Zastava M70A

T

thumbs47

New member
I am considering getting one of these pistols but have a couple of questions for owners.

First If you should need repairs where do you send the pistol?

Second Where can I get extra magazines for the M70A?

thanks
 
I will tell you from experience that everything I have owned from Zastava factory has been pretty poor quality as far as an ak goes. Very soft metal that peens like crazy and the receiver did not seem very well heat treated.
 
Ok thanks. Been getting as much info on the pistols as possible. Seems they are pretty nice. Anyway I can't seem to get any support questions answered from the manufacturer or the importer as of yet. I don't even know if there is a repair facility in the U.S. Kinda in the process of looking elsewhere. If I can't get info from the manufacturer or the importer and I can't find magazines maybe someone is telling me something. It's only been a couple of days but if things change I will post. Even the dealer had no info on repairs. Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.
 
Just kinda cool to me. No a gotta have kinda thing. Well of course I could get it for about 200 bucks. Just something a little different. But not without support.
 
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FWIW the distributor was Century International Arms aka Century Arms. Their website does not indicate that the pistol is currently available but perhaps you can call them with your service and magazine questions.

Comments on the pistols, based on my research on the M88A (basically a smaller M70A variant):
  • Trigger pull weight and quality differs pretty drastically between individual examples. Try before you buy if possible.
  • Lots of sharp edges inside the frame and slide; Zastava evidently does not expend much (if any) effort to tumble or deburr the pistols. Keep Band-Aids® handy when cleaning! :eek:
  • The underlying Tokarev design has neither a firing pin block nor an intertial firing pin like a pre-Series 80 M1911; it's basically designed to be carried in Condition 3 and is NOT drop-safe in Condition 2.* The M70A/M88A add a firing-pin-blocking thumb safety, but despite several attempts, I have NOT been able to verify whether Zastava made any other changes to render the pistol more drop-safe. Absent further information, I do NOT consider the M70A/M88A to be drop-safe in Condition 2, and Condition 1 carry requires using the somewhat awkward slide-mounted up-for-fire thumb safety.
*FOOTNOTE: Some Tok fans argue that the very stout half-cock notch serves as a Condition 2 safety device. I'm not convinced. YMMV.
 
Thanks. Yeah I have done a bit of searching for info and came up with most of what you did. Thanks for telling me about the differences in quality between different examples though I did not find that one. I too did not see it offered on their sight. Watched quite a few Youtubes just about all positive. Getting to the point where I am putting less and less faith in Youtube. I know the price has dropped a little. Wondering if maybe it is discontinued. I know I can't find extra mags for them. Still haven't heard from Zastava or CAI. Oh well sounded good at the time.
 
I had the same curiosity about this gun that you have. I decided against purchasing one for all the reasons stated in the posts above. That, and the fact that there are so many other affordable quality 9mm pistols available.
 
franco45 said:
...there are so many other affordable quality 9mm pistols available.
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The M70A is one of those pistols you buy simply because it's interesting and NOT because you actually need an inexpensive 9mm.

In the sub-$300 range, IMHO the S&W SD9 VE, EAA SAR B6P, and various Canik/TriStar Tanfo clones solidly beat it in terms of value, even considering the sometimes-flaky factory support for some of them. If you up the price limit to $350, the list of reasonable choices roughly triples. Granted the M70A is thinner than most any of these, but there's usually more to concealability than thinness only, and the M70A's chisel-like rear sight works against it as a carry gun.

Buy it because it's a nifty new-made modern Tok clone that uses readily available and cheap ammo. Choose something else for SD/HD/CCW. :)
 
I bought one and it was just terrible.

It malfunctioned all the time with even ball ammo. The safety on mine broke and the gun would fire with the safety engaged. Fit, finish, and trigger were all poor. I understand some have had better luck with them than I, but I would never buy one again.

