Never owned anything in 7.62x25, but I've got a line on a Tokarev I'm thinking about getting to play around with.
What's considered a good price on surplus 7.62x25 ammo these days? Any factories to avoid due to reliability or accuracy issues?
Anyone ever converted their Tok to 9mm with a Chinese barrel and mags? If so, how'd that work out?
Got some Tokarev questions for those who've owned them.
I'm assuming you're talking about the TT-33 and not a CZ52. You can easily just swap the barrel and even use the original mags, though the 9mm specific mags may run better. There used to be gobs of ammo for dirt cheap back in the day, but it seems to have dried up. What you have to be careful about is the 7.62x25 that's designed to run in a PPSh subgun and is therefore a higher pressure. I have no idea what headstamp to look for for that, nor do I know what shooting that will do in your TT, but I'm sure a google search will drum up what you need.
The TT is a great pistol and WW2 and cold war vintage ones can be had for a good price, or you can get new production for even cheaper. If you invest in the platform, consider a CZ to round it out.
The TT is a great pistol and WW2 and cold war vintage ones can be had for a good price, or you can get new production for even cheaper. If you invest in the platform, consider a CZ to round it out.
Most of the milsurp ammo out there is, in addition to being loaded kinda hot, very corrosive. It was usually run in open bolt PPS-41 and 43s, so cleaning it up wasn't an issue. In a TT33 or CZ52, it isn't so easy. I've personally ruined two CZ52s even though I cleaned them what I thought was well.
There are (or at least were) 9mm barrels available for both the TT and the CZ. I have one for a CZ stashed somewhere.
There are (or at least were) 9mm barrels available for both the TT and the CZ. I have one for a CZ stashed somewhere.
Thanks - and yes, it was the TT-33 (Romanian version, so actually TTC) I was asking about. I went ahead and picked up the gun, and it's a beauty, aside from the stupid thumb safety required to be added for import.
The seller's got a few hundred rounds of surplus ammo he'll give me first dibs on. From researching the headstamps, it appears to be Polish, 1953 manufacture. I treat all eastern European surplus ammo as corrosive, and clean accordingly. I wouldn't mind running a couple hundred surplus rounds through the pistol just to make sure I like it before investing in the more expensive commercial rounds. If it's a keeper, I'll go all in for reloadable brass ammo.
The seller's got a few hundred rounds of surplus ammo he'll give me first dibs on. From researching the headstamps, it appears to be Polish, 1953 manufacture. I treat all eastern European surplus ammo as corrosive, and clean accordingly. I wouldn't mind running a couple hundred surplus rounds through the pistol just to make sure I like it before investing in the more expensive commercial rounds. If it's a keeper, I'll go all in for reloadable brass ammo.
Some of the recent imports have a trigger safety versus the thumb safety, so it's not as obtrusive and possibly removable. If you shoot corrosive, don't be scared of hot water.
Thanks. I shot black powder alot when I was a kid, so hot gun baths in the laundry sink were routine.