TOZ rifles are a family of
.22 Long Rifle bolt-action
Bolt action is a type of manual Action (firearms), firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt (firearms), turn-bolt via a cocking handle, bolt handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the firearm (a ...
cadet rifle
file:Springfield1922.jpg, Springfield Model 1922 cadet rifle
file:Cz452 tangent sight.jpg, A tangent sight on a CZ 452 rifle, with calibrated markings for ranges out to 300 meters
file:Australian Air Force Cadets using the Trainer variant of the CZ ...
s manufactured by the
Tula Arms Plant
Imperial Tula Arms Plant () is a Russian weapons manufacturer founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia in 1712 in Tula, Tula Oblast as Tula Arsenal. Throughout its history, it has produced weapons for the Russian state. Its name was changed from Tula ...
(Russian abbreviation TOZ stands for ''Tulsky Oruzheyny Zavod''). Most notably the TOZ-8, TOZ-17 and TOZ-78 which were used to train generations of Russian military, paramilitary and police cadets.
TOZ-8
The TOZ-1 is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action cadet rifle designed in 1927 by V. Selivanov and Ya. Kanevsky. The TOZ-1s were made from the late 1920s to early 1930s, until it was replaced with the improved TOZ-8 rifles.
The TOZ-8 is a single shot .22LR bolt-action cadet rifle conceived in 1932 by the designer-gunsmith D. M. Kochetov and serially produced at the Tula Arms Plant.
The TOZ-8 is a simple device, trouble-free and reliable in operation. It was widely used for marksmanship training in primary schools, gunsmith and
DOSAAF
DOSAAF (), full name ''Volunteer Society for the Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy'' (), was a paramilitary sport organization in the Soviet Union that was concerned mainly with weapons, automobiles and aviation. The society was establ ...
paramilitary organizations in the USSR for decades.
About one million TOZ-8s were made from the early 1930s to the late 1950s. Many TOZ-8 rifles are currently in civilian circulation and it is still used for hunting small game.
The receiver contains the bolt and trigger mechanism. The rifle uses a
bolt action
Bolt action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the turn-bolt via a bolt handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the firearm (as most users are right-handed). The majority of b ...
mechanism: a rotating bolt locks the cartridge in the chamber, closes the bore and ignites the cartridge, the user then works the bolt and ejects the spent cartridge. Lugs are missing; locking is performed on the charging handle. When the trigger is pressed, the striker is released and hits the primer. The trigger is affixed to the rear end of the trigger springs from below. When pressing the trigger rests its ledges in the receiver and move down the release spring high neck than releases the trigger, which, along with hammer, moves forward under the influence of spring and drives the firing pin into the primer, igniting the cartridge and firing the shot.
There is no
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
. In place of the magazine guide is a special guide that controls the motion of the cartridge when it is rammed into the chamber. Sights include front and rear
open sights. A cover protects the operator from hot gas in the event of case failure during firing (see ). The stock connects all parts of the rifle and serves for convenience when shooting; it has a butt, neck, and forearm.
Variants
* TOZ-8M – is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action cadet rifle. It is an improved TOZ-8 that was developed after World War II.
* TOZ-8OPF – is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action cadet rifle. It is the TOZ-8M produced by
RPC Fort in Ukraine.
* TOZ-9 – is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action rifle. It is the sporting version of the TOZ-8 designed by D. M. Kochetov.
* TOZ-11 – is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action rifle. It is a lightweight version of the TOZ-9 made for hunters and fishermen. It was designed in 1946, by K.I. Shihvatov. The TOZ-11 was an award-winning design, that was about 2 kg lighter than the TOZ-9. The TOZ-11 was produced from 1946 to 1957.
* TOZ-12 – is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action cadet rifle. It is an improved TOZ-8M designed by D. M. Kochetov. It features an adjustable aperture sight.
[П.А. Гусак, А.М. Рогачев. Начальная военная подготовка (справочное пособие военрука). 2-е изд., доп. и перераб. Минск, "Народная асвета", 1975. стр.226-228]
* TOZ-12OPF – is a single-shot .22LR, bolt-action cadet rifle. It is the TOZ-12 produced by
RPC Fort in Ukraine.
* TOZ-16 – is a single-shot .22 LR, bolt-action rifle. It is based on the TOZ-11, and was produced using more modern manufacturing techniques.
TOZ-17
The TOZ-17 is a .22 LR, bolt-action repeating rifle with a 5-round detachable magazine. It was designed in 1956. It has a similar appearance, sights and functions as the Mosin–Nagant rifle. It intended for professional and amateur hunting and sport shooting.
The design reflects Soviet tradition, as it is very simple to use yet strong and functional. The rifle is very well built, reliable and accurate. It features twin extractors on the bolt which makes case ejection very positive. The bolt is considered large compared with most rimfire designs, paired with a large firing pin and spring assembly. The TOZ-17 has the bolt with a rear safety similar to
BSA rifle as the BSA Sportsman.
The TOZ-17 has a free-floating barrel for increased accuracy. Its bore is anodized to reduce wear and increase barrel life. The TOZ-18 is the same rifle redesigned to accept a 2.5-power fixed focus scope. Its receiver has a standard
dovetail rail
A dovetail joint or simply dovetail is a joinery technique most commonly used in woodworking joinery (carpentry), including furniture, cabinets, log buildings, and traditional timber framing. Noted for its resistance to being pulled apart, a ...
for allowing a scope, but requires high rings to allow the scope to clear the rear sight.
TOZ-78
The TOZ-78 is a .22 LR, bolt-action repeating rifle. It uses 5- and 10 round detachable magazines. The TOZ-78 was designed in 1986 and is still in production. It is based on the TOZ-17 and comes in various improved models. The TOZ-78-04 has a thread barrel to attach a
suppressor
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a gun barrel#Muzzle, muzzle device that suppresses the muzzle blast, blast created when a gun (firearm or airgun) is discharged, thereby reducing the sound inten ...
. The TOZ-78-05 is a
heavy barrel version designed to be used with a 2.5-power fixed focus scope.
This model does not have iron sights. The TOZ-78-06 - heavy barrel version, with a thread barrel.
See also
*
KS-23
References
External links
*{{Official website, http://www.tulatoz.ru/
.22 LR rifles
Bolt-action rifles of Russia
Tula Arms Plant products