which c&r pistol from 2?

T

troy_mclure

New member
my choices:

cz52 or tt33 in 7.62x25.

makarov in 9x18.

i doubt ill be reloading for it, so cheap ammo is a must.
the guns are about the same prices, so its an ammo and reliability consideration.

it will be a range gun.
 
Ammo for both is readily available, but Makarov is a bit more expensive. If it might have any use beyond the range, get the Makarov. For just fun at the range, get the TT.
 
I like the overall looks of the '52 (the only one of the three choices that I own), and its roller lock-up mechanism is pretty cool. However I've heard around the 'net that its firing pin is very brittle and prone to break if dry fired. And it's the larger of the three guns if concealment is ever an issue.

Also heard around the 'net is that the TT-33 is surprisingly accurate. It's on my "Top Three Guns Left to Acquire" list.

I'd like to get a Makarov because of its size, but I already have a PA-63 and the afore-mentioned vz.52, so it would be a little redundant and therefore off of the TTGLtA list.

I don't think you go wrong with any of those pistols.
 
The 52 over the Tok just because its slicker looking,mine are more accurate than my Toks.And you can modify it somewhat with nice grips,sights,slide lock,and 9mm barrel.As far as Maks,i have E.Ger,Chinese,Bulg,and Russian.But when i feel the need to go shoot 9mm Makarov i grab a CZ-82.They are such sweetly designed and put together that the Makarovs never leave the safe anymore.
 
I thought the cheap surplus 7.62x25mm ammo supply was going away?
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Probably not in the short term, but in the long term, it will. When that happens, I expect 7.62x25 price and availability to roughly equal 9x18 Mak. Far more of these pistols exist than, say, Nagant 1895s, so I expect commercial ammo companies to step in and fill the void when the surplus dries up.
M57... Yugo 9+1 round variant of the TT-33 with a much better safety.
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Emphatic +1. :) FWIW other recently imported* TTs have chintzy importer add-on safeties next to the trigger guards to comply with GCA import requirements, and these safeties pretty much suck. :( The M57 has a 1911-style rear-frame-mounted safety, along with a nifty grooved topstrap and a dovetailed front sight, neither of which are found on normal TT-33s. Furthermore, import-worthy stockpiles of M57s are much more likely to dry up than TTs, since the M57 was used more or less exclusively by the Yugoslav military rather than being sent all over the world by the Soviets like the TT.

*Footnote: TT-33s without safeties and import marks exist; most are Vietnam bringbacks. These pistols are scarce and are coveted by collectors. If you see one for a normal TT-33 price, you should snap it up, but this scenario is unlikely because most of these pistols are in the hands of people who know what they have.
 
7.62X25 Tokarev is harder to manufacture than 9x18mm Makarov. 9X18 is aided by the fact that it is still a current caliber for many military and will remain so for at least another decade or two.

I have a CZ-82 and am considering selling it mostly because while 9x18 is available online, it's generally out of stock and rivals prices of new .45 ACP ammo. Not to mention it's ~$17 to ship a few boxes of it.


If you can find a reliable source of ammo for 9x18 and do not mind paying shipping charges it's a very good handgun specificlaly the CZ-82. Personally I prefer a caliber I can get at WalMart or a local shop for reasonable prices.
 
so the mak is out and the cz82 in.
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Why is that? The Mak is thinner, lighter, more compact, without sacrificing accuracy, reliability, or durability. It's also much simpler (composed of far few parts). I've had two CZ-82's and have traded both for Maks (one for a Russian-made "hi capacity" version and one for a Bulgarian Mak). No regrets whatsoever.
 
i doubt ill be reloading for it, so cheap ammo is a must.
the guns are about the same prices, so its an ammo and reliability consideration.
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IMO, reloading must be considered when shooting C&R if you want to keep ammo prices down. It is like owning a classic car and knowing shade-tree mechanic skills at the same time.

Reloading for the Tokarev/7.62x25 or Makarov/9x18 is more costly than the 9mm Luger but much less than off-the-shelf ammo.

As we all know about C&R collecting/shooting, it's addictive and spreads quickly through many different calibers. Give reloading another consideration if you enjoy shooting as much as collecting.
 
Fit comes first for me.

If it doesn't fit well in my hand, I ain't buying it unless the price is REALLY low & I can trade it later for something I really want ;)

Gulf of Mexico...there's a place in Pensacola called Uber's Lock & Gun that carries Mil-Surps.
They tend to have a nice selection as they are constantly getting new & used items in.

Waitaminit...did you say a THOUSAND at a time?? That's some heavy-duty arms purchasing. Or were you referring to the ammo?
 
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The nice thing about the 9x18's is, even though there's not much (if any) surplus ammo out there, current production ammo (Brown Bear, Silver Bear, TulAmmo, Prvi Partizan, S&B, Fiocchi, etc) relatively widely available and costs about the same as 9x19. Unless there occurs an import ban, 9x18 should remain reliably available for some time, and will be as cheap to shoot as 9x19. There's nothing directly threatening the supply of relatively cheap ammo.

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.
 
Ah, yer in LA...ok. I can't think of anyone but RedJacket over there, and they work mostly on cans/class 3 type stuff.

But a quick internet search should pop up some nearby Milsurp dealers :)
Not to mention places like Pawn Shops...I've found some truly amazing deals in 'em :)
 
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