*Soviet, 1938 Dated, Tokarev TT-33 Semi-Automatic Pistol, Tula Arsenal, Matching Numbers, Old Spec Deactivated, Complete with Holster*
An excellent and highly desirable pre-war example of the iconic Soviet Tokarev TT-33, dated 1938 and manufactured at the Tula Arms Plant, retaining matching serial numbers throughout including frame, slide, barrel and magazine, and accompanied by its correct period leather holster. The pistol cocks and dry fires correctly and is deactivated to old specification, offering full mechanical interaction.
This is an early production pistol from before the pressures of wartime manufacture altered finishing standards. The machining and surface finish remain notably crisp, with sharp stampings and well-defined inspection marks throughout. The pistol presents in superb condition, particularly for a pre-WWII Soviet service sidearm.
The pistol is serial numbered дх 146, matching throughout on the left side of the frame (дх 146 ★ 1938), the top of the barrel (дх 146 ★ 1938), the slide and the magazine — a highly desirable fully matching set.
The five-pointed star stamp confirms manufacture at the Tula Arsenal, one of the principal state armaments factories supplying the Red Army. In 1938, all TT-33 production was for official military or state security issue, with no civilian market.
The black grip panels are correctly moulded with the “СССР” (commonly rendered in the West as “CCCP”) star emblem to both sides — standing for Союз Советских Социалистических Республик (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The five-pointed star was the principal symbol of the Red Army, and these grips represent the correct standard Soviet military pattern of the pre-war period.
The pistol carries multiple Soviet inspection and acceptance marks, including a boxed П (Cyrillic “P”), generally understood as a factory proof (proba) mark indicating successful testing, together with a circled inspector’s stamp (R) confirming arsenal acceptance. These markings are entirely consistent with pre-war Red Army production.
Approx. Measurements – Barrel length: 4.5 inches. Overall length: 19.5 cm. Calibre: 7.62×25mm Tokarev.
Historical Note:
The Tokarev TT-33 was adopted as the standard service pistol of the Soviet Union following self-loading pistol trials in 1931, replacing the ageing Nagant revolver. Designed by Fedor Vasilevich Tokarev and manufactured primarily at the Tula Arsenal — the two “T”s denoting Tokarev and Tula — the improved TT-33 variant was introduced in 1933 to simplify production and improve durability.
The design utilised Browning’s proven short-recoil, swinging-link system and was chambered for the powerful 7.62×25mm cartridge, selected for its penetration and compatibility with Soviet submachine guns. Original military examples notably lacked an external manual safety, reflecting Soviet emphasis on simplicity and rugged field use.
By 1938, when this pistol was produced, the Red Army was undergoing rapid expansion and modernisation amid Stalin’s rearmament programme, even as the officer corps was being reshaped by the Great Purge. TT-33 pistols were issued to officers, political commissars, armoured crews and NKVD personnel, making them both frontline and internal security sidearms during a period of profound political and military tension.
Although alternative designs were trialled, the German invasion in 1941 ensured continued wartime production of the TT-33, which remained the principal sidearm of the Red Army throughout the Second World War until its eventual replacement by the Makarov in the early 1950s
*Condition*
An extremely strong example. The metal finish remains very well preserved with honest, light handling wear only. Edges remain sharp and stampings crisp. The bore has been deactivated in accordance with specification. The grips are excellent with clear CCCP star emblems and no significant damage. The matching magazine is present and correctly numbered. Mechanically, the pistol cocks and dry fires as intended under deactivated status. A superb pre-war, matching Tula example. The accompanying leather holster remains in very good condition, structurally sound with working strap and belt loop. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
Deactivated by The Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House. Certificate dated 16/11/2005. Old specification — cocks and dry fires. No Firearms Certificate required in the UK (subject to current legislation).
Pre-WWII dated TT-33 pistols with fully matching numbers are increasingly difficult to find, particularly in this level of condition and with old specification deactivation allowing full mechanical function. A highly desirable example of an early Soviet service sidearm, representing the Red Army on the eve of the Second World War.
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