Biathlon rifle 7 4 device. Air rifle for biathletes: then and now

It is generally accepted that practically the entire technological potential of Russia lies in the military-industrial complex, and high competitiveness on a global scale is in the arms and military equipment market. Meanwhile, few people know that professional high-precision biathlon rifles, which are recognized by all sports federations, are produced by only two companies - the German Anschutz and the Russian concern Kalashnikov.

At the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, one of the favorites of the competition, Anton Shipulin, lost the gold medal just before the finish line in the sprint race, having missed by a couple of millimeters with the last shot from a German rifle. Biathlon experts note that if he had fired from our Izhmashev BI, which has a higher accuracy of fire, this would not have happened. “Anton let down the weapon, but he was on the verge of victory. It was necessary to choose our "seven" - it would smooth out the vibration. In a word, sorry! - without restraining emotions, the honored coach Mikhail Borugin commented on the situation.

The Izhevsk Mechanical Plant began developing and manufacturing special sports weapons for biathlon immediately after the inclusion of this sport in the Olympic program in 1957. For the first performance of our team at the 1960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley (USA), Izhmash presented 4 models for testing at once, of which the best one was chosen, later called "Biathlon-59". The developer of the first Soviet weapon not intended for killing, designer Shestryakov then received a state award for excellent work, and domestic athletes won bronze in the individual race for 20 kilometers. It was a triumph considering there was only one type of competition. The distance to the targets was 150-200 m, and powerful cartridges of 7.62 and 6.5 calibers were used to hit the targets. After the first success, the rifle was improved and at the next games, in Innsbruck, Austria, it made a splash - 5 first places in biathlon were won.

Biathlon competitions at the Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, 1960

In 1970, the production of a lightweight rifle of the Biathlon category, the Bi-4, began. A year later, the Bi-5 appeared, with which Soviet athletes won gold in 1972 and 1976. In 1977, when the International Biathlon Federation changed the standards for a small-caliber rifle chambered for 5.6 mm rimfire, Izhmash released the Bi-6 chambered for rimfire. And in the 80s, after the ban on fast-loading rifles was lifted, Izhmash introduced the unsurpassed Bi-7, which for a long time was considered the standard of sports weapons for biathlon. When the export ban was lifted in 1986, sports associations from 9 countries of the world immediately bought it (in total, 22 states were registered in this sport in the Olympic Committee). By the way, the design solutions incorporated in this rifle were so advanced and accurate that it is still used in many countries of the world. It was BI-7-4 with minor changes that reached the Olympic Games in Sochi. According to biathletes, a strong technical element of Russian sports rifles is the trigger mechanism, which provides unsurpassed accuracy of shooting at the target.

Vladimir Melanin - the first Soviet Olympic biathlon champion in 1964

The only competitor of the Bi-7 in the world market of small arms for biathlon is the rifle of the German company Anschutz-Fortner 1827F, which overtook the Russian counterpart in terms of reload speed and barrel quality. Today, about half of top-class athletes prefer Anschutz rifles with a Fortner bolt that has lightning-fast reloading. “Triumph of speed”, - this is how the senior chef of the company, Dieter Anschutz, characterized his rifle. By the way, he admitted that he highly appreciates the Izhevsk biathlon weapons, highlighting the unpretentiousness, reliability and accuracy traditional for Russian weapons. Several athletes of the Bundeswehr team, which is the backbone of the German national team, even use modified BI-7 series rifles. In turn, the Kalashnikov Concern, based on the wishes of the athletes, officially releases the BI-7-4A model with the Anschutz barrel.

Two-time Olympic champion Viktor Mamatov

As for the biathlon competitions in Sochi, according to experts, our weapons are quite suitable for these conditions. Correction for the mountains is not required, the shooting range is completely calm. Before the competition, shooting was carried out: the rifle was attached to the machine and ten shots were fired. If they all lay down as they should, there is only one hole in the target, small and neat. If not - more and torn. Holes he our rifles and cartridges - the first type.

