The Baikal Drozd, One Great BB Gun
While cleaning out one of the far frung closets in the house, I noticed a plastic wrapped cardboard box buried high up on a shelf. Upon moving several items to get it down, I see a faded Baikal emblem on the box. Looking closer,I see that this is the Drozd BB gun made in Russia. This awesome BB gun was an impulse purchase many years ago.
While making extra money saving the world from hurricane ravaged flooded areas, and placing radio and telephone gear around the Gulf Coast region of the United States, I found ways to spend my overtime pay. One item that allowed me to spend more than I would have thought was the Baikal Drozd. This was the original model, a yellow and black plastic and steel BB gun that had an electronic trigger and motorized feed mechanism. A local pawn shop had sold these for $200 each. One was placed on the wall, for all to see.
This particular store sold more ammo and firearms than they took in pawning. The local police department was known to place orders through them as well. This yellow and black contraption seemed to get picked up a lot, but placed back on its perch on the wall. I finally asked about it one day, and held it in my hands. I was told that this was the easiest full auto device to get your hands on. Being in a state where full auto weapons were hard to come by, this sounded like it could be fun. The saleman said this was CO2 powered and fired BB's at up to 600 feet per second.
Two slide switches are on this gun, one on each side. On one side is a selector for: 1, 3, or 6 round bursts. The switch on the other side selects: 300, 450, or 600 BB's per minute. With an electrical trigger and feed mechanism, this model runs on 6 AA batteries. The unit can be "dry fired" and makes a low sounding clack when it would be shooting BB's. The barrel is rifled steel and a warning in the manual says to only shoot lead BB's through it.
Having the $200 burning a hole in y wallet, I decided to get one. However, the one on the wall seems to have some dirty grime from the number of people pawing over it. The yellow frame has the dark marks of dirt and scratches on it. I ask for a new one, in the box. A few minutes later and I have a new Drozd. Taking it home I realize I need to find my CO2 cylinders. This takes normal 12 gramm cylinders like other guns I have. The magazine is made of heavy steel with only one plastic cover on the bottom.
With the one included magazine loaded with 30 BB's and a CO2 cylinder, I place this assembly into the Drozd. I take aim at a piece of wood in my back yard. Along with the clack I get the wizzing of BB's out of the rifled barrel. This things zings BB's pretty fast. It is also pretty loud. A few bursts later and 30 BB's are gone. The piece of wood is flipped around and tore up into match sticks. This is a fun "toy".
Going online, i realize I need another magazine, and any other options it can take. At this point I realize that this futuristic pistol came with a plastic press in buttstock. This is a two piece unit that just slides into the back of the Drozd pistol. This makes it two in one. With the buttstock the Drozd is a bit more controllable.
After ordering more magazines and some bulk fill modified magazines online, I start looking for an idea to get rid of the yellow look. This thing is really colored like a bumblebee. It is pretty ugly as it is now. My idea is to take it apart and paint it black. But paint has a bad record with me and plastic. After some searching online, I find others who dye the plastic with RIT brand dye. This is my next project.
After getting some black RIT dye and heating a large pot of water on the stove, I bring it all to boil. The RITS dye is stirred into the water, then the plastic pieces of the Drozd go in. I have read that you must keep the parts moving or else spots form in the plastic. The Drozd came apart easily, my concerns are, will it look good and go back together well? After about 20 minutes boilin this plastic mass in water and dye, I am satisfied in the deep black look of the plastic. It is now time to let the pieces dry.
Once dry the plastic looks even better. The RIT dye left a deep purple/black color in the plastic. After careful reassembly, the contrasting of died pieces and those that came in black looks great. A full function test is in order once it is back together. Adding in AA batteries and a loaded and charged magazine, a few shots are taken in the back yard. Everything works perfect, and now it looks cool. This thing looks like a space gun.
A short while later, a fake supressor, and muzzle brake arrive. These screw onto the threaded barrel and change the look without messing with function. Fast forward a few years later, and it still looks cool. This version has been discontinued and with imports from Russia being limited, these are great BB guns to buy and keep. They seem to hold their value and are built tougher than most BB guns. I recommend you get one for fun burst firing in your back yard.
