Zastava m57 Tokarev

Not sure about Zastava but I like the old Tokarev 213 in 9x19 i have.

have a couple. surplus old mil one and a new made version with better safety on it. both have very rough finishes, but work flawlessly and shoot well. if ya like toks you'll like these. longer grip is a big plus.

Here is a pic of my M57. Got it new from Classic many a moon ago. I really like shooting the 7.62x25. Sights are very simple but I have had no issues and would recommend the M57 if you like the caliber. It is pretty cool to be shooting at 80 yards and realize how fast that bullet is getting to the target. Seems almost instantaneous.

I got one in May from PSA. They were $210 plus shipping. Mine was in decent shape and gave it a light cleaning with a towel. Ran a couple of mags thru it already. Fired every time. If you want extra mags new ones from Zastavausa website are listed, they were $25 each for a new one. If you want an old surplus version, all other sites were out and they were going for about $50 each on Ebay

I have a pair/each of Romanian & Polish TT33s as well as three Russian TTs (all Izhevsk '44,'45,'52).

They are all accurate, reliable, concealable and great fun to shoot.

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I bought a pair of M57s in Aug'10 from SOG (took a chance) and another pair in Aug'11, this time from (the original) Wideners.

All 4 required various levels of TLC and none of them had a decent trigger.

Following my personal milsurp (especially) SOP, I detail-stripped, cleaned, carefully-inspected and repaired/corrected/improved them all prior to shooting.

In one of them I found a worn-out sear leaf that had been reversed, probably a field-expedient due to lack of replacement parts.

I didn't mind, since I have the tools & knowledge and enjoy working on firearms, but a couple of these would have made for very unhappy new owners if they were not equally comfortable and/or setup for performing the necessary work.

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That said ... it has been a LONG TIME since I have read of any newly-purchased M57s exhibiting issues anywhere NEAR what I experienced. For quite awhile, the new batches coming into the US seem include pistols in good shape.

My Tokarev TT33s and TT33 Variants are my favorite 7.62x25 pistols. The original grip-length fits perfectly in my bare hand (I wear size L/G gloves, long thin fingers) with none to spare and is very comfortable for me.

The longer M57 grip just strikes me as being a bit less svelte ... but ... for shooting in cold conditions, with gloves thicker than unlined leather patrol gloves, that M57 grip comes into its own (for me).

In addition, I have a "travel configuration" for my truck that includes an "1911" crossdraw holster attached just above the floor base of my seat belt assy. The longer grip of the M57 makes it much easier for me to retrieve it from that position.

Mine shoots low, but that's an easy fix. Trigger is not great, but it's not the worst I've ever felt. Probably is the best entry level Tokarev you can buy currently.

Antihero said:

Sounds like I should really get one.

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You should. They're fun.

PSA sold out of theirs, but I think classicfirearms and aimsurplus still had surplus cold war era m57s. Unless you were going to get a new M57A

I got mine years ago from J&G. It is cold war surplus I think it was $79. It has the added on safety which looks and functions exactly like a 1911 safety. It is by FAR the best of the added on safeties. Unlike the later commercial toks with a safety in the slide, mine still has the half cock safety. And I love that feature! Put the hammer at half cock and everything is locked down, nothing moves. The slide cannot be racked and the trigger is rendered immovable. Moving the hammer to full cock readies the gun. I think it is a brilliant design that is the object of scorn when it should be praised.

Love everything about the gun. Quality is very high compared to the rest of the family and that extended grip and nine round mag are nice. Accuracy is minute of grapefruit at 25 yards which is more than adequate for military use.
The gun will put a bullet through a 10" apple tree. Moderate recoil and a muzzle blast and flash that rivals a howitzer......what's not to like?

Antihero said:

I ordered one, in very good condition.

Now the wait.....

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You wont regret it......

I got one from Classic a couple of years ago that had the Glock-style trigger safety and the import mark hidden discreetly under the trigger guard. The gun was immaculate and a great shooter. A lot of people don't like the trigger safety, but I do.

Have one... fun round to shoot. Like a 1911 only a bit weirder, and shoots flames. Highly recommended!

I'm pretty happy with them. Hot rod round holds nine of them too.

Good gun, clunky safety, but you can live with it. Well built and shoot's that 7.62 round that penetrates three layer's of body and then throw's rocks. I have a Romania in 7.62 and a Chinese in 9MM. I would buy them both again. The CZ 52 is in 9MM also.

Antihero said:

Anyone use Reed's for ammo?

They look like they have some good stuff for jhp rounds, not just standard blasting rounds

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I have been pleased with the performance of ammo I've purchased from Reed's, and the value (price / quality).

I have not purchased any 7.62X25mm ammo from Reed's however.

PPU is manufacturing JHP 7.62X25mm ammo. This is the only retailer AmmoSeek pulled up for it.

https://ammoempire.com/node/3923

I make my own ammo from LC .223 cases and 90g .309" bullets.

MJ said:

I make my own ammo from LC .223 cases and 90g .309" bullets.

View attachment 921656

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How long do you have to chop the .223 cases to before forming the new neck? Also, do you do any tempering or just use fired brass from the range and not bother with tempering?

TTv2 said:

How long do you have to chop the .223 cases to before forming the new neck? Also, do you do any tempering or just use fired brass from the range and not bother with tempering?

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About .005" longer than a factory case. Only extra step is reaming the neck because the .223 case is thicker at the cut and will not chamber.. Cut, ream then trim.

Where did you get yours from?