Surplus TT33 - Tokarev as first pistol?

If all you want to do is make large fireballs with cheap surplus ammo in a cheap un-ergonomic gun that thinks it's a 1911 then, sure, good choice!
If this will be your first pistol and you've never shot a pistol or had proper training before with one, then it's not the best choice especially if you want to improve. Gritty trigger, weird grip, lousy sights and heavy recoil all stack the odds of improvement against you.
The Tok is a fine economy gun to add to an existing collection of someone who understands the fundamentals of shooting a handgun. It will handicap you as a first gun, unless you shoot under the supervision of a trained shooter.
 
While they are fun to shoot, they are not accurate pistols.
Not the best thing to build the confidence of a new shooter.

But hey, that's just my opinion ! :p
 
I was able to make a small ragged hole at 15m with a tt33 and surplus Russian ammo. I don't think calling them inaccurate is fair. They do have features that are not conducive to accurate shooting though especially for a new shooter.
 
Not a good choice for a first hand gun, and, I have had one with both the 7.62 and 9mm bbls.

Some thing other than a TT, in 9mm or 22LR is a better choice IMHO.

M
 
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My first pistol was a TT33...cheap gun and cheap ammo is a compelling thing to a newbie, and it went well with my first rifle (SKS). As stated above, not a great gun to learn handgun shooting on, but fun nonetheless if you are just looking for flame and noise.

It's easy on the budget and gets you in the game until you can fund a better gun so from that perspective, it's a good thing. You can unlearn all the bad shooting habits you might develop with the TT on your next gun...I did.

Enjoy.
 
Meh that's what I plan on getting. Ya don't ya don't appriciate a Mercedes till you've driven a Lada. I have 2520rds of 7.62x25 that will get my flinch out. Waiting on the Ontario OPP to return my restricted course report to forward to the RCMP with the rest if my restricted application. Should have done it all at once, just didn't have a range to use one at back when I did non restricted.
 
I bought a 9mm tok as my first handgun, mostly because it was cheap.

Fun to shoot... but the sights are awful, accuracy is iffy, grip is not very comfortable. the only thing going for the handgun is affordability and it's seemingly compact feel (very skinny).

Quickly realized it was not the gun I thought it was or wanted.

I still have it though. It's fun to shoot and my wife seems to like shooting it, smaller hands for a smaller grip.
 
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Not a good choice for anything but it's historical significance and neato factor. If becoming a good pistol shooter is your goal, this is not your platform.
 
Excellent choice to in expensively get more restricted a into new hands and make noise as long as you don't get discouraged because of the possible inaccuracy and recoil.
 
This pistol was in service in Russian, Eastern Europe, China and probably elsewhere certainly they did fine with it. While waiting for my restricted I picked up a case of surplus tokarev ammo plus 1000rds 9mm steel and 1000rds 9mm brass.... my plan was to go for the tradeexcanada.com deal for 5 pistols. They have always sold me good stuff. Not looking to do Ipsic or any of that competition shooting. Just to have something to blast at the range and hopefully hit a target or two. Currently handgun range at my club is at 50 yrds (thanks CFO)

While dona safety shoot (I'm new) shot some cool prohibt's and manages to hit 3 out of 5 with a Derringer on paper at 50 yrds. ... was happy with that.

anything I have seen I'm movies etc of a tokarev was showing the pistol fired one handed. Perhaps this is why the grip is slightly smaller. I'm down for shooting it both ways. Also they will match my current collection of eastern bloc milsurp. Only new gun I have is a 10/22 take down, everything else is at least 60 yrs old
 
I own one, and a crate of x25 and I barely shoot it any longer. One of the reasons for that is the indoor range I used to go to will not allow you to shoot them....if you are running steel core surplus ammo.

I do keep it for its historical significance (c. 1945).
 
berger said:
I own one, and a crate of x25 and I barely shoot it any longer. One of the reasons for that is the indoor range I used to go to will not allow you to shoot them....if you are running steel core surplus ammo.

I do keep it for its historical significance (c. 1945).
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That's a big problem with the TT-33 that it cannot be used with surplus steel core ammo on many indoor ranges. My indoor range forbids any ammo with a bullet which is attracted to a magnet let it be a steel core or a steel jacket, whatever. I shoot my pistols usually at an indoor range and that's why I decided not to buy a TT-33. The other milsurps like an SKS and Mosin I shoot at my outdoor range. I could shoot pistols outdoor but they allow only 5 shots from any gun/caliber which is ridiculous for a pistol. This way or the other the TT-33 is out of the question for me unless with regular brass jacketed lead bullets which would make the whole thing too expensive, anyway.
 
Robert Nicholson said:
This subject gets raised every few months and the answer never changes. Oh well, cheap gun, cheap ammo, interesting history - I'm gonna go for it.
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Try the Yugoslavian M57 instead. It is also in 7.62x25 but the magazine well is a bit longer, on account of the larger capacity magazine. I find that it fits better in the hand and is more confortable to shoot. Plus, as the recoil spring is contained, it is a bit easier to take apart for cleaning. I have both a TT-33 and M57, and I tend to shoot the latter more often than the former. Have fun!
 
By the way, instead of the TT-33 I can recommend the Star B Modelo Super, which is a Spanish milsurp pistol in 9mm Parabellum/Luger. It's much better than the TT-33 and perhaps the Zastava M57 in every aspect. Not much more expensive then the TT-33. It costs $299 at Tradex Canada. Since the Star B Super is a large, full steel pistol (resembling a Colt 1911), the recoil is very manageable. Perhaps, even less recoil than the TT-33. I have one for some time (from Tradex) and I'm happy with it.
 
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