The history of the appearance of the IZH 54 hunting rifle dates back to 1945, when drawings of new developments and almost all the equipment were taken out of the German Sauer plant. At the same time, a similar model of the shotgun, IZh 49, already existed at the Izhevsk factory , which was not very successful, but with the help of German developments and equipment, engineer L.I. Pugachev managed to modernize this weapon, as a result of which the IL 54 gun appeared. This happened in 1954, which gave rise to this name.
During its existence, IL 54 were produced in various versions. The simplest had an ordinary stamped drawing, and a simple box made of beech or walnut. This option was called "ordinary performance" and was the most common.
The improved version differed from the standard one a little. The engraving on it was carried out manually, and during assembly the parts underwent more careful control.
The most popular and expensive was the souvenir option. He assumed a completely manual assembly with careful control of all parts and elements, as well as the presence of various types of jewelry and inscriptions.
At one time there was an opinion that there are several types of guns IL 54 unit assembly. Moreover, they differed from each other by the accuracy and color of the back plate. However, in fact, this opinion was erroneous, since there was no real difference, and better guns usually belonged to the souvenir option, but with fewer different decorations.
At the moment, IZH 54, a horizontal-type shotgun, has pretty good characteristics, even 32 years after the cessation of production. It has become a relic for many modern hunters who pass it on from father to son.
It should be noted that sporting guns of this model were also produced. They were distinguished by rather great accuracy, although they were not in great demand, since other models of IZH 54 guns were much better suited for sport shooting. Reviews about this model of hunting weapons are mostly the most positive.
Many hunters preferred this particular type of rifle, among which IZH 54 was the best representative, established itself as a reliable device with a fail-safe mechanism. It is also worth noting that real fans of hunting rifles acquire such copies not only for hunting, but also as a collection exhibit, which is the best representative of Russian double-barreled shotguns.
At the moment, the price of the IZH 54 gun is much lower than other devices of this class, and given the fact that in Soviet times they were produced in huge quantities, you can buy such a gun with your hands almost for nothing, which also affects its popularity.
Regarding the technical condition of even the second-hand gun of this model, we can say that with normal care it can last a very long time due to the simplicity of its design and powerful barrels. In this case, even an old gun IZH 54 gives excellent accuracy of firing at a great distance.