The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Title says it all. I've held off getting one given the availability of finding 7.62x25 anymore and have been looking at 9mm options (M88a and M70a).

I'm looking at this or the new M88a in 9mm. I was able to look at an M88a locally and like the small size while being just big enough to fit well in my hand. But I keep coming back to picking up one in the original caliber. It sounds like the fit should be similar, with a slightly longer barrel and a little difference around the hammer.

I had a wrist operation that makes shooting larger calibers and heavier guns more difficult. I don't think I'd have a problem with an M57 if I could get ammo locally. At one time they sold a conversion kit for them to change them out to 9mm, but I can't find one. It would probably be cheaper to just pick up another in 9mm.

I had a M57 in 7.62 and ended up selling it. The longer grip felt better in my hand, but the trigger was not nearly as good as my Romanian or Polish TTs. I just didn't get good groups, and why keep it if I'd rather shoot the other two. I have a 9mm barrel that drops right into the Polish TT, and the Romanian one is my favorite 7.62 shooter. Removing the aftermarket safety also didn't do anything to improve the trigger pull on the M57 for me. Others have had luck doing trigger jobs, but I didn't bother.

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I've thought about the 9mm conversion but can't find a barrel. So if I don't like it I'd probably look at the m88a. The ammo availability is the bigger concern. It's easier to find Nagant. I guess you can't blow through that as easily.

What the heck, someone emailed me in response to my WTB locally and I ended up with an M57, 3 mags, a really nice leather holster, and 100 rounds of Tokarev for less than the price of the M88a I was eyeing. It's in very good condition. A little harder to work than the M88a, but I'll tear it down and lube it up before coming to any conclusions. I'll have to keep my eye out for 9mm parts. I may have a line on some surplus Tokarev locally too which would keep me going for the near future. Strange that it popped up when I started thinking about it again.

The magazines are unique t those pistols. If it comes with 3 mags, ammo & pistol & the price is right why not?

I figured for $250 with all the extras it was worth a shot. It's hard to find them with leather holsters, cleaning rods, landyards and ammo to try it out. Ammo is still out there, but getting slimmer so if I don't get this local deal on some surplus, I'll pick up some online to have it.

I just picked up a Norinco version of this in 7.62x25. It came with the 9mm conversion barrel as well. I have shot it with the 9mm barrel, and it functioned flawlessly with the original 7.62 magazine. If you can find the barrel, I highly recommend it. I dont know what it is about these tt33 copies, but they are so nice to shoot. As for ammo, I got a die set off of GB a while back, and I plan to load some 70 grain 32acp bullets. I hope they work out. I also have some very hard cast lead bullets I want to try. I have had luck with bullets like this in the past with semiauto pistols. The guy who pours the bullets for me has a system for fast cooling of the bullets that makes them harden so much you cant dig your thumbnail into the lead. This makes them go up the feed ramp easier. I suppose this should posted be in the reloading section.....

I figured worst case I could save the brass and get supplies for a friend I have with a reloading setup. I might be able to talk him in to letting me do a couple hundred at a time. I checked online and found brass and bullets still available in 7.62. So long term reloading is another option to a barrel conversion.

For now I may have some surplus coming at a reasonable price.

I know why it's hard to work. The barrel has what looks like cosmoline in it and it's poking out of every crack. The barrel looks new and un-fired. I'll take it apart, clean it up a little and lube up the important parts. Then take some photos. It fits my hand just like the M88a but with the longer barrel it is nose heavy by comparison.

That just means I'll probably end up with both.

I have a Romanian TT-33 and the new Zastava Tokarev clone in 9mm. The 7.62 has more snap to it.

I have one but I regret that I've never fired that one either....

Jumperwire wrote:I have one but I regret that I've never fired that one either....

For those members that do not know, Jump has the most spectacular collection of Finnish rifles in most of the known world. He has never had the pleasure of putting finger to trigger on any of them. This is not meant to slam Jump in any way, it is mentioned here only to show the intestinal fortitude of this man and his toys.

Longcolt44 wrote:

Jumperwire wrote:I have one but I regret that I've never fired that one either....

For those members that do not know, Jump has the most spectacular collection of Finnish rifles in most of the known world. He has never had the pleasure of putting finger to trigger on any of them. This is not meant to slam Jump in any way, it is mentioned here only to show the intestinal fortitude of this man and his toys.

I cleaned it up last night and it made a big difference. There wasn't much cosmoline but it was in all the wrong places. So with this cold weather it was gumming things up. A soak in mineral spirits, a brush down, and lube with a low temperature gun grease and I could easily work it. It's a little stiff but doesn't look used so it should break in.

Anyone willing to part with a case of ammo they hoarded for less than the price of new?

I forgot to mention the magazines. I loaded each and 2 of them loaded hard and only 8 rounds. I noticed the spring looked funny at the bottom so I unloaded them and poked inside with a small screwdriver. The top of the springs rotated and released into their proper positions. Then they loaded up 9 rounds much easier. One catches somewhere when installing it so it takes a tap on the bottom.

The fun is looking, getting them up to operating condition and of course shooting them.

InOmaha wrote:I figured worst case I could save the brass and get supplies for a friend I have with a reloading setup. I might be able to talk him in to letting me do a couple hundred at a time. I checked online and found brass and bullets still available in 7.62. So long term reloading is another option to a barrel conversion.

For now I may have some surplus coming at a reasonable price.

If you reload and keep the velocity down a hard cast bullet will save you money as well. Even if you have to use gas checks you will be ahead unless you get a huge discount on a bulk purchase.

I might have to keep my eye out for a used entry level reloading set. Then pick up more surplus 7.62x54r and Nagant while it's readily available and dies for the three. Not that I get a chance to shoot a lot so 600-1000 rounds would last me years. I'll try to get up to ~>1000 in each and go from there.

People with spams cans of 7.62x25 are asking roughly the same price as new from prvi or S&B by the time you factor in shipping. If Copes Distributing had some new in stock I'd add another case of 54r to 200-300 rounds of Tokarev and call it good for now. I'm not a blaster so when I'm out shooting I tend to take my time shoot less than others.

I'm patient and good at tracking stuff down, so eventually I'll run across what I need to keep going. Otherwise I'll load it myself.

It's a good idea to disassemble the magazines also and clean them well inside, then lightly oil the inside and the spring. It also gives you the chance to make sure the spring is in propery and working smoothly. I have found dirt and sand in my magazine from my CZ52

That sounds like a good price. AIM has another batch in at $169 but that is with one mag and no accessories. Once you get the reloading dies you can make 7.62x25 brass from .223 casings.

I bought a 9mm barrel, bushing, and slide spring for my M57. They came off an M70a so it should be drop in compatibility. The package came with enough extra parts in the box off of several guns that I may recoup a large part of the cost (and may even break even) if I can sell those off. I'll get some dummy rounds in 7.62 and 9mm to test feeding in both configurations before I go out the first time.

I'll measure all the parts and pieces but from what I read online everything should fall into place as the M70a is the same as the M57 except for the barrel, bushing, spring, smaller mags, and pinned in mag spacer on the frame. All indications are that the 7.62x25 mags work with 9mm if you keep the rounds to the front as you load. I'll use 7.62x25 when I can, but when it's in shorter supply, I'll be able to plink away with cheaper 9mm that I can pick up almost anywhere.

This thread will get some photos with a short write up of the conversion when I get the chance. It should be an easy 5 min switch back and forth between the two configurations. The M70a is not C&R so by the time I bought one had it shipped, paid for transfer, etc., I'd have been in it for about 3 times the price; so this seems like a good deal, while being able to use both calibers.