Russian Tokarev TT-33

Basher81

Basher81

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Hey everyone,

I am thinking about joining a Service Pistol Club and having no previous experience with handguns I was wondering what you could tell me about the Russian Tokarev TT-33 . The reasons I am considering it include:

1. Price - I thought that if I can get away with an inexpensive pistol as a starter/learner all the better.

2. Ammo - Like its bigger brother (7.62 x 39) the 7.62 x 25 ammo is plentiful and inexpensive.

3. My 1951 Tula SKS needs a buddy!;)

Have any of you used this pistol, what are the pros and what are the cons?

Thanks

Basher81
 
I've shot one. It was alright but the grip was a bit too short in my taste and the recoil is annoying. 7.62x25 Czech loads are rather hot. If you want to buy it so that your SKS has a commie buddy then go ahead but if you expect to do a large volume of shooting then go with something else.

I haven't heard about Service Pistol Clubs before so I have no idea what type of shooting they do there. I would opt for a 9mm instead. Its cheaper then most other pistol calibers, shoots well and even though some might argue, it will kill paper just as well as any other caliber.

PS.
7.62x25 is plentiful as long as there is a supply of surplus. That supply tends to dry out pretty fast and you never know when the next shipment is coming in.
 
Thanks for info about ammo. Is the pistol reliable? I am assuming so as it is a Tula Factory weapon. Also, is it hard to clean, keeping in mind that I rip my SKS down to the bare receiver after firing so I am not scared to "CLEAN" a gun, and I am knowledgeable about cleaning corrosive ammo.
 
It should be reliable. Bare in mind that if you shoot large volumes of hot ammo it is bound to wear rapidly and it will loosen up. Although there doesn't seem to have any horror stories on them either. It's a simple design and is taken apart easily so maintenance is fairly easy.

Unless you want a tokarev I'd advise you to look into something along the lines of a CZ, Sig P226 refurb, Glock or S&W M&P. More expensive yes but better quality firearms and just a better feeling over all.
 
I will not recommend a Tokarev to anyone but to the people I hate. There are numerous faults on the pistol. To name one fault, the pistol cannot be stripped and reassembled easily. To clean the extractor slot and the firing pin channel, you will need to drive two pins out and back in. The back "in" part will take you maybe two hours for the first try. The other fault for the pistol is that it can rust with surplus ammo. Czech surplus 7.62 Tokarev will have corrosive salt seep into every little place of the pistol. Mix corrosive salt with a hard-to-clean firing pin channel and you will get a rusty firing pin!:D The worst about the Tokarev is the value you get for your money. With the gun being about $200, you will get something that was made by a gorilla. By gorilla workmanship, I mean machine marks are everywhere on the gun, the sights can be crooked, parts can too tight, parts can be too loose, and this is just to name a few flaws for the gun. Overall, Tokerev is a bad gun on being easily reassemble, on being rust free, and on being expensive.
 
You guys are comparing a $200, 60+ year old surplus gun to modern made ones. OBV the newer ones are better...thats what 60+ years in technology advancements and 3x or higher price point will get you!

To the OP...the TT-33 is a fun gun, great price and great bang for your buck. Buy one and enjoy.
 
someuser said:
I will not recommend a Tokarev to anyone but to the people I hate. There are numerous faults on the pistol. To name one fault, the pistol cannot be stripped and reassembled easily. To clean the extractor slot and the firing pin channel, you will need to drive two pins out and back in. The back "in" part will take you maybe two hours for the first try. The other fault for the pistol is that it can rust with surplus ammo. Czech surplus 7.62 Tokarev will have corrosive salt seep into every little place of the pistol. Mix corrosive salt with a hard-to-clean firing pin channel and you will get a rusty firing pin!:D The worst about the Tokarev is the value you get for your money. With the gun being about $200, you will get something that was made by a gorilla. By gorilla workmanship, I mean machine marks are everywhere on the gun, the sights can be crooked, parts can too tight, parts can be too loose, and this is just to name a few flaws for the gun. Overall, Tokerev is a bad gun on being easily reassemble, on being rust free, and on being expensive.
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The same thing can be said on the SKS everyone on here seems to love. The gun consits of a few parts...cleaning after shootign within 24hours or so is COMMON practice for any Canadian shooting cheap surplus so thats not a big deal at all...and he can get non-corrosive ammo for basically the same price as 9mm if he wants to start reloading. Russians did not make fancy guns for use in the World Wars...they make guns that are rugged and go bang everytime. Machine marks on a surplus weapon? WHO CARES?!?! Gonne loose some street cred for that? :p

If looks really matter to the OP I am SURE he would not have looked at the TT in the first place!
 
i own a tokarev a browning buckmark and a revolver, out of the 3 the tokarev is a little harder to clean and disasemble but it is a simple design and its taught me alot about how to take apart and clean guns

as for reliable, i've had 2 FTF out of about 600 rounds at this point and that can be made up to the ammo probably and not the gun, i think i had one stove pipe to mention as well but thats cleared easily enough

over all for 200$ its a loud fun bang and it kills paper very well, go learn on a tokarev then when your ready move up to that nice cz or sig or what have you
 
I would go for one !

