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Zastava M70A, c Nick Leghorn

Everyone and their brother is looking for the most bang for their buck when it comes to handguns, and on the lower end of that scale things tend to look pretty bleak. Your options are pretty much limited to either the Hi-Point C9, which compares unfavorably with a masonry brick, and a wide assortment of military surplus handguns that either use calibers that come in boxes with foreign languages on them or look like they were picked up after a particularly nasty battle. So when I saw that Zastava had a new production handgun that retailed for under $240, I was intrigued. Century Arms International (who imports them into the United States) was nice enough to lend me one to review, and… well…

It’s a Tokarev. Well, an M57 version of the Tokarev TT-33, which was the first handgun I ever fired, and was also manufactured by Zastava… in the 1960s. I actually have video from that event.

Yes, I am aware that I am a massive history nerd.

Anyway the guns are identical in every way shape and form, except the barrel and the safety. And the missing lanyard loop on the side of the gun, yet the grip panels still strangely have the cutout as if it were in place. The gun has the same dimensions, uses the same magazines, and takes down in the exact same way as that original M57 handgun. The only differences are that the gun has a 9mm barrel instead of the 7.62×25 chambering on the M57, and has a safety that actually works. The safety on the CAI imported M57 handguns has a tendency to spin around and not actually do anything useful, but the M70A safety is crisp and functional. There’s also a magazine safety, which is slightly frustrating.

Zastava M70A, c Nick Leghorn

I’m harping on the safety because that’s the only difference that really matters in this gun. Robert reviewed the original M57 way back in 2011 shortly after I started writing for TTAG, and in every way that matters it’s the same gun. But I guess since I have some time and my glass is still full of Macallan 10 year old scotch I’ll continue for a bit.

The TT-33 and the subsequent Serbian copy (the M57) is basically a bad copy of John Moses Browning’s 1911 design. It has all the same general characteristics and takes down in mostly the same way, but the Soviets cut corners. Instead of having a rotating barrel bushing that releases the plunger and spring, there’s a bar that locks the slide release and keeps it from falling out. Instead of a grip safety, there is… nothing. And while the external extractor might have been ahead of its time in terms of a feature, it’s a fiddly bit of metal instead of the chunky and solid one found in a 1911. In addition, the lighter recoil from the 30 caliber bullet meant that the gun could be made from lighter materials and therefore feels more like a prize from a Cracker Jack box instead of a handgun.

The M70A has the same characteristics, and therefore feels the same in your hand. If I could sum it up in one word, it’s “meh.” Manipulating the slide you can feel that the gun is a little rough, it’s like you’re dragging a metal rod through a gravel pit. Probably something that would smooth out in time, but I was hoping for a more polished finished product from the factory.

Magazines are a bit of an issue. Inserting them isn’t a problem, but getting them out is damn near impossible. It takes me about thirty seconds of smacking the magazine and trying to pry it free before it comes out, and I can confirm that this isn’t a one-off issue with my the handgun they sent. CAI actually sent me two of these guns, and they both had the same problem.

The safety on this gun is actually pretty good. It’s a slide mounted safety, which is about par for the course for cheaper handguns, but it’s easy to manipulate and solidly flicks from “S” to “F.” Not only does it completely disconnect the trigger, but the safety also pops up two prongs on either side of the firing pin to keep anything from inadvertently hitting it and setting off the chambered round. It’s nice. The magazine safety, on the other hand, is an annoying addition in my opinion. It doesn’t make the gun any safer, and is one more Serbian engineered Soviet era thing to go wrong.

Zastava M70A, c Nick Leghorn

Out on the range, the gun does actually work — and reliably so. No matter what I did or what I fed it the gun continued to run without any problems. Except, of course, when it came time to reload. Then it took forever. However, accuracy is a problem.

P1000486

This is from about 10 feet, and the gun shoots reliably low and wide. It’s not a precision instrument by any means, but it’ll hit a man sized target no problem.

The only real concerning issue I had was that the gun is able to fire even when the slide is out of battery. The M1911A1 handguns have a disconnector that disables the trigger unless the gun is fully in battery, but with the M70A it can fire even if the slide isn’t all the way home. It’s a safety concern in my opinion.

Zastava M70A, c Nick Leghorn

Whether this is a “good” handgun or not really depends on the price, and it’s about the same as one of SCCY’s latest contraptions. Or if you prefer a Kahr, they’re less than $100 more. Really, you’re not gaining anything by choosing this gun over the others. Unless you happen to have a Soviet uniform sitting in your closet.

Which I do. Haters gunna hate.

Zastava M70A Handgun

Specifications:

Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 4.5 inches
Overall: 7.9 Inches
Weight: 30.3 oz
Trigger: Single stage
Capacity: 9
MSRP: $239.95 (AIM Surplus)

Ratings (Out of Five Stars):
All ratings are relative compared to the other weapons in the gun’s category.

Accuracy: * *
Not very impressive. We’re talking “minute of bad guy” at bad breath distances.

Ergonomics: * * * *
The ergonomics actually aren’t bad. The gun fits my hand well, and the lack of a grip safety means that there’s nothing to annoy the webbing on my palm. The slide mounted safety is annoying, though.

Ergonomics Firing: * * * *
Not bad, actually. Relatively light, if snappy.

Customization: *
While the Russkies are good at mass producing things, they aren’t very good at making them customizable. There’s a laser attachment you can buy from Zastava, but that’s about it.

Overall Rating: * *
The SCCY handguns are in the same price range, but they don’t use manufacturing processes from before the Iron Curtain fell and are actually pretty accurate. If you really want something that looks like a Tokarev this is a good option, but for everything else I’d go with the newer guns.

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121 COMMENTS

    • My experience has been the opposite as far as accuracy. I wonder if Nick was having problems adjusting to the sights or if somebody was asleep at the factory and set a batch for 7.62×25 by mistake.

      • MY M-70 IS VERY ACCURATE AND FEEDS PERFECT….ITS AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN MY SMITH//JUST NOT AS PREETY AND I CARRY THE M-70A BECAUSE ITS VERY SLIM AN COMFORTABLE. AS FAR AS THE MAGAZINE, IT DOES NOT FALL OUT BUT IT SLIDES OUT EASY I STEEL WOOLED IT DOWN AND OILED IT.

      • 7,62×25 is the original and far better than 9mm.
        it has power of 5,7.. punches thru everything.
        9 is just mediocre

    • news from zastava arms : they are making a brand new gun in 7,62×25 that is accurate as any glock and holds 18 rounds. performance will be almost or exact as 5,7 fn.
      nobody knows how will they sell it. (just for military;police usage or…)
      hopefully its going to be available for civilians.
      i mean this caliber is soooooooo underrated and its powerful as phuck.

    • I have two of these guns. Liked the first so much I bought an extra.
      Get great results with Tulammo Steel case ammo, I guess that’s was was meant to be shot in it.

    • No barrel bushing. The OP is wrong in comparing this to a 1911 – it was somewhat based on the 1903 Browning Pocket pistol, although heavily modified for a much more powerful cartridge (7.62 x 25). The M70A is a more recent development, using the weaker 9×19 round.

      • Let me correct myself before people start whining – there IS a “barrel bushing”, but it’s quite loose, at least on mine. Cheers!

  1. Selling these chambered in 9mm seems silly. When most of the value is wrapped up in the history what’s the point? Otherwise it’s just a cheap handgun. Some of us want our ammo to come out of cans with foreign languages on them.

    • They also make one in 7.62×25 for those blokes. Pity about the accuracy, though, because I did kind of want one.

      Also, it’s a goddamn crime that nobody is making plastic Tokagypt-style aftermarket grips for these. I see custom wooden ones in a lot of places, but I’m not spending $80+ to spruce up a $200 pistol.

    • Yes it is a cheap handgun.. A cheap handgun that you can shoot bazillions of rounds through, use to hammer in tent stakes, do emergency automotive bodywork, maybe open a can of beans, drop it down a hillside and it will still shoot – in an off-the-shelf common caliber.

      Sort of like the Makarov, the TT series are pretty much bulletproof.

      Yeah Toks were great when x25 surplus was dirt cheap. I don’t shoot mine that often any more, but I still love that damn thing. I would love to have one in 9mm.

  2. I like my old Chinese Tokarev made for export in 9mm. The safety isn’t something I would take seriously, but the grips wrap around the frame and make for a nice hold, and the gun functions reliably. It also shoots some very nice groups. I have a 50 round group shot into a 5 1/2 inch target, all 50 rounds on the target, at 10 yards, standing.
    The old Chinese version also has a rotating removable barrel bushing up front, and no captured recoil spring. It’s worst trait is the rudimentary sights, I paint a white outline on the rear notch and that helps a lot. The low recoil has made it a favorite of the wife, more so than even my Glock 19.

  3. My M57 is one of my favorite pistols. Simply fun to shoot, especially when I am wearing surplus Czech Army winter headgear. One of my wife’s co-workers is Serbian and he keeps promising me a Serbian cap, but he has failed to deliver so far. Yes, having appropriate headgear enhances the fun in shooting curios and relics. I have no idea why that is true.

    • Ooo… shooting a Serbian gun while wearing a Czech hat – I dunno man, you’re mixing things up quite a bit – the Czechs have their own very fine pistols, none of them based on the TT, while some using the same 7.62×25 cartridge. And the Serbs (and the entire former Yugoslavia) were never really members of the Commie block – they did go their own way. Hats off to them for that!

    • Seriously grow up, it’s just a cheap browning action pistol. The fact that it was designed in Stalinist Russia doesn’t give it mystical disaster survival quality’s. go camping, maybe you can even imitate your bro bear grylys and drink your own urine for no apparent reason come back and tell us how that works for you also Tell us how well you did with your 150 pound rucksack of useless commie entrenching tools and AK mags I’m sure you have sitting in your closet somewhere.

      • Some people can not spend over $500 on a handgun. So, yeah when the SHTF it will work and would rather have good people armed then none. Get off your high horse and think for a second…it is not all about you.

      • For the historical record, the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War LOVED their entrenching tools for CQB. Since their 5-shot, bolt action Mosin-Nagants were relatively useless hand-to-hand they made very good use of their shovels if they managed to get close enough. A Red Army soldier guarded his shovel above most any other thing he possessed.

  4. I think I’ll stick to a surplus Tok, they run about the same price anyway. Dont have one yet but half the reason to get one is that the 7.62×25 is an awesome round. Love my CZ-52.

    • I look at it this way, when the feds come around to take our 2nd amendment and all you have is a russian made pistol that shoots russian made ammo, you would wish you would have baught this cheap gun. Its easy to find 9mm and guess what, it will still take a life in a heart beat. 9mm, 45. Its a damn bullet and it will ruin somebody day pretty quick. Im ganna buy 9mil, 45, 44, 556/223, 30 cal. I wanna be able to shoot any kind of ammo i might stumble across when shit hits the fan

  5. “I am aware that I am a massive history nerd”

    Oh really.

    “The TT-33 and the subsequent Serbian copy (the M57) is basically a bad copy of John Moses Browning’s 1911 design”

    Ever heard of the FN Model 1903? Another design by John Browning that predates the 1911. I will let you be the judge if the TT-33 & clones look more like a 1911 or this:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Model_1903

    The 1911 is a an improved copy of the 1903. The TT-33 is closer to the original for good & bad.

    • Yeah, Nick forgot about the FN 1903. He also doesn’t realize that the magazine safety was probably added to add points with the ATF. I expect better journalism from TTAG.

      • I didn’t forget about the 1903, the mechanism of the gun is more similar to the 1911 so that’s what I used as a point of comparison.

        Doesn’t matter why something is on the gun or how it got there, if it’s present on the gun when it comes from the factory then it goes into the review. I understand why the magazine safety was added, but it doesn’t change the fact that the design feature is a sucky idea.

        You get what you pay for 😉

        • Check out my May and July comments(scroll wayyyyyy down). I really want to get a 9mm M70a Tokarev. And another thing, I was really bummed out when they changed the title of Nicolas Cage’s new movie from “Tokarev” to “Rage”……….until I saw the reviews…… the movie sucks……poor guy just can’t string two together can he?? A sucky movie wouldn’t do the Tok justice, would it…..just say’n…..

  6. I had a soviet tt 33 when the iron curtain was in place. No safety at all on that gun. Only safe way to carry it was hammer down on an empty chamber. Ammo was a bear to get. But it went bang every time. Never a glitch.

    This was when collectors thought soviet and warsaw pact guns were made of gold. I wonder how many guys paid a thousand bucks in real money for commie guns and lost a mint when the soviet empire collapsed?

    I traded my Tok for a new in the box dick special Colt. Ammo was easier to get.

      • True. half cocked was the safety position. I don’t trust vital parts of my anatomy to a half cock. I never loaded 6 in a SAA Colt and trusted the half cock either. I’m funny that way.

      • Not on the new production M57A and M70A pistols with the slide mounted safety. They don’t seem to have a half-cock position.

    • Toks in the original form are supposed to have a half-cock that serves as a safety. All the safety it needs IMO, it’s a shame they made the importers jury-rig a frame or slide-mounted safety on them.

  7. I have one of these beauties. At first I thought it looked like something Harbor Freight would sell if they sold guns. But it works well enough and seems like it will hold up to a lot of rough handling–tossed into a truck bed toolbox, etc. Definitely no safe queen.

  8. Taking out the magazine safety on these is incredibly easy. It’s just a tab of metal stamped into the frame. To get at it take off both grip panels, and then you can punch it back out the opposite of the way it was put in.

  9. ” Instead of having a rotating barrel bushing that releases the plunger and spring, there’s a bar that locks the slide release and keeps it from falling out. ”

    There is a Youtube video out there that claims this bar is really a super tactical Soviet improvement to the 1911. The video champions shooting with your index finger along the slide and pulling the trigger with your middle finger. They say on the 1911, the finger along the slide will push the slide release out of place and lock up the pistol. The video claims the Soviets knew this and put the lock on the slide release so users could be super tactical.

