I was deciding what I should start carrying when my ccw permit comes through, and my options aren't great. A .22 mini revolver, a.45/.410 revolver (too wide and heavy), and a Yugo M57 Tokarev. Looks like the Tok is winnig until I can justify a 10 or .45 or something ...

Does anyone have any experience or advice for my particular "carry what you got" problem?

Carry what you until you get something better. beats a rock.

There is nothing wrong with the Tokarev. I would feel just as well armed with the Tokarev as I would with a 9mm especially when loaded with hollowpoint bullets.

Hollow points would be almost a neccesity, or at least soft points, with the kind of penetration the round gets. I would be worried that I would shoot through the threat and into a bus of orphins behind him with ball ammo. I should probably research terminal ballistics before I pick a bullet for carry reloading.

If you handload I think that Hornady make an 83 grain soft point bullet specifically for the Tokarev.

My objection to it as a PDW would be not the cartridge, in terms of lack of velocity or penetration, but that both the Tokarev and the Czech VZ-52 have excessive muzzle blast and flash.

I have a 1941 Russian Tokarev and I'd also be concerned that as it cannot be carried "cocked and locked"...it has no safety catch it must either be carried "cocked and UNLOCKED" or with the hammer at half cock.

This last meaning that you are effectively starting from what is called "Condition Two"?

OK if you are going to be able tohave sufficient space or response time to an attack or assault but otherwise maybe a second or so delay when you have neither the space or time to cock the weapon.

Do the Yugo ones, as imported into USA have a safety catch then?

Bottom line is are you serious about your self-defence or merely just wanting a CCW?

I'd have thought that even a cheap S & W Airweight Model 37 would be a better opion than a Tokarev if, lacking a safety catch, it couldn't be carried "cocked and locked".

I do undrstand the limitations of carrying most Tokarevs in condition 1, but it is safe (so far as I know) on the Yugos. One of the differences between it and the TT-style models is a more 1911 style thumb safety was added for import (also 9+1 and slightly easier takedown). I do notice that if I set it with the hammer down, the hammer moves back slightly. Whether this will always block it from contacting the firng pin, I'm not sure, but I cannot push it forward any.

As to my purposes, I don't foresee "needing" a gun to defend myself at any point, but as an Eagle scout it's always good to be prepared.

quote:

As to my purposes, I don't foresee "needing" a gun to defend myself at any point, but as an Eagle scout it's always good to be prepared

Most people who need them say the same thing.