CZ 52 or TT-33?

[Guest sling]

So... 7.62x25 is cheap as sin to shoot. Ammo is plentiful for it too.

I know virtually nothing about the function of either one of these old comm bloc guns though i've heard good things from both. What are your experiences with these two warhorses?

[Guest Guitarsnguns]

CZ52 gets my vote. It's a very well made firearm and will shoot hotter loads than a Tokarev. I think it looks better too.

[Guest joeharris]

They are both great guns, the 52 can break a firing pin if dry-fired, and if you buy 1 from anybody, but a distributor, be careful that Bubba did not install a Harrington F/Pin, since they will bypas the safety and cause a Accidental Discharge!

The Tok's all have an Aftermarket Safety, a lot are not that sturdy as far as the safety goes, the M-57 Yugo which has just been recently sold, does have a great safety and is a great gun!

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/handguns/19535-info-yugo-toks-m-57-a.html

The Tok. is easier to hide!

[Guest c.a.s.]

I make a vote for a CZ-52. But mostly only because I've never shot a Tok. The CZ's ergonomics are like a brick with a trigger.

[Guest tlondon]

CZ-52. I love mine. It shoots good and accurate. Its cheep enough to replace if something goes wrong with it.

[Guest sling]

The Tok. is easier to hide!

Heh heh. No intention on CC'ing it. Thats what i have a 1911 for.

Just lookin for a cheap pop gun. Thanks guys.

[gearyr]

I used to have a CZ 52. Sold it. Man I wish I had it back. I bought the CZ52 when I had a C&R license years ago. I sold it to a friend. I tried to buy it back from him about a year ago. He sold it to some one else. I asked the guy if he wanted to sell it. No was all I got. It is big and powerful. I miss that pistol. gearyr

[Magiccarpetrides]

CZ52 is much better built and tougher then a TT33...cept for that damn firing pin lol. I think the TT33 is better looking, but the CZ is the better choice.

[Guest Spuds]

I own 2 CZ-52 pistols. I own (double-digits) Tokarevs. Guess which I prefer?

The CZ-52 has known problems in that the cast firing pin is very prone to breakage, dry firing is verboten. The de-cocker is also known to fail, in fact there was a recall on these by one importer not too many years back. It's bulky. The unique roller system is interesting and everyone should own one for the looks you get at the range when firing it. Essentially it's a novelty with a unique design. The Czechs didn't use it long themselves.

The TT-33 and other Tokarevs in 7.62x25 are certainly of more interest to the collector, and frankly, more desirable to the shooter as well. The mandated safety does suck, but you can remove it and fill in the holes, or not. The pistol is designed with a half-cock safety that works great. There are enough countries that made Tokarevs for it to be a pass time to collect one (or more) of each country's issue. The Russians introduced the Tokarev ~1930 with the TT30. It and the TT-33 are essentially copies of the classic John Moses Browning design, albeit a utilitarian copy, if you will. What more needs to be said?

[keeterbird]

I have three CX52s. Love them. They can clean out a range. Folks will gather to see what you are shooting. They are study. I have never broken a firing pin and my decocker works in all of them. Two are right on and one seems to shoot low. It takes me a few magazines to get on target with this one. Each has 3K rounds through them.

My TOK just seems to shoot easier and is dead accurate. I still haven't figured out why I love the 52s.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I purchased my one and only CZ52 not that long ago. Very accurate. I haven't dry fired it, and am going to get a replacement firing pin for it, as well. Never have shot a Tokarev, but I have heard nice things about them. Buy what you can find the cheapest, and get a can of ammo. My CZ was $150, IIRC.

[Guest joeharris]

Spuds, you do have some great points on both of these guns, but if it comes down to having only 1 gun, either a CZ52 or Tok, i would go with the 52.

It is sort of rare, there were only 175.000. made compared to millions of Toks, the 52 was only made for 2 yrs. but was also exported to dozens of 3rd world countries, and it was in use with the Czech mil. till 1982 when it was replaced with the CZ 82.

It is somewhat more bulky and awkward when compared to a Tok, Century did recall a batch in around 2001, due to Century trying to re-furb them as well as re-finish and some of Centuries Monkey's even back then messed up when putting them back together, so the Re-call.

Century then paid to have all refurbs done on the bad ones, overseas again, since the work there was cheaper and better!

It does have a cast firing pin and thus if dry-fired it will break, usually after 20 X or so i heard, one can buy a milled one to take care of that,

the other problem on some of the 52s is that, some folks put a Harrington Firing-pin in those, they make 3 types and 2 of the 3 will bypass the de-cocker function totally, but reduce trigger pull from about 10 lbs. to 4 lbs.

But then if the owner sells it the new owner will not know about this potential dangerous problem.

Also a bunch of cheap Korean made rollers, lugs and barrels were made and all these parts are sub-standard and wear out quickly.

But the biggest bad rap the 52 has gotten, is due to a dude by the name of Clark, who has been on every gun forum and still is on a few.

He is an Engineer and loves to blow up CZ 52 pistols and writes they are junk compared to a TOK, but one can blow up any gun, he has been kicked off the maj. of the forums for being a dangerous nut.

Seems to be his Life Mission to bad-mouth the 52, however from all one reads the 52 is stronger than a TOK!

But both are great guns and everyone should have one of each.