which c&r pistol from 2? - Page 2

doofus47 · May 16, 2011, 06:58 AM

My first pistol was a tt-33 from Romania.
The pros for a newbie were: 1) cheaply purchased 2) cheap to feed using surplus ammo 3)tougher than a Ford truck 4) dirt simple design.
The cons are few, but include a dearth of 7.62x25 commercial ammo for personal defense.

I have added more modern pistols to my safe since then, including a Bulgarian Makarov. Makarov has all of the same pros, but is not quite as cheap to feed. Makarovs have a really well-thought out safety design as well. It's not an afterthought added to appease import regulations.

I fired a friend's cz52. It's not a bad pistol. It has most of the pros of the TT33, but is definitely much larger and heavier.

If there were used Belgian hipowers laying around for 400, that might be an interesting item to look at.

cougar gt-e · May 16, 2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

With 7.62x25, once the supply of uber cheap surplus runs dry, one may find that current production ammo isn't nearly as commonly available or affordable as 9x18.

"once the supply runs dry" -- checked the usual places for 7.65x25 lately? The sub-$100 spam cans are gone for now. I'm hoping they come back. Maybe Century will get a half dozen semi's worth shipped over and help us all out?

troy_mclure · May 16, 2011, 02:05 PM

ive been seeing some $100 cans.

TX Hunter · May 16, 2011, 08:04 PM

I vote Toke Its a dang good pistol.

orangello · May 17, 2011, 11:14 AM

Quote:

ive been seeing some $100 cans.

Any hints on where?

troy_mclure · May 17, 2011, 01:33 PM

shotgun news. it doesnt mention shipping tho.

orangello · May 17, 2011, 01:46 PM

Thanks!

cougar gt-e · May 18, 2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

shotgun news. it doesnt mention shipping tho.

My bet is that they are all out. Can you check it out and let us know?

troy_mclure · May 18, 2011, 04:41 PM

sure.

Volucris · May 18, 2011, 05:59 PM

shameless bias

RED CAP · May 29, 2011, 03:59 PM

I have owned the CZ52's, a variety of Tokarevs (both the standard T30 and T33 sizes and the longer butt Yugo M57) and two dozen Brownings Hi Powers (M35). I have shot these guns many thousands of times. None of these 3 pistols ever malfuntioned as I recall. I hated the CZ because the perceived recoil (in my hand) was worse than my S&W 50 Magnum. Tok parts are cheap and plentiful (not that they break); the Tok firing control parts are dismountable (and swappable) as a unit, the feed lips are integral in the receiver...it's a brilliant design; Browning parts are pricier (and the gun is more complex and delicate). Either can use 9mm. My favorite Tok is a Chinese commercial version (213) that I got in 9mm (these are NOT C&R); when sold used they are so cheap now as to be a joke. I swaped in a 7.62 barrel and magazine and enjoy the hell out of it. I have the plastic wrap around grips...the standard slab side grips are horrible. Of the Brownings, I've owned all the variations (pre War, Nazi, Inglis, regular commercial from the 50's to the 90's, the T series, etc.). The Tok's are cheap to buy, cheap to shoot, accurate, and makes a great muzzle blast in 7.62 and have much better (more visible) sights. The Brownings are at least twice as much to buy as a Tok, more expensive to maintain, but also accurate and cheap to run. Both have crummy trigger pulls. The Tok grip frame (except the Yugo) is short; you must get some finger grip magazine floor plates. Push come to shove and my life depended on it, I would choose the Tok for reliability over any of the hundreds of pistols I have owned; if I was in a gun fight (and couldn't bring a machine gun), I would get the Inglis Browning (14 vs 13 shot magazine in the regular Browning). I would recommend that you buy a Romanian Tok and spend some money for wrap around wood grips (Marschalgrips.com).

BorisTheSpider · May 30, 2011, 08:33 PM

They're inexpensive enough - just get both. You'll really save time because you'll probably end up with both eventually anyhow.

I have the PA-63 and like that one too. It looks sharp, it's nice and lightweight, has few parts, and it's a pretty simple setup. I've done a bit of work on mine to make the trigger pull smooth and light (compared to original anyhow).

Looking to pick up a CZ-82 next. In fact, I may even sell off my PA-63 because funds are tight and the PA-63 just doesn't fit my hand as well.

These dang (milsurp) things are just too addictive.

hermannr · May 30, 2011, 10:34 PM

I own a CZ-52 in 7.62X25mm. The trigger pull is super smooth and sharp, I am not sure if someone before me may have already purchased one of those after market firing pin kits. BTW: if you do happen break your firing pin on a 52, or you do not like the trigger, there are new replacement pins available, inexpensive, that say they will sharpen up the trigger pull too.

My only complaint is the 7.62X25 is LOUD! really really loud! double your hearing protection, just mufs or just the foam ear plugs are not enough by themselves... Personally, I do not think the recoil is very bad at all.

My 52 will fire anything you feed it, never a fail to feed, or fail to fire. I like my CZ-52...be careful about the barrel when you purchase...the old ones were used with corrosive primers and may be more or less pitted. Also, I understand some of the inexpensive surplus ammo may still have corrosive primers. The cheaper, the more suspect.

wolfrage · June 5, 2011, 09:27 AM

How about one of those P-38s that are around? Awesome little pistols.

