CZ52, 7.62 Tokarev/'Czech load' opinions?

[Mastiff]

I've owned at least two Toks continuously since 1992. I had over 55,000 rounds through one of them without even a hiccup. That pistol was the most accurate handgun I've ever owned, dead on reliable. Right now I have 5 Toks (1 Chinese, a Romanian, a Polish, and 2 Yugo's).
I have bought extra 9mm barrels with links for $35 each. The 9mm barrel and a 9mm barrel bushing were all I needed to fire the 9mm Luger in these pistols. I have converted some of those $35 barrels to chamber 9x23 Winchester, which gives me .357 Magnum ballistics in an auto-loader. The 9x23 Winchester is easy to shoot, with less recoil, less muzzle blast, faster reloads, and holds more rounds than the 357 revolvers. I don't consider it even a contest. To me, the Tok is the hands down winner. The CZ-52 can't handle the power of the 9x23 Winchester, the barrel is too thin where it was cut away for the roller.
Incidentally, the Yugo Toks being imported mow have a manual safety that functions the same as that of the 1911, and it holds 1 more round than the rest of the Toks. Thats why I bought 2 (I believe in New York reloads ).

 

[cougar1717]

I enjoy shooting my CZ-52, but there are two sides to every story.
Surplus ammo is cheap, but corrosive. From personal experience, I would stay away from Bulgarian surplus since what I received was SMG ammo. While still advertised as "7.62x25", some ammo was made for Ppsh sub machine guns and can sieze up your slide since some rounds chamber and others are dimensionally too large to chamber in the CZ-52. Mine was so stuck, I had to get a gunsmith to free it. Factory fresh ammo is available from Privi, Wolf (made by Privi), and S&B.
The the trigger pull is rough compared to modern firearms and even with it's weight, I consider the felt recoil to be more than a 40 S&W. I call mine a "flinch machine" because at some point I anticipate the recoil. With that said, http://www.harringtonproducts.com/ produces aftermarket parts for it that can help, but you have to weigh improving an inexpensive pistol with buying a more newer pistol with modern features included. Even if you don't go that whole route, I would suggest getting a new recoil spring from Wolff - either the #16 or #18 since an original one is over 50yrs old and too light IMO.
The sights are standard issue military - no white outlines, dots, etc. - just three black lines to line up. As it has been threaded to death, the weak point of the CZ-52 is right underneath the chamber, where it has been cut to accept the locking slider mechanism. It is unusual for a caliber of this magnitude to use such a thin barrel at this point and I check it regularly.
The 7.62x25 caliber is powerful in the whole scheme of calibers: an 85gr. bullet that goes 1400+ fps. I don't have the link at the moment, but a testing lab has shown that at 10 feet this caliber will penetrate kevlar body armor and has enough to power left over to penetrate at least 6" into the ballistic gelatin beyond the vest. This really shouldn't be any surprise since the caliber is really better suited for a carbine firearm IMO.
One thing that I can attest to is the range of a CZ-52. From a standing position, I can put it on paper with relative ease at 50yds. Mine shoots about 6" low from the point of aim at that distance.
It's also loud. Expect people to approach you at a public range and ask you what you're shooting since its definitely louder than 9mm/40S&W/45Auto.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. I hope there's some sort of practical advice that you were looking for.

 

[jonnyc]

"I would stay away from Bulgarian surplus since what I received was SMG ammo. While still advertised as "7.62x25", some ammo was made for Ppsh sub machine guns and can sieze up your slide since some rounds chamber and others are dimensionally too large to chamber in the CZ-52."

This is absolutely incorrect. There is NO SUCH THING AS TOKAREV SMG AMMO. That is a total myth. If you read East Bloc literature and the box and packet labels, and study the history of the cartridge, you will be as sure as I am. For example, your Bulgarian ammo came in 16 round packets, unless it was rebagged at some point in the US. The packet is for two TT mags. The 70 round boxes, usually marked for the TT PISTOL CARTRIDGE, are more convenient for a 70 round mag (or 2x35), but meant also for pistols. After 1940, I believe, all Soviet Tokarev ammo came in 70 round boxes, for both pistols and SMGs.

 

[BlackHand1917]

I like my CZ-52 because I can fire cheap corrosive ammo out of it for less than half the price of a lot of handgun ammo out there. The 52 isn't my first choice for a defensive weapon. Its a little ammo sensitive. I have good accuracy with Yugo/Serb surplus, but get some hard primers that require a second strike. I had some terrible Polish ammo ten years ago that would not even hit paper at 20 feet. If you must use it for self-defense use the Sellier and Bellot cartridges made in the Czech Republic. It shoots 100% in my CZ-52 and is quite accurate.

 

[Gelgoog]

$150 (CZ52), what else can you say.

Of course, they are now gone at that price. To bad for you!

And if you were smart, you could have got a custom "chromed" one for $199..

yup, got two of them

I really like my CZ52s for the reason that they are very cheap to shoot and get alot of range time in. I also love the 7.62x25 round, I wish more guns were chambered in it. However the lack of a decent safety and slide release ( this can be added) as well as a heel magazine release mean that as far as a Self defense pistol goes, the CZ52 becomes a very dated design.

now the CZ82 is pure love! one of the most accurate and compact firearms I have ever had. The CZ75 is also full of pure win!

 

[Ash]

Heel-mag releases are, in my opinion, excellent for self-defense. They are slower for a magazine change, but they are far more secure and provide a more solid grip of the magazine than push-button releases.

 

[Bob L.]

I purchased my cz52 back in the mid 90's, at a price of about $150.00. It looked like a very odd but interesting surplus shooter with cheaper than dirt surplus ammo readily available. I started out with a couple of boxes of that old hot czech ammo at an indoor range and quickly realized three things: The ammo was in fact a "click and a boom" with a milisec delay, it was LOUD!! AND IT WAS VERY FLAT-LINED ACCURATE. I knew that the first time I took it to my outdoor range, I had to see if I could hit something out at 100 yards. I tied a red ballon out there and it took me four rounds to pop it in the standing two handed postion. The milisec delay forced me to follow through and actually helped my accuracy.

My best fun with this gun came when a buddy and I went shooting at the same outdoor range one day. I asked him if he wanted to play "hundred yard headshot" with a red balloon and he said that it would only be a waste of ammunition. I made my bold statement that it would only be a waste of ammunition if it took more than one round. And as fate would have it that day, I popped the balloon with my first shot! To this day my friend has to admit it was the best pistol shot he ever saw and I was lucky enough to make. The cz-52 is a great gun to own.

 

[jonnyc]

With that story in mind, I would never play poker with you...too lucky!