TT-33 has some issues, please help!

L

Loxley

Inactive
Hello all,

I have a Polish Radom Tokarev TT-33 that has been giving me some issues since I first bought it and I'm really hoping to finally get these sorted out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Here they are:

1. After emptying a magazine, the slide lock sometimes slips beneath the magazine follower, forcing the slide to get jammed half way on the return and making me disassemble the entire gun just to get the magazine out and everything back in order. I need to pay better attention, but it seems to happen with all of my magazines - the slide lock itself looks perfectly fine and the U-pin secures it well.. there's maybe just a millimeter of play in the lateral fitment of the slide lock (not sure if this is good or not).

2. The slide lock only locks the slide when an empty magazine is in. Releasing the magazine removes any upward tension on the slide lock and the slide moves forward. This doesn't seem right, but let me know if it's normal.

3. The magazine release is extremely difficult to engage and release my magazines. I have three different magazines, and while some release easier than others, they're all very difficult to remove. I was hoping to try to remove the release to inspect, clean, and possibly replace the release, but can't figure out a way to get it out.
 
This may not sound right, but first thing, remove the aftermarket safety and see if that fixes anything. They were installed by monkeys and who knows what other damage was done. Give it a try.
 
It doesn't; those safeties have given problems so some folks sort of automatically blame them for everything.

Now to the slide stop. It should engage fine and hold the slide back; there should be almost no lateral play. Friction under pressure from the recoil spring should hold it in place when the magazine is removed, If it doesn't hold, either the slide stop is worn or the slide notch is. I can't say exactly what the problem is but it should be apparent. NOTE that if the slide stop is not all the way in, it won't engage properly.

The magazine follower might not be engaging because the slide stop is too short to contact the follower, again, I can't tell long range which is the problem, but again the slide stop must be fully seated.

The magazine release has what looks like a screw, but is not a screw. It is a split pin and a special tool is required to remove it or the firing pin retainer. To make the tool, cut a deep V notch in the end of a piece of round stock the size of the pin or smaller. The idea is to push the tool over the end of the pin and compress the two sides so the pin slides out. Warning, a properly made tool should work fine, but there IS the possibility of breaking the pin, and they are hard to get, though easy enough to make.

I note mention of a "U pin". I assume you mean the slide stop retainer which is sort of U shaped but is not a pin. Could your gun have some kind of makeshift retainer?

Jim
 
It doesn't; those safeties have given problems so some folks sort of automatically blame them for everything.
Click to expand...

I already tried removing the safety, unfortunately it didn't change anything.

Now to the slide stop. It should engage fine and hold the slide back; there should be almost no lateral play. Friction under pressure from the recoil spring should hold it in place when the magazine is removed, If it doesn't hold, either the slide stop is worn or the slide notch is. I can't say exactly what the problem is but it should be apparent. NOTE that if the slide stop is not all the way in, it won't engage properly.

The magazine follower might not be engaging because the slide stop is too short to contact the follower, again, I can't tell long range which is the problem, but again the slide stop must be fully seated.

I note mention of a "U pin". I assume you mean the slide stop retainer which is sort of U shaped but is not a pin. Could your gun have some kind of makeshift retainer?
Click to expand...

The slide lock looks as good as new.. the notch in the slide looks a bit worn, but nothing unusual. Not saying that's not the issue, but I am doubtful it is.

The slide lock works fine when the magazine follower is pushing it up. I think the problem is that once the magazine is removed, there is no pressure holding it up and the thing I'm calling the "u pin" is the retainer that I'm referring to - totally stock part. I have noticed that the retainer spring actually helps put pressure on the slide lock to stay down.. probably to prevent it from rubbing against the slide when it's loading a new round in the chamber, so mechanically, this makes perfect sense that this is happening.. yet operationally, I don't understand and after watching videos of other people shoot this gun, their slide stays back even with a mag removed (although I've seen people have similar issues with this in these videos too).

