Chinese Tokarev 9mm

[Rev Rob]

A local shop has one. Are they any good?

[LittleBob]

I have had a couple of these. They feed well. Feel a little odd when you point them, rear sight is kind of high. Have had problems with the so called safety lever on them. I usually take them off and use the gun that way until I sell them. The saftey is just an add on to get them past the requirements. The original military guns had no safeties on them. All the make shift safety dies on this gun if I remember right is to move the disconnector or sear bar where it will not release the hammer. I would take the safety lever off and carry it with the chamber empty. Or if I loaded it, I would lower the hammer and pull it back to the first click notch. I would have kept the guns I had except for the crummy safety on them. They were reliable othewise. The ones I had were made by Norinco.;)

[afweinie]

What is a good price for one in nice shape, I saw one at a pawn shop, but they never seem to have any really good deals so I'm skeptical. Thank you, af

[madhater1]

i picked up one at a pawn shop last year for $89.00

[Rev Rob]

So im seeing that $189 is too much for one?

[LittleBob]

Some years back when these were being imported in droves, the average selling price at the shows was about 120 for NIB. I have only paid about 70-80 bucks for the used ones that I picked up at shows and did not get much more for them.;)

[Pogo]

Originally posted by Rev Rob
So im seeing that $189 is too much for one?

That's slightly high for a brand new in the box. Way too high if it's used. Most of the new ones I've seen for sale lately have been around $150 - $160.

[cowdawg]

I had one for a few yrs. It was an ok little pistol, shot it alot I think about 3,000 rounds when I traded it off. Some fellow told me they would fall apart at 2,000 rounds. Well little did he know huh?
I did trade it off, I think I paid 89.00 for it nib and sold or traded it for 100.00 or around that in trade value can't recall for sure.

[JA]

The Russian TT-33 pistol was mfg. by the Chinese on machinery from Russia. It was adopted into Chinese military service as the Type 54 in 1954.
There were 4 models of the Chinese Type 54 pistols chambered for 9mm imported that I have seen the models 54,54-1,213,and TU-90.
The Blue Book lists a compact model and a hi cap mag 54-1 as being imported also but I have never heard of or seen one.
All Chinese Type 54 copies had a safety added to comply with restrictions on imports of pistols into the USA. The models 54,54-1,and 213 were imported by a couple of importers. The 54 and 54-1 were exact copies of the Type 54 pistol except for the addition of the safety. The TU-90 was imported by Navy Arms only and differed from the other models only in the type of grips on them. They had plastic wrap around grips that covered the back of the frame like on the Tokaegypt exsport model pistol from Hungary. The NA pistols also came in kits that in addition to the 9mm pistol and 2 magazines had a 7.62x25mm barrel,recoil spring,and 2- 7.62x25mm magazines. There was also a 7.62x25mm/38 Super kit.
The 9mm models 54,54-1, and TU-90 used a modified Type 54 magazine that had a spacer running the full length of the back of the inside of the magazine and a shorter follower for the 9mm cartridge which is shorter than the 7.62x25mm cartridge. These magazines are commonly refured to as the "wide" 9mm Tokarev magazines. The model 213 had a spacer pinned to the back of the magazine well. It used a completly new design/mfg. magazine sized for the 9mm cartridge. These are commonly refured to as the "narrow" 9mm Tokarev magazines.
There was also a Norinco model 213-A 9mm pistol that differed from the others in that it had a different frame that used a 14rd double stack magazine.
I own two of the model 213 and one 213-A pistols. All are 100% reliable with fmj ammo and most hollow point ammo. The small windage adjustable only sights knock it out of the target pistol class but it makes a good plinker/truck/house gun. I owned one of the TU-90 9mm pistols about 10 years ago and thought the grip was pretty comfortable.
As far as price goes $200 new in the box with all accessories. Just the pistol and one mag in perfect condition I would say $150 and go down from there depending on the condition of the pistol.

[Rev Rob]

Thanks JA that clears up allot of questions.

I rescued the Norinco 213 from the local shop and am very pleased with it. It came unfired with the thin mag with matchin ser#s.

At a gun show in Nov I found 1 and last month I could not find any. So Im happy even paying $189.

[Ezra Coli]

I got mine still slathered in cosmoline for $140 or so on Auction Arms several months ago. Deals are still out there.

[FALAK57]

Three original military versions:
1) T51: Russian parts assembled in Chinese arsenals in Manchuria. Production started in 1951.
2) T54: Domestic production; type-designated in 1954. There is no difference between T51 and T54 except marking. T54 has three Chinese characters on top of the slide (Five-Four-Type), while T51 has three characters on the left rare side of the frame (Five-One-Type)
3) M20: the most interesting variation. They were identical to T54, but were marked M20 on tope of the slide. These were made for supplying various communist insurgencies, national liberation fronts, and Viet Nam troops. It has no Chinese markings, so the the source of supplier can be denied when the weapons are cought in embarrassed situations. There are three Mxx weapons: M20: Type 54 Tokarev pistol; M21: Type 56 semi-auto rifle (SKS), and M22 (Type 56 assualt rifles, aka AK47).
Other Chinese pistols:
-- T59: Makarov pistol
-- T64: domestic design; 7.65 mm; a small pistol for police and high level military officials
-- T77: domestic design
-- T81: the most strange beast; it's a modernized Broomhandle; using stamped sheet-metal frame!
-- T91: 9mm double stacked magaine; frame made of synthetic material
None of these pistols surmised the invincible Tokarev!

[Ezra Coli]

Great info FALAK57,

So for non-military, commercial production, the T54 was made by Norinco and not marked with chinese characters? Seems the one I bought was called a T54, but import stamped, no chinese characters. I heard there is a T-99 which is the similar 9mm Tokarev, any info on that one?

[FALAK57]

Hi Ezra,
The Norinoc T54 were made for export. All military T54 had the Chinese marking as far as I know. I could be wrong, since so many T54 were made by so many arsenals to equip a 3-million-strong army and various communist insurgencies, there might be difference in markings, etc. All military T54 I had chance to examine were marked in Chinese characters (Five-Four-Type).
Regards

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by FALAK57
Hi Ezra,
The Norinoc T54 were made for export. All military T54 had the Chinese marking as far as I know. I could be wrong, since so many T54 were made by so many arsenals to equip a 3-million-strong army and various communist insurgencies, there might be difference in markings, etc. All military T54 I had chance to examine were marked in Chinese characters (Five-Four-Type).
Regards

Cool, thanks! I figured mine was a pure commercial export, but it is indeed a pretty nice pistol.

[Rev Rob]

Originally posted by Ezra Coli
Cool, thanks! I figured mine was a pure commercial export, but it is indeed a pretty nice pistol.

Took my 213 to the range. Shoots great and streight. A great Tokarev:D I like it better than the TT I used to have.