TOZ-36 and TOZ-49: Soviet Gas-Seal Target Revolvers

[Bob Riebe]

https://www.forgottenweapons.com/toz-36-and-toz-49-soviet-gas-seal-target-revolvers/

These two revolvers were developed for competitive sport shooting in the Soviet Union. They are usually described as variants of the Model 1895 Nagant, but they actually work on a different mechanism, despite both being gas-seal designs. The TOZ-36 was designed in 1962, and it was a single action, six-shot revolver in 7.62x38mmR – the standard Nagant revolver cartridge. It was made until 1975, and in 1977 it was supplanted by the TOZ-49. That was essentially the same design, but chambered for 7.62x26mmR – a shorter version of the gas-seal cartridge. The TOZ-49 was made until the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Both models are quite accurate, and also quite rare to find in the United States.