The video opens with two hosts laying out several Tokarev-family pistols on the table, explaining that one is most familiar with Polish examples while the other has more experience with Romanian variants. They give a concise history of the Tokarev design, crediting Fedor Tokarev and describing the Soviet adoption of the TT-30 in 1930, followed by the simplified TT-33. This core design then spread across countries within the Soviet sphere of influence. The Chinese Type 54 is introduced as a very faithful reproduction of the Russian TT-33, chambered in 7.62x25 Tokarev and using an eight-round single-stack detachable magazine. The hosts describe the necked-down 7.62x25 cartridge and the Browning-inspired short recoil, linked-barrel system. They emphasize that original Tokarevs lacked a manual safety and were intended to be carried on half-cock, but U.S. import requirements led to added safeties. On this Chinese Type 54, that requirement appears as a Glock-style blade safety built into the trigger while retaining single-action operation and the classic slim Tokarev profile.
Attention shifts to a Romanian TT33/TTC pistol, which arrives bagged and well-oiled, contrasting with the Chinese “Black Star” style grips seen earlier. The Romanian grips are plainer, but the overall finish is praised as glistening and attractive. To satisfy U.S. import rules, this pistol has a permanently frame-drilled manual safety, rather than the trigger-blade style used on the Chinese Type 54. Both pistols remain single-stack, single-action designs with a notably slim grip, making them easy to hold despite their military origins. The hosts compare the Tokarev layout to a “Russian 1911,” pointing out similarities in how the barrel and slide interact and the clear influence of John Moses Browning’s concepts. They highlight that, while the Tokarev is mechanically simpler than a 1911, it shares that classic locked-breech, short-recoil heritage. This segment underscores how different countries implemented import safeties while preserving the core TT-33 ergonomics and shooting characteristics.
The focus moves to Serbian Zastava variants, starting with the M57, which stretches the Tokarev pattern with a longer grip and a nine-round magazine, offering extra capacity over the standard eight-round TT-33. The hosts then present the smaller Zastava M70 pistol, immediately noting how much more compact it is compared to a full-size Tokarev. The M70 is chambered in .32 ACP (7.65 Browning), feeds from an eight-round single-stack magazine, and remains a single-action design. Unlike the retrofitted import safeties on earlier pistols, the M70 features a factory side safety lever reminiscent of a scaled-down CZ75-style control, giving it a more modern feel. Both Zastava pistols arrive heavily coated in cosmoline, making them sticky and somewhat unpleasant to handle on camera. However, the hosts stress that this thick preservative likely means the guns will be in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition once thoroughly cleaned with something like mineral spirits or similar degreasing methods.
The discussion broadens to the entire Tokarev family, noting that many countries produced their own versions, including Poland and various Zastava models. The hosts mention Zastava’s 9mm Tokarev variant, the M88A, which is still in production, and position the M70 as part of this evolutionary line of compact service and police pistols. They compare surplus conditions, observing that Chinese examples often look cosmetically rougher due to their finish, while Romanian pistols tend to arrive in particularly nice shape. Overall, the Tokarev family is praised for arriving in high surplus condition once cosmoline is removed. The hosts speculate about what a modernized Tokarev might look like, imagining features such as an accessory rail and optics cut while retaining the classic silhouette. To close, they invite viewers to comment on which surplus pistol families they want covered in future videos and to mention any Tokarev-issuing countries not discussed. They float the idea of a “surplus pistol showdown” episode and end with a lighthearted reminder about keeping fingers clean from cosmoline.
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