Norinco NP762 or Zastava M57?

These are made in Serbia for the M57. I have them, they are fabulous, change the feel of the gun big time, for the better. There's even 2 sizes; the finger groove ones are for larger hands. I have medium hands, and so have the regular version. Excellent fit, form fitted, not screwed on, but very tight and no wiggles. A challenge to get on, needed to warm them up, but once on, solid and feels great in the hand. Only $35 US! Here is the link on Amazon; and they are found on ebay for the same price.

https://www.amazon.com/Zastava-Tokarev-replacement-improve-comfort/dp/B07DGHNY12
 
Beauvais98 said:
Thanks all for your comments.

The Norinco NZ85F sure looks interesting. Too bad it's not on the importer's mind.

I'll be riding down to SFRC this weekend to check out the M57 in person.
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I have a feeling a CZ 75 clone chambered in 7.62x25 would sell like hotcakes!! Too bad CZ doesn't offer something themselves in 7.62x25, I know I'd be down for one pretty dang quick!
 
I went for the M57 after all. I'm looking forward to send balls of fire downrange!

Depending on how I feel about the new caliber, I may eventually go for the N762, or even better the 85F, if ever they come into the country.
 
The M57 came in on Monday from SFRC. It was sticky with cosmoline but in great shape for a 55 year old gun. It was advertised as new, and I thought that meant it was the new commercial production from Zastava. It turns out it's an older production gun made for the Yugoslav army in 1963-64, but still technically new since it is unfired and unissued. In the end, I'm quite happy it's a military production rather than the commercial production.

After an almost complete takedown (except for hammer kit and firing pin) and good clean with brake cleaner, I was able to get most of the cosmoline out, or so I thought. The trigger was heavy but with a clean break. The reset however was mushy and almost non perceptible.

I sent the M57 into an overnight bath of mineral spirits and surprisingly, more cosmoline came out. This time I did remove the firing pin. It's easy to take out but a pain to put back in!

After the bath in mineral spirits, the trigger is just as heavy (I'd estimate it at 9 lbs) but breaks very cleanly, with a very small amount of take-up. I was expecting the trigger to be gritty, especially with the magazine disconnect, but it's actually quite smooth, albeit heavy. The reset is quite short for such a rudimentary pistol and is now very crisp with a minimal amount of take-up. Easy to hear and feel.

I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet but I am extremely pleased with how it feels in hand. It's a heavy gun for its size but it adds to its vintage appeal. It's like finding pleasure in using an old and heavy cast iron skillet instead of a modern ultra light Teflon pan.

Granted, the M57 is not the best looking pistol out there and has a mug only a mother could love but it's starting to grown on me. For $270, I almost feel like picking-up another one!

I'm looking forward to report my experience after my first trip to the range.
 
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I brought the M57 to the range for the first time yesterday.

Upon trying to chamber the very first round, the slide jammed solid. I had to take the pistol apart to get the round out of the breech. In hindsight, I think the extractor was simply seized and somehow held on tightly to the rim of the case (when cleaning the cosmoline off, I haven't removed the extractor).

Anywho, I had trouble chambering the first round out of the first three magazines and required a little bump on the slide for the first round of each new magazine to chamber. I was using Russian surplus steel ammo. On the bright side, the pistol fed, fired and ejected each subsequent round without a hiccup.

I ended-up sending the next 113 rounds downrange without ever experiencing any sort of malfunction after these first three magazines.

While I have never experienced similar problems with any of my other pistols, it came at no surprise that I had a few hiccups. After all, it's a 55 year old pistol that spend all of its life with a sticky substance in all its nooks and crannies and it's no surprise that it required a short break-in period.

I can't speak to accuracy as I have a bit of difficulty seeing the rudimentary sights and it wouldn't be fair to knock down accuracy based on my aging eyes. I did notice that it shoots a bit low at 10 meters and after adjusting my point of aim to counter this, I was able to keep my shots within a six-inch target at 10 meters.

What I can speak to is the curiosity of the range officer when he heard the noise that came out of this small pistol, and how far the brass flew.

I was waiting to find out how I would like shooting it before committing to buying more ammo. I am planning to buy a tin of 1,260 rounds... You be the judge whether I liked it or not :)
 
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I got a taste of my first M57 before buying it (local deal found on the EE), agreed to purchase, then went home and bought another from the EE. There is something to be said about the enjoyment in firing such a little beast. Now I do shoot my CZ Shadow 2 more, but I take these two to the range once in a while so I dont get spoiled with the Cajunised Shadow 2. I love them and am taking one apart to see what maybe done to work over the trigger and make them run a little more smoothly, even though about having them TIN coated, or maybe Red Cerakote with a star or something out there lol. There is a muzzle break that is available, as well I was told by one gent at my local range there is a 10 round mag out there, I assume its a mag mod though as I havent found one myself yet.
 
I have realized that many gun stores are playing on customers inexperience, and pushing non- surplus ammo for this handguns, claiming it is better.
I will remind you guys, that back in Eastern Europe, people do not hitch the plane to shop for ammo at Canadian gun stores.
Everyone, and I mean everyone shoots corrosive 7.62x25 from surplus crates, and absolutely nothing else is being used at these countries, where these guns are being made.
One would think that people that made the gun, know which ammo goes with it... but let's not underestimate North American arrogance.
 
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