IZh-58MA

About the IZh-58MA

The IZh-58MA is a Soviet side-by-side double-barreled break-action hunting shotgun, a modernized member of the IZh-58 family produced at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. Introduced in 1977, the MA variant retains the hammerless boxlock action, two horizontally arranged smoothbore barrels and double triggers of the original design, while adding an automatic tang safety that engages whenever the barrels are broken open for loading.

The MA suffix marks the safety upgrade that defined this variant: unlike earlier IZh-58 guns, the IZh-58MA's tang safety snaps back to 'safe' automatically every time the shooter breaks the action open, a feature aimed at reducing accidents among the millions of rural Soviet hunters who relied on the gun.

IZh-58MA specifications

Chambered in 12 and 16 gauge with 70 mm chambers and chrome-lined bores; fixed half (left) and full (right) chokes are typical. Uses an extractor rather than an ejector - the later IZh-58MAE added a selective automatic ejector.