  10. “Instead of having a rotating barrel bushing that releases the plunger and spring, there’s a bar that locks the slide release and keeps it from falling out. Instead of a grip safety, there is… nothing. And while the external extractor might have been ahead of its time in terms of a feature, it’s a fiddly bit of metal instead of the chunky and solid one found in a 1911.”

    Let me guess… not a big Browning Hi-Power fan? While, admittedly, the BHP did most of this stuff better than the TT-33 / M57, you’re being unduly harsh on what are entirely sane design decisions.

  11. Honestly,considering you can buy a Sar B6 or K2 for under $270 or a Witness P for under $260, and quite a few other REALLY nice Turkish pistols for under or around $300, it literally blows
    my mind why anyone would actually buy one of these, for any reason other than collecting.
    Ive got many Turkish guns, including the B6 and K2 (which ive found as low as $230) and they are comparable to any $500 big name poly gun.
    Then theres the Canik55s, the Tisas and other steel and alloy guns from Turkey that rival guns 2-3x their cost.
    I mean really, why would anyone buy one of these? Lol
    If you are collecting then I guess more power to you, but as a logical “affordable” pistol? No way.
    Way too many much much better options

    • It’s an affordable full size hammer fired single stack steel single action only 9mm pistol with a decent manual safety. If those are your requirements, this meets them. It’s also a nice complement to an M57A.

    • It’s an affordable full size hammer fired single stack steel single action only pistol with a manual safety. If those are your requirements, it will do nicely. It’s also a nice complement to the M57A for those times when 7.62×25 would result in
      too many questions asked or the latest Prvi Partizan / S&B ammo shipment is delayed.

      • Which is why I said if you buy it to add to your collection it makes sense, but it DOESNT make sense to buy it as a real world use gun as there are *much* better options for the same price or just a few bucks more

  12. I bought my 1953 Romanian Tokarev for $250 on my Antique & Curio license. The importer sent it to me in the mail with no further questions. It looks almost new, and shoots like a dream! It’s as accurate as any pistol I own except for my old S&W 29. The bottleneck 7.62 X 25 cartridge is hot, and the ammo isn’t really that hard to find. The sights are small, but dead on. The safety is on the frame, just above the grip, and is positive and tight. In fact, the only thing I don’t like about it is that the hammer bites the web of my hand if I forget and choke up on it. I would prefer this pistol to almost any 9mm that I know of, and can’t imagine why anybody would try to recreate one in 9mm. Much less a junky one, at that. Order you a surplus Tokarev!

  13. Take a screwdriver to the right side of the mag catch. you can adjust it to be hair release if you want. My non-soviet era M57 is pretty decent in the accuracy dept – 4 inches @ 20 yards with yugo surplus (got @ 0.08/ round) They definitely didn’t care about finish, but everything fits nice & the slide runs slick as glass.

    Can reliably bumpfire 3 round bursts from the pistol (gets all kinds of attention at the range)
    My only complaint is the omission of the half cock and a loader.

    Perchance the M70A’s 7.62 – 9mm conversion is the cause of your troubles Nick?

  14. Disagree with your opinion on military surplus. 2 of my favorites is a Polish Mag98 in 9mm and a CZ62 in 9mm Makarov, both in excellent condition, never failed to fire and plenty accurate.

  15. Nick you think the Hi-Point C9 is on the low end of the scale? It’s a huge upgrade over my Cobra CA380 that was $104 hahaha http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2013/12/jeremy-s/gun-review-cobra-ca380-cheapest-handgun-america/

    BTW it’s still going strong. I put 16 rounds of Buffalo Bore +P through it and it ran through all of it without a hitch and without blowing up (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvknAB4tssE). So… torture test #2 will have to happen.

  16. I actually own this same gun, and for the price I love it.

    However my accuracy is quite a bit better than what you ended up with, but this could be for a number of reasons (1) I’m a better shot, probably unlikely (2) I use my own reloads (3) Barrel Production variance. (4) I used my wife’s white nail polish to put dots on the sights giving me a better sight picture.

    The magazines are however modified +1 cap and not compatible with the old TT-33s.

    The only problem I have had with this gun is with underpowered blazer training ammo sometimes the slide causes a stove pipe (it is a heavy slide). My reloads are launched into oblivion with authority.

    Here is a review I wrote a while back:
    http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=69786

  17. Didn’t have the same experience with mine. The factory sights were off…the gun shot low left, but it did make pretty decent groups. Way better than pictured. I drifted the front sight to the left (it was a little off anyway) and got it right on left-right, but it still shoots about an inch or two low. Good enough for this type of gun. I can get consistent 4″ groups at 30 feet or so.

