IZh-56

The IZh-56 «Belka» (ИЖ-56 «Белка») is a Soviet double-barreled combination gun.

IZh-56
Type	double barreled shotgun
Place of origin	USSR
Production history
Designer	A. A. Klimov[1]
Manufacturer	Izhevsk Mechanical Plant[1]
Produced	1956 - 1964
Specifications
Mass	3.0 - 3.15 kg[2]
Barrel length	650 or 720mm[3]
Caliber	28, 32 gauge[3] .22 LR[3]
Action	Break-action[2]
Rate of fire	variable
Sights	iron sights[2] optical sight[2]

History

IZh-56 was designed in 1956 and it was based on IZhK model.^[1]

Since 1961, a new varnish with improved characteristics has been used to protect the wooden parts of the gun.^[4]

In December 1964, the price of one standard IZh-56-3 was 45 roubles.^[3]

Design

IZh-56 is an over and under shotgun, with one barrel above the other.^[1]

It has a birch or beech stock and fore-end.^[3]

All IZh-56s have iron sights and they can be equipped with scope base for PVS-1 (ПВС-1) optical sight.^[3][2] The weight of PVS-1 scope without the scope base is 150 grams.^[5]

IZh-56-3 can be equipped with PO-2 (ПО-2) optical sight.^[6]

Variants

• IZh-56-1 «Belka» (ИЖ-56-1 «Белка»)^[7] - first model, since 1956 until 1958^[2] 31 903 guns were made.^[1]
• IZh-56-2 «Belka» (ИЖ-56-2 «Белка»)^[7] - second model^[2]
• IZh-56-3 «Belka» (ИЖ-56-3 «Белка»)^[7] - third model, since 1958 until 1964^[2] 77 043 guns were made^[1]

Users

• Soviet Union^[3]
• USA - the import was allowed^[8]