7.62x25mm Tokarev Ammo

History of 7.62x25mm Tokarev Ammunition

7.62x25mm Tokarev is an interesting cartridge, the roots of which stretch back over 115 years. Although the 7.62x25mm Tokarev was officially adopted and named by the Russian military in 1930, it was preceded by the 7.63 Mauser cartridge. The 7.63 Mauser was introduced in 1896 by the famed German arms manufacturer Mauser along with the C-96 pistol, known more commonly as the "Broomhandle Mauser." Both 7.62x25mm Tokarev and 7.63 Mauser share identical dimensions and generally identical operating pressures, with some 7.62x25 loads being hotter than average. Several years before the 7.63 Mauser came the .30 Borchardt, which was loaded to lower pressures.

All of these cartridges share the same characteristics - a bottlenecked case, shorter than almost all rifle cases but longer than most pistol cases, .30 caliber projectiles, and high muzzle velocities. Modern 7.62x25mm Tokarev ammunition made by Sellier & Bellot is specified as being loaded with an 85 grain bullet traveling at 1646 feet per second out of a 4.7" barrel. Other commercial loads in this caliber propel similar 85 grain FMJ bullets at velocities of 1400 to 1500 feet per second.

Firearms chambered in 7.62x25mm Tokarev, or 7.62 Tok, include the Russian TT-33 pistol and its Chinese Type 51/Type 54 copy, Russian submachine guns including the PPsh-41 and its Chinese Type 50 copy, the PPD-40 and PPS-43, PP-19 Bizon-2-07, Yugoslav M56 SMG, and Czech firearms including the Sa vz.48b SMG and famous Vz.52 (CZ-52) pistol. In addition, many other firearms have been converted to fire 7.62x25mm Tokarev, including the Russian Mosin-Nagant rifle, American Colt 1911 handgun and French MAT-49 submachine gun.