TT-30/33

Description

Designed to replace the antiquated Nagant M1895 revolver, the semi-automatic TT-30/33 was the brainchild of Soviet weapons designer Fedor Tokarev.

His first 1930 design was designated the TT-30, of which after successful trials in 1931, just under 100,000 would be issued to the Red Army within the next 5 years. However as initial production was taking place, subtle modifications were made to the design to not only hasten its assembly, but also improve reliability. This improved model would adopt the designation TT-33, however both weapons were affectionately referred to as the ‘Tokarev’ after their creator.

Externally near identical to Browning’s FN M1903 pistol, the Tokarev also replicates the internal mechanism of the famous Colt M1911. With these models combined, an incredibly reliable handgun was created. The new 7.62×25mm cartridge was also based on an already in-service calibre, that of the German 7.63×25mm Mauser, as used in the ‘broomhandle’ C96 pistol, a weapon widely used by Russian forces during WW1 and the soon to follow revolution/civil war.

Issued to Soviet troops in their hundreds of thousands during World War 2, although replaced by with the Makarov in 1951, the Tokarev would continue to be produced under license in many countries including China, North Korea, Pakistan and Hungary. As a result they would see service in scores of conflicts throughout the 20th century, including the Spanish Civil War, the Korean War, Vietnam and even in modern conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan.