MTs 7

The MTs 7 (МЦ 7) is a Soviet and Russian family of high-end custom hunting firearms, including double-barreled shotguns, combination guns, and rifles. These over-and-under hammerless guns have detachable barrels and were among the priciest hunting weapons made in the USSR.

Development began in the late 1950s with the MTs 7-1, initially a target rifle for competition shooting. It was soon redesigned and, from 1960 onward, sold as a premium hunting weapon.

In August 1981, a custom smoothbore MTs 7 cost 1,000 rubles, while a double-barreled rifle version went for 1,200 rubles. By December 1987, prices had risen: the MTs 7-20 shotgun was 1,500 rubles, the MTs 7-12 shotgun 1,700 rubles, and the MTs 7-07 or MTs 7-09 rifles 1,800 rubles. A new MTs 7-17 combination gun was announced in the 1990s, but production of all MTs 7 variants was sharply cut due to Russia’s economic crisis.

All models feature a walnut stock (with or without a cheekpiece) and fore-end, and some are decorated with engravings. They come with a safety mechanism and ejector. Hunting rifles and combination guns can be fitted with a PO-4×34 optical sight from the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant.

Variants include:

• MTs 7-1: first model, 6.5mm target rifle, 750mm barrels, diopter sight, 4–5 kg.
• MTs 7-01: second model, 6.5mm hunting rifle, 600mm barrels, 3.25–3.75 kg.
• MTs 7-02: third model, 7.62×54mmR hunting rifle, 600mm barrels, 3.5–4.0 kg.
• MTs 7-07: 7.62×51mm hunting rifle, 600mm barrels.
• MTs 7-09: 9×53mmR double-barreled hunting rifle, 600mm barrels, 3.4–3.6 kg, produced since 1968, equipped with PO-4-1 optical sight and rubber recoil pad.
• MTs 7-12: 12/70 smoothbore shotgun, 750mm barrels, 3.0–3.3 kg.
• MTs 7-12S: version of the MTs 7-12 with a new trigger mechanism.
• MTs 7-17: combination gun (12 gauge smoothbore barrel and 7.62×54mmR rifled barrel).
• MTs 7-20: 20/70 smoothbore shotgun, 675mm barrels, 2.6–2.9 kg.