China · Pistol
Type 54
Short recoil (semi-automatic) · 7.62x25mm Tokarev · introduced 1954
Also known as Chinese Tokarev, Type 54-1, TT-33 (Chinese)
About the Type 54
The Type 54 is a Chinese semi-automatic pistol, a license-built clone of the Soviet TT-33 Tokarev chambered in 7.62x25mm Tokarev. Produced by Norinco and its predecessor state factories from 1954, it used the Tokarev's single-action, locked-breech short-recoil action and a removable modular hammer/lockwork group. It served as the standard sidearm of the People's Liberation Army through much of the Cold War and was widely exported, with a later commercial Type 54-1 variant adding a manual thumb safety for civilian markets.
The Type 54 reached Western collectors in large numbers as military surplus, becoming one of the most common and affordable Tokarev-pattern pistols available. China's adoption followed the 1950 Sino-Soviet mutual aid treaty that licensed Chinese production of Soviet small-arms designs.
Type 54 specifications
General
- Type
- Pistol
- Action
- Short recoil (semi-automatic)
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer-fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Trigger pull
- 4.2 kg (9.2 lb)
- Calibres
- 7.62x25mm Tokarev
- Magazine capacity
- 8 rounds
- Magazine
- Detachable box magazine
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 114 mm (4.5 in)
- Overall length
- 197 mm (7.8 in)
- Height
- 130 mm (5.1 in)
- Width
- 35 mm (1.4 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 0.85 kg (1.87 lb)
- Sight radius
- 156 mm (6.1 in)
Barrel
- Rifling twist
- 1:9 in (240 mm)
- Rifling
- Right hand
- Grooves
- 4
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Slide
- Steel
- Finish
- blued
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 413 m/s (1355 fps)
- Muzzle energy (typical)
- 476 J (351 ft·lb)
- Effective range
- 50 m
History
- Introduced
- 1954
- Production status
- Discontinued
- Country of origin
- CN
- Designer
- Fedor Tokarev
Features
- Modular hammer group
- Removable lockwork
- Exposed hammer
Safety
- Half cock notch
Succeeded the mechanically identical Type 51; the two differ mainly in slide markings, with the Type 54 bearing Chinese characters indicating its designation. The commercial Type 54-1 added a frame-mounted thumb safety to meet import safety requirements.
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