Seeing as the IZH-35M (and its little quirks) seems to be a hot topic at the moment, I thought I would throw another question into the pot.
As has been recently posted, the IZH-35M appears to be sold as the IJ-35 in Europe. I've not seen one but have seen them advertised as such in the legendary Frankonia Jagd catalogue (as an aside, if you have never seen a FJ catalogue, consider ordering one from www.frankonia.de for drooling purposes. Even if you can't read German, the product selection is simply stunning. Even my girlfriend likes looking through it :).
Though the two pistols appear to be more or less the same now, a site I read recently stated that the IJ35 was originally an elite Russian target pistol from the 1960's and that the IZH-35M was a slightly lower grade "child" of the IJ-35 design.
So which is it? Are the two identical now and have always been OR was the IJ35 once a higher grade elite pistol compared to the current IZH-35M?
Fortitudo_Dei-at-hotmail.com.remove.43647.0
IZH-35M and the IJ35 - any difference?
Moderators: rexifelis, pilkguns
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Jay V
Re: IZH-35M and the IJ35 - any difference?
: : So which is it? Are the two identical now and have always been OR was the IJ35 once a higher grade elite pistol compared to the current IZH-35M?
I saw an IJ a while back, and if I remember right, it had a different upper shroud mounting system, no grip safety, and a bottom mag release. I don't recall if it was marked "Baikal" or not. I don't know if the IJ is currently being produced by Baikal, or if it is being made now at all.
The only info that I have seen about the IJ/IZH history is in Pete Brunelli's "My IZH-35M Scrapbook" on his IZH site (link below). It looks like TT's own Warren Potter is credited with its content, so it must be true!
I copied it below.
Jay
"HISTORY:
(Thanks to Michael Dane, Warren Potter, and Jesper Rex Andersen)
In answer to your question, it all happened in this order:
In the 60s the Russians had a very highly thought of pistol called an IJ35. We rarely saw them out here except in the hands of Russian team members. A few Australian team members managed to get them through Taransky, an ex-Russian living out here. I doubt any went to the US. They were roughly made but a brilliant design. Until the Domino 602 came on the scene in the mid 70s they swept all before them, here at least.
As the IJ was a limited run made for mainly the elite shooters they are quite uncommon. Many years later Baikal decided to reinvent the wheel and brought out the IZH35, a less sophisticated version of the IJ, but still a very good target pistol. A little rough around the edges, and the grip is fairly forgettable. Brilliant value for money.
Walther has been looking to bring out a budget beginners standard gun for some time. Their KSP200 is actually an IZH35 with a couple of modifications. The basic pistol is still made by Baikal. New features are a push button slide stop and a fancy blue laminated grip. I don't know about in the States, but here you're paying big bucks for those two upgrades and the Walther logo.
The AW93 is interesting. It was delayed in its release for a couple of years as the designer's widow tried to get more money out of FWB for using the design. It is an IJ35 given the once-over by German designers. Meaning they have made it more complicated of course. It has a much more refined trigger and better grip than either Russian pistol. Beautifully made, which I expect explains the price tag. They have just stopped making the nickel finish, I believe all in the future will be blue.
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You don't mention that the AW-93 also has a special Recoil damping mechanism, that is/was unique to that pistol.
I might not want to admit that the AW-93 is based on the IZH35m/Baikal IJ35 (Still sells as the IJ35 when using the Baikal brand in Denmark) design. But when looking at exploded drawings of the IZH35m I can easily see that they look a lot like each other.
btw. I have been told that the Nickel finished version of the IZH35m in most cases has a better quality than the black gun. "
jverg-at-att.net.43655.43647
I saw an IJ a while back, and if I remember right, it had a different upper shroud mounting system, no grip safety, and a bottom mag release. I don't recall if it was marked "Baikal" or not. I don't know if the IJ is currently being produced by Baikal, or if it is being made now at all.
The only info that I have seen about the IJ/IZH history is in Pete Brunelli's "My IZH-35M Scrapbook" on his IZH site (link below). It looks like TT's own Warren Potter is credited with its content, so it must be true!
I copied it below.
Jay
"HISTORY:
(Thanks to Michael Dane, Warren Potter, and Jesper Rex Andersen)
In answer to your question, it all happened in this order:
In the 60s the Russians had a very highly thought of pistol called an IJ35. We rarely saw them out here except in the hands of Russian team members. A few Australian team members managed to get them through Taransky, an ex-Russian living out here. I doubt any went to the US. They were roughly made but a brilliant design. Until the Domino 602 came on the scene in the mid 70s they swept all before them, here at least.
As the IJ was a limited run made for mainly the elite shooters they are quite uncommon. Many years later Baikal decided to reinvent the wheel and brought out the IZH35, a less sophisticated version of the IJ, but still a very good target pistol. A little rough around the edges, and the grip is fairly forgettable. Brilliant value for money.
Walther has been looking to bring out a budget beginners standard gun for some time. Their KSP200 is actually an IZH35 with a couple of modifications. The basic pistol is still made by Baikal. New features are a push button slide stop and a fancy blue laminated grip. I don't know about in the States, but here you're paying big bucks for those two upgrades and the Walther logo.
The AW93 is interesting. It was delayed in its release for a couple of years as the designer's widow tried to get more money out of FWB for using the design. It is an IJ35 given the once-over by German designers. Meaning they have made it more complicated of course. It has a much more refined trigger and better grip than either Russian pistol. Beautifully made, which I expect explains the price tag. They have just stopped making the nickel finish, I believe all in the future will be blue.
----
You don't mention that the AW-93 also has a special Recoil damping mechanism, that is/was unique to that pistol.
I might not want to admit that the AW-93 is based on the IZH35m/Baikal IJ35 (Still sells as the IJ35 when using the Baikal brand in Denmark) design. But when looking at exploded drawings of the IZH35m I can easily see that they look a lot like each other.
btw. I have been told that the Nickel finished version of the IZH35m in most cases has a better quality than the black gun. "
jverg-at-att.net.43655.43647
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w. young
Re: IZH-35M and the IJ35 - any difference?
In the back of Competitive Shooting- By yur 'yev,
there are two pistols that look remarkably like the izh35. They are named izh khr-30 and 31.
wallyis-at-budweiser.com.43662.43647
there are two pistols that look remarkably like the izh35. They are named izh khr-30 and 31.
wallyis-at-budweiser.com.43662.43647