The TT-33 and Soviet Bloc varients, as well as the Czech CZ-52 pistol, take what I opine is the World’s most under appreciated sidearm round, the bottle-necked 7.62 X 25mm or .30 Tokarev.
It is based on the earlier .30 Mauser round developed for the Mauser M1896 “Broomhandle” pistol which was the most powerful military sidearm of it’s day.
Several submachine guns were also chambered for the .30 Tok, including the notorious PPSH “buzz-saw” used in the Korean War. Apparently they still show up over in Afghanistan from time to time.
Muzzle velocity for this round is typically around 1650 FPS with a 90-grain bullet out of the sidearm for 550 foot pounds of energy. I think that it is the most powerful sidearm cartridge commonly issued in anyone’s military.
With military hardball ammo it will penetrate like an ice pick; it has been demonstrated to defeat current issue kevlar helmets and most common body armor.
It will reputedly shatter the engine block of most vehicles and quickly disable them.
I call my CZ-52 my “Pocket carbine”.
In combat it tends to over penetrate, transfering little of it’s significant energy to the target unless it hits major bone mass, and posing considerable risk to collaterals.
Some of the Southern boys like it for hunting wild boars.
The Russians abandoned the TT-33 after WW-II because it was “too powerful”. That’s what I’ve read anyway.
For KGB use the .30 Tok being a supersonic round does not suppress all that well, making discrete disappearances and liquidations a little messy perhaps.
The “Russian Mafia” reputedly favors the Tokarev for settling accounts - which it will do quite decisively.
The 9X18mm Makarov that replaced it is the most powerful cartridge that can be practically used in a straight blowback action pistol, which the Makarov and the CZ-82 are.
I love my little CZ-82 and it is my regular CWP carry piece. With it’s polygonal bore (like a Glock) it is amazingly accurate for a little pocket popper. With it’s M-1911 style controls, 12 round magazine and fine workmanship I prefer it over the Mak, although the Maks have their cult followings and are very good for what they were designed to do.
The 9X18 is what I consider a minimum defensive round, but with a 12 round rack and double action, the little CZ-82 tends to make up for it’s shortcomings.
I’ m not impressed by any 9mm for military use, but that’s the PC round these days, and I’m Old school.
The Spetznaz probably gets these with threaded barrels for suppression along with a few other tricks the average Grunt won’t see.
I was careful to stock up on a bunch of Bulgarian milsurp along with conventional S&B FMJ. The Bulgarian stuff is Berdan primed, nasty and corrosive. Fits the bill for tough-hided customers. Just means that I’ve got to clean the TTC as soon as possible after shooting that stuff through it.
S&B also makes some nice JHP, too.
BTW, my TTC is almost as old as I am - date stamped 1953.
Actually the Spanish Astra 400 and 600 handled the 9mm Largo and 9mm Luger with no problems at all and they were straight blowback.
They were quite a bit more powerful that the 9mm Mak.
Now the 9mm Makarov probably is about as good a platform for a powerful blowback pocket pistol.