The best biathlete of the twentieth century, four-time Olympic champion Alexander Tikhonov

Three or four years ago, perhaps, it was possible to experiment and invent some specific cartridges for Sochi, without, of course, revealing the secret to rivals. It's already too late. It remains to hope for the accuracy and speed of our athletes and that the rifle will not fail.

The BI-7-2-KO small-caliber rifle is a modernized sporting weapon that can be considered a transitional model for the Sobol carbine, which is a hunting weapon. Its design retains a thick-walled match barrel and an orthopedic buttstock, as well as a safety lever with a round cup located under the trigger guard.

Small-caliber magazine rifle with a crank mechanism for locking the bolt. Caliber 22LR.

You will learn about what BI-7-2-KO is from the video below:

Advantages and disadvantages

• The rifle has a thick-walled cantilevered match barrel. A funnel-shaped chamfer is arranged on its muzzle. These features provide good ballistic qualities of the weapon, with it it is quite possible to fulfill the norms of sports categories up to and including the CMS.
• The crank mechanism for locking the bolt allows you to shoot at a high rate, while not being distracted from the aiming line, which is very important during biathlon competitions. It is difficult to say how this quality is applicable in hunting, it all depends on the temperament of the hunter and the severity of the situation. In principle, the rate of fire of such weapons is almost as good as semi-automatic.
• At the same time, it is worth noting that the articulation of the levers of the crank mechanism requires a more careful attitude from the owner of the weapon - care, lubrication.
• It is possible to install optical sights, but the grooves on the upper edge of the receiver do not ensure the reliability of the hook of the brackets.
• The ergonomics of the stock is closer to the requirements of sports competitions, it cannot be considered ideal for hunting.
• The trigger mechanism can be adjusted both in stroke length and in trigger pull.

The weight of the gun is too large: 3.5 kilograms for a small-caliber rifle is something fantastic.

purpose

Sighting range from 25 to 75 meters, the weapon can be used for sports, as well as the extraction of small fur-bearing animals or upland game.

BI-7-2KO k.22 WMR Basic beech

Varieties

• In the basic version the rifle has a wooden stock with an orthopedic butt: the handle is set almost vertically, the blade is wide, the upper comb is with a ledge, there is a shock-absorbing non-adjustable butt pad. The safety flag is borrowed from the BI-7-2 without exception: it is a lever with a round cup that closes the trigger.
• The model "isp. 07" features a height-adjustable buttstock comb and a retractable butt plate.
• Model 02 Basic most similar to "Sable". She has a classic semi-pistol stock, and the safety box is installed in the slot of the front branch of the trigger guard. The barrel is thick-walled, match. There are no external sights - rear sight and front sight. This rifle would be more properly categorized as a varmint.

Specifications

Design

• Repeating rifle chambered for rimfire with a crank mechanism for locking the bolt.
• The barrel is thick-walled, cantilever, a funnel-shaped chamfer is arranged on the muzzle. Trapezoidal grooves, with a step of 420 mm. There are six of them.
• Locking the bore with a crank mechanism. The emphasis is achieved by setting the two levers to a dead center. The reloading lever is massive, in the form of a rough metal bar, lowered vertically down.
• The receiver is made of a solid metal blank, it is hexagonal, open - the ejection window is accessible from any side and from above. On the upper face there are two grooves for mounting optical sights. Models are equipped entirely with two vertical positions - at 25 or 75 meters and a fixed front sight in a cylindrical body.
• The trigger mechanism is adjustable both in stroke length and in force on the trigger. In basic models, the safety box is located under the trigger guard and has a round cup that covers the trigger. In the basic model, it is installed in the slot of the front branch of the trigger guard.
• Shop single-row, removable, with a capacity of five rounds.
• A box with a sports butt-orthopedist, on which a cavity is arranged on the right side for storing spare magazines. In the basic version, the recoil pad and buttstock comb are unregulated.

Completion and packaging

The rifle comes in a cardboard box. The package includes two magazines, passport, instruction manual.

The use of BI-7-2 KO (22LR) is shown in this video:

Operating principle

The shutter is unlocked by moving the handle on the right side of the box. During it, she moves back and a little to the side by folding the two levers of the crank mechanism. At the same time, a striker platoon takes place. Locking reliability is achieved when the levers are set to the “dead” point position, when the resulting recoil force is directed along their axis.

