Zastava M88: Considering it. Reliable after a few hundred rounds?

bricz75 · June 12, 2013, 04:03 PM

Good Afternoon,

I'm considering a Zastava M88, which are available for less than $300 new. This all steel model seems to require break-in. Does anyone know how reliable it is after a few hundred rounds? Anyone ever had one? I'd like to avoid the issues I had with my 1911, which I never would have bought if I had known what I know now.

Stay safe.

-czfellow

bricz75 · June 26, 2013, 12:49 PM

Anyone ever have one of these?

CurlyQ.Howard · June 26, 2013, 04:54 PM

See here: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334378

for example: "I bought a zastava m88 last week. It was between a keltec p11 or the m88. looking for something that was under 300 dollars that wasn't a hi point. the last hi points slide broke in half in me. The keltec didn't feel right in my small Asian hands. Trigger was too long... Etc but the zastava felt like a glove. I took it to the range and shot about 200 rounds of various 9mm. Wwb, remington umc, and federal champions. The zastava ate everything I gave it. barely any recoil. No misfeeds. No jams no nothing. Trigger was fine for me. Some complained it was too heavy but felt okay. I even dropped it in the snow. Picked it up, loaded it, and bang bang. No jams or nothing. Best 260 bucks I spent. baby tok ftw!"

bricz75 · June 27, 2013, 04:38 PM

Thanks for the thread link.

CurlyQ.Howard · June 27, 2013, 07:44 PM

You're welcome. I wish that I could do more, but I have no personal experience. If you get it, follow up with your findings. I know that I'll be interested to read what you say.

Czp01 · July 2, 2013, 02:30 PM

The same gun goes for 350-400$ in my country
Even though there are many other 9mm hi cap options available, people still love this one

bricz75 · August 24, 2013, 12:04 AM

@CurlyQHoward:

The August 2013 issue of Gun tests gave the M70A a low rating. The trigger is too heavy at 10.4 lbs. They considered trying to get it down but decided not to. It cannot be carried hammer-down due to their being no half-cock position. Then, with it chambered and the safety on, the safety has to be pushed up, rather than vice-versa. Gun tests also dislikes the magazine disconnect.

All that is a bummer considering it is a thin single-stack, not heavy (the M88 version), and aesthetically appealing (to me, anyway). I guess a 'smith can get the trigger down to 5 lbs or so. I don't know if it has a firing pin block in case something hit the hammer in condition 1. If it doesn't, that's a flaw.

Mrgunsngear · August 24, 2013, 08:07 AM

My M70 has had reliability issues so far. My trigger breaks around 8 lbs which I really wouldn't mind if it was reliable but to date it just hasn't been. I'll keep putting some rounds through it to see if that changes going forward......

bricz75 · August 24, 2013, 11:48 AM

@plouffedaddy: Are you using fmj to break it in? How many rounds have been through it so far?

Mrgunsngear · August 24, 2013, 05:10 PM

Yes. About 200.

bricz75 · August 24, 2013, 06:54 PM

@plouffedaddy: Gun Tests said it has rough/sharp edges inside. Those should smooth out as you get more rounds through it. Hopefully, it'll stopping jamming with another couple of hundred rounds though it.

I'm curious if a 'smith can get the trigger down to about 5 lbs.

If you can, keep us posted. Good luck.

SpareMag · August 24, 2013, 08:56 PM

Might be apples/oranges, but I just came back from the range with my Zastava M57, which chambers the Tokarev 7.62x25 round.

Very pleased with it.mjust ran 50 rounds thru it, but it performed perfectly, and very accurate for me.

Mine was a milsurp, and it took a while to de-glop it, but in a challenge between it and a CZ52, I ended up liking the Zastava better.

bricz75 · October 27, 2013, 03:10 PM

Any other experiences or hearsay?

amd6547 · October 27, 2013, 03:35 PM

I have the M57A, the new commercial Tokarev in 7.62x25. I have only put about 100rds through it (because I don't want to open the sealed spam can of ammo I have, yet).
Worked perfectly, and accuracy was great. Trigger is heavier than the 1953 Romanian Tok I have, but that one has had 60 years of trigger pulls.
Gun tests objections don't much matter to me...pushing up the safety is easy, and I doubt I would carry this pistol chamber loaded/hammer down.

bricz75 · October 27, 2013, 06:19 PM

"I have the M57A, the new commercial Tokarev in 7.62x25."

Concerns of future ammo availability has made me shy away from the 7.62X25, though I guess if imports dry up, domestic manufacturers would make it if there's demand.

CWKahrFan · October 27, 2013, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Concerns of future ammo availability has made me shy away from the 7.62X25, though I guess if imports dry up, domestic manufacturers would make it if there's demand.

I've used quite a lot of new production 7.62x25mm from Prvi Partizan (Serbian), Sellier and Bellot (Czech), and Winchester... and it's all ran 100%, no problems.

http://www.ammonow.com/handgun_7.62x...ev_page_1.html

FWIW, I have the Zastava M70 in 9mm... Aside from the terrible safety mechanism (which I never use) it has run 100%. My accuracy with it is nothing to write home about but, for the price, I've been happy with it.

Thing is, if you can get up to the $400 range in 9mm, there are a few more quality choices there.