The magazine release has what looks like a screw, but is not a screw. It is a split pin and a special tool is required to remove it or the firing pin retainer. To make the tool, cut a deep V notch in the end of a piece of round stock the size of the pin or smaller. The idea is to push the tool over the end of the pin and compress the two sides so the pin slides out. Warning, a properly made tool should work fine, but there IS the possibility of breaking the pin, and they are hard to get, though easy enough to make.
Click to expand...

That's what I figured, but what would you recommend I use for the tool? I imagine a wood dowel rod would be too fragile.
 
I have the exact make and model of TT. I also had to work on it quote a bit to make it work correctly. I was rather disappointed as I thought Radom was good. I should have gotten the Romanian instead. Anyway...

Question #1. The slide stop got under the magazine follower. Field strip the pistol. Without the slide assembly, install the slide stop into the lower frame, and latch it in place with the u clip. Insert an empty magazine and observe how it work. The tap on the follower pushes under a shelf on the slide stop to raise it up, to engage the notch in the slide. The shelf can slip under the follower in a few different ways. Try figure it out by observing them in action. Something must have been worn, bent, or distorted.

Question #2. Take out the barrel, bushing, recoil spring, strut from the slide assembly. Take out the fire control group from the lower frame. Install the slide so that it slide freely on the rail. Pull it back and raise the slide stop to engage the notch. Pull the slide forward with one hand, just like the recoil spring does, while push down the slide stop. Observe the motion of the slide while the slide stop disengaging the notch. The slide should move backwards very slightly before surge forward. It's OK if it doesn't move back at all. But it is not OK if it actually moves forward while the slide stop moving out of the notch. I bet yours moves forward so the slide stop doesn't stop the slide by itself. Figure out which surface is worn; the stop, the notch, or both.

Question #3. Press release button with magazine. Is it heavy? Insert magazine and press button. Does it feel rough or just heavy? Push up the magazine and press button. Does it make it easier? Observe motion of magazine while press button. Does the magazine go up before it drops. Does it feel easier without the slide installed?

BTW, I don't have a special tool. I just push out the magazine release button pin with a punch.

The problems you have are relatively easy to fix. Mine used to be way more difficult, complicated by the fact that I hand load, and trying to share the same rounds with my Mauser broomhandle. Don't do that.

Let us know what you find out, and we may be able to give you some assistance.

-TL
 
The slide stop going under the tab on the follower is not unique to a Tokarev; It happens on 1911s, too.
 
"It doesn't; those safeties have given problems so some folks sort of automatically blame them for everything."

I don't care what you say, Jim, I KNOW my teeth were whiter before that damned aftermarket safety.

I, too, have seen some truly bizarre things done with those safetys, causing some strange issues, but I can't see how one could cause these issues...
 
"They were installed by monkeys and who knows what other damage was done. Give it a try."

If you gents had read my whole statement you might not have commented. When you start drilling into a frame and jam crap in there that doesn't belong, you have no idea what collateral damage you might cause. The safety is the most unnatural piece in the picture, why not start in that area? Since the OP was smart enough to do that, we can move on.
 
"BTW, I don't have a special tool. I just push out the magazine release button pin with a punch."

Sometimes that works OK but it can also break the tabs on the split pin. The tool I described is the proper one.

As to the retainer clip exercising spring tension to push the slide stop down, it is common for autopistols to have a spring to do that in one way or another.

Jim.
 
An update:

I just replaced the recoil spring, the slide stop, and the slide stop retainer clip. Doesn't seem to have done any good, other than the slide staying locked back better when the magazine is empty.

I have noticed that the jamming problem is when the lip of the magazine follower slips over the slide lock. Not really sure how to stop this from happening, as it just seems like there just might be a parts fitting issue.

Also, the magazines are still really hard to release, but strangely I've noticed they are easier when I depress the trigger along with the mag catch button. Is this normal? Regardless, I don't think it's the magazine release itself, as it's noticeably harder to release when the mag is empty and the slide is locked back.
 
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