Auction Prices for TsKIB Guns in Europe

“How much does my gun cost?” is one of the most common question about Russian guns – especially MTs (a.k.a MC, a.k.a. MU, a.k.a. Vostok) by TsKIB, Tula. Usually, with high-end guns, the best hints on the gun’s price come from what the hammer falls on at gun auctions. But the produce of the “Soviet Purdey’s” seldom grace the halls of Holt’s, Julia’s, and other auction halls. However, as many as five MTs guns could be found in the catalogue of Joh. Springer’s Erben XXIII Classic Auction (Nov. 9, 2017, Vienna, Austria). All the guns are new in box and unfired, and are subject to full VAT. If I’m not mistaken, this means they haven’t been previouly owned, except by a dealer. In fact, all five guns look to me as if ordered as the same lot, by someone who tried to make a profit selling TsKIB guns in the West. And of course they are what we in Russia call “novodel” (“newmake”, a word used to refer to a modern copy of a classic product that lacks all the finesse and desirability of the original). From the serial numbers, the whole lot was made somewhere in 2003-2005. All feature standard level of finish, i.e., this is the engraving you’re likely to get if you order one of these models and don’t specify anything particular.

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There were as many as three MTs-7 combination guns, with .308 Winchester barrel under and 12 gauge barrel over. Two of the three come with a spare 12 gauge shotgun barrel sets. The combo barrel sets came with a 4x power scope on a quick-detachable mount, and, like all MTs’s offered at the auction, with a maker’s case. MTs-7 is one of the best over/under actions ever made by TsKIB, and the combo could make a great shooter for a lover of such weapons.

Then there was one MTs-111. This model is often described as “improved MTs-11”, but actually has little in common with the “Russian Purdey“. Most MTs-111 were ordered and finished as “gift guns”, and I bet 9 out of 10 of them can plead “not guilty” to a charge of killing any living creature or even a clay bird. One of the things on my to-do list after I create a best-selling Hollywood franchise is get an MTs-111 and shoot the crap out of it at the Trap range, just to see how well it holds together.

The fifth gun was a 9.3×62 MTs-108 over/under double rifle. The cartridge was designed for German colonists in Africa, to give them one affordable Mauser rifle for anything from ivory hunting and maradeur lions to knocking down an antelope for the pot, and is currently popular in Russia moose, bear and boar. The rifle is built on TsKIB’s trademark “dead hinge” action, made famous on the clay shooting fields by Soviet and Russian athletes with MTs-8 and MTs-108 guns. The action is super strong and could handle an elephant cartridge easily. But TsKIB couldn’t figure out double rifle regulation completely even in their best times, so I would never recommend to buy their double rifles without a means to check if both barrels shoot to the same POA.

The starting prices for these guns were:

MTs-111 – 8.500 Euro

MTs-7 combination gun – 2.200 Euro

MTs-7 combination gun with spare shotgun barrels – 3.400 Euro

MTs-108 – 1.100 Euro.

Let me remind that the lucky winner would have to pay the auction house commission and the tax on top of these prices.

None of these guns were sold.

Apparently, the guns were priced a bit too high for shooters, and lack the fleur of the Red Empire to make them truly collectibles. Still, here you at least got a navigation mark of what price would be too high for a modern TsKIB gun.

Scroll below for full description of the lots as copied from Joh. Springer’s Erben catalogue.

