just got my first Russian TT-33

i just bought this today at my local gun shot. it's a 1940 Tula Tokarev (TT-33). it doesn't have any import mark or import safety switch. i am assuming it is a refurb, as the blueing is excellent. even the barrel is blued......and the blue-job looks "plum" in color. all parts are numbers-matching except the barrel, which is chrome lined. the grips do not appear to be Russian, as they are missing the "star/cccp" logo. i am thinking they are Polish?

anyway.....i am assuming it is a "bring-back"....or found it's way here through Canada, as it has no import mark.

i paid $600 for it. not sure what the value is, but i took a gamble.

now i just need to get some 7.62x25 ammo

here are some updated pics. i put some wood Russian grips on it.

cost me $620 out the door. right now i am trying to solve the mystery of the plum blue color.

here are some pics next to a normal blued gun, to contrast

The plum color is a common result of using regular hot salt bluing on some alloys of steel; it can also result from running the bluing tank at at the wrong heat or using the salts too long.

FWIW, I have never seen a Russian "Toke" that was any color but that thin bluing they all have, so the "plum" isn't original.

The "no star" grips might be Chinese or repros.

Jim

Click to expand...

thanks for the comments Jim. there is some documentation of 1937 and 1938 TT-33s with plum blued slides. it was a mistake in the re-arsenal process. here is the only link i know of, as the topic is as rare as the guns:
https://www.facebook.com/zenitco/posts/990061877724119

when you say "original finish"....do you mean the finish it was issued with or just a Russian finish in general. i am trying to lean the terminology. i know Toks that were kept in the arsenal storage would get serviced every ten years or so...even if they were not used. some would get re-blue jobs ect......and i have heard that certain Com Bloc rifles that had plum-blue finishes were considered Post-War finishes. so when you say the finish is not "origninal"....do you mean it was refinished state-side by a civilian gunsmith or it doesn't have the "as issued" finish?

and the lack of import marks confuses me. does Canada get imports w/o markings? if not....that would lead me to believe that the gun is a "bring back" that got refinished state-side by it's owner. the plum blue, to me, reaks of a Commie finish of some kind....but that doesn't negate the fact that it can't be replicated here in the States.

the grips in the first pics are Polish, so my thinking is that if someone was trying to "fake" a rare plum Russian finish then why the Polish grips? the barrel is blued with shiny chrome lining and has no serial number which makes me think it's Chinese. i don't believe the Russians ever had chrome TT-33 barrels.

the gun is an odd bird for sure. i am just trying to figure out the value of it. seems like one of those things where it was either a nice War Trophy that some American civilian ruined with a DIY finish or a rare Russian Excalibur....or somewhere in the middle.

^^^^ you're smokin crack

sorry....not trying to toot my own horn here....but a pre War Tula TT-33 with stamps this nice is worth more than $300, regardless of finish. i think you guys have been out of the game for a while. we are not in the 80s anymore. maybe in Canada that's the price......but in the States, a non-import marked matching pre War Russian Tok goes for about double that. i am not an expert and i am not 100% sure what the gun is worth.....but i know what it is not worth.......and it's not worth under $500.

i understand all that. and i understand that the Tok does not have an "as issued" finish. i still disagree with you on your appraisal regardless of the finish. but how can you tell it has a civilian finish as apposed to a Russian factory re-arsenal finish?

skipbo32, If you're happy with the gun, why would anyone criticize you because they thought you paid too much for it? It's your money! Be happy with it and enjoy it!

Click to expand...

i never said i wasn't happy with it. i am just looking for advise from those that know more about these things than i do. and thank you for your comments. what you said makes sense. the gun is rather glossy compared to my other Toks.

i don't feel that i paid too much for it. i just had issue with: to say a Pre-War Tula TT-33 with no import marks or import safety, and has crisp stamps and new-like function is "just another Tokarev worth $300 bucks just because the original finish is missing", is misleading. i know it is a re-finish.......my question is: do you think it's a Russian factory arsenal refinish or a civilian refinish done state side. and i don't think some here understand the difference between an "as issued" finish and an original factory refinish. but what you said make sense. i guess the plum finish had me thinking because i know a lot of East Bloc post War finishes are plum blue.....and there have been documented Tokarevs with plum slides.

oh well....i will leave it at that. thanks to all that commented.


here are more pics of the finish


here are some more pics so you can see the finish more: