TT 33 Question improving primer ignition

Beermaker

Beermaker

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Now here's the scoop. New to me Polish TT33 with surplus ammo (can't remember the manufacture).
About every 3rd or 4th rd I get a FTF and have to recock the hammer and the second time it goes bang.
So I could have just have a lot of ammo with finiky primers that need a little more oomf to get them to go bang as they are more suitable for use in the PPSH 41.

Or as the gun is 60 years old, and even un-issued/unused etc. the springs may have weakened in long term storage. Please, not looking for a lengthy discussion on spring metallurgy.

So I can get a bunch on hammer and FP springs and tweak away or I can ask those that have had them a lot longer than me what they have done. I have given it a good cleaning and light oiling to remove cosmo etc and the weapon does cycle just fine. Just want to reduce or eliminate the FTF's primer struck 2nd time go bang issue.

Thank you
 
It takes very little drag on the hammer or firing pin to reduce the striking speed of the firing pin. And more than anything a SLOW pin can cause FTF's. It's not how hard the pin hits, it's how fast.

The springs on the Tok rest in a curved path that rubs on a lot of metal. And it's also possible that you haven't cleaned out all the cosmoline from the hole in the hammer where the one end goes. So I'd start by seriously soaking the action group in some serious solvent. Or if you're comfy with taking it apart get in there and clean out the mainspring hole in the hammer with a pipe cleaner or similar. And if you have it apart use something like 320grit wetordry sandpaper or emery cloth to polish the parts where the mainspring rubs when curved. This includes up into the hammer's spring pocket hole. And during re-assembly lightly smear the spring and path areas with a good modern synthetic grease. All of this will speed up the hammer's strike.

Next is the firing pin. The FP is captured in the slide with a pin that sticks up a little from the top of the slide. Tap that out to let the FP shoot out the back. Be ready for it so it doesn't fly away. Now clean out the FP channel and clean the FP and spring. Lightly oil with a good gun oil and re-assemble.

In both cases use LIGHT amounts. If you can see it as anything other than making the parts slightly shiny then you are using too much. More is not better in this case. Use too much and you'll just slow the parts down again. It's like waving your hand in the air vs waving it under water. Do not discount the importance of minimizing the viscous drag of too much oil or grease.

While you're at it check for any signs of wear due to the hammer rubbing overly hard on any part of the action frame or in the main frame or slide. If there's a burr that is pressing against the hammer it will again slow it down and cause a light strike.
 
Good points. I cleaned her up last night and took part of the hammer group apart. Seemed pretty clean but a little more polishing in the spring channel etc and some Hob E Lub may be in order. Took a chance and ordered a set of Wolff springs as this beast has been in storage for most of the cold war and then some. Every bit should help.
 
Beermaker said:
Now here's the scoop. New to me Polish TT33 with surplus ammo (can't remember the manufacture).
About every 3rd or 4th rd I get a FTF and have to recock the hammer and the second time it goes bang.
So I could have just have a lot of ammo with finiky primers that need a little more oomf to get them to go bang as they are more suitable for use in the PPSH 41.

Or as the gun is 60 years old, and even un-issued/unused etc. the springs may have weakened in long term storage. Please, not looking for a lengthy discussion on spring metallurgy.

So I can get a bunch on hammer and FP springs and tweak away or I can ask those that have had them a lot longer than me what they have done. I have given it a good cleaning and light oiling to remove cosmo etc and the weapon does cycle just fine. Just want to reduce or eliminate the FTF's primer struck 2nd time go bang issue.

Thank you
Click to expand...

It's the ammo.

If the bullet is 'silver', there is more likelihood of this happening.

I am just going through a batch of this ammo, and this FTF happens to all 4 guns.
 
Head stamp.

aym Povázské Strojárne Národný Podnik, Povázská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia
52 and 1 or I
Brass cased, berdan primed, Magnetic bullet some are copperish and silver so weak copper washed steel jacket.
All on 8 rd strippers, white boxed.

Guess I will do updates once I have done a more detailed clean, polish and lube, then with the Wolff spring replacement.
 
machman said:
FWIW, I've never had a FTF using the CanadaAmmo LCW Ukraine import 9mm in a TT.
Click to expand...
I am using surplus 7.62 x 25 so I would image that will make a huge difference. The 9mm may be Boxer primed as well.
If I were to get some commercial production or different country i.e. PRC there may be an improvement just with that.
I will keep ya'll posted.
Thanks for the input.
 
Just wanted to do an update in case any one was wondering the outcome.
A through cleaning did really nothing. I ordered, due to minimum ordering requirements, 2 sets of TT30 (TT33) replacement springs directly from Wolff, no Canadian suppliers . I took maybe 2 weeks tops to get, no problems with customs. Installation went well. The recoil spring is slightly larger in diameter so the "button" at the barrel bushing doesn't grip the spring like the original, it just falls off. Makes reassembly a little more difficult but manageable.
The hammer was definitely harder to align and reinstall the pin with the new spring. The old spring you could just use your thumb to compress the hammer and spring then pop in the hammer pin.

That all said, I got out to the range today. 64 rds and 0 FTF's, 2 hard chamberings, as we are dealing with 62 year old ammo, just a little crap on some of the casings. I also have a nice hammer bite blister for my efforts.:)
 
Thank you for the update. I have a polish Tok I used in the last CQB shoot. It worked well, but id does have the occasional FTF, but always fires on the second attempt.

I was wondering if it needed a new hammer spring. You have the answer.

Did a heavier spring have any affect on the trigger weight?

Want to sell that spare spring?
 
The trigger weight is heavy to start with so I didn't really notice if it was heavier or not. There would likely be a slight increase say ounces as it is the rotation stress against the sear with the new spring.

The new spring was about 3 mm longer than the old one. As you have just the occasional FTF you could add a spacer into the hammer spring channel then put in the spring. This would compress the hammer spring and hopefully give it the extra speed.

I would want to sell the complete second spring kit which is the Wolff Service Pak II which has the main spring for the magazine.
Send me a PM and we can talk turkey, well Tim Card.

Maybe one of the CGN business sponsors will see the opportunity and stock these kits. The response I got from one was many months to get in and export/import delays/issues.
 
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