[bsctov]

I have been informed that carrying a cocked and locked M57 is not a good idea, nor is the act of chambering a round, and then lowering the hammer. I have discovered that if I take apart the gun, I can manually put a round in the chamber, drop the hammer while the the slide is still detached, and then reassemble and be ready to fire with only a quick cocking of the hammer.


What do you guys think?



I know it's not an ideal concealed carry choice, and I know there are better options. I'm just looking for opinions on this specific method.

[firesky101]

If you put your thumb between the hammer and slide i dont see how lowering the hammer would be dangerous. Does your m57 have a half cock notch like the tt-33? That is how i carry mine.

[Prince Yamato]

You're supposed to carry tokarev's on their half-cocked notch.

[Swing]

You're supposed to carry tokarev's on their half-cocked notch.

Pretty much. And the factory-installed safeties often suck big time.

[bsctov]

is the half-cock position supposed to be so close to the firing pin strike face? It like barely comes back before clicking into what im assuming is half-cock.

[PabloJ]

Being military sidearm like 1911 and P-35 it was designed to be carried with empty chamber in flap holster.

[jehicks87]

is the half-cock position supposed to be so close to the firing pin strike face? It like barely comes back before clicking into what im assuming is half-cock.

Yes. You'll know when it's at half-cock.

Being military sidearm like 1911 and P-35 it was designed to be carried with empty chamber in flap holster.

Yes and no. In the rear, yes it was intended to be carried empty. During combat, it was not. You don't EVER have an empty chamber if you're expecting hostilities. That's why there's a half-cock notch in the first place.

[Nushif]

Another voice in the small chorus of people saying that a TT-33 type gun can qute safely be carried on half cock ... When I carried my 213 I never felt unsafe about its safety.

If you truly want to be safe from an AD or ND, I recommend not owning a gun. 8) Is gun. Not safe. 8)

[krupparms]

I have owned several Tokarev handguns. That is how you carry it, empty unless danger is present! Then put on Half-cock . Be careful as dropping on hammer can cause A.D.! The factory safety cannot aways be relied upon! Check it! Otherwise these are a superior combat handguns! IMO. Have fun, be safe!

[Sergei Mosin]

I like obsolete Communist weaponry at least as much as the next guy, but it is my opinion that the Tokarev TT series (and clones such as the Yugoslavian M57) is not suitable for civilian carry in the modern world. The manual safety installed on many of these pistols for import into the United States leaves a great deal to be desired and I would not trust it for Condition One carry (and I only carry Condition One.) I don't know of anyone who would carry cocked and unlocked. Lowering the hammer to half-cock on a chambered round can be done, although my opinion is that the act of lowering the hammer on a live round (absent a proper decocker, which the Tokarev does not have), even to half cock, is an unsafe act. And I do not think that carrying without a chambered round is good practice for a civilian.

Save the Tokarev for the range and carry something else.

[bsctov]

I'm looking for opinions as to the method of loading I described in my first post.

[bigfatdave]

I'm looking for opinions as to the method of loading I described in my first post. Too much work.
No way to clear the weapon out in the rest of the world and then return it to the loaded/uncocked state if needed.

I'd get the hammer textured for easier de-cocking if I was absolutely set on carrying my M57 in a decocked state.

[Sergei Mosin]

While it's been some time since I had my M57 out and apart, it sounds like your specific method involves bringing the hammer in dangerously close proximity to the firing pin, sitting on top of a live round, during reassembly. No thanks, I value my hands more than that.

[nathan]

I removed the safety on my Norinco 54 -1. I carried it a few times IWB in condtion 3. I do cock the hammer back and if i have to draw from concealment, i do the Israeli Style . With the cocked hammer its easy to rack the slide back in split second and chamber a round.

[MikeJackmin]

In answer to the original poster's question, if you feel safer using your method, rather than lowering the hammer to half-cock, then why not? The end result is the same. I wouldn't bet that the half-cock notch is as drop-safe as more modern designs, but it's not so bad that I would advise against it. The gun would only fire if the hammer was struck quite forcefully, and this would seem to be a reasonably uncommon event. Use a good holster with secure retention and try not to hang upside down from things.

I also agree that there are better choices for carry guns, but sometimes you have to make do with what you have.

I used to keep a Tok within arm's reach of my bed.

I kept it with an empty chamber and the hammer on half-cock, locking the slide. To make it ready to fire, the hammer had to be cocked before the slide could be cycled. I figured that was a complex enough set of actions to prevent me from firing the gun in my sleep.

I now keep a shotgun in the corner and the Tok is just a range toy.

[Nushif]

*Rant On*

I do believe there is a certain point at which you shouldn't be carrying a particular firearm.
In the case of a single action pistol, if someone truly feels they CAN NOT safely lower a hammer I would highy recommend not carrying a pistol that potentially needs a hammer lowered. This does include ye olde and mostly belovedeth by ye scripture of forefathers 1911.
Let's face it. If I am going to learn a pistol I am going to learn the pistol. This includes the *entire* manual of arms. Not the parts I feel are easy, common, normal, free of any risk, etc. Its the nature of the beast in these older single action guns (again, this inclues the 1911) to have uncock *something* and if the user feels they need to assemble the weapon in a certain way or is unable to transfer the weapon from one condition to another, they simply should use it as a range toy.
To me it's like someone saying "I don't feel drawing from a holster in less than ten seconds is safe because someone shot themselves in the foot doing it."

*Rant over*

[leadcounsel]

Carry a $200 gun and risk an AD/ND, and negligent homicide, property damage, self inflicted injury, arrest, and lawsuit because the gun isn't the best/safest/most reliable design... OR

Carry a $500 modern gun that is designed for modern CCW, with technology and designs that are 50-70 years newer and more reliable parts, etc.

Hmmmm......

I have many Toks and love these C&Rs for range guns and history, but for the same reasons I don't drive around in a model T Ford, and I don't listen to records, or type letters on a typewriter, they are just obsolete when it comes to real world situations. Will a typewriter or a M57 get the job done? Yes. But it's far from the best.

Listen, I wouldn't hesitate to use an M57 to defend myself, but why hamstring yourself to a $200 pistol when there are much better and safer choices for marginally more $...? Makes no sense...

IF you insist on carrying it, chamber empty is the way I'd recommend. Takes little time/effort to rack the slide for the trade off of peace of mind that you're not going to have an AD/ND on a loaded chamber.