My Romanian TTC, which is a true Tokarev firing 7.62x25mm, is a far better gun. Reliable, decent fit and finish, excellent accuracy and fires an impressive cartridge. I bought it for $200 when they were on sale a few months ago from Classic Firearms and am so glad I did. Ammo is pricey for them but it's an awesome occassional shooter when I want to make some nice fireballs and punch through a lot of stuff. :)
 
Thanks guys I hear ya. What started me off was I picked up an unissued Bulgarian Makarov and it is beautiful. I know we are not talking apples and apples but it got me on a comblock kick. LOL I really don't have a problem with a Romanian 7.62x25. I would just reload for it. I hear you can make the brass out of .223 brass. I dono just heard about it. I alway find .223 brass at the range. Most of the youtube vids show the positive side. Some of the "well known" reviewers really push it but I went down that road once before and don't care to travel it again. This is where you get the real story. Like I said I don't "need" one. And with the apparent lack of support I am probably better off not getting it.
Hey are mags readily available for the Romanian Toks? Can you get them without the crappy added safety?

thanks
 
thumbs47 said:
...are mags readily available for the Romanian Toks?
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Yes, they take any generic Tok mag, excluding the slightly longer ones used in the Yugo M57.
thumbs47 said:
Can you get [Romanian Toks] without the crappy added safety?
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As a practical matter, no. The safety is required by the ATF for lawful importation. Broadly speaking, non-safety Toks fall in one of three categories:
  • Post-68 pistols that have had the add-on safety removed by a past owner.
  • Pistols that have been smuggled into the United States without ATF scrutiny, sometimes as quasi-legal bringbacks from war zones. These are hen's teeth and are generally very expensive.
  • Pre-1968 imports, also hen's teeth because the USA and Warsaw Pact nations generally didn't trade with one another.
 
OK then. If you have to get one with the safety installed is there any one particular type of safety you should look for. I have seen some in back of the trigger and I have seen some underneath the hammer is any one or the other any better or worse. Thanks
 
I wouldn't trust the safety on most Tokarev types. The M70 might be a little different because I believe the safety might not have been just an add on but in any case the Tok wasn't designed with a safety (it was carried unchambered) and some of those import safeties are not particularly sound.
 
Ok but do they negatively effect the operation of the pistol? I really don't care if they don't work as long as they don'g get in the way of the pistol working properly.
 
Thumbs the safeties on the Romy Toks, while stupid and ugly, DO NOT affect reliability.

Just do what I do and leave the damn safety off. Carry the gun how it was designed to be carried, with a loaded round and the hammer at half cock. What you do is load a magazine, insert it into the pistol, rack the slide then CAREFULLY pull the trigger while gently riding the hammer forward then set the hammer to the half cock notch.

The Romy Toks (TTC) are spectacular shootin irons. Make sure to get the cool leather holster, lanyard, and some spare magazines.

PS: Just found out these cheap Tokarevs are all dried up online. You missed your chance pal. The early bird gets the worm. You might be able to find one on Gunbroker but you'll pay more for it.
 
Thanks I may or may not have gotten lucky. I was just walking around the gun show on Saturday and picked up a pristine Russian M44. Had quite a talk with the dealer. He has a bunch of Romanian Toks that look new. It says Romanian on them but no crest or other markings. After seeing the M44 I didn't pay much attention. But I would like to pick up a Tok in the future. These are chambered in 7.62x25. He said they were military Toks. Don't know that much about them so idono. What should I be looking for in a Romanian Tok? These are C&R pistols. How can I tell they are not repos but original. They really were nice.'

thanks
 
Nobody makes "repro" Tokarevs, except the Zastava M57 and M70A series if you can even call them that.

They probably were authentic Romanian Toks. Most of them that have come into the country have been arsenal refurbished, meaning they were fixed up and reblued. That's what mine is and it's an incredible pistol. I just love it so much. The ammo is powerful and interesting as well.

The M44 Mosins are okay guns I guess, I sold most of my Mosins a while back and don't miss them at all. The Tokarevs are a much more useful firearm, and for me, much more fun to shoot.

I'd go to the guy with those Toks and stick two Benjamins in front of him. If he doesn't take it, walk. Also see if he has the holsters with cleaning rod and lanyard. Those are cool. I'll take a picture of my Romy Tok when I get home so you can compare to what he has. It's probably the same thing.
 
Thanks. I thought he was a little steep in the price but once he found out I was getting a C&R he told me he would make a much better deal. Anyway do you reload for the Tok? What ever I get I want to reload for. The M44 is already becoming just a little challenge. Seems the bore is a bit generous. Don't know if that makes much of a difference but I will see.
Actually I wanted a Mosin for a while but was looking for the M44. It will be fun to play with. To tell the truth I went into the show looking for the Tok. It was just a matter of supply and demand. Haven't seen much in the way of the M44 for quite a while around here. Hope I don't screw myself on the Tok. LOL
 
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