Technical characteristics of TOZ-34: pros and cons of the model

• April 3, 2020
• Weapons and ammunition
• Tamila Gresko

To clean and lubricate a hunting rifle unit, it must first be disassembled. The TOZ-34 shotgun and its modifications are very popular among hunters. This explains why the question of how to disassemble and assemble the TOZ-34 is one of the most pressing for beginners. In addition, this procedure often has to be performed if any defects are found in the double-barreled shotgun and they need to be eliminated.

Of course, the assembly and disassembly of TOZ 34 can be entrusted to professionals. To do this, you will have to take the gun to a specialized workshop and pay money. Those owners who want to save money and learn how to handle their weapons themselves can be advised to adhere to a certain algorithm of actions. Information on how to disassemble and assemble the TOZ-34 is contained in this article.

What mistake do owners most often make?

Judging by the reviews, some beginners, after disassembling, end up with bent cocking levers. Often they even break when opening the barrels. This defect will most likely occur as a result of the locking lever not being adjusted enough, which must be in the extreme right position. Most often, this mistake is made as a result of unqualified consultation in a store when purchasing a weapon, as well as non-compliance with the rules for operating a shooting weapon, which must be indicated in the passport for a hunting weapon.

Design Features

The design of the gun is distinguished by its originality, especially in the first samples. However, later it was necessary to improve the weapon, as significant inconveniences were created when handling it.

Most often, the barrel locking unit is a massive transverse metal bolt, and thanks to it the barrels are located high above the butt. This gun also has a rather unusual device:

1. The barrel is fastened using two protrusions-hinges shaped like a half ring.
2. The frame that locks the barrels is made of specially shaped steel beads.

Therefore, the barrels of this gun are placed quite low, which is convenient for the hunter and gives the weapon an aesthetic appearance.
The shape of the barrels influenced the weapon's famous accuracy:

• near the breech, in the place where the pressure is maximum, the thickness of the barrel reaches its greatest value;
• the channel expands from the chamber (to stabilize the speed of the bullet and reduce the likelihood of it “crushing”);
• in the middle the trunk becomes thinner;
• in the last quarter - thickening of the barrel (to reduce vibration when firing).

Typical design of serial samples

Serial samples have the following typical device:

1. The hammers are cocked by breaking the gun. The cocking indicators are determined both visually and by touch.
2. Due to the fact that this gun has separate firing pins, its release is very smooth.
3. There are interceptors (trigger interceptors) that help prevent accidental shooting.
4. After shooting, the cartridges are removed when the barrels are opened.
5. The gun barrels are removable, but the forend is not removable.
6. The fuse is mechanical, has 2 positions: fire and safety.
7. The stock and butt are made of beech or birch.
8. The sight rail is solid or ventilated.
9. The butt has a neck like a pistol, and can also be straight or with a protrusion under the cheek.
10. The gun's repairability is high.

The gun is available in various versions:

• 12- and 28-gauge models are available in three main versions: piece, souvenir and regular;
• TOZ-34 20 caliber is produced in significantly small quantities;
• The 32 caliber gun was also produced in limited quantities, and even then only during the Soviet period.

All types have their own characteristics of external decoration.

Design flaws

Like any other weapon, the TOZ-34 hunting rifle has some drawbacks:

• the springs located in the trigger mechanism are shaped like an arc. Such springs are not entirely reliable, since with frequent use of the gun they can become warped;
• when using mechanical cartridges for shooting, accuracy decreases, but this is a controversial issue;
• Another drawback is the build quality of weapons released in 1990. No one can guarantee that you won’t come across this low-quality gun. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully inspect the product before purchasing.

Tuning

To eliminate the existing shortcomings of the TOZ-34, many owners turn to gunsmiths for tuning or modification of the weapon. Here are the details that are often modified:

1. Barrel coupling - the joints with the box are ground, but only so that the surface shines and lateral wobble does not begin. If the surfaces are poorly polished, the gun will wear out quickly.
2. Box - the sharp edges in it are dulled so that there are no scratches on the stem coupling.
3. Trigger mechanism - this part is polished so that there are no dips or rattles during shooting, and the trigger is smooth and even.
4. The forend - its taper is almost not felt, and the lip at the end of the forend has no practical significance, it’s just a tribute to fashion.
5. Butt - a gun that has undergone tuning will have a difference on the butt, this is the presence of two protrusions at the end of the so-called lugs and on the side surfaces (cheeks).
6. The small factory front sight is replaced with a larger one.
7. Change in gun mass.
8. Impregnation.

Where to begin? First step

Disassembly and assembly of the TOZ-34 gun is carried out in stages. Unload the gun before starting disassembly. It is very important that there is no ammunition in the chambers. You should know that all modifications of the TOZ-34 are equipped with horseshoe-shaped mainsprings. To separate the barrels, the locking lever must be moved along the axis of the shooting unit, and the safety must be turned down so that it is in the extreme forward position. There is a special groove in the receiver into which you need to place the flag.

Otherwise, when you disconnect the barrels from the receiver, the cocking levers may become deformed.

Specifications

Main characteristics of the model:

• smooth-bore - it is available in two types: rifled and combined;
• intra-hammer - in this case, the speed of the second shot will depend on the speed of rearranging the fingers;
• good application - that is, it shoots comfortably offhand;
• hunting - used by both professionals and amateurs.

Second step

After the flag is moved down all the way and the locking lever is located along the axis of the gun, you can separate the barrels from the box.

To do this, you need to press them from top to bottom, move the locking lever to the right and, making rotational movements, separate both barrels. The cocking levers are held in the lower extreme position by their front ends, which interact with the flag, namely with its cylindrical part. Then they press the cocking lever, namely on its front part, and return the cocking lever back to its place.

