Tula Arsenal Russia TT33 TT-33 7.62×25 Tokarev Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1940
SOLD FOR: $1350
LSB#: 211216DW13
Make: Tula Factory, Russia
Model: TT33
Serial Number: xr301
Year of Manufacture: 1940
Caliber: 7.62×25 Tokarev
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Auto Pistol with Single Stack 8 Round Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the frame and the top of the slide are marked with the serial number. The left side of the frame is marked “ZHG”, the Tula star, the year of manufacture which is interrupted by the added safety, and several small factory markings. The left side of the trigger guard bow is marked with overlapping factory markings and the bottom is marked “H”. The right side of the frame and trigger guard has assorted arsenal marks. The left side of the slide is marked “T.T. RUSSIA 7.62X25” and “C.A.I. ST ALB VT”. The flooplates of the magazines are marked with non matching serial numbers, the sides are marked with several arsenal markings. The spine of one of the magazines is marked “AB 1818”.
Barrel Length: 4.5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a small blade fixed to the top of the slide. The rear sight is a tall U-notch leaf dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece serrated hard plastic panels. The panels contain stars with “CCCP” in a clockwise position. The panels show moderate wear with scattered small nicks and dings in the serrations with some more notable nicks on the right panel. There are no chips or cracks. The grips rate in about Good-Plus overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dim with scattered erosion and the rifling is worn but remains visible.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 83% of its metal finish. There is finish loss on either side of the frame around the safety. There are several nicks and scratches throughout the metal. The finish on the slide is uneven, darker on the front half and lighter towards the rear. There is thinning at all prominent edges of the gun. There are some scattered light scratches and little dings throughout. The pins are tool marked but not peened. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Very-Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included with this pistol is a brown leather holster with a cleaning rod, and a total of two 8-round magazines.
Our Assessment: In 1930 the Soviet Revolutionary Military Council began looking for a replacement for the 1895 Nagant revolver. The new pistol was to chamber the newly adopted 7.62x25mm cartridge. That cartridge is dimensionally identical to the German 7.63 Mauser Broomhandle cartridge but was loaded to a higher pressure. Tokarev, an official at the Tula arsenal, led a group that submitted one of the designs tested. They obviously borrowed some features from the Colt 1911 design such as the method of locking the breech and use of the link to tilt the barrel up. Tokarev took a couple interesting turns. First, there was no safety. Another distinctive feature is the hammer-sear mechanism which can be removed from the frame as a complete unit. Finally, there are no screws used in the gun. The grips are held in place by internal catches. The Soviet Arms committee liked the design and designated it the Tula-Tokarev 1930 pistol or TT-30. The TT-30 was produced through 1936 with about 93,000 pistols being made. In 1933 two changes were made to the design which necessitated changing the name to TT-33. The changes were in the method the barrel locking lugs were machined and by simplifying frame design to reduce the number of parts needed. These changes did not get incorporated into the production line until 1936. The TT-33 was produced through WWII and into the mid 1950’s. The design was unchanged except for some guns made during WWII that had wooden grips instead of the black bakelite grips with the CCCP Communist Star logo. This particular example is in Very Good condition with 83% original finish remaining. It has a peculiar marking “ZHG” which we could not find any useful information on. This is an interesting piece for anyone looking for a fun research project. Please see our photos and good luck!