I got 4 of them (russians, Feg and Norinco). Pretty lovely gun for the price. No difficulties to clean and build like a T-54 tank. You will love him... or hate him ! Give it a chance... ;-)
 
Until the Angels Fall said:
The same thing can be said on the SKS everyone on here seems to love. The gun consits of a few parts...cleaning after shootign within 24hours or so is COMMON practice for any Canadian shooting cheap surplus so thats not a big deal at all...and he can get non-corrosive ammo for basically the same price as 9mm if he wants to start reloading. Russians did not make fancy guns for use in the World Wars...they make guns that are rugged and go bang everytime. Machine marks on a surplus weapon? WHO CARES?!?! Gonne loose some street cred for that? :p

If looks really matter to the OP I am SURE he would not have looked at the TT in the first place!
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Thanks for the responses everyone. After reading what was said here, both pros and cons, I think I am going to go ahead and purchase a TT-33.

Angel Falls you are correct in your assumption that looks are not as important to me in a first pistol, as the fact that I want a reliable sidearm that I can learn the basics on. One day I would love to have a fancy two tone Glock, CZ or Sig but today I am more interested in learning how to properly and safely use a pistol.:D
 
My father's first handgun was a Beretta 92. More then twenty years later he still has it. It's a beautiful handgun with great craftsmanship. Just because it's your first it doesn't mean you have to limit yourself. At the end of the day your TT33 will have peppered the target and you won't have seen much if any improvement in your marksmanship. If you go for a firearm of better quality you will see improvement over time because you are not limited by the gun and the ballistics of the cartridge. If in the near future you decide you want to try IPSC or some form of competitive shooting you will be limited by your handgun. So if you feel like you want to try competition, doesn't have to be big, you'll have to find a second handgun. You'll end up spending more and not necessarily getting more.

That's just my $0.02
 
If you can find a CZ 52 they are quite nice 7.62x25 and usually about 400-500$ but I find they shoot a fair bit better and are easier to take apart. Also they have a safety/decocker. Some food for thought anyway.
 
9Guns said:
If you can find a CZ 52 they are quite nice 7.62x25 and usually about 400-500$ but I find they shoot a fair bit better and are easier to take apart. Also they have a safety/decocker. Some food for thought anyway.
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They also blow up...I've seen TONS of pics of blown up CZ...and none of a blown up TT-33...for more then double the price of the TT its not work the risk, finding parts for it is alot harder too, just get the TT and lots of ammo for that price. Taking apart a gun shouldn't be a main reason for buying one...after you do it once or twice you shouldn't have any issues doing it.
 
Go for it. It's a well made, fun gun that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to shoot. Mine is a keeper for sure. When you see ammo, stock up as it's not exactly growing on trees.

Also, it's not hard to take apart. Just takes a couple to tries to figure it all out.
 
alexD92 said:
My father's first handgun was a Beretta 92. More then twenty years later he still has it. It's a beautiful handgun with great craftsmanship. Just because it's your first it doesn't mean you have to limit yourself. At the end of the day your TT33 will have peppered the target and you won't have seen much if any improvement in your marksmanship. If you go for a firearm of better quality you will see improvement over time because you are not limited by the gun and the ballistics of the cartridge. If in the near future you decide you want to try IPSC or some form of competitive shooting you will be limited by your handgun. So if you feel like you want to try competition, doesn't have to be big, you'll have to find a second handgun. You'll end up spending more and not necessarily getting more.

That's just my $0.02
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I too agree with alex on the TT33 will limit a person's marksmanship over time.

If money is a factor in choosing a firearm, I think maybe a Ruger Mark 3 or a Norinco Woodsman(a copy of Colt's) is up your alley. The two guns are cheap to buy,so are the ammo.
 
someuser said:
I too agree with alex on the TT33 will limit a person's marksmanship over time.

If money is a factor in choosing a firearm, I think maybe a Ruger Mark 3 or a Norinco Woodsman(a copy of Colt's) is up your alley. The two guns are cheap to buy,so are the ammo.
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Okay we are definately talking apples and oranges here now! On one hand a have a group of guys telling me the pros of the TT-33 and on the other I have a group of guys telling the pros of Glock, CZ's and Sigs. Now I understand that you are trying to offer a solution that is in the same price range but to go from 7.62x25 or .45 or 9mm to a 22lr I think that comparison is hard to be made, and I am a newbie to sidearms.

On that note I am not looking at the TT-33 because of its price tag, I was looking at it because I am thinking about getting into shooting pistols and as I usually do (and then later regret:redface:) I ease my way into a new sport to see if I like it first, and then upgrade equipment from there.
 
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