    I will say that I had to shoot quite a few rounds through it before it “settled down”. It’s a fun and easy gun to shoot well.

    My mags don’t drop free, but they aren’t hard to get out.

    Mine’s been reliable and runs on everything, including hollow points. And for people who don’t understand the point of this gun being chambered in 9mm, I can’t easily find 7.62×25 readily in my area, and I don’t want to hassle with ordering it over the Internet.

    It’s a Tok that you can take to the range and pick up a couple extra boxes of ammo at any hardware store or Wal-Mart on the way.

    To me, it’s way more interesting and has a much more compelling pedigree than anything else you can buy today in it’s price range.

  18. Notes and corrections:

    The grips are probably universal. Check the inside left one, there should be a cutout to fit the retrofit frame mounted safety on the imported milsurp M57’s.

    The magazines are not the same, there is actually a spacer in the magazine well to handle the shorter (front to back) M70A magazine. M57 magazines will not fit. Century is supposed to eventually import spare magazines.

    Zastava actually makes new M57A’s with the same slide safety.

    The magazine safety is a leaf spring that blocks the trigger. It’s easy to remove.

    As to the weight, I suspect it is heavy enough to hold up to a steady diet of +P+ while generating acceptable recoil and still being light enough for comfortable carry.

    I think the slide is meant to run with grease.

    The magazines are not intended to drop out on their own when you hit the release. The ones I have handled come out with a gentle pull.

    I think the point of impact is supposed to be covered by the front sight, which is also difficult to center. That might explain your accuracy issue. Either that, or somebody at the factory mistakenly set a batch for 7.62×25.

  19. Another couple nitpicks:

    The magnetic laser sight Century sells is from Ariete Arms, not Zastava. Review?

    There is a bushing compensator/brake available from Gun Parts Warehouse who also makes M57 magazine extended floorplates (sadly none for the M70A).

  20. Just wait till raging inflation occurs. 200+ dollars will be missed. Not this pistol per say, but others that work and can still be had.

  21. My M70 is like my M57’s (both military and commercial) regarding accuracy (around 4 inches at 25 yards) and operability (no sticky magazines, or any such PITA’s). The military M57’s have a horrible deficiency in their gadawful afterthought safety, and I removed mine and replaced them with plugs that are cut for internal clearance and which are locked in by the firing units. The safety on the commercial-production guns, is a good one.

    My M70 did shoot low, which was addressed by reducing the height of the front sight. In sum, Yugo Tokarevs don’t seem to be significantly problematic. Not that lemons can’t come along, but I think that Zastava is in the clear on general quality. Granted, the Tok is an aging design, but so are Smith & Wesson K-frames, and I think all of them will continue to do well at sanitizing dark streets whenever necessary.

  22. you guys dont know anything about anything. this gun is just fine.
    a lot of americans look at their weapons as their pets.
    i want my guns to kill.
    this gun does that.
    i have it in 7 62×25.

    it kills very good. stack 6 people one behind the other and it will drill them all.
    i like that.

  23. Its a 1911 in all absolute honesty. Have you torn it down and cleaned it yet? I bought one because it was a freakin no brainer! A Zastava pistol in 9mm for $239…are you kidding? for those of you who missed the deal, I’m sorry, that’s the last time you will ever see that again, GUARANTEED. I slammed 700 rounds of this that and the others goofy sister down her throat and not ONE JAM! The gun is outstanding…the fit and finish is horrible on a side note. I’ve grinded a piece of steal down to look nicer than this gun! I wouldn’t conceal carry it, I wouldn’t “rely” on it, but for the price….I DEFINITELY bouoght it and glad I did! -Christopher

    • Not necessarily but depends where you live. Fleet Farm has been carrying them for $260 all day everyday except when they put them on sale for $230 about once a month. I’m planning to buy one soon but the stupid liberal laws here mean i have to go get my CCW first which is a bummer because I was hoping to use a 9mm instead of my .45 for qualifying.

  24. I have a 1953 Cugir TTC and I love It. Load it with kryptonite, and you could kill superman with it. I also have a Range officer 45acp that would stop a low cow motive in its tracks ( I love it more).Its really all about economics, you work with what you got. The Russians were up against it back then in ” dubya dubya 2″ and had 100 bazillion cossacks to arm, so with limited resources, and the goosestepping nazis tripping the light fandango across the Vistula i think they made a damn fine hand canon out of a sows ear, so to speak. We had more time , skilled manpower, and manufacturing capacity to turn out better engineered and better quality guns because we wern’t busy moving our factories over the Urals whilst side stepping Krupp shells. Hey, dead is dead……just sayn’……..

