Baikal MP-43
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 750 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.60 kg
- Introduced
- 1986
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Baikal MP-43 is a side-by-side double-barrel break-action shotgun produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in Russia. Introduced in 1986 as the IZh-43 and redesignated MP-43 in 2008, it is a robust hammerless boxlock smoothbore chambered most commonly in 12 gauge, with chrome-lined bores and screw-in chokes. Widely exported as an affordable, hard-wearing hunting and utility shotgun, it is offered with double or single triggers and extractor or selective ejector options across 12, 16, 20, 28, 32 and .410 gauges.
Developed at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant from 1984, the IZh-43 replaced the earlier IZh-58 on the production line and became one of the most widely exported Russian sporting shotguns, prized for its low cost and durability.
Renamed from IZh-43 to MP-43 (Mechanical Plant-43) in 2008 following the Izhmekh corporate rebranding. 750 mm barrels are offered only in 12 gauge; other gauges top out at 710 mm.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Baikal (Izhevsk Mechanical Plant)
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- Russia
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1986
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 750 mm
- Overall length
- 1255 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.60 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Break action
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Double trigger
- Capacity
- 2
- Magazine
- Internal
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Effective range
- 50 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Side by side barrels
Boxlock action
Chrome lined bores
Interchangeable chokes
Extractor
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 3.60 kg | 3.29 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1255 mm | 1150 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 750 mm | 711 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 2 | 3 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Baikal MP-43
How much does the Baikal MP-43 weigh?
The Baikal MP-43 weighs 3.60 kg (7.94 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Baikal MP-43?
The Baikal MP-43 is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Baikal MP-43 hold?
The Baikal MP-43 holds 2 rounds, fed from an internal magazine.
How long is the Baikal MP-43?
The Baikal MP-43 is 1255 mm (49.4 in) long overall, with a 750 mm (29.5 in) barrel.
Who makes the Baikal MP-43?
The Baikal MP-43 is made by Baikal (Izhevsk Mechanical Plant) (Russia). It was designed by Izhevsk Mechanical Plant.
When was the Baikal MP-43 introduced?
The Baikal MP-43 was introduced in 1986.
How does the Baikal MP-43 operate?
The Baikal MP-43 uses a break action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian hunters and sport shooters
- Russia
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/baikal-mp-43' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "baikal-mp-43", "name": "Baikal MP-43", "manufacturer": { "id": "baikal", "name": "Baikal (Izhevsk Mechanical Plant)", "countryCode": "RU", "foundedYear": 1942, "website": "https://baikalinc.ru", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "61dc96f12f8cfe1b00c6e617c85af74517fd02103102194d8bdf3970f8b70294" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "RU", "year_introduced": 1986, "barrel_length_mm": 750, "weight_empty_g": 3600, "action_type": "break_action"}