Help me pick a Tokarev and ammo.

C Philip · February 2, 2010, 11:57 AM

I am looking to get a Tokarev, and would like some help deciding between the Romanian and Polish Tokarev models. I can find them for about the same price. Also, between Polish, Romanian, and Bulgarian 7.62x25 ammo, which is best? I've read that the Polish ammo has some split necks.

Hardcase · February 2, 2010, 02:23 PM

If you go with a Romanian Tok, I highly recommend Empire Arms. I bought mine from Dennis and it looks practically brand new. It's a little more expensive than the other guys', but worth it.

The Polish ammo was stab crimped, creating a weak point on the case neck. That causes the splits. I've fired it with no problems. If you can find the other stuff, that's what I'd go for.

tater134 · February 2, 2010, 09:12 PM

Id recommend going with the Polish Tok over the Romanian.I used to own a 51' Polish TT and the fit and finish seemed alot better than the Romanians Ive handled and it was very accurate.I cant comment on the surplus ammo since I only ever shot S&B out of it.

noelf2 · February 3, 2010, 08:34 PM

I figure the Polish Toks are a bit more collectible. If you just want a good shooter and save a few bucks, get a Romanian (just as good and functional in my opinion). I shoot the old Polish ammo. Very good price and the split necks after shooting don't do any harm (doubt you'd be reloading Berdan primed cases anyway). Toks are a blast at the range and so cheap to shoot. Personally, I wouldn't use it as a carry weapon but I know some who do.

cdwoods · February 15, 2010, 05:30 PM

I would offer up another option. Try to get your hands on a Yugo M57 Tokarev. They were the latest version manufactured and had a lot of revisions that make them better and safer. They come with 9 round mags, and that is the bad point. If you can purchase one with a holster and 2 mags that would be good. The mags are almost impossible to find but the pistols are excellent with a better made safety and over all performance. Since the mags are longer, so to are the hand grips for a better feel in the hand. Most feel the 8 round versions, Russian, Polish and Rumanian are a bit small in the hand. Just my $0.02

Clark500 · February 17, 2010, 02:16 PM

I have a Romanian TTC that I enjoy. Aside from the agricultural looking safety that was added (I assume by Century), it is a smooth, powerful little pistol. It is also very cheap to shoot, which brings me to the ammo. I have found Polish milsurp for less than 10 cents a round. That adds up to lots of fun at the range. The necks will split (I don't remember one that hasn't), but that doesn't seem to effect accuracy or functionality. My pistol just eats them one after the other.

Yamatr3 · February 17, 2010, 03:26 PM

Something I recently found on the ammo, I bought some surplus ammo that had a steel core. My local range would not let me shoot it. You night check on that before purchasing ammo. I'm glad I didn't buy that much.

Big Bill · February 18, 2010, 11:05 PM

Here's one...

http://www.gunsamerica.com/952904394...l_Cold_War.htm

Ignition Override · February 23, 2010, 02:31 AM

My friend was unable to get his new-in-box Tokarev to shoot. He's 57 and pretty experienced with guns.

Yes, it was with the correct, fresh 7.62x25 ammo, and he wondered about a flaw in the trigger area, safety etc. Steve stood next to me for an hour, and he also could not get it to dry-fire.

Even his Polish Makarov to be almost as useless (correct foreign 9mm x-- ammo), and took both handguns apart with little or no success after re-assembling.

cougar gt-e · February 27, 2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

My friend was unable to get his new-in-box Tokarev to shoot. He's 57 and pretty experienced with guns.

Yes, it was with the correct, fresh 7.62x25 ammo, and he wondered about a flaw in the trigger area, safety etc. Steve stood next to me for an hour, and he also could not get it to dry-fire.

Even his Polish Makarov to be almost as useless (correct foreign 9mm x-- ammo), and took both handguns apart with little or no success after re-assembling.

Can you supply more details? You say "new in the box"? Did he buy it 50 years ago and just now opened the box or is it "new to him" new? Or....?

