Different Isn't Always Better - Czech Vz.52 & Russian TT33 Pistols Compared 

Vz 52 the most beautiful, ugly thing I’ve ever owned a blast to shoot, literally big flames at night Basketball size and w the set up you can shoot hot heavy rounds Unlike any other handgun in its class. Replace firing pin Don’t use decocker and you’ve got a great firearm w awesome history

Shoutout to the cat at 5:59

Wow I've had a CZ52 since 1995, I replaced the firing pin and rollers with Harrington parts years ago, never had a problem.

Great video Misha! Keep up the great work and my very best wishes for the upcoming year!

I own both guns... let’s just say the Tokarev is easily the better choice for CC. The CZ52 gets props for using a roller delayed blowback system, a system that’s more tailor-made for rifles. The CZ52 works, the recoil is pretty low, and has a very robust mechanism but its relatively heavy weight, awkward magazine insertion, and comparatively stiff controls make this gun rather unwieldy for CC. You won’t win any drawing contests with it, either.

I always learn something from watching your videos Misha. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

This is what Han Solo would carry as a backup piece to his blaster. So gangster!

I always learn from you before I decide which C&R firearm to purchase. You sir are the Wikipedia of You Tube. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

My brother brought back a ChiCom Chinese Tokarev from Vietnam. My dad kept it for years for him. It was missing the pin catch on the right side until my brother got it fixed. In 1983, I found a box of 7.63mm Mauser pistol ammo, they looked the closest to the little bottleneck rounds that my brother brought a couple of small boxes back with the ChiCom. The rounds fired ok... or so we thought... they were loud as hell, and the spent bottleneck rounds bulged at the neck a little... but they fed, fired, and ejected just fine. Regards, Misha

I think VZ52 has one of the best shape of all pistols, it's so sexy. It's like functionalism in architecture. :-)

I have seen a few tokarevs with their issues as well - to me the 52 is as weird and wonderful as they come- keep up the great vids!

Like this gentleman reviews

Yugo tok is a beast. Thanks for the vids, Misha.

You should show your cat more often I love cats they're the best. I also love your channel keep up the good work and greetings from Slovenia

I've always had an affinity with the vz52 and it's roller lock up. Whatever you do don't dry fire this piece. On the striker ( firing pin) there is a little nub that hits the primer and will easily break off if dry fired. There are aftermarket remedies for this as in a much stouter replacement striker. Still it's just a very different design and a must have for the collector. Great report Misha and cat.🐈

How come the Czechs were coerced into using 7.62x25 Tokarev and 7.62x39 but were allowed to keep using .32 ACP for the VZ 61 Scorpion and VZ 50 and 70 pistols?

Misha, it was nice to hear someone address the thin area of the chamber. On the forums, you still hear the old rumor that the "Vz. 52 was made super strong to shoot some ultra hot submachine gun ammo", yet an extensive test I read about showed that the '52 would actually fail sooner than a Broomhandle Mauser when firing increasingly overcharged loads of 7.62x25, and the Tokarev design would outlast them both. Of course that speaks largely because the Broomhandle is made for a lower pressure round all together... I am not sure why the Czechs went with such a brittle, cast firing pin on the '52, but it isn't a big deal to shooters today since we can easily replace them with NOS originals or even proper machined and heat treated modern ones. Still a very fun gun to shoot and reload for, and a cool unique design.

I'd like to see the reassembly of the tokarev TT.

The only documentation I've ever found about known problems with the Vz.52 pistol was regarding the firing pins being weak with the caveat that they're fine as long as you don't dry fire. All those other problems I've never read or heard anything about so this is new to me.

Thanks for the video. I'm going to try to buy that TT-33 from you (The other TT-33 you have for sale).

Great informative videos that i TRUST. i have an M70a,and while its 9 mm,i love this thing. If only there were good sights.

You’re spot on Misha. I wanted to like the ‘52 more than I do. Even after replacing rollers and firing pin it’s unergonomic and not too fun to shoot. However, with limited options for going through the 7.62x25 stockpile I keep it around. And I certainly can still enjoy the unique aesthetics.

My friend had a vz52 and ze loved it.

That vz52 looks weird but you held it up long enough for me to see some charm in its wonky appearance, the angels are interesting & i like it for the fact that eastern euro guns are so unique. Great video

I love that tshirt. Where do I get one?

