More IZH 61 Shenanigans Part 1--A New Spring Guide

Getting back to the Baikal IZH 61. 














 
Used a deburring tool to easily clean up the burs on the cocking lever slots in the end cap and the piston body.

It's like running a metal removing razor knife across the sharp corners.

Remembering back to my first IZH 61, the too short spring guide had to go.  I ballparked the length inside of the piston and subtracted a few hundredths.

The original, short steel guide.  On the left is a piece of 0.750" diameter acetal (aka: delrin).

Chucked the acetal in the 3-jaw and took a few quick cuts.  Went a bit too deep on the first cut, so I backed off a few hundredths. 

I'll cut the undersize part off.  It's a mistake to think that you need to accurately measure everything when using a lathe or mill.  It's pretty quick to simply cut until the spring fits over the guide then extend that depth to the length of the guide.















Faced off the undersized portion and adjusted the tool post to cut a bevel.















Rounded the front edge so it'll slide smoothly through the coils.

Found a parting tool and chopped off the guide leaving a flange.

A bit longer than the factory part.  

And several thou larger in diameter.  Didn't want a tight fit to the spring for such a low-powered gun.  The velocity loss would be large.

OK.  Reassemble the gun next time around and see about realigning that cocking lever catch.

IZh-60, Some Semi-Final Notes

I know that I need to address the lack of sights and the missing front plug in the stock, but first I thought I would add a few notes taken during reassembly.

The Piston seal. Look at how burned it is!
The breech end plug.

I removed the ratchet pawl and spring for cleaning and lubing.
Another shot.

As I may have mentioned, the bolt was hanging up in the breech when cocking. So I set it up on the Taig lathe and chamfered the end of the large diameter.
I used this long center drill to debur the bolt hole transition.
Much smoother.

I put a seal from the IZh-61 on the piston (seemed a bit loose) and the IZh-61 spring. Notice the proper orientation of the spring guide, which is really a more of a “top hat”, except it isn’t.
All reassembled and shooting at about 478 fps with Crosman premiers which is bang on the money.

IZh-60 Rifle Disassembly and Comparison to IZh-61, Part 3

I removed the screw that holds the bolt stop in the breech but it wouldn’t come out.

So I repeatedly flicked the bolt under its spring’s power and it came out.

Removed.

The bolt seems to hang up on the rather sharp transition between the main diameter and the probe, so that will need to be addressed.

Removed one pin…

Trigger and transfer bar (?) units.

Sear.

Another view.

I removed the stop screw.

Tiny screw.

And rotated and pulled off the cutoff for the cocking lever.

It’s a neat part.

It was spring loaded.

I was going to remove the front catch pin for the cocking lever as it also holds the front breech cap in place but…

Looks to have been peened in at the factory, so best to just leave it be.

And last, the spring, compared with one from an IZh-61. The broken spring had 3 or so less coils and was .118 vs .100 diameter wire and was smaller in both inside and outside diameter. I think it may have been an attempt to get more power by a previous owner as I would assume it would have the same spring as the IZh-61. But who knows.
Now to clean, lube, repair and replace items and get it up and running. Then figure out what sort of sights to put on it.

IZh-60 Rifle Disassembly and Comparison to IZh-61, Part 2

On I go…

The stocks are definitely different lengths.

The internal molding is different as well.

The 61’s stock also has had the mold seam removed.

Side by side you can see the difference in the trigger groups.

I’m still in love with the monolithic nature of the breech.

I was wondering what that screw is for.

It’s a stop for the cutoff that prevents the trigger from being pulled when the lever isn’t in place.

Clear to fire.

Notice that the sear return spring (?) is adjustable on the IZh-60.

Another breech shot…

The 60 has two trigger screws, which seem to imply more adjustment, so I’ll have to play with them. One is backed out all the way so perhaps you are meant to use one or the other.

Pointed screws. More to come…

IZh-60 Rifle Disassembly and Comparison to IZh-61, Part 1

Derrick sent me this older steel breech version of the IZh-60. This post should be called “IZh-60 Rifle (Early Steel Breech) Disassembly and Comparison to the IZh-61 Rifle (Later Plastic Breech)”, but that’s a rather long title.

The rifle seems heavier (note to self, weigh both when I have it reassembled!) due to the steel parts.

It’s a single shot, rather than a 5 shot repeater like the IZh-61.

Just a massive breech block.

The one Derrick sent is missing the front cap, giving the plastic stock a ramjet look. This will need to be plugged.

A side by side comparison of the two. (Note that this IZh-61 is an earlier model than the latest IZh-61, but later than the steel breech versions.)

Barrel bands. The IZh-60 is missing iron sights.

As you can see here the end of the barrel is different.

The IZh-61 is threaded for the front sight. Not sure what the IZh-60 sight should look like.

Both have plastic cocking lever handles, because Derrick stole the steel one from the 60 for his 61. I can’t say as I blame him one bit as I don’t really care either way.

The stocks are slightly different in length (more on that later).

Compare and contrast.

There’s a subtle color variation to the stocks as well, the 60’s is blacker.

The stock screw is held by a ring to prevent it falling out. All the 60’s screws are machine screws where the 61’s are more like wood screws to better hold in the plastic.

Barrel band.

It’s pretty complex!

The trigger unit is definitely different (more on that later).

Disassembly is pretty much the same, you have to twist the end cap to remove it.

The spring is broken…again, more on that later as well.