Care for TOZ-34

To maintain the functionality of the gun for a long time, it must be properly cared for.

How to lubricate a gun?

Lubrication is carried out as follows:

1. In the breaking barrel, it is enough to break it, in the rest you will need to disassemble the weapon.
2. You need to screw a cleaning rod onto a steel brush and clean the barrel from start to finish. Afterwards, a rag is passed along the bore. And so on 2-3 times until all debris and small lead are removed.
3. Afterwards, the bristle brush is moistened with lubricant and with the help of it the barrel is cleaned again.
4. The remaining metal parts are cleaned with an oily rag.
5. You need to make sure that the lubricant does not remain on the wooden surface, otherwise it will quickly deteriorate.

General recommendations

It is recommended to observe the following rules when handling this weapon:

1. Follow the rules for carrying and carrying weapons. Don’t think that the barrels are metal and will therefore withstand any blows.
2. When opening the bolt, do not allow the barrels to fall down freely; it is also not recommended to fold the barrels with a jerk. The barrels are held at the fore-end, usually with the left hand.
3. Do not click the trigger in vain, otherwise this will lead to breakage of the firing pins.
4. Carry out timely cleaning and lubrication of the gun.
5. If you notice that there are gaps between the metal and wooden parts of the rifle, you need to fill them with wax and rub them, otherwise dampness will penetrate there.
6. When loading ammunition, be sure to check the barrels for foreign objects.
7. Barrels are cleaned frequently, but disassembling and cleaning the trigger is rarely done, since this requires certain experience and knowledge.

How to assemble a gun? Algorithm of actions

Assembly of TOZ-34 is carried out in the reverse order. First, the barrels are connected to the receiver. To do this, first pull out the ejector all the way and align the ring guides in the box and barrels. Afterwards, the locking lever is shifted to the right and, performing a rotational movement, the box is connected to the barrels. Once these weapon assemblies are combined, you need to open the gun. This is necessary so that the checkbox automatically returns to its original place. It may be that the locking lever does not reach its axial position a little. In this case, experts recommend finishing it manually.

History of creation

TOZ-34 was created by Nikolai Ivanovich Korovyakov. Having settled at the Tula plant in 1959, he very quickly received the position of design engineer and instructions to create a hunting rifle. It was developed together with S.S. Ferapontov, V.P. Ochnev. and Paramonov V.A. A few years later the first gun appeared. Some time later it was sent to an exhibition in Leipzig, where it received its award.

In 1969, the weapon went into mass production, becoming the first mass-produced hunting rifle.

Korovyakov Nikolay Ivanovich

On a note! Since the TOZ-34 design has not been used by any other guns, it has no analogues. There are competitors with similar designs. For example, MR-251 or IZH-27.

Varieties

Currently there are 7 varieties of TOZ-34.

1. TOZ-34R is the basic version. The sleeve is removed using an ejector. For softer recoil, a rubber butt pad is provided.
2. TOZ-34E has one main difference from the basic version - this is the principle of removing the cartridge case. In this case, it is removed using an ejector.
3. TOZ-34ER is a gun with an ejector and a rubber butt pad.
4. TOZ-34-5.6/28 is a combined version, the main difference of which is the upper rifled barrel for .22 LR. The lower one remains smooth and fits a regular rifle cartridge. This modification was also equipped with an optical sight. Produced in a highly compressed series.
5. TOZ-34-55 “Bison” is the previous model, but with the opposite barrels. In this case, the rifled barrel is located at the bottom, and the smooth one at the top. The package also includes an optical sight. Produced individually.
6. TOZ-34-1 is different in that it has only one barrel.
7. TOZ-34 Ш is a souvenir version, which has an engraving on chrome-plated metal.

There were also versions that were not put into production.

TOZ-34 Ш

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages are simplicity of design and operation. This is despite the fact that disassembling the weapon is not the easiest. Advantages include good shot accuracy and balance.

Disadvantages include cheap production and assembly culture. Due to the low quality of steel, some individual elements may fail prematurely. This is especially true for springs and ejectors.

Due to the poor quality of the anti-corrosion coating, the rifle quickly begins to rust. Wooden parts are also not high quality unless they are engraved or custom.

The 12-gauge clutch is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantages include a large reserve of strength, which increases service life. The disadvantage is the large weight and dimensions.

Purpose

Since TOZ-34 has several calibers, its purpose has a fairly wide range of applications.

1. The most popular is 12 gauge. It is most often used for hunting big game by professionals and amateurs.
2. The later 16 gauge is famous for having softer recoil. Used for harvesting fur-bearing animals.
3. 20 gauge is intended for commercial hunting. The cartridges contain less gunpowder and the recoil itself is weaker. Popularly this caliber is called “female”.
4. 28 caliber cartridges are loaded with small buckshot and shot. They are used to hunt small game such as hares or birds.

There is also a sporting version of this gun, but it has not received widespread use.

Tuning

It is quite difficult to introduce any changes to the design of the gun. Most often, owners use two options.

1. The most common is the installation of an optical sight. To do this, you need to find a part whose weight is no more than 200 g, since the design of the rifle does not provide for heavier additions. After removing the scope, you need to sight the gun again.
2. You can change the stock from a different wood or order it with engraving or carving.

Also in this section:

Replacing the firing pin on the Izh-27 gun

28.01.2007

Section: “Rifle Mechanisms”

It would seem that this operation is not so complicated as to dwell on it, but time passes, new hunters come, and similar questions are raised again and again.

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