Source: The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Some small arms simply refuse to disappear into history and the Russo-Ukrainian War has seen a multitude of old infantry weapons being used by both sides. From pre-WW2 PM1910 Maxim machine-guns to WW2 Soviet PTRD-41 anti-tank rifles, both the Ukrainian forces as well as Russian Federation forces are using vintage weapons that have seen conflict for decades. In part, this is simply due to the vast quantities these weapons were made in which has seen them remain in use. For example, the Mosin-Nagant M1891 bolt-action rifle seen in use by pro-Russian separatists had been produced from 1891 to 1973 with over 37 million rifles having left Soviet factories. Another venerable small arm which was built in very large numbers and remains in service around the world is shown here in the hands of soldiers belonging to the 118th. Mechanized Brigade: the Tokarev TT-33.
The TT-33 was accepted for service by the Soviet Army in 1933 and it was a modernization of the earlier TT-30 pistol. The primary changes were to simplify manufacture (for example, using a one-piece frame) and reduce the production cost. However, the hammer/sear firing mechanism was updated to be easier to both construct and maintain. All told, some 1.6 million pistols (TT-30 and TT-33 combined) were built by Soviet manufacturers from 1930 to 1955.
Empty, the TT-33 weighs 1.9 pounds and it is chambered for the 7.62x25mm Tokarev round. However, there is a Russian civilian variant of the TT-33 chambered for the non-lethal 10x33mm self-defense cartridge. The TT-33 is a single-action pistol and uses a short recoil operated, locked breech action. There is no external safety on the TT-33 which makes keeping a round in the chamber a risky proposition. Thus, the TT-33 requires the firer to pull the slide back to chamber a round though this is not easy thanks to a stiff recoil spring. The muzzle velocity is 1,378 feet per second and the effective range is 50 yards. The TT-33 is fed from a 8-round detachable box magazine. Standard sights is a front blade and a rear notch.
The TT-33 was replaced by the 9x18mm Makarov pistol (PM) in 1951 as the Soviet military's standard pistol.