Hello I have another ? About your firearm collection... I recently bought a yugo m70aa, a 9mm version of The tokerav but longer grip then the normal tokerav. My model holds 9 9mm cartridges. The only problem I am running into are the mags are extremely hard to find. I was really hoping you might have a m70aa from Yugoslavia. If so I was wondering if you could tell me if a Walther p38 magazine will fit in the m70aa.... I've seen some of your walther firearms and was hoping you might be able to answer my question... I've seen in some people's comment section on youtube, that a p38 mag will go into the yugo M70a but need to file out the magazine catch notch on the correct spot to make it work...any help would be greatly appreciated Thank you, Steve

Why no mention that you can carry the CZ52 cocked and locked? I love mine, accurate and so far 100% dependable

vz 52 barrel and spring come out real easy if you use the mag as a tool

Cz's roller lock system is seems like g3 system isn't it? But I guess this system weak for gun torture test. I saw that in some videos about g3. I wonder that those who speak about t33 have said about magazine release button problem. Do you know anything about it? My prefer is tt33 too but I like cz' s desing. I don't know who was started this trend but Makarov, ppk and cz' s desings are so similar. Ppk and makarov smooth, small and practical but I cant say same thing about cz. And Sure, thank you very much for this successful video.

The roller system is far sperior.

Mishaco, I just picked up a 1941 Russian TT33 with no import marks or external Safety Added. Is there a way I can send you photos - can you share any knowledge you have. The Serial Number is Two Cyrillic letters followed by four numbers. Grip panels have the Star with CCCP on both sides. Top of the slide has the serial number again, also what looks like a small STAR and then the year 1941. Thank you.

Vz is more estetic

You should recognize that the Czech also intended to shoot in their Vzor 52's the same ammo as they made for their subs and carbines, which was definitely much hotter. I think that was an over estimate of the guns durability, although it's very VERY strong action regardless. I shoot 7.5 grain charges of Power Pistol in my tokarev load, very scary to everyone else but I know it'll handle it just fine.

LifeSizePotato has a video on a Delta AR Top Gun (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-spYbOks31OU.html) which uses the VZ 52's roller lock operating system.

Comrade Misha, huge respect to your channel and your profound historical knowledge! Based on my historical knowledge, Russia did not really want to institute communism in the eastern Europe. The true reason to take over those little countries was to make a buffer against the "Unthinkable" plan. Czechoslovakia along with the other small countries forcefully became Axis's allies during the war and invaded Soviet Union in 1941, as you know. To avoid that to happen again, Stalin just kept those weak and defenseless countries as a buffer. An action which any good chess player would take. For example Hungarians became notorious for their cruelty towards the Soviet civilians in 1941-1942 and were almost entirely exterminated for that reason by the Red Army under the City of Voronezh. Very few Hungarian prisoners were taken.

I have a vz 50, love it

Strakonice is pronounced "STRA-KO-NEETZ-A", but still a nice video.

I keep asking you this same question off and on lol. When are you going to set up a patreon account? Your channel is worth supporting and your efforts deserve at least a token of our appreciation. Your channel is a very, very valuable resource for us milsurp addicts. :) Your channel is growing and RU-vid pays you nothing. I know the channel costs you guys money to maintain.

My Tokarev tt-33 has sprung apart more times than I want to remember, even had the hammer assembly fall apart once. Every thing back together now with out any tools needed. Having said that, the genius of the Russian guns is second to none. I’ve put thousands of surplus corrosive rounds down range without any issues, and several range buddies have since bought a tok after experiencing it. Great review Mishaco.

Is it feasible to shoot 7.63 Mauser in one instead of the hotter Tokarev round?

Different is never better. The crowd is always stronger than one dude. There's a little cowardice in that conformity, though. Let's be real here.

It's Brno, not Bruno.

Cat at 6:00 min she or he is Awesome!

In Czechoslovakia Communist party won elections.. People actually voted for them for real.. So indepedent from USSR.. We were not same, and didnt try to be.. Our guns were and are better than most of the crap russians made.. That apply for cars, bikes.. For example Jawa Motorcycle, best at its time 40s-50s.. Sure they were stucks in 60s 70s cuz commies rather cars.. but they were still better than russian ones... Same for guns.. In Czech rep. I have shot all of these.. Czech are better.. Vz. 58 is better, Vz. 52 are better.. And so on.. Most of what you say about fighting communism, I dont belive you actually belive that but the ruling party was litterally Comunist Party of Czechoslovakia.. NO! we didnt fight communism till 89.. We just didnt like russian stuff and becouse our nation has history with exelent firearms we made our own.. Not to protest USSR, only cuz we had people, industry to made better stuff..

Disregard I didn't know he had a disability I apologize

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