For the most part, my students didn’t have the cash to buy new firearms for their defense. If a family member didn’t come through with an heirloom that had been tucked away in an attic or cellar for a few decades, then they usually purchased a used gun on the so-called surplus market.
What was the best bang for their bucks? Soviet designs!
TOKAREV TT-33
I wasn’t too pleased when I was first confronted with this firearm. It fired a very small bullet that was pushed up to screaming velocities, well in to the Magnum range of power. It was a handful, to be sure. It also seemed to be cheaply made, with a tiny set of sights that were almost impossible to use due to the dark finish of the weapon.
Know what? It was cheaply made! But it was also accurate, rugged as all get out, and was reliable. All of those are things that should be looked for in a self defense firearm.
The accuracy, reliability, and punch was all due to the cartridge used. Small bullet, very high muzzle velocity, and bottle-nosed shape. What wasn’t to like?
Actually, the teensy size of the bullet was a problem. It meant that the round had very serious penetration, something that was not wanted when employed in an urban setting as overpenetration is always a problem. It also meant that the holes made in the hide of the bad guys were so small that it took longer for incapacitation due to blood loss to take effect. Since blood loss is the only reliable factor so far as ending a violent criminal attack is concerned, this caused me to be concerned.
Still, it was an option for my students who wanted Magnum level authority, but couldn’t afford anything else.
MAKAROV
The gun which replaced the Tokarev. Issued to, well, just about everyone in Communist countries. Police, the military, internal security. These handguns pretty much were all over the place.
It seems that the Soviets found the recoil, noise, and muzzle blast of the Tokarev to be a problem, so they went the other way. The Makarov was intended to be chambered for a rather anemic round, but one that is still powerful enough to be employed for defense. Smaller than the gun it replaced, the Mak is suited for concealed carry.
Quality of the guns found on the surplus market is all over the map. Sometimes you get a good handgun, other times the manufacturing process left much to be desired. This is due to the fact that just about every Communist country made their own, and quality control varied widely depending on the level of the local machining.
Still, these guns have served many people concerned about armed self defense pretty well. The biggest problem I encountered is that some of my students would insist on using the military style leather holster that came with the gun for their concealed carry needs. It proved to be problematic at time to find a way to rig it under their clothes.
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