The rifle can be loaded with a single cartridge through a window in the receiver. The store must be empty. For reliability, the ammunition can be sent into the chamber with a finger. The magazine is detached by pressing a button located at the front edge of the hopper. The cartridges are stacked in one row, so that the sleeve flanges of the subsequent ones are ahead of the previous ones.

The small-caliber carbine BI-7-2 KO is based on the design of the SV-99 small-caliber sniper rifle used by some Russian special forces units, in turn, created on the basis of the Biathlon-7-2 sports rifle. The prototype was shown to the public by the Kalashnikov Concern at the Moscow International Exhibition "ARMS & Hunting - 2016".

In the carbine BI-7-2 KO, the characteristics of the prototype are completely preserved, with the exception of the detachable stock. The receiver is steel and has a long Picatinny rail that allows you to install optical sights. The barrel has a length of 350 mm and 6 grooves. On the muzzle of the barrel there is a thread protected by a nut. BI-7-2 KO does not have open sights.

The bolt was developed on the basis of the bolt of the BI-7-2 biathlon rifle. The barrel bore is locked by a crank-type locking mechanism with vertical axes of rotation, which allows for quick reloading of the rifle with minimal disruption to manufacturing. The movement of the shutter in only one plane allows you to achieve a reload speed comparable to semi-automatic samples.

The stock is made of high-strength polymer. The rifle has an ergonomic shape, removable bipod, rear rest and swivel cheek rest for comfortable use with a telescopic sight. The trigger is adjustable, with a trigger pull of 0.5 to 1 kg.

The BI-7-2 KO carbine will go on sale tentatively in 2017.

Technical characteristics of the carbine BI-7-2 KO

Caliber: 5.6mm
Barrel length: 350 mm
Weapon Length: ---
Rifle weight: 4.5 kg
Magazine capacity: 5 or 10 rounds

civilian weapons

Olympic athletes have been involved in biathlon since 1960. The air rifles they used were based on military models, and their caliber was either 7.62, or 6.5, or 5.6. Shooting distances in those days were very solid: 150-200 meters. Since 1977, they have become much shorter (50 meters), so the sporting weapon has undergone changes.

Today, biathletes are legally required to use only small-caliber weapons that fire 5.6 mm rimfire cartridges and weigh between 2.58 and 2.61 g. This caliber is called ".22 Long Rifle". This phrase is translated as "long rifle". A clip magazine is placed on the butt or in front of the stock. One clip contains up to 5 charges.

The average number of cartridges fired by a biathlete per month is 1200 pieces.

Spring-piston and gas-balloon rifles can be used. Most athletes prefer the latter. Each rifle has a wooden stock, which is usually made individually, based on the anatomical features of the athlete. There is also a bolt device, barrel, magazine, namushnik and diopter sight. Comes with a shoulder strap. The optical sight should not increase. The weight of the product is on average 3.5 kg.

Professional athletes prefer to use rifles from two manufacturers for competitions: the German company Anschutz and the domestic manufacturer. Note that they are ardent competitors - the rivalry between them began at the end of the last century. Each manufactured sample undergoes a thorough check, and the target, shot in the factory shooting range, will certainly be glued into the rifle passport. Next, we compare the two most popular models: Russian and German. Both of them work according to the PCP scheme.

Domestic rifle BI 7-4

This weapon began to be manufactured in 1991 at the famous Izhevsk plant. Over the past years, it has been repeatedly modernized and improved. The stock, shoulder strap, barrel, sight and other parts were changed. So, version 4A has an Anschutz barrel, and version 9 has a stock that can be customized for a specific shooter and sight from Anschutz. It should be noted that for the athletes of the national team, rifles are made by special order.