May 16, 2011, 02:05 PM	#28
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	ive been seeing some $100 cans. __________________ 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."

May 17, 2011, 01:33 PM	#31
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	shotgun news. it doesnt mention shipping tho. __________________ 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."

May 18, 2011, 04:41 PM	#34
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	sure. __________________ 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."

May 18, 2011, 05:59 PM	#35
Volucris Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2009 Posts: 293	shameless bias __________________ "From my cold, dead hands!" - Charlton Heston

May 29, 2011, 03:59 PM	#36
RED CAP Junior Member Join Date: May 26, 2011 Posts: 1	I have experience with all three you're considering I have owned the CZ52's, a variety of Tokarevs (both the standard T30 and T33 sizes and the longer butt Yugo M57) and two dozen Brownings Hi Powers (M35). I have shot these guns many thousands of times. None of these 3 pistols ever malfuntioned as I recall. I hated the CZ because the perceived recoil (in my hand) was worse than my S&W 50 Magnum. Tok parts are cheap and plentiful (not that they break); the Tok firing control parts are dismountable (and swappable) as a unit, the feed lips are integral in the receiver...it's a brilliant design; Browning parts are pricier (and the gun is more complex and delicate). Either can use 9mm. My favorite Tok is a Chinese commercial version (213) that I got in 9mm (these are NOT C&R); when sold used they are so cheap now as to be a joke. I swaped in a 7.62 barrel and magazine and enjoy the hell out of it. I have the plastic wrap around grips...the standard slab side grips are horrible. Of the Brownings, I've owned all the variations (pre War, Nazi, Inglis, regular commercial from the 50's to the 90's, the T series, etc.). The Tok's are cheap to buy, cheap to shoot, accurate, and makes a great muzzle blast in 7.62 and have much better (more visible) sights. The Brownings are at least twice as much to buy as a Tok, more expensive to maintain, but also accurate and cheap to run. Both have crummy trigger pulls. The Tok grip frame (except the Yugo) is short; you must get some finger grip magazine floor plates. Push come to shove and my life depended on it, I would choose the Tok for reliability over any of the hundreds of pistols I have owned; if I was in a gun fight (and couldn't bring a machine gun), I would get the Inglis Browning (14 vs 13 shot magazine in the regular Browning). I would recommend that you buy a Romanian Tok and spend some money for wrap around wood grips (Marschalgrips.com).

May 16, 2011, 06:58 AM	#26
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	My first pistol was a tt-33 from Romania. The pros for a newbie were: 1) cheaply purchased 2) cheap to feed using surplus ammo 3)tougher than a Ford truck 4) dirt simple design. The cons are few, but include a dearth of 7.62x25 commercial ammo for personal defense. I have added more modern pistols to my safe since then, including a Bulgarian Makarov. Makarov has all of the same pros, but is not quite as cheap to feed. Makarovs have a really well-thought out safety design as well. It's not an afterthought added to appease import regulations. I fired a friend's cz52. It's not a bad pistol. It has most of the pros of the TT33, but is definitely much larger and heavier. If there were used Belgian hipowers laying around for 400, that might be an interesting item to look at.

May 16, 2011, 08:04 PM	#29
TX Hunter Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2010 Location: East Texas USA Posts: 1,805	I vote Toke Its a dang good pistol.

May 17, 2011, 01:46 PM	#32
orangello Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 566	Thanks!

May 30, 2011, 08:33 PM	#37
BorisTheSpider Junior Member Join Date: May 20, 2011 Posts: 2	They're inexpensive enough - just get both. You'll really save time because you'll probably end up with both eventually anyhow. I have the PA-63 and like that one too. It looks sharp, it's nice and lightweight, has few parts, and it's a pretty simple setup. I've done a bit of work on mine to make the trigger pull smooth and light (compared to original anyhow). Looking to pick up a CZ-82 next. In fact, I may even sell off my PA-63 because funds are tight and the PA-63 just doesn't fit my hand as well. These dang (milsurp) things are just too addictive.

May 30, 2011, 10:34 PM	#38
hermannr Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2011 Posts: 730	I own a CZ-52 in 7.62X25mm. The trigger pull is super smooth and sharp, I am not sure if someone before me may have already purchased one of those after market firing pin kits. BTW: if you do happen break your firing pin on a 52, or you do not like the trigger, there are new replacement pins available, inexpensive, that say they will sharpen up the trigger pull too. My only complaint is the 7.62X25 is LOUD! really really loud! double your hearing protection, just mufs or just the foam ear plugs are not enough by themselves... Personally, I do not think the recoil is very bad at all. My 52 will fire anything you feed it, never a fail to feed, or fail to fire. I like my CZ-52...be careful about the barrel when you purchase...the old ones were used with corrosive primers and may be more or less pitted. Also, I understand some of the inexpensive surplus ammo may still have corrosive primers. The cheaper, the more suspect.

June 5, 2011, 09:27 AM	#39
wolfrage Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 16	How about one of those P-38s that are around? Awesome little pistols.