Question about Izh-35M

I am tempted by a Gunbroker listing for an Izh-35M

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/632457268

However, the seller has this in the description:

"[size=32]This gun does appear to have a chamber that is strictly cut for the Russian 22 ammo, and will typically function with regular ammo, but in some cases, it does have an issue with feeding. The serial number on the gun is M148401B[/size]"

What does this mean, and should I steer clear of this gun?

Thanks in advance, Oleg.

Replacement parts could be an issue.

This Izh-35 was made in 2001 as indicated by the 01 on ther right side of the slide. Same year as mine. 

Russian ammo is made to European specs and any European ammo works just fine. US ammo is maybe yes or maybe no.

If there is a feeding issue, it is most likely due to bent feed lips on the magazines, weak magazine springs (which can be stretched some) OR (and this is a big OR) the slide has banged against the chamber face and has peened the soft metal. When the slide goes forward, there is definate loud CLANK. The most common complaint about peened chamber face is double fire, which the IZH is famous for. There is a fix for this and a simple headspace job that any gunsmith can do would fix this. EAA used to do this. I do not know if they still do. I do know that EAA stop importing this guns because of all the warrenty work the IZH-35 required. 

The most common part needing replacement is the extractor, which is unobtainable.

The IZH is a great design but the metal used is a bit too soft. Some people have put in rubber or soft plastic spacers for the slide to bump against, trying to lessen the peening of the chamber face. For a new gun, you should get about 5000 to 10,000 rounds down range before needing repair work.

If you want a similar design in a more reliable gun get a Feinwerkbau AW93.

The price asking is retail when new.

RJP, thanks a lot for a detailed and comprehensive response. I know that AW93 is the same Russian design made by the Germans. I thought that the IZH would be a good bargain for an outstanding design. Looks like it is a good bargain but I am not willing to put up with all the maintenance. I will be better off saving for a pistol with better reliability and available support.

Best Regards,
Oleg.

Oleg G wrote:RJP, thanks a lot for a detailed and comprehensive response. I know that AW93 is the same Russian design made by the Germans. I thought that the IZH would be a good bargain for an outstanding design. Looks like it is a good bargain but I am not willing to put up with all the maintenance. I will be better off saving for a pistol with better reliability and available support.

Best Regards,
Oleg.

I believe frank greatly modified the izh for his kid

Oleg G wrote:RJP, thanks a lot for a detailed and comprehensive response. I know that AW93 is the same Russian design made by the Germans. I thought that the IZH would be a good bargain for an outstanding design. Looks like it is a good bargain but I am not willing to put up with all the maintenance. I will be better off saving for a pistol with better reliability and available support.

Best Regards,
Oleg.

I have two of those 02 and 03 production years. Both purchased used and for more than this posting is asking for. Both of mine work reliably with any ammo i put in it and for thousands of shots It didn't need any repairs yet. Screws needs to be checked regularly as they tend to get loose. Spare parts are mostly still available at EAA http://eaacorp.com/gun_accessories/index.php/parts/baikal/mp-parts/izh-parts/izh35.html
I have experienced (once) slam-fire, double fire actually in a BE match, when neglected to clean the extractor and bolt face for too long. Firing pin is not spring retracted and sensitive to dirt in the FP channel. It cost me a shot in the match.
Mechanically they are very accurate guns, on par with other target guns I have, but for some reason they are very not forgiven and hard to shot accurately one handed. Small trigger mistake send the shot much farther away than many of my other guns. I still practice with IZH-35Ms on occasion hoping to learn to shot them well, but for matches i use other guns.

I recently sold two IZH35M pistols, one made in 2001, the other 2002. Paid $420 each for them. I got $800 for the pair and was glad to see them go. Back in the day, after getting the bugs worked out of them, and finding ammo they liked (Winchester T22) they did me well. I got out of Bullseye for about ten years, and in 2016 got back into it. Winchester changed the way they make T22, I think they call it XT22 now. It did not work. I literally tried dozens of types of standard velocity ammo, until I found RWS Target Rifle, and it worked great. But for some reason, every time I picked up one of those pistols, it seemed like a totally new gun, that had to have something tweaked to make it work right. I decided it was time for an overhaul. Nope, parts no longer available. If I'm not mistaken, Baikal is a sister company of Kalashnikov, and there is an import ban on Kalashnikov Concern, so parts may become totally non existent. I could be wrong on the sister company thing, so check into that before taking my word for it.

I didn't modify the IZH I copied it but changed things I didn't like. The only part of my original IZH that I used on the gun Adam was shooting is the magazine. Adam started using the gun when he was quite young because it was light, I made the frame from Titanium. Except for a few screws and springs all the components were made by me, Floyd Aikman gave me the barrel cut from a blank. Later Adam was shooting in the 870's with it.

Froneck wrote:I didn't modify the IZH I copied it but changed things I didn't like. The only part of my original IZH that I used on the gun Adam was shooting is the magazine. Adam started using the gun when he was quite young because it was light, I made the frame from Titanium. Except for a few screws and springs all the components were made by me, Floyd Aikman gave me the barrel cut from a blank. Later Adam was shooting in the 870's with it.

So is was a frank inspired izh ?

I think the trigger on the IZH is very good so I didn't change it. Basically copied it as it was but used better steel.  Granted European guns have great triggers but at High Cost. The IZH has as good as if not better trigger yet very simple double sears. Having a MatchGun 2 I see it has a very similar trigger. I purchased the AW 93 because it was supposed to be a German modification of the IZH. A lot on the gun is similar BUT they changed the trigger, I didn't like it so I did some things to change it, better but still not as good as the IZH! Looking to make more changes!

Mike38 wrote:If I'm not mistaken, Baikal is a sister company of Kalashnikov, and there is an import ban on Kalashnikov Concern, so parts may become totally non existent. I could be wrong on the sister company thing, so check into that before taking my word for it.

There are two main regions that produce military and sporting small arms in Russia. One (older) originated in City of Tula make a TOZ (Tula Orugeiny Zavod) models of small arms. They marketed under "Vostok" brand.
The second is in the City of Izhevsk (IZHMach -Izhevsky Machinbuilding Zavod) region and make small arms under the IZH model designations. Those exported and marketed as "Baikal" brand.
Kalashnikov group is the major manufacturer that produce many weapons and small arm for military and civilians on both factories and own both brands Vostok and Baikal in addition to Kalashnikov brand.
So its not exactly a sister company, but rather Mother/Father/Owner/Umbrella company (now) for both. Vostok-TOZ and Baikal-IZH just helps to know where this model is coming from.

I've been to Russia a few times, was in the city of Izhevsk, I went to the Klashnikov museum but unfortunately it was closed due to  Russian Holiday. I was able to walk around the outside and see some of the stuff thru the large glass windows. I was under the impression that the IZH was sold to Feinwerkbau that redesigned it to make the AW93. The magazine from my IZH and AW93 look alike, the AW93 mag. will fit in my IZH but it is slightly longer. I was thinking of getting a few AW magazines and use them in my Home made version of the IZH.

The design was sold or licensed to FWB and AW93 is modified polished version of this gun. Walther also was making its licensed version of it as KSP200