Zastava M57a 7.62x25mm Tokarev Pistol 4.5" Barrel Blued 9 Round

The 7.62X25mm Tokarev was developed in the Soviet Union by Fedor Tokarev for the semiautomatic pistol that bears his name. Introduced in 1930, the 7.62X25mm is a high-velocity bottlenecked pistol cartridge that is very similar to the 7.63mm Mauser, a favorite of the Red Army. They are similar enough that 7.63mm Mauser ammunition may be safely fired in Tokarev pistols, but not the reverse because military 7.62X25mm Tokarev ammunition was loaded to higher pressure for use in submachineguns. Current loads for the 7.62X25mm use a .30-caliber (.308-inch) bullet of 87 grains at a speedy 1390 fps. Although not known for knockdown power, the high velocity of the 7.62X25mm gives it an extended effective range. Surplus Tokarevs have been readily available, as is inexpensive commercial ammuntion. — Craig Boddington