Surplus handguns, Are they any good?

As all of you know by now, I like to OC(I don't really have a choice, I don't have a CC License yet) and I get the Shotgun News every 10 days.

I look through, and find these "Com-Bloc Specials" all over that place! Makarovs, P64's, CZ-82's, Etc. The price is nice, and I know the 9x18mm would put a hole in someone.

Then there's a surplus of older .38 Special revolvers(eg. Taurus 82's, S&W Model 64's) floating around. Most are 6-Shot Police style, but there's also compact 5-shot "Snubby" guns too(while rare, I have found them).

I just want to know, are these guns any good for carrying? I know I could get a "Better" one, but my Budget is limited, and I don't want to spend a lot on something if I can get away with it. I see a carry gun as a tool, not a safe queen.

So are these guns any good? or are they just Junkers and/or Collectibles?

Im not sure what the prices are that they are seeking, for the listed guns. But personally if I were going to buy surplus guns, it would most likely be used police glocks. Parts will still be widely available, sometimes pretty cheap, and you can find them chambered in 9mm or .40.


Just my .03 cents

Every surplus gun listed can be found sooner or later in a nearby pawnshop, or the used gun section off your local gun store. You won't have to pay shipping and handling nor FFL transfer fee. And, you would get to examine the weapon before you buy and often you can buy on layaway. Yes, some surplus guns are good but I don't buy them online.

Surplus guns

Looking in the barrel buried in the back yard, about all I see are surplus handguns...CZ82, couple of Stars, TT33 and a CZ52.
These came mostly from Aimsurplus.com or jgsales.com. Both sites are good to work with.
The first weapon I bought is a police swap .357 S&W.

I think highly of the CZ82. Enough that I bought a second one and a bunch of extra mags just for the heck of it.
They have the same type of rifling as a glock. They are a strong, well-made and accurate little handgun. They are also reliable, I have never had a failure to feed, fire or eject with Silver bear hollow points or any other ammo I've fired through them. I buy the ammo in case quantities and have it shipped to me.
The 9x18 cartridge is basically a 380 magnum.
The ones I bought came with an ambidextrous full-flap leather holster. That may have changed by now.
Here is a video of me shooting my first Cz82.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1t2WXQ-tkc&feature=g-upl
The purpose of the video was to compare the recoil of it to some other hand guns.

I own a surplus CZ52 (God awful loud, like a flash bang...100 gr Honady XTP @ 1700 fps. If the bullet doesn't kill the perp, you will scare him to death) good if you have earplugs, shoots like a .357 mag in a full sized revolver and is just as loud. Throws the empties a mile, have to be careful of that too.

I also own a 9X18mm CZ82 and really like it. $200 +/- will get you a good one. Polygonal rifling. Nice weapon, reliable and accurate...I have carried it on occation. The leather holster that came with mine is a nice thumb break leather holster that fits the gun perfectly. Ambidextrus safety if you are a lefty.

My normal carries are either a full size CZ85 or a 6" Colt revolver.

For a less expensive, reliable carry I don't think you can beat that CZ82 in 9X18mm though. Easy to handle, not excessively loud, not a full sized, but if you ever want to conceal, that is not a problem.

Take it from me... its worth spending the extra cash to GET WHAT YOU WANT.

Not too long ago, I thought to myself to get a .45... but I didn't want to spend too much. I ended up buying a Hi Point .45, only 185 dollars brand new!. Its ungodly heavy... but at first my thought was to just shoot and have fun at the range. Well, I only put 300 rounds in it. First 20 were ok, deadly accurate at 25 yards. By time I shot 50 rounds... my wrist was really....REALLY tired. The gun holds I think 9 rounds, simliar to the 1911 mags. By the 300 round I was for sure I didn't want this gun again. For me, its way too heavy for CC. Maybe out in the woods is ok or to just "shoot for fun"... Maybe if you don't like someone to come with you to the range... give it that gun...