RX-79G · October 28, 2013, 05:58 AM

What kind of firing pins do these have? Are they still full length, like a Tok, or have they been modernized with an inertial pin?

June 12, 2013, 04:03 PM	#1
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	Zastava M88: Considering it. Reliable after a few hundred rounds? Good Afternoon, I'm considering a Zastava M88, which are available for less than $300 new. This all steel model seems to require break-in. Does anyone know how reliable it is after a few hundred rounds? Anyone ever had one? I'd like to avoid the issues I had with my 1911, which I never would have bought if I had known what I know now. Stay safe. -czfellow

June 26, 2013, 12:49 PM	#2
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	Anyone? Anyone ever have one of these?

June 27, 2013, 04:38 PM	#4
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	thanks Thanks for the thread link.

August 24, 2013, 08:07 AM	#8
Mrgunsngear Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2011 Location: Carolina Posts: 3,415	My M70 has had reliability issues so far. My trigger breaks around 8 lbs which I really wouldn't mind if it was reliable but to date it just hasn't been. I'll keep putting some rounds through it to see if that changes going forward...... __________________ Mrgunsngear Youtube Channel

August 24, 2013, 05:10 PM	#10
Mrgunsngear Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2011 Location: Carolina Posts: 3,415	Yes. About 200. __________________ Mrgunsngear Youtube Channel

June 26, 2013, 04:54 PM	#3
CurlyQ.Howard Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 280	See here: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334378 for example: "I bought a zastava m88 last week. It was between a keltec p11 or the m88. looking for something that was under 300 dollars that wasn't a hi point. the last hi points slide broke in half in me. The keltec didn't feel right in my small Asian hands. Trigger was too long... Etc but the zastava felt like a glove. I took it to the range and shot about 200 rounds of various 9mm. Wwb, remington umc, and federal champions. The zastava ate everything I gave it. barely any recoil. No misfeeds. No jams no nothing. Trigger was fine for me. Some complained it was too heavy but felt okay. I even dropped it in the snow. Picked it up, loaded it, and bang bang. No jams or nothing. Best 260 bucks I spent. baby tok ftw!"

June 27, 2013, 07:44 PM	#5
CurlyQ.Howard Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 280	You're welcome. I wish that I could do more, but I have no personal experience. If you get it, follow up with your findings. I know that I'll be interested to read what you say.

July 2, 2013, 02:30 PM	#6
Czp01 Junior Member Join Date: June 28, 2013 Posts: 2	The same gun goes for 350-400$ in my country Even though there are many other 9mm hi cap options available, people still love this one

August 24, 2013, 12:04 AM	#7
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	@CurlyQHoward: The August 2013 issue of Gun tests gave the M70A a low rating. The trigger is too heavy at 10.4 lbs. They considered trying to get it down but decided not to. It cannot be carried hammer-down due to their being no half-cock position. Then, with it chambered and the safety on, the safety has to be pushed up, rather than vice-versa. Gun tests also dislikes the magazine disconnect. All that is a bummer considering it is a thin single-stack, not heavy (the M88 version), and aesthetically appealing (to me, anyway). I guess a 'smith can get the trigger down to 5 lbs or so. I don't know if it has a firing pin block in case something hit the hammer in condition 1. If it doesn't, that's a flaw.

August 24, 2013, 11:48 AM	#9
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	@plouffedaddy: Are you using fmj to break it in? How many rounds have been through it so far?

August 24, 2013, 06:54 PM	#11
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	@plouffedaddy: Gun Tests said it has rough/sharp edges inside. Those should smooth out as you get more rounds through it. Hopefully, it'll stopping jamming with another couple of hundred rounds though it. I'm curious if a 'smith can get the trigger down to about 5 lbs. If you can, keep us posted. Good luck.

August 24, 2013, 08:56 PM	#12
SpareMag Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2012 Posts: 514	Might be apples/oranges, but I just came back from the range with my Zastava M57, which chambers the Tokarev 7.62x25 round. Very pleased with it.mjust ran 50 rounds thru it, but it performed perfectly, and very accurate for me. Mine was a milsurp, and it took a while to de-glop it, but in a challenge between it and a CZ52, I ended up liking the Zastava better.

October 27, 2013, 03:10 PM	#13
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	bump Any other experiences or hearsay?

October 27, 2013, 03:35 PM	#14
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,320	I have the M57A, the new commercial Tokarev in 7.62x25. I have only put about 100rds through it (because I don't want to open the sealed spam can of ammo I have, yet). Worked perfectly, and accuracy was great. Trigger is heavier than the 1953 Romanian Tok I have, but that one has had 60 years of trigger pulls. Gun tests objections don't much matter to me...pushing up the safety is easy, and I doubt I would carry this pistol chamber loaded/hammer down. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

October 27, 2013, 06:19 PM	#15
bricz75 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2012 Posts: 297	7.62 ammo availability "I have the M57A, the new commercial Tokarev in 7.62x25." Concerns of future ammo availability has made me shy away from the 7.62X25, though I guess if imports dry up, domestic manufacturers would make it if there's demand.

October 28, 2013, 05:58 AM	#17
RX-79G Junior member Join Date: October 27, 2013 Posts: 1,139	What kind of firing pins do these have? Are they still full length, like a Tok, or have they been modernized with an inertial pin?