  25. I got mine last summer, used but with the box, spare mag, all papers and a holster for about $150, Have NO problem dropping a mag on my foot, shoots pretty well and I like the looks of it. I even found an incredibly costly 3rd mag for it, and I would have no problem carrying it at all..It even feels very good in the hand, which many “better” guns do not. The only problem I have with it are the mag safety and lack of a half cock.

  26. I have this gun in 9mm and it’s very accurate.
    I like it so much I bought and extra gun.
    How can the author even begin to compare this all steel classic to a plastic SCCY? It makes no sense whatsoever.
    Therefore, take his review with a grain of salt, or maybe even the whole salter shaker.

    • If its not too much of a hassle, find one that is in 7,62×25. Thats real power. Its like having 5,7 firearm but from ww2.
      punches thru everything.

      • I think J&G Sales or CTD have a deal, buy 2 get them for $149.99 each, surplus Romainian Cugir TTC’s very good condition, 7.62x25mm….Just say’n..

  27. Look in the Aug. issue of NRA’s American Rifleman Magazine, and you will see on page 66 and 67 a complete tear-down procedure on the Tokarev TTC, It has a very good “exploded view” of the assembly of all parts of the gun It also has a two page “How To” get it apart, and put it together again (mine looks much better than the one in the magazine!). My TTC put a round thru a stack of 5/8″ deck boards 6 deep @ 20yds, and stuck in the 7th one accurately, thats power!

  28. I purchased an M70A and the front sight fell off. Try contacting JG sales, they said it not their problem..Century Arms warrants the gun.. So I called century arms…5 times, left messages..No return calls…I Emailed Zastava in Serbia..They said to contact century Arms… Still no luck…go try to find parts!!! JUNK JUNK JUNK!!!

    • That’s the long way. Remove the sight, tighten the dovetail by tapping it with a flat punch, and drift the sight back in. The dovetail is also one of the European standard sizes, so sight blades from a lot of European guns, including lots of surplus Mauser rifles, will work. I buy them at gun shows for 25 or 50 cents apiece, and have used them in P38’s and Inglis-pattern Hi-Powers, dressed for whatever zero I want.

      For critics of the Tokarev, I will say that there are very few semiauto designs available that can equal the Tokarev’s record for combat reliability and effectiveness, and those were all put into service between 1911 and 1938.

    • My front sight felt too after 7 months shooting. I found the piece and hummer it back but what happen with yours did you fix it or or returned it . Mine is in place now but I spill some super glue around it just in case. Sorry to bother you but I am just trying to get ready if it falls and I loose it.

  29. I find a lot of what this guy says questionable enough to wonder about his qualifications for writing this review. Perhaps he should’ve laid off the “10 year old Scotch” before he actually submitted this to the editor. Much of what he’s written is so riddled with errors and lazy assumptions I’ll have to break it down piece by piece.
    1) – The TT-33 a “bad copy” of the 1911? More knowledgeable writers have noted this gun strongly resembles the Browning model 1903, not the 1911. In fact, the swinging link barrel is the only thing the TT-33 and 1911 have in common, something imitated by almost every major modern design. The internal mechanisms are quite different, and the majority opinion online is that most of the differences are improvements.
    2) – The M70A DOES have a rotating barrel bushing. It’s plain as day in any guide to breaking the gun down.
    3) – The extractor being a “fiddly bit of metal” and the gun being “made of lighter materials” and feeling like “a prize from a Cracker jack box.” The laws of physics generally dictate guns firing smaller, lighter bullets are going to be smaller and lighter than guns firing heavier ones. The average 9mm bullet is 115 grains, the average .45 is 200+ grains and 30% or so larger in diameter. Do the math. The extractor is lighter because both 9mm/7.62×25 cases are smaller and lighter than .45 shells. The gun fires lighter bullets that are smaller, so it is going to be smaller and lighter, period.
    4) The Soviets “cut corners”? The Soviets designed guns to be manufactured by the millions cheaply and used by illiterate peasants. Grip safeties were considered a luxury in that type of doctrine, and were thus done away with. This is not an arcane bit of knowledge; you can read it on Wikipedia.
    5) Slide-mounted safeties “par for the course for cheaper handguns”? Like the Walther PPK? The Beretta 92F? The S&W Model 59? Cheap guns, all?
    6) In the main body of the review the author says of how the gun feels in the hand: “If I could sum it up in one word, it’s ‘meh.'” Then in the final analysis he says “The gun fits my hand well, and the lack of a grip safety means that there’s nothing to annoy the webbing on my palm.” Geez, make up your mind, man.