So now, I carry either my Tauars PT638 .380 cal (holds 15 + 1) or my Springfield XD .45ACP compact with the extended clip (13+ 1). I use to love my tauars... now I "like it" comparied to the XD i have. In comparision (in my opinion) its like having a GLOCK. Except I think the XD and XD(m) look way better. I "love" my XD but I should have spent the extra 100 bucks to get a XD(m). But I can't put this gun down... with it, my shooting makes me look like a professional.

Bottom line is... find out what you like and go with it. If you like the Hi Points etc... then go for it. If you perfer a 1911... so be it... heck if you love one-action pistols... everyone is different and the firearm is like buying a car... somehow it matches your personality.

I am a regular customer of the places that advertise in the Shotgun News. I also have my FFL C&R license, so many of the items can ship to my door. I highly recommend you contact the BATF and get your C&R license. $30 every three years, and you will save that just in regular purchases to places like MidwayUSA and Brownells because they will also give you the same discount they give to 01 FFLs.

Being mainly a rifleman, so far I only have the Tokarev, the Nagant, the CZ-82, and the P6, when it comes to surplus handguns.

The CZ-82 is outstanding as a surplus pistol in 9x18mm. It has perhaps the smoothest DA trigger of any automatic I've ever shot, but it does lack a decocker if you prefer to carry it hammer down. It is accurate, and comfortable, but it is very difficult to fully load the magazine without a mag loader.

The P6 is a police surplus Sig P225. It is every bit a Sig in quality and function! Not as cheap as the other surplus pistols on the market, but it's a SIG! I love its single-stack 9mm grip. Many of my clients fall in love with it, especially the women. Its only disadvantage is that because it is not a popular model in the US, magazines are expensive from the few places that sell them. The aftermarket, non-OEM magazines have a mixed-to-poor reputation. This pistol is incredibly accurate. It uses the same holsters as the Sig P228/229.

I often OC my Tokarev in its issued flap holster while at the gun club range (or sometimes the Vaquero). This way, I can shoot my other guns without wondering which is "on duty" and my always-loaded OC firearm is never handled.

I really like the CZ82 -- the ergonomics are spectacular. In fact, you can't really go wrong with anything that starts with "CZ" but many people I respect consider the CZ52 (not the other CZs) unsafe to carry with a round in the chamber. Police trade-in Smith and Wesson revolvers are also great values. There are still some police trade-in Berettas on the market and I consider the Beretta 92 a fine handgun. I have one and it's dead-nuts reliable. The Beretta has gotten some bad press from military and ex-military personnel but what they're really complaining about is the 9mm ball round. Good modern 9mm hollow points are very good ammo and the Beretta 92 packs 15+1 of them. It's not small, but for OC that isn't a big deal.

I don't have any problem with surplus handguns -- I have several of them. Be sure, however, that it's a reliable brand and in a caliber that isn't anything "weird" or hard to get.

tim12232 said:

Im not sure what the prices are that they are seeking, for the listed guns. But personally if I were going to buy surplus guns, it would most likely be used police glocks. Parts will still be widely available, sometimes pretty cheap, and you can find them chambered in 9mm or .40.


Just my .03 cents

Click to expand...

I would have to agree with this. Here ( Mi) you can get a nice used Glock 17 19 22 for $400. I have had surplus pistols but would not bet my life on them.

Surplus pistols are a great way to protect yourself. I daily carry a CZ 82 (I own several) in an Uncle Mikes tactical. The prices are good (I got a pair for just over 400). I have a Radom P64 that I picked up for just a hundred. It was almost a new pistol w/a little holster wear. These are mostly military weapons and some country paid a lot of R&D to field them. These are not "cheap guns". DO get an 03 FFL. My weapons come right to my door, no mediator, right to me.

My experience with surplus handguns is with the Polish P-64, DDR/Russian/Bulgarian Makarov and the Czech CZ82. All have fixed barrel with resulting great accuracy in the 9x18 Makarov chamber. All are blow back action with resulting sharp recoil, but most of that can be fixed. Some need a little mechanical/cosmetic work: Hammer spring change in the P-64, and CZ82 refinish to rid of that gawd awful paint that so easily chips.

All need a good cleaning and lube before hitting the gun range.

The Warsaw Block handguns are a great value for self defense, IMHO.