The caliber of the rifle is 5.6 mm, it weighs 4.5 kg, and has a length of 1.05 m. Of these, 0.5 m falls on the barrel. The back of the butt can be adjusted in length by 2 cm. The cheek of the butt can be adjusted by 0.75 cm vertically and 0.6 cm horizontally. The trigger stroke is also adjustable up to 0.2-0.4 cm. All this makes it possible to aim as accurately as possible. To protect the front sight, sight and barrel from snow, dust and dirt, hinged covers are provided. USM has a trigger type.

Removable stores are designed for five charges. They are mounted on the butt - for this there is a cassette for four magazines. In addition, the kit comes with additional magazines with a cover, designed for three charges. For balancing, special weights are used, which are easily removed. The original shoulder strap has comfortable spring elements.

You can buy a rifle from 80 to 120 thousand rubles (depending on the version).

Shutter operation diagram

When reloading, the shooter moves the handle, as a result of which the shutter moves in an arc. To lock the barrel channel, a crank-and-rod type articulated-lever scheme is used. These are two elements, the connection between which is carried out using a hinge. The front part of the first part is on the same axis with the bolt, and the back of the second part is on the same axis as the receiver.

When the shutter reaches the forward position, the hinge reaches the “dead center”, going beyond it. It rests against the barrel box, and the shutter cannot be opened so easily. To open it, the shooter pulls the handle back, as a result of which the hinge leaves the “dead zone”, and the parts of the locking assembly fold up, retracting the bolt back.

Air rifles presented by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant are distinguished by their utmost reliability and the maximum possible service life. listed in this article, as well as other features of this rifle.

How much you can buy a Moran air rifle can be found at. Technical characteristics of this rifle and its features.

Advantages and disadvantages

1. Affordable price coupled with excellent quality and reliability.
2. Compared to Anschutz, the BI 7 locks better.

Not very good:

1. The accuracy of the rifle is lower than that of the Anschutz.
2. In the cold, when using Lapua cartridges, failures occur.
3. Not the best service. For repairs, you need to draw up a lot of paperwork and take the rifle to the factory. And at competitions abroad, no one will help at all.

Anschutz 1827 Fortner

This popular rifle with a unique bolt pattern has been produced by the German concern Anschutz since the late eighties of the last century. Now two versions are being produced: regular and sprinter (which allows you to install a heavy barrel). The first type of lead is 4 kg, the sprint model is 3.7 kg. When installing a heavy barrel, the weight of the latter reaches 3.85 kg. There is a diopter sight and a ring front sight. The barrel and sight are protected by rubber stoppers. The 5.6 mm cartridge flies out at a speed of 340 meters per second.

The length of the rifle almost does not differ from the BI 7 - this parameter is 1.04 m. The barrel with eight grooves with a pitch of 335 mm has a length of 0.55 m. The bed is made of walnut. The butt has a cheek, the position of which can be debugged by inclination and height. The aluminum butt plate can be adjusted in length.

In the video, a comparison of rifles for biathlon, competitors Bi 7 and Anschultz:

The magazine cassette is located on the forearm, and next to it is a compartment for six additional charges. The 5-round magazine can be standard and extended (having a holder for three additional cartridges). The bottom of the store is bright red - this is convenient, as it does not allow you to mix up the sides when attaching it. Taking it out is also easy - for this there is a large lever placed in front of the trigger guard. The trigger itself has a stepless adjustment mechanism.

The price of the product ranges from 250 to 310 thousand rubles. This is a lot, but professionals prefer these rifles.

Shutter operation diagram

This scheme was invented by Peter Fortner, who patented his invention in 1984. Her "chip" is lightning-fast reloading. To lock the bolt, six balls are used, which are lugs. The mechanism is introduced by pressing the index finger on a special handle. In this case, the balls come out of the bolt grooves and roll into the grooves made in the receiver.

To return the shutter back, just press on its back side with your thumb.

In this case, the balls again take their original position.

Advantages and disadvantages

1. Excellent mobile service base - the company has created a special service team that accompanies biathletes.
2. Very fast and convenient shutter operation, high accuracy.
3. The exterior design looks very advantageous.
4. Excellent quality of the barrel, made of special nitrided steel (it's not for nothing that some Izhevsk models are equipped with an Anschutz barrel).
5. A large number of accessories (belts, accessories for lubrication and cleaning, covers), as well as parts (trunks, receivers, stocks).
6. The extractor and ejector have a special design that works reliably even in cold weather.

