TT33

The TT-30, commonly known simply as the Tokarev, is a Soviet-made semi-automatic pistol. It was developed during the late 1920s by Fedor Tokarev as a service pistol for the Soviet Armed Forces and was based on the earlier pistol designs of John Moses Browning, albeit with detail modifications to simplify production and maintenance. The Soviet Union ceased production of the TT in 1954, although derivatives of the pistol continued to be manufactured for many years in the People's Republic of China and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Development

Before 1930, the Soviet Union used a large variety of foreign-made semi-automatic pistols including: FN M1900, FN M1903, FN M1905, M1921 "Bolo" Mauser, and the Colt M1911, besides the Nagant M1895 revolver. In an attempt to simplify production, the Soviet Artillery Committee (which also oversaw small arms designs) decided to adopt a 7.62 mm pistol caliber, allowing Mosin-Nagant rifle barrels to be cut down to make pistols and submachine gun barrels. In 1930, the Red Army conducted trials to select a new standard-issue pistol and Tokarev's design was tested against upscaled versions of the Korovin pistol, and Sergei Aleksandrovich Prilutsky's 1920−1921 self-loading design as well as foreign pistols. Tokarev's design, considered to be lighter, more accurate and reliable than its competitors (despite being harder to disassemble), was adopted as the Tula-Tokarev Model 1930, even though the pistol would only be officially adopted in the next year.

After being accepted for service, the TT-30 was modified, primarily to simplify the manufacturing process, such as making the back strap an integral part of the frame instead of being a separate piece, reducing machining time. The newly improved pistol received the designation TT-33.

Design details

Externally, the TT-33 is very similar to John Browning's blowback operated FN Model 1903 pistol, and internally it uses Browning's short recoil tilting-barrel system from the M1911 pistol. In other areas the TT-33 differs more from Browning's designs—it employs a much simpler hammer/ sear assembly than the M1911. This assembly is removable from the pistol as a modular unit and includes machined magazine feed lips, preventing misfeeds when a damaged magazine is loaded into the magazine well. The magazines themselves can be disassembled for cleaning, another measure to prevent malfunctions.

The pistol lacks an external safety and is usually carried with a round loaded and the hammer half-cocked. The safest method for carrying the TT-33 is to leave the chamber empty, though it requires the slide to be manually pulled back and released to ready the gun for use, which takes some effort due the relatively stiff recoil spring.

The TT-33 is chambered for the 7.62×25mm Tokarev cartridge, which was itself based on the similar 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridge used in the Mauser C96 pistol. The 7.62×25mm cartridge is powerful, has an extremely flat trajectory, and is capable of penetrating thick clothing and soft body armor. Despite the power of the 7.62 mm round, the TT-33 has a relatively mild recoil.

Although the Tokarev was mass produced for the Red Army, the Soviet Union continued producing Nagant 1895 revolvers during World War II due the material demands of the war and the shortcomings of the TT-33, including worse suitability for firing through a tank viewport, accidental release of magazines, and decreased pistol service life from stress on the firing pin. Due the lack of an external safety, cavalry units including Cossacks carried Nagants as sidearms instead.

As early as 1938, the Soviets mulled on a replacement for the TT-33, and trials were conducted. After testing several designs, including a submission from Tokarev, a 18-round design chambered for the 7.62 mm round by Pavel V. Voyevodin was chosen, but development was halted after the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa.

Early production TTs have a high-quality black or dark blue finish, while wartime models (1942−1945) have rougher finish and wooden grips instead of rubber, while in some examples the lanyard ring on the bottom of the magazine was omitted. A total of 1,059,687 pistols were built during World War II, while approximately 46,000 were built post-war: these pistols have improved finish and grips similar to pre-war models. They also feature a slightly taller rear sight and narrow serrations on the rear of the slide.

Variants

Soviet Union / Russia

*TT-30: Original model, adopted by the Soviet Union as stardard military pistol in 1931 it is estimated that 93,000 pistols were built until 1936.
*TT-33: A modified and simplified version of the TT-30, it was replaced by the Makarov pistol. A civilian version of the T-33 was offered in the 2010s by the Molot Machine Building Plant. These pistols are externally similar to the original, but are chambered for 10×33mm cartridges containing a single rubber ball of diameter for self-defense purposes.
*TT-3: Training pistol chambered for .22 long rifle, it apparently never got past prototype stage.
*TT-4: Virtually identical to the TT-4, but with a longer barrel. Apparently never got past prototype stage.

