Looking for some help - Zastava M57

[Warners]

A few years ago I bought one of the new imported Zastava M57 pistols, chambered for 7.62x25. I was super excited about the pistol and cartridge ballistics. But upon test firing the pistol, it was shooting way low, and kind of all over the place honestly, sometimes barely on the paper. I tried filing down the front sight a bit to raise the POI up a bit, but it really didn't do much. I'm a fairly good shot, having done some competitive shooting, so it's not ME. I even had a fellow shooter, also a competitive shooter, try it and same results. I'm not even sure how to troubleshoot this problem. We were thinking maybe the barrel and slide weren't locking up properly? Cracked barrel? Bad link? Any suggestions are welcome.....and maybe I'll have to bring it to a gunsmith to troubleshoot. It just sucks that I bought it new and had these issues right out of the box. I was so disappointed that I just put it away. Well, I'm back to caring if it works properly, so looking for advice now.
Gratuitous photo of said gun with Marschall grips just for fun.

Thanks in advance guys,

Warner

 

[Jim Watson]

Beats me, a friend milled down the rear sight of a Tokarev that was shooting high.
Maybe just Iron Curtain QC.

 

[Warners]

Beats me, a friend milled down the rear sight of a Tokarev that was shooting high.
Maybe just Iron Curtain QC.

Yeah, could be. Just frustrating.....

Warner

 

[5-SHOTS]

You did the right thing: file down the front sight.
Does some fully adjustable sights exist for this model?
But if the pistol is totally inaccurate then there is some major problem. Can you send it to the importer for warranty repair or total replacement of the pistol or total refund?

 

[Brin]

I have two Zastava m57's, one Military surplus and one new which has a very good safety. Both of them shoot low, on target closeup. I would suggest shooting at 50 feet and see what it does. The M57 have a .312-.313 bore. All commercial ammo is .308 which might explain why it shoots all over the place. If you are into reloading, start by determining what your bore diameter is. I shoot 32 caliber bullets in mine and thy are accurate. Just a heads up, the new m57's have a two-piece barrel and it might appear like a crack where the two come together.

 

[Snowdog]

Sorry to hear you're having these issues! The M57 is one of the better deals on the surplus market.

Before going the expensive route like hiring a smith to machine some dovetails for aftermarket sights, have you tried replacing the barrel bushing? If you were local, I'd lend you one (I have two M57s). Even a smidgen difference in muzzle orientation can make a world of difference downrange.

 

[Remington1911]

You did not bring up the ammo, if all you used was surplus I would start there.

If you tried others, what are the general views around the "quality" of those brands?

Lastly try reloading for it, you then have control of everything surrounding the "freedom seed" that you send down range. If you can't find a combo that this gun is happy with, then yea, could just be the gun.

 

[starling]

I know these Zatava Toks well. Have a few of them. They are not precisely fit pistols. Barrel, Slide, and Frame fit is pretty loose. Would love to have aftermarket oversized barrels that could be fitted (like 1911s) but there has never been anything like this out there for Tokarevs. Pretty sad as you cant ever really get the full benefit of the range for the 7.62x25 and I have never seen a smith that was a Tokarev accurizer specialist. If you really want more Accuracy with 7.62x25 try and shoot a CZ52 if you get the chance. Tokarev is a more robust design but the CZ is more accurate. Best not to use super hot loads in the CZ though.

Really stinks there are not more pistols designed in the cartridge. It could be done with a Tokarev but you are going to need the skills of a welder and machinist to get the barrel lockup better dialed in. A good 1911 builder could do it if they had the desire.

 

[TTv2]

Mine has the same issue. I don't think it's anything mechanically wrong with them, they're actually well made for the money, but Zastava just doesn't care to change the sights or make the rear adjustable.

You could try to find or make a taller rear sight.

The front sight is so short there's not enough to file to make a difference, so unless you go with an even taller rear sight the only solution is to get an IDPA target and aim for the head and see where the bullets go. If they hit center mass or close, you've found a solution.

I'm eventually going to try reloading for the 7.62x25, I have the Lee die set, so maybe different ammo will help and I will try finding data for 100 grain bullets, heavier bullets should raise the POI.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I will try finding data for 100 grain bullets, heavier bullets should raise the POI.

Heavier bullets will usually shoot lower, not higher. If you can catch them in stock, Grafs & Sons carries a PPU 85gr hp that shoots fairly well in my M57 and in my Cz52.

 

[starling]

the front sight on a typical milspec Tokarev tt33 is not very high to begin with. On the Zastava it seams really short because they leave extra material on the slide to have enough material to cut in a dovetail. Its possible your had a 9mm front sight on it by mistake as the 9mm variant front sight is taller. QC is pretty Lax on these commercial versions so they often benefit from some work over if you can get your mind around the system. Tokarevs can have very acceptional triggers with a little work. Ive built a bunch of Toks through the years and the Zastavas are always the most work. They turn out pretty nice when done though. I bit better steel used than the commercial Norincos.

Tokarevs are one of my favorite all time designs. If your not familiar with the safety system word of warning. You never want to have the hammer down with the safety off. A blow to the hammer will set off the primer. There is also no half cock on Commercial Zastavas. The slide mounted safeties are very good though when in the safety ON position.

Keep it greased up. Tokarevs dont like to be run dry and as pretty as the outside is on Zasatavas the internals have pretty rough tooling. Cheap white lithium grease works as well as anything on Toks. Oil doesnt do as well.

If your slide doesnt lock back consistently on the LRHO its a mislocation of the match catch on the frame. Seems like maybe 50% of my frames have had slightly off mag catch drilling.

Once you dial everything in they hold up well. The design is very robust and durable. Basically a simplified 1911 but scaled down and very thin. Very carry friendly in terms of comfort but the safe opperation is a bit outside the box.

 

[TTv2]

Heavier bullets will usually shoot lower, not higher. If you can catch them in stock, Grafs & Sons carries a PPU 85gr hp that shoots fairly well in my M57 and in my Cz52.

I already have that PPU ammo, I don't use milsurp Tok ammo because it's not as available as it was 30 years ago and it never will be again, so modern factory is the best to get for Tok's these days.

As for the heavier bullet I find they shoot higher in my guns.

 

[Hugger-4641]

As for the heavier bullet I find they shoot higher in my guns.

That's odd to me, but it might be the heavier bullets are sealing in the bore better. Have you chronographed any of them?

 

[TTv2]

That's odd to me, but it might be the heavier bullets are sealing in the bore better. Have you chronographed any of them?

I've only shot factory 85gr stuff and I'm saying my SPP's for other calibers and the bullet I want to use in the 7.62x25 is a Speer .30 Carbine bullet, but Speer doesn't want to make them anymore.