Not very good:

1. The striker of these rifles sometimes fails at the most inopportune moment (for 4 years, he let down Russian athletes 2 times);
2. The price is more than twice as high as that of Izhevsk models.
3. The moment of locking can not always be clearly seen, sometimes some pressure is required.

The biathlon rifle began its evolution in 1948, when the International Federation of Modern Pentathlon appeared. At the same time, the cartridges of the biathlete have not changed since 1888 - caliber 5.6, ring fire, with a small amount of gunpowder. Such a cartridge gives a weak return, which is important for accuracy and accuracy.

But the rifles were of different designs and manufacturers, but today the vast majority of biathletes compete with Anschutz-Fortner 1827F (price from $ 3000). Even Russian athletes often refuse domestic products in their favor, although at the Olympics in Vancouver (and, of course, at the home Olympics in Sochi) they performed with Izhevsk Bi-7-4 from the Biathlon series.

Technical characteristics of the Anschutz-Fortner rifle for biathlon:

• Weight - 3.63 kg;
• Muzzle length - 730.25 mm;
• Overall length - 1041.4 mm;
• Caliber - .22;
• Magazine capacity - 5 rounds;
• Walnut stock, adjustable cheek piece, adjustable release.

Professional rifle models should not be confused with solutions like IZH-61. However, for training there is a separate series of BI-7 rifles made at Izhmash. Modern BI-7-5 costs around 90,000 rubles. It is more convenient for young biathletes to get used to small arms with it. The caliber of such pneumatics is not 5.6, but 4.5 mm.

The pneumatic "Biathlon-7-5" is built according to the scheme of weapons with pre-injection of a high-pressure cylinder (PCP) and is used in summer and children's biathlon. In terms of weight and dimensions, it corresponds to BI-7-4, so you can train with it even in an ordinary pneumatic shooting range. The firing range is 10 m, the balloon charge is enough for 200-250 shots. Bi-7-4 and Bi-7-5 weigh 4.5 kg. Compared to their predecessors, the rifles "lost weight" by 500 grams.

Technical characteristics of the Biathlon-7 rifle:

Sports rifle "Biathlon-7-4" refers to small-caliber (small-caliber) rifles chambered for 5.6 mm (.22LR). The rifle is considered male. Butt length is adjustable. The rifle is produced for right-handers and left-handers, there is an option with a fuse.

At the Olympics in Sochi, Russian biathletes competed with BI-7-4

A special biathlete rifle appeared in the USSR in 1958. BI-7 with fast direct reload, modified BI-7-2, BI-7-3, which has become the main one for already Russian biathlon rifles.

The main innovative difference of the professional BI-7 was the locking mechanism of the crank type with vertical axes of rotation. As a result, it was possible to achieve a quick reload with a minimum violation of the athlete's preparation. An experienced shooter fires at the speed of a self-loading weapon, which at one time dramatically improved the achievements of Soviet biathletes. The rest of the rifle device is traditional. It is allowed to adjust the trigger mechanism and the nature of the trigger without disassembly. The sight is placed diopter quick-detachable.

IZH-60/61 are not professional biathlon rifles

The products of IZHMASH OJSC for biathlon are divided into men's, women's and junior. 7-4, 7-4A, 7-5 are recommended for men. 7-3 and 7-3A for women and juniors. According to the device, all models of rifles are created on a single structural basis. The differences are only in the size of the stock and the position of the trigger relative to the handle.

For a month, a biathlete consumes 1000-1200 rounds

The Biathlon-7-3A and Biathlon-7-4-A rifles use German Anschutz barrels. In addition, two more sports weapons companies Steyer Mannlicher (Austria) and Walther are represented on the market. Taking into account the distribution of shares, it can be argued that practically modern biathletes shoot from German rifles. Here is such a monopoly!

It is interesting at the same time that the first three-time Olympic world champion in the history of women's biathlon and five-time, being a German, preferred the Russian "Biathlon-7".