China

*Type 51: A virtually identical copy of the TT-33, except for the Chinese markings on the left rear of the frame or on the top of the slide. According to Thompson, the barrels aren't chrome-lined. Over 235,000 were produced between 1951 and 1954.
* Type 54: Replaced the Type 51 in 1954. Roughly 420,000 were produced until 1985. Up to 50,000 Type 54s were exported to North Vietnam.
*M20: Basically a Type 54 with no markings for clandestine operations. At least some were supplied to the Viet Cong and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). It's estimated that less than 50,000 were made.
*TU-20
*Model 213: Export model by Norinco, it's a Type 54 fitted with an external safety and chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum round.
*Model 213A: A Model 213 with a 14-round box magazine.
*Model 213B: A Model 213 with a wrap-around grip to improve ergonomics.
*NP-10: Export model with interchangeable barrels. It can fire 7.62×25mm, 9×19mm, and .38 Super cartridges.
*NP-15: Export 9×19mm model with three white dot sights and a black rubber grip.
*NP-17: Export target-shooting 9×19mm pistol with a barrel and muzzle brake.

Hungary

*M48: Also commonly known as the 48M, the Pisztoly 48 Minta is a licensed copy of the TT-33 produced by Fegyver- és Gépgyár (FÉG) from 1948 until 1958. They can be identified by the Rákosi or Kádár crest on the grips. About 100,000 were manufactured.
*Tokagypt 58: An export version for Egypt chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum round which was widely used by police forces there. After receiving less than half of the 30,000 pistols ordered, Egypt cancelled its order. The remaining pistols were sold commercially by FÉG. They were purchased by American arms dealers who planned to resell them under the "Firebird" brand, but after the United States government rescinded the import licenses, the Firebirds ended up being sold in the European market instead, finding their way to Middle Eastern insurgent groups, the Baader-Meinhof Group, ETA, and FP-25. Tokagypts differ from the M48 by an external thumb safety, an ergonomic wraparound grip, and a magazine with a finger rest.

North Korea

*Type 66/68: also known as the M68, it was produced at the Chongyul Arms Plant and can be distinguished from the TT-33 by the shorter barrel, and the serrations on the rear of the slide, intended to give the shooter a grip while the gun is being cocked. Other differences include a magazine catch on the base of the grip, a tilting-barrel system similar to the Browning Hi-Power, a modified firing pin and reinforced slide stop. TT-33 magazines can be used on the Type 68, but not vice versa. During the 1980s the Type 68 was gradually replaced by the Baek Du San pistol, a North Korean copy of the Czechoslovak CZ 75 pistol.

Pakistan

* Khyber Pass copy: Both legal and illegal TT pistols are still manufactured in various Pakistani Khyber Pass factories. Quality greatly varies, with some individual copies being almost indistinguishable from the original. These copies usually can be identified by the incorrect markings or crude finish. Due the high pressure generated by the 7.62×25mm cartridge and the often poor quality of the steel and heat treatment of these copies, they can be dangerous to fire.

Poland

*wz. 1933: A licensed copy designated as Pistolet wzór 1933, about 225,500 pistols were produced by FB "Łucznik" Radom from 1948 until 1955 following a limited production run in 1946−1947. It was replaced by the FB P-64 in 1967, though the wz. 1933 remained in limited service until the 1990s.
* TT Sportowy: .22 LR caliber training pistol that uses aluminum or brass inserts to hold the rimfire cartridges.

Romania

*TTC: Designated as the Tula Tokarev Cugir, it was produced by the Cugir Arms Factory. The first prototype was made in 1951, with mass production continuing until 1957. The TTC was adopted by the Romanian military in 1952 and remained in service (alongside with police units) until the late 1990s. 155,648 pistols were produced in total. Of these, about 30,000 were exported to Syria and Iraq, while a few thousand more were sold to other foreign customers.

Vietnam

*K-54VN: A locally produced copy made by Z111 Factory to replace and refurbish the aging Type 54 (designated as K-54 by the Vietnamese) pistols in service.
*K14: An upgraded version of the K-54VN also made by Z111 Factory, it has a barrel longer, an increased capacity of 13 rounds, with a wider grip to incorporate a double stack magazine. In early October 2014, the PAVN received 50 pistols for trials.

Yugoslavia / Serbia

* M57: The Zastava Model M57 is an improved copy of the TT-33 made by Zastava Arms, with a longer grip to accommodate a 9-round magazine (as opposed to the TT's eight), and a magazine safety, though the bore is not chromed. Around 260,000−270,000 pistols were produced between 1963 and 1982, with a separate run of pistols made for Croatia.
*M70: Not to be confused with the blowback M70 pistol also produced by Zastava, it's a M57 chambered for the 9×19mm cartridge. It uses a six-groove rifling instead of four.
*M70A: An improved version of the M70, it features a slide-mounted safety catch which locks the firing pin.
* M70: A blowback-operated pistol chambered for the .32 ACP cartridge, it features a manual safety to lock the firing mechanism and an automatic safety that blocks the sear when the magazine is removed.
*M70(k): A blowback pistol identical to the M70, but chambered for the .380 ACP cartridge.
* M88: A compact and modernized version of the M70 9×19mm pistol with a 8-round magazine. While it largely retains the Tokarev operating mechanism, externally it bears little resemblance to the TT-33. It features a frame-mounted safety.
*Zastava M88A: Virtually identical to the M88, but with a safety catch mounted on the rear of the slide, which not only blocks the firing pin, but also interrupts the link between trigger and hammer as well.

