New Production M57 Tokarev Review

[plouffedaddy]

http://i.imgur.com/H7YqTwul.jpg


The Zastava M57s are coming to market below $250 several places and I've had mine for a while so I figured I'd write up a review for those considering one...

Pros:
-It's been 100% reliable so far
-Newly built guns; not surplus
-Price
-M57 Tok variants have 9x round mags vs the standard 8 rounders (comes with 2 mags)
-Think profile for those who plan on carrying it
-CHF barrel
-Drift adjustable sights
-Actually has a functional safety as opposed to the original versions
-The round can defeat light body armor

Cons:
-Tooling marks
-Round is still relatively expensive
-Over-penetration can be an issue

Here's my full review of the pistol as well as a comparison with the original M57:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyyVsnlu-a4

[teutonicpolymer]

No way in hell would I ever carry a Tokarev but it looks like a fun range gun ignoring the fact that the ammo is expensive. Thoughts on the 9mm version? Seems like it would make more sense.

[plouffedaddy]

No way in hell would I ever carry a Tokarev but it looks like a fun range gun ignoring the fact that the ammo is expensive. Thoughts on the 9mm version? Seems like it would make more sense.

I suppose it just comes down to preference and if you want a bunch of mags. The x25 mags are more plentiful but obviously in America the 9mm is cheaper. Canada and some Euro countries are still swimming in surplus ammo though....

[Dump1567]

Looks good. I'll check one out at SHOT. I'm a sucker for single stacks.

[Coal Dragger]

Had some clown at Cabela's try to push one of these on me. Even though I specifically asked to look at a VP-9. I humored him and looked at it, then told him no thanks, and repeated my first request. He then informed me that the VP-9 would melt in a fire, which I'll keep in mind next time I decide to store a firearm in a fireplace, or oven, or furnace, or camp fire. I tried to point out to this moron that a house fire or other source of heat that is hot enough to melt a polymer frame would also likely ruin the temper in most all steel guns ruining them as well. This went completely over his head.

Why do gun shops insist on hiring morons?

[MountainRaven]

Had some clown at Cabela's try to push one of these on me. Even though I specifically asked to look at a VP-9. I humored him and looked at it, then told him no thanks, and repeated my first request. He then informed me that the VP-9 would melt in a fire, which I'll keep in mind next time I decide to store a firearm in a fireplace, or oven, or furnace, or camp fire. I tried to point out to this moron that a house fire or other source of heat that is hot enough to melt a polymer frame would also likely ruin the temper in most all steel guns ruining them as well. This went completely over his head.

Why do gun shops insist on hiring morons?

You get what you pay for and you pay for what you get. And gun shops don't generally like to pay very much.

[Coal Dragger]

This is very true.

[nova3930]

The new prod tok has been added to my want list for the collection.


Had some clown at Cabela's try to push one of these on me. Even though I specifically asked to look at a VP-9. I humored him and looked at it, then told him no thanks, and repeated my first request. He then informed me that the VP-9 would melt in a fire, which I'll keep in mind next time I decide to store a firearm in a fireplace, or oven, or furnace, or camp fire. I tried to point out to this moron that a house fire or other source of heat that is hot enough to melt a polymer frame would also likely ruin the temper in most all steel guns ruining them as well. This went completely over his head.

Why do gun shops insist on hiring morons?

You never know when a firefighter might get attacked in a burning building. The ability to operate flawlessly at 1500 degrees Fahrenheit is an important feature of a proper defensive pistol.... :rolleyes:

[ezveedub]

My new production M57 is nice, but it's not as smooth when operating the slide compared to my re-arsenaled M57 I had before it. The new one needs some breaking in, but the old one felt like it had a tighter tolerances and was smooth. Tooling marks are noticeable on the new M57s for sure.

[spdldr]

It may be that this has been changed, but the original Toks do not have an inertia firing pin like a 1911 or Browning HP. So hammer down on a loaded round may be dangerous. The same applies to the Makarovs. Carry these guns with an empty chamber or the safety on. When these guns were being used, general military practice was to carry them with an empty chamber or, possibly in the case of the Makarov, with the safety on.