Assuming it's a mil-surp gun, it may be full of cosmolene. That stuff will be everywhere and some areas will harden up. Has he totally disassembled, cleaned and correctly reassembled it? It took 4 or 5 hours of diddling around to get all the cosmo out of mine -- not including the 2 days of soaking in paint thinner.

The TT-33 Tokarev is a VERY simple gun that is VERY easy to fix. It was designed to be used by peasants that thought a metal pitch fork was high tech.

Without any details, it's just guessing but those are the guesses!
HTH
jb

February 2, 2010, 11:57 AM	#1
C Philip Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2005 Location: USA Posts: 784	Help me pick a Tokarev and ammo. I am looking to get a Tokarev, and would like some help deciding between the Romanian and Polish Tokarev models. I can find them for about the same price. Also, between Polish, Romanian, and Bulgarian 7.62x25 ammo, which is best? I've read that the Polish ammo has some split necks.

February 2, 2010, 02:23 PM	#2
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	If you go with a Romanian Tok, I highly recommend Empire Arms. I bought mine from Dennis and it looks practically brand new. It's a little more expensive than the other guys', but worth it. The Polish ammo was stab crimped, creating a weak point on the case neck. That causes the splits. I've fired it with no problems. If you can find the other stuff, that's what I'd go for. __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

February 3, 2010, 08:34 PM	#4
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	I figure the Polish Toks are a bit more collectible. If you just want a good shooter and save a few bucks, get a Romanian (just as good and functional in my opinion). I shoot the old Polish ammo. Very good price and the split necks after shooting don't do any harm (doubt you'd be reloading Berdan primed cases anyway). Toks are a blast at the range and so cheap to shoot. Personally, I wouldn't use it as a carry weapon but I know some who do. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

February 15, 2010, 05:30 PM	#5
cdwoods Member Join Date: July 4, 2009 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17	Tokarev Pistols I would offer up another option. Try to get your hands on a Yugo M57 Tokarev. They were the latest version manufactured and had a lot of revisions that make them better and safer. They come with 9 round mags, and that is the bad point. If you can purchase one with a holster and 2 mags that would be good. The mags are almost impossible to find but the pistols are excellent with a better made safety and over all performance. Since the mags are longer, so to are the hand grips for a better feel in the hand. Most feel the 8 round versions, Russian, Polish and Rumanian are a bit small in the hand. Just my $0.02

February 18, 2010, 11:05 PM	#8
Big Bill Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 1,053	Here's one... http://www.gunsamerica.com/952904394...l_Cold_War.htm __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time." - General George Patton Jr

February 2, 2010, 09:12 PM	#3
tater134 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2009 Location: NE,PA Posts: 390	Id recommend going with the Polish Tok over the Romanian.I used to own a 51' Polish TT and the fit and finish seemed alot better than the Romanians Ive handled and it was very accurate.I cant comment on the surplus ammo since I only ever shot S&B out of it.

February 17, 2010, 02:16 PM	#6
Clark500 Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2010 Posts: 168	I have a Romanian TTC that I enjoy. Aside from the agricultural looking safety that was added (I assume by Century), it is a smooth, powerful little pistol. It is also very cheap to shoot, which brings me to the ammo. I have found Polish milsurp for less than 10 cents a round. That adds up to lots of fun at the range. The necks will split (I don't remember one that hasn't), but that doesn't seem to effect accuracy or functionality. My pistol just eats them one after the other.

February 17, 2010, 03:26 PM	#7
Yamatr3 Member Join Date: October 11, 2009 Posts: 74	Something I recently found on the ammo, I bought some surplus ammo that had a steel core. My local range would not let me shoot it. You night check on that before purchasing ammo. I'm glad I didn't buy that much.

February 23, 2010, 02:31 AM	#9
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,887	My friend was unable to get his new-in-box Tokarev to shoot. He's 57 and pretty experienced with guns. Yes, it was with the correct, fresh 7.62x25 ammo, and he wondered about a flaw in the trigger area, safety etc. Steve stood next to me for an hour, and he also could not get it to dry-fire. Even his Polish Makarov to be almost as useless (correct foreign 9mm x-- ammo), and took both handguns apart with little or no success after re-assembling. Last edited by Ignition Override; February 24, 2010 at 07:59 PM.