  30. I have to agree with much of what Chris says. The author is the only person to fire a 150 minute-of-angle group with a handgun since Wang Chen did it blindfolded in 1421 A.D. with a .90-caliber matchlock firing 1/2-inch sandstone cubes in a hurricane. Bwahaha!

  31. I have 2 of these guns and i have great accuracy even with cheap steel case Tula ammo.
    Make sure you get one of the later versions that comes in a HARD BLACK PLASTIC CASE and NOT the early version which came in a CHEAP WHITE BOX!

  32. Who needs Hi Capacity… when you can buy 3 or 4 of em….
    I like the designed angle of the Magazine. .. a straight shot
    no ramps feed angles…
    its simple and it works
    easy to clean… and if need be use motor oil and a tooth brush to clean it…..
    granted its not a GI 1911…. but duel Toks to a criminal or some scumbag breaking into your home…. they wont care
    all they see are the two barrels pointed at them..

    • a good gun, but the scam they got going om about magazines is a hurt to the whole thing. cant buy one hardly and when you do……….45.00 plus shipping..or someone bought a bunch up and actions them off on ebay with some going a high as 70.00 a piece?? jI wouls have kept my m-70 byut got pissed about the magazines and being used like a condom to get one.. shame fo0r i9t is a good gun

  33. Couldn’t make it through the entire article. Very poorly informed. Lost me at “a poor copy of the 1911”. Shame.

  34. I had the opposite experience than the author. I got 2 on Friday (7/31/2015) for $218 each. Took em home and did my usual take apart the new toy(s) and clean em up proper. I shot them today Sunday 8/2 and put about 100 rounds through each of them. Accuracy, well, I found that if you hold the front blade level with the top of the rear sight it will shoot low. Hold the blade so it is halfway above the top of the rear sight and it’s dead on! Both functioned flawlessly, recoil was marginal and quite comfortable. Magazines came out with ease. I experienced non of the issues reported. I paid less then five bills for the guns, the transfer and background check so that puts the total cost right around $240 each. IMHO, these are dam fine guns for the price, I do not regret my purchase one bit. I love all my guns, the expensive and the affordable ones, each one is special in it’s own way. I can’t understand why anyone would not add one of these to their collection.

    • You have to remember desperate times called for an applicable firearm. Tokarev designed a gun to do the most good for the most Soviets and get the biggest bang per ruble. Here you have it: the TT-33. Not a Cadillac for sure, but like a Yugo, it gets you from point A to B, or from muzzle to Nazi, and take out the two behind him.

  35. James – I just ordered two of these any am breathlessly waiting to receive them. Happy to read your experience with them.

  36. I have shot hundreds of rounds through this gun. It is the most pleasure money can buy (legally anyway). Reliability: 100%. Accuracy: outstanding, hardly any recoil. Smooth as butter. This guy Nick can’t seem to hold on to his gun, it bounces out of control. Poor grip, poor stance, poor shooting over all. The only weakness of this gun is the sights: they are rudimentary. But if you practice and develop intuitive shooting skills, sights are unimportant. People that don’t like this gun help me keep the price low so I could buy more. The best gun in my safe.

  37. Tokarev M57…….. I bought one just because I had a Russian TT Tokarev from WW2 & appreciated the power of the 7.62 x 25 round. Accuracy is good , reliability excellent, no problems & I highly recommend this pistol . Since I have about 3000 rounds of surplus Bulgarian ammo which I have been using in my Russian Tokarev & my CZ 52.ammo was not a problem
    PS I also bought a Model 70 just because in 9mm & was pleasantly surprised as to its accuracy.
    As for Magazines…
    Model 70 , I purchased (4) mags from Apex , maybe they still have some.
    Model 57 , I purchased (4) mags from several other sites
    Russian TT Tokarev Yep I have bought (4) extra mags for it as well
    CZ 52, I also purchased (4) mags from several other sites
    I like having about 6 mags for all of my handguns
    Ammo …. Try United Nations ammo in Arizona , they offer reloadable brass cased ammo in 7.62 x 25. I have not had any problems with surplus military Bulgarian Polish or Romainian ammo & have found several outlets but they have jacked ther price up from about $120 to about $500/800 per thousand rounds& the reloadable is better since you can reload it & about the same price.
    I would like to find some replacement wooden grips for the Tok`s but the cost is astronomical , maybe someone with a wood shop might decide to make them.

  38. Ok haters, i have an old surplus tok in .25, anewer zastava in .25, and the norinko in 9mm. Guess what, all have been great shooters, been able to shoot anything i put thru it and never had a misfire. When buying either the surplus or new toks remember really as a shooter they are reliable and shoot, when it comes to use as a carry gun,for close range they do the job. If you cannot shoot accurately past a normal pistol range get a shotgun.i have used marshall grips for my norinko, amazing work.