Service history

The TT-33 was primarily issued to officers, though some enlisted non-commissioned officers and specialists (such as snipers) were also issued with handguns as well. Cavalry units carried the Nagant 1895 revolver instead, since the lack of an external safety on the TT pistol presented a risk to both horse and rider.

While the TT-33 was used in small numbers during the Spanish Civil War, the first major use of the Tokarev pistol was during the Winter War against Finland. The Finns managed to capture a number of TT-33 pistols and PPD submachine guns, which they used until they ran out 7.62 mm Tokarev ammunition.

During World War II, both the Germans and the Finns made use of captured TT-33 pistols, though the former had the advantage of making use of the 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridge, which can be loaded in TT pistols (though the 7.62×25mm Tokarev cannot be fired in weapons chambered for the 7.63 mm round due the increased pressure of the Soviet cartridge). Captured pistols were re-issued to German troops as the Pistole 615(r).

After the war, the TT-33 was gradually replaced in Soviet military and police service by the Makarov pistol, though some pistols remained in use into the 21st century. China, North Korea, and Vietnam received substantial number of TT-33s and used them alongside Chinese-made copies during the Korean War and Vietnam War. Surplus Soviet pistols were also supplied in quantity to African countries as military aid. According to Thompson, over 60 countries used TT-33 pistols, with eight countries mass producing TT-33 copies or pistols based on the Tokarev design. Some insurgent groups in the Middle East also managed to obtain a large number of pistols, including some Hungarian-made Tokagypt 58s originally intended to arm the Nasser regime after the Eisenhower administration refused to sell arms to Egypt. Tokagypt 58s were a staple of the Red Army Faction arsenal, and founding members Ulrike Meinhof and Andreas Baader were taught how to shoot at an Arab training camp in Jordan with Tokagypts. Armed groups in Spain and Portugal such as the ETA and FP-25 also obtained a large number of Tokagypts.

During the Soviet-Afghan War, the Afghan mujahideen made use of pistols captured from the Soviets and Khyber Pass copies of the Tokarev and Makarov obtained from Pakistan as well.

Conflicts

* Spanish Civil War
* Winter War
* Continuation War
* World War II
* Korean War
* Vietnam War
* Arab–Israeli conflict
* Bangladesh Liberation War
* Hungarian Revolution of 1956
* Salvadoran Civil War
* Burundian Civil War
* War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
* South African Border War
* First Chechen War
* Russo-Ukrainian War

Users

Current

* − Used by the Red Unit
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* − Tokagypt 58 used
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* − Used by Territorial Defense units
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* − M57 and 9×19mm M70 pistols used
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* − Tokagypt 58 used
* − Locally produced as the Type 51 and Type 54
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* − M57 used
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* − Produced locally as the M48
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* − M57 and M70 pistols used
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* − Khyber Pass copies produced
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* − M57 and M70 pistols used
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* − Chinese Type 54 and North Korean Type 68 pistols also used
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Former

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* − Tokagypt 58
* − Limited use of captured TT-33 pistols during the Winter War and Continuation War. It was nicknamed the "Star Pistol" (''tähti-pistooli'') by Finnish soldiers
* − Limited use of TT-33 pistols until the Pistole M was adopted in 1958−1959
* − Captured from the Soviet Union
* − Produced locally as the Type 66/68. Replaced by the Baek Du San pistol
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* − Produced locally as the wz. 1933. Replaced by the FB P-64 in 1967, remained in limited use until the 1990s
* − Produced locally as the TTC (Tula Tokarev Cugir). Remained in use with military and police units until the late 1990s
* − TT-30 and TT-33
* − Produced locally as the M57. Also produced in 9×19mm as the M70 and M70A

Non-state former

* Afghan mujahideen − Captured from Soviet troops. Khyber Pass copies were also obtained from Pakistan
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* CNDD–FDD
* ETA − Tokagypt 58
* FNL-Icanzo
* Forças Populares 25 de Abril − Tokagypt 58
* FROLINA
* Kaze-FDD
* Palipe-Agakiza
* People's Liberation Army of Namibia
* People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
* Red Army Faction − Tokagypt 58
* Russian separatist forces in Ukraine
* Umkhonto we Sizwe
* − M20 used

See also

* List of Russian weaponry
* Table of handgun and rifle cartridges

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

{{WWIIUSSRInfWeapons

7.62×25mm Tokarev semi-automatic pistols
9mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistols
Semi-automatic pistols of the Soviet Union
TT platform
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1930
World War II infantry weapons of China
World War II infantry weapons of the Soviet Union
Cold War firearms of the Soviet Union
Tula Arms Plant products
Izhevsk Mechanical Plant products