cz 52 and TT 33 owners out there

[leserz]

i want to get a cz 52 or a tt 33 i have never picked up a tt33 but a cz 52 fits my hand just right i havent seen any cz 52' for sale in a while but do see tt 33' . now my question is what is the recoil of ether pistols ? say compared to a .9 mm , .38 spec. 357 mag . ammo seems dirt cheep but can i find it at my local gun shop ot will i need to mail order it ? are the two guns pretty equal to each other or one better than the other ?

 

[grimjaw]

This is going to be subjective, but for me the recoil felt slightly more than a 9mm and lower than a .357. However, the edges on the CZ52 are typically sharper and made it less pleasant for me to shoot. The TT33 had more rounded edges and it was a breeze.

 

[xx7grant7x]

I recommend a good look at the polish tokarevs, thats what i finally bought because they just plain looked nicer. very unique slide serrations too, here's an example not my gun though

 

[MrCleanOK]

CZ 52 is rated for the hotter Czech ammo.

 

[leserz]

there's more than one kind of 7.62X25 ammo ?

 

[Gelgoog]

If your planning on using it as a defensive gun....then neither they both suck.

However I would lean towards the TT-33. I had two CZ-52s and while they are kind of nifty they were outdated when the first came into service.

no slide release, no safety ( one was added on by importers and can be dangerous to engage), an awkwardly slow magazine release in the heel, crummy magazines with poor springs, inergonomic, tiny sights.

The TT-33 is at least a copy of a John browning design.

honestly the 7.62x25 is an excellent round that suffers from not having a competent platform to run in. At least the .30 mauser which is what the 7.62tok was based on has some decent platforms ( luger, Sig P210, C/96, Star MM).

 

[mongo4567]

As mentioned above, the CZ-52 has sharp edges that bite, it also has a unique angle on the trigger guard and grip. It makes it hard for me to shoot well. I really enjoy shooting a TT-33 and would pick it hands down.

 

[jonnyc]

"CZ 52 is rated for the hotter Czech ammo"

The CZ and TT are both "rated" for any 7.62x25 Tokarev ammo that was ever produced. In addition, the TT has a better reputation for surviving defective "hot" loads. While I'm at it, there is no such thing as "hot Tokarev SMG ammo".

 

[Fiv3r]

I handled a TTC and CZ-52 at a gun show over the weekend. The CZ 52 came home with me.

I rather liked the FEEL of the TTC, but the 52 was just a bit slimmer. The TTC had a less sharp grip, but the 52 had a better angle for me. While I would never consider this the best option for a CCW gun, the CZ 52 just packs so wonderfully in a strong side holster I made for it. It might make a nice woods gun since it's got plenty of oomph, the ammo is compact in your backpack, over penetration isn't as big of a deal in the wilds, their aren't too many north American critters thick enough that the 7.62 Tok WON'T penetrate

As far as ammo goes (and pistol availability), check out gun shows in your area. You can mail order surplus stuff online, but you'll obviously pay shipping. Gun shows usually have it cheap and the $5 to get in is generally cheaper than a shipping charge My local gun shop gets in a little surplus from time to time of all different calibers. Once the surplus dries up in a few years, expect to pay about $15-20 per box of 50. Not too terrible, but not the best for plinking.

I would stock up on the cheap corrosive stuff. If you do buy a bunch of it (and a gun of course) just be sure to read up on how to clean it up after you shoot. Windex works well for this

 

[Mastiff]

I am a huge fan of the Tok. The CZ-52? Not so much. I've converted some of my Toks to shoot both the 9x19 and the 9x23 Winchester, which makes the drying up of the 7.62x25 a non-issue. The 9x19 conversion is just a 9mm Tok barrel with the appropriate barrel bushing. For 9x23 Winchester you just ream out a 9mm barrel to chamber the 9x23 cartridge. The pistol is plenty strong enough.
Don't try to convert a CZ-52 to 9x23, however. The barrel is too thin where the cutout for the roller weakens it.

 

[Fastcast]

I had two CZ-52s and while they are kind of nifty they were outdated when the first came into service.

no slide release, no safety ( one was added on by importers and can be dangerous to engage)

What?? .....The 52 has a safety/decocker that was an original design and I believe the 1st. single action only pistol to incorporate a decocker into the design. Like any milsurp firearm, if a part is worn out and needs replaced it can be dangerous.

It's the TT-33 that has no safety but the one added by importers.

When I bought my 52 the dealer had both the 52 and TT-33......Like Fiv3r said, the 52 went home with me. The TT-33 seamed like a crude copy of a great design. Where as the CZ52's engineering stood on its own merits and deserved a place in my safe. Yes, the 52 has flaws like most designs and some sharp edges so what. It was an advanced design for its time, with a real safety and a fabulous roller locking system......Sorry, I don't have the same respect for the TT-33 just because it has a few softer edges and doesn't hurt your hands as much to shoot!

 

[mcdonl]

I have a Norinco L213 which is the TT-33 chambered in 9mm... it is a great gun, loves JHP's and feels good in the hand. The only concern I have, is I do not trust the import added safety.

 

[Gelgoog]

What?? .....The 52 has a safety/decocker that was an original design and I believe the 1st. single action only pistol to incorporate a decocker into the design. Like any milsurp firearm, if a part is worn out and needs replaced it can be dangerous.

It's the TT-33 that has no safety but the one added by importers.

oh yea my bad. Reguardless the CZ-52 decockers are worn out and can be unsafe. Do not rely on that mechanism. The decocker can discharge your firearm if it is worn.

 

[Fastcast]

oh yea my bad. Reguardless the CZ-52 decockers are worn out and can be unsafe. Do not rely on that mechanism. The decocker can discharge your firearm if it is worn.

Yes, some of them are worn out and most likely need parts replaced. Not all the 52's have worn decockers though.

I would venture a guess that most that do are the black finish re-arsenal ones. My buddy has one of the black re-arsenals and his decocker does still work but he's had loose pins, malfunctioning slide stop etc. on his. His does appear to be road hard and put away wet so to speak. I imagine his will probably fail sooner rather than later.

My 52 is the gray finish non re-arsenal and is tight as all get out. Looks to have been hardly used, if at all. My decocker along with everything else works flawlessly. I'm not expecting it to malfunction anytime soon. With that said I don't trust any decocker even on a brand new gun and always point it in a safe direction and keep a tight hold when dropping the hammer. If anyone shoots my pistols with a decocker I always tell them don't trust it, point it in a safe direction and keep a tight hold just in case......error on the side of caution so to speak so we know doubt agree on that!

 

[Oldnoob]

i want to get a cz 52 or a tt 33 i have never picked up a tt33 but a cz 52 fits my hand just right i havent seen any cz 52' for sale in a while but do see tt 33' . now my question is what is the recoil of ether pistols ? say compared to a .9 mm , .38 spec. 357 mag . ammo seems dirt cheep but can i find it at my local gun shop ot will i need to mail order it ? are the two guns pretty equal to each other or one better than the other ?

The recoil really isn't bad with neither platform. It's about the same as 9mm (maybe just tipssy bit more), but much louder.

It's not likely you will find the surplus ammo at your local shop. Which are the only "really cheap" ones. Non-surplus Tok round usually runs at $15~20 per 50rd box. Not too bad, but not great neither. So order the surplus ammo online will save you big bucks. 1200~1400rd for $150, can't beat that. Just know, surplus ammo most of time are corrosive. Clean as soon as you can after range.

Platform wise, other than the caliber, there aren't really similar at all. I personally prefer TT platform, and own a Norinco copy one. Love it.

PS: I need to find a Russian original Tok.