  39. Tradeexcanada.com have both 7.62 and 9mm new in box. Don’t ship to USA but you can find a way. $289.00 Canadian about $225.00 US. Check them out.

  40. I have four (4) count ’em! They all go bang every time and no FTFs. I bought them because I like them, and wanted
    to have three or four, I also have 16 1911s. If you don’t like the gun, don’t buy one. Don’t sit around on your duff
    in Mommy’s basement and disrespect those of us who like them. For all us guys who love these ol’ clunkers,
    (and I say that in a nice way) lets go out and open a spam can of ammo and kill some beer cans!

  41. I bought two of these things when they were on sale for $200 at Buds a while ago. My feeling with these pistols is summed up as follows: Are they the most accurate thing out there? No, wasn’t expecting it. Are they the lightest thing out there? No, knew that when I bought them. But, (and not having had any reliability issues myself), they are a $200 block-o-steel tank that can take a lot of abuse and is fun to shoot. If you go in on these with reasonable expectations, you won’t be disappointed.

  42. My new Serbian Tokarev in 7.62mm had lots of problems; my gunsmith addressed 5 different things it needed, including a magazine issue and the slide stop cutout in the slide being too small. Second time to the range to break it in, it froze up (jammed) and I couldn’t remove the magazine. If you get one, be sure to wring it out before using it as a ‘car gun’, which is my use in addition to just loving the powerful round. There’s a reason these guns are inexpensive; they don’t put a lot of precision work into the assembly process.

  43. Mine will not feed, just got it this past Tuesday it is now Saturday, shot it yesterday and the bullets just jam between the upper and lower feed ramp. I am disabled and it is so frustrating. I ordered a bunch of accessories for it. Grips $37, holster, $32 ammunition, $92, Polish hammer, to give it a half stop, don’t have it yet. I am super bummed. And the dealer will most likely require me to pay to ship it back. I am on a very limited budget. I wished now I had saved longer and purchased a Taurus 1911 FS instead.

  44. Gentlemen; I, too, bought a new Zastava and found it jamming up. Fortunately, my gunsmith, (in NJ, no less!) worked it over and it works fine. Had about 5 different issues to tweak. But now this pistol needed over a hundred dollars in ‘repair’ work, so the initial bargain price was not to be. Love it’s power and toughness, you just have to pay additional for all that, if you can find a gunsmith that can iron out problems…

  45. You’re complaining of the safety issues.. and blaming the Serbs?? Those are on it because they are REQUIRED in order to be sold here in the USA. Don’t like it? BLAME CONGRESS and the ATF…..
    Also you beef about a little “roughness”?? What.. you expected a hand fitted and polished weapon for $200 ?? Really? Geez… This is a gun that if you have a clue how guns work.. with a small amount of elbow grease can become acceptably smooth and reliable . If you’re the type who have to hire every little thing done.. then maybe you need to spend 2 to 3 times more?

  46. Sounds to me like, Nick needs to set down the Scotch bottle, or they sent him junk, to test. I have three of those critters, haven’t had a problem with any of them, groupings a lot better than his, at three times the distance too.

  47. Love this pistol. When the shtf this will be my battle gun. My friends keep wanting to buy this from me. Never a failure. Accuracy 3-4 inch groups at 15 yards. No malfunctios. Flat . Easy carry under my belt or in a 1911 holster.
    Rear sight kinda small but easy to open with a file. Fits better in my hand than any thing else in the display case. Feels like a real life tool not a plastic toy. 9mm nato standard nough said.

  48. Nice gun. Great novelty gun at the range, but not the gun for that “shot of the day”.
    Out of the box the slide had that ‘gritty’ feel from the rough machining in it, but with sanding and repeated racking and range time mine is butter-smooth and feeds everything every time.
    Accurate enough, but a tendency to go a little low left. I’d love it if someone knew how to tweak the rear sight.

  49. Your usual honest review, not pulling any punches here! I would love to read your review of a slightly newer Zastava, the M70 pistol in 7.65 (.32 ACP). (Why are so many Zastavas a “70” of some sort?) Large numbers of them have been imported in the last several years, most in excellent condition.
    Zastava largely ignores this gun; parts and magazine availability is a micron above zero. For their Tokarev clones, parts, mags, and grips are everywhere. As are all the goodies for Zastava’s AR and AK clones.
    The Yugo website does show that the M70 is still in production, and offers downloadable owner’s manual and catalog (in English), but that’s all. Their ZastavaUSA site ignores the M70 completely.
    I find it to be a solid well made handgun, and it deserves more support and respect. I own two, and if the situation doesn’t improve, a single bad part would render one useless.

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