Lot 822. s/s shotgun-sidelock MC Mod. MTs111-12 Hunting Deluxe, 12/70, #040024, § D €€

Starting price 8.500 EUR

75 cm chopper-lump barrels, engine-turned rib, ejectors, choked 1/2 & full, bright action, third grip, deeply chiselled scenes surrounded by scroll on the lockplates, pointer dog with pheasants on the left, fox with ducks on the right and partridges on the action bottom, back-action sidelocks and intercepting sears, double triggers with articulated front blade, sliding tang safety, rolled trigger guard, walnut stock, drop points, fine chequering, straight hand, slight Monte-Carlo comb, 36,5 cm, fore-end with Anson push-rod, 3,4 kg, in its maker’s case, brand new weapon condition 1.Attention, please! This lot is fully taxed. See our website “information” / “bidding” / “4. buyer’s premium”

Lot 647. o/u double rifle MC Mod. MTs108-62 Hunting Deluxe, 9,3×62, #030483, § C €€

Starting price 1.100 EUR

68 cm barrels, standing rear sight with additional folding leaf, ventilated jointing ribs, extractor, blued fancy-backed action, bold scroll engraving, double triggers, automatic sliding tang safety, walnut stock, oval cheekpiece, ventilated rubber recoil pad 36,5 cm, German claw mounted VOMZ P4x32, reticule Plex, 4,7 kg, in a synthetic case, brand new weapon condition 1.Attention, please! This lot is fully taxed. See our website “information” / “bidding” / “4. buyer’s premium”

Lot 724. o/u combination gun MC Mod. MTs 7-17-01 Hunting Deluxe, .308 Win.12/70, #040435, § C €€

Starting price 2.200 EUR

65 cm barrels, ejectors, engine-turned rib, folding rear sight, choked 3/4, bright, fancy-backed action, scroll and oakleaf surrounded deeply chiselled scenes of wolf with bull moose on the left, wild boar with hound on the right, capercailzie on the action bottom, pheasant on trigger guard, double triggers with articulated front blade, automatic sliding tang safety, walnut stock, drop points, oval cheekpiece, ventilated rubber recoil pad 36,5 cm, three-part fore-end, Anson push-rod, rail mounted VOMZ P4x32 reticule Plex, 4,1 kg, in its maker’s case, brand new weapon condition 1.Attention, please! This lot is fully taxed. See our website “information” / “bidding” / “4. buyer’s premium”

 

Lot 725. o/u combination gun MC Mod. MTs 7-17-02 Hunting Deluxe, .308 Win.12/70, #050012-1, with exchangeable barrel 12/70, #050012, § C €€

Starting price 3.400 EUR

65 cm barrels, ejectors, engine-turned rib, folding rear sight, choked 3/4, bright, fancy-backed action, scroll and oakleaf surrounded deeply chiselled scenes of female moose with wolf on the left, red deer on the right, capercailzie on the action bottom, partridge on trigger guard, double triggers with articulated front blade, automatic sliding tang safety, walnut stock, drop points, oval cheekpiece, ventilated rubber recoil pad 36,5 cm, three-part fore-end, Anson push-rod, rail mounted VOMZ P4x32, reticule Plex, 4,1 kg, including 75 cm o/u shotgun-exchangeable barrels, choked 1/2 & full, ejectors, in its maker’s case, brand new weapon condition 1.Attention, please! This lot is fully taxed. See our website “information” / “bidding” / “4. buyer’s premium”

 

Lot 726. o/u combination gun MC Mod. MTs 7-17-02 Hunting Deluxe, .308 Win.12/70, #050016-1, with exchangeable barrel 12/70, #050016, § C €€

Starting price 3.400 EUR

65 cm barrels, ejectors, engine-turned rib, folding rear sight, choked 3/4, bright, fancy-backed action, scroll and oakleaf surrounded deeply chiselled scenes of pheasant on the left, black cock on the right, wild boar on the action bottom, roe buck on trigger guard, double triggers with articulated front blade, automatic sliding tang safety, walnut stock, drop points, oval cheekpiece, ventilated rubber recoil pad 36,5 cm, three-part fore-end, Anson push-rod, rail mounted VOMZ P4x32, reticule Plex, 4,1 kg, including 75 cm o/u shotgun-exchangeable barrels, choked 1/2 & full, ejectors, in its maker’s case, brand new weapon condition 1.Attention, please! This lot is fully taxed. See our website “information” / “bidding” / “4. buyer’s premium”