. The most famous representative of this category is the legendary Mosin rifle, which was used both in war and in hunting. The famous kulak bleed is the Mosin shortened rifle.
In Soviet times, these rifles were ruthlessly seized and destroyed, but after the revolution Mosin rifles made hunting smooth-bore weapons for a long time. Currently, any hunter with the right to purchase a rifle can buy a real three-line for hunting. You can choose between the usual rifle and sniper, which was made from the best components. True and it is 3 times more expensive.
Automatic gun models
The first models of automatic guns appeared in the second half of the 19th century, but their serial production was adjusted only in the early 20th century. The first serial weapon of this type was designed by Browning in 1903. Currently, automatic guns are deservedly popular among a large number of Russian hunters. These models are both rifled and smooth-bore.
The most popular are models designed on the basis of the legendary Kalashnikov assault rifle. This is the Vepr from the plant "Molot" and Saiga from the Izhevsk plant. Despite the rough handling of parts, this weapon is considered the best in its price category. Its popularity is due not only to the impeccable work of automation, but also the similarity with the combat equivalent.
How to choose a gun for hunting
Currently, the choice of hunting rifles is extremely wide. It used to be a Soviet hunter could choose among several models of Tula or Izhevsk production, and even those were represented by single-barrels and double-barrels. As for the choice of rifled weapons, then the Soviet hunters could also choose from several models, but this was not available to everyone.
Now the choice is extremely wide. For the domestic shooter, not only domestic models are available, but also many foreign brands. Making a choice will help rating weapons, which can be found on the pages of specialized publications or on the Internet.
Guns of Russian production can be divided into modern and Soviet models. Do not think that it is now impossible to buy a new Soviet gun. Many Tula and Izhevsk models are still produced without changes. The most popular are vertical and horizontal shotguns. Combined guns are in small but steady demand. Semiautomatic devices based on a Kalashnikov assault rifle are also very popular.
The main advantage of Russian weapons is its price, but the build quality of Russian models is very mediocre, so they need self-refinement.
Turkish guns are the best choice between price and quality. Good Turkish double-barreled or semi-automatic copied from well-known European and American brands. In contrast to the Russian-made hunting weapons, the Turkish ones are of sufficient quality. Turks make excellent vertical and horizontal shotguns, as well as self-loading models.
Feedback from users of Turkish guns is mostly good. Only rifle butts for rifles, the plastic of which is often scratched, cause a complaint. The only way to avoid this nuisance is to buy Turkish rifles in a tree. The internal structure of the mechanisms of this weapon is simple and reliable.
German, Italian guns are of very high quality. This is evidenced by the annual rankings in which they occupy the highest positions. As for the price, German guns are not available for every hunter. But they are easy, and all their mechanisms work flawlessly.
Edge "Death of the Chairman"
In the early 1990s, someone from the management of the Tula factory had the idea to release a shotgun that resembled a Mosin rifle. Thus, a twenty-caliber TOZ-106 rifle appeared. This trim, having a folding butt, was produced from 1993 to 2011. Despite the complete unsuitability as a hunting weapon, TOZ-106 is popular in Russia. An edge of this brand is suitable for entertaining shooting, and a twentieth caliber is enough for self-defense or protection.
The edge of the TOZ-106 brand has a low but stable rating. The big drawback of the design is the presence of a folding stock, but the length of the crop does not fall under Russian law without it. Currently, it is very difficult to buy a gun of this brand, since it has not been produced for a long time, and many do not want to part with this charismatic weapon. If you want to get a TOZ-106 bleed, you need to be ready to lay out an amount that exceeds the cost of a new weapon in the 2000s several times.
Ружьё очень простое по своей конструкции, поэтому отказы его механизмов встречаются крайне редко.
Тульские охотничьи ружья и их особенности
Тульский оружейный завод был основан в 1712 году. До 1902 года завод работал на армию, но потом поток заказов иссяк, и производство пришлось в срочном порядке переориентировать на выпуск оружия для охоты.
Первым серийным охотничьим оружием, поставленным на поток, стало двуствольное курковое ружьё ТОЗ-Б. Это была классическая горизонтальная курковая двустволка российского производства, которая выпускалась до 1956 года. В следующем году популярную модель сменила двустволка ТОЗ-БМ. Во время ВОВ из ружей ТОЗ-Б часто делали обрезы, которые использовались подпольщиками и партизанами.
В настоящее время завод выпускает множество моделей, среди которых преобладают двустволки, занимающие в российских рейтингах самые высокие места. Ружья ТОЗ бывают рядового, штучного и сувенирного исполнения. Кроме того, тульский завод выпускает комбинированное ружьё ТОЗ-112. Сейчас завод не выпускает спортивные варианты, но раньше в линейке имелась модель ТОЗ-57, представляющая собой спортивную модель на базе ТОЗ-34.
В настоящее время завод выпускает следующие модели:
- ТОЗ-34;
- ТОЗ-120;
- ТОЗ-200 - это всё двустволки;
- Самозарядное ружьё ТОЗ-88;
- МЦ-20-01;
- Самозарядный карабин ТОЗ-99;
- ТОЗ-78 - мелкашка с ручной перезарядкой. Вместе с самозарядной моделью ТОЗ-99 годится для спортивной и развлекательной стрельбы;
- ТОЗ-94 - помповое;
- ТОЗ-122 и еще несколько других моделей.
Рекомендуется приобретать штучные ружья, которые собираются с использованием большого количества ручного труда.
Ижевские ружья и их многообразие
Ижевские ружья - это главный конкурент Тульского оружейного завода. В отличие он своего конкурента, ижевский завод выпускает более широкую линейку оружия для охоты. Среди них имеется несколько моделей оружия для спортивной стрельбы.
Опытные охотники советуют покупать ижевские ружья, которые были выпущены в СССР. Желательно искать штучные модели в отличном состоянии. Вот неполный список самых популярных и востребованных моделей ИЖ:
- Одноствольное ружьё МР-18М;
- Двустволка МР-27М;
- Помповый дробовик МР-133;
- Самозарядное ружьё МР-155.
Кроме того, завод выпускает ещё множество различных моделей, на любой вкус.
