Domestic smoothbore shotgun TOZ-106 Death of the Chairman

TOZ-106 (MC 20-04) is a 20-gauge smoothbore shotgun with one barrel, designed for short-range hunting, self-defense, and security of outbuildings. Developed by the Tula Arms Plant in 1993, this sawn-off shotgun is very popular among gun enthusiasts, although its production was discontinued in 2011. People proudly call the TOZ-106 shotgun “The Death of the Chairman” for its resemblance to kulak sawn-off shotguns.

The gun is designed on the basis of the single-barrel MTs 20-01 model 1979, from which it differs in a shortened barrel and a folding metal butt of the AKMS type. When designing, design engineers positioned the shotgun as a means of amateur hunting for birds and small animals at short distances of 30-50 meters, for protecting domestic animals and crops, for protecting stationary farm objects and cargo during transportation.

History of creation and general description

Production of the TOZ-106 shotgun Death of the Chairman began in 1993 and continued until 2011. Initially, the model had a different marking - MTs20-04, but after the release of a modification with a shortened barrel and a folding butt, it received the name TOZ-106. The new model from the Tula Arms Plant immediately drew attention not so much to hunting enthusiasts, but to ordinary people in need of weapons for self-defense. There was also crime; the TOZ-106 gun was often used for contract killings. However, this only fueled the demand for “hunting rifles” from organized crime groups.

Today, the TOZ-106 shotgun has several official modifications, each of which is tailored to the specific needs of potential buyers. The gun is mainly used by commercial hunters to catch game birds and small animals. Sometimes you can meet shepherds and pasture guards armed with a TOZ-106 shotgun. However, in general, the model is not in great demand due to the availability of more universal types of smoothbore shotguns. Also, 20 gauge is not the best choice for a Russian hunter, since it does not have much penetrating power. Rational hunting with the TOZ-106 is questionable, since the short barrel produces a wide spread of shot.

It is very difficult to imagine an animal or bird that will allow a hunter to approach a distance suitable for making a well-aimed shot from this weapon, therefore the main purpose of the TOZ-106 is self-defense.

The ammunition used for the TOZ-106 shotgun is 20-caliber cartridges equipped with buckshot, bullet or shot. The length of the 20 gauge cartridge case is 70 mm. The cartridges are loaded into the TOZ-106 magazine, which can hold either 2 or 4 rounds. One extra cartridge is always in the chamber of the gun.

The TOZ-106 compact hunting rifle was developed on the basis of the MTs 20-01 hunting rifle, which has a very interesting history. The MTs 20-01 is a Mosin rifle that has been converted to fire hunting cartridges. Since there were many Mosin rifles left in army warehouses, Tula engineer Frolov proposed making them into hunting weapons. This idea was not new, since even after the revolution, defective barrels from Mosin rifles were actively used for the production of hunting rifles.

The main differences between the TOZ-106 and the MC 20-01 are the short barrel and an iron folding stock, similar to the AKMS. Since the gun was a fairly shallow modernization of the MTs 20-01, the first batches were known to the consumer under the name MTs 20-04, and only later did the gun receive its own name - TOZ-106.

TOZ-106
© Sergey Vorobiev ( [email protected] )

The passport of the TOZ-106 gun can be viewed at www.rifle.ru.

An article on modifications to the TOZ-106 gun can be found here.

The article “The shortest domestic shotguns TOZ-106, Lynx-K, OF-93” can be viewed here.

Q:

If, suddenly, someone shot from it, write about the results

I shot. A standard cartridge is only suitable for self-defense - the normal dispersion of shot at 10 meters is the same as from a regular cartridge at 35. You need to equip it completely differently, then you can shoot at 25-30 meters. And it’s hard to ask for more from a sawed-off shotgun.

Made on the basis of the long-known fishing shotgun MTs 20-01 of the same 20 caliber. It has a bolt whose design in the West is called “bolt action”, that is, approximately the same as on the Mosin rifle (according to the principle of operation). There is a replaceable magazine for 2 rounds, the third can be kept in the barrel (the design allows you to have a cartridge in the barrel even with the firing pin uncocked). 2 of these are included in the kit. Separately, you can buy magazines for 4 rounds, but they need to be slightly modified and adjusted to a specific gun. The length when folded is about 53 cm, when unfolded (i.e. with the butt folded down) it is 81 cm. This was done for the sake of the law on weapons; it does not fire with the butt folded. Weighs about 2.5 kg (with cartridges). More precisely, I didn’t weigh it. Perhaps the most compact of those allowed. At the plant (TOZ) we have a store called “Tula Weapons”, where these devices cost 950 rubles. were (ordinary) and 1050 rubles (piece). It’s more expensive in Moscow and Serpukhov, but it’s also available everywhere. The price there is around 1200-1500, depending on the store. If you look hard, you can probably find it for 2000. I haven’t been to other cities for a long time, at least I haven’t gone shopping there. As for reliability, there have been no complaints so far. And there’s nothing particularly wrong with it, the design is very simple. What else to say? A sawn-off shotgun is also a sawn-off shotgun in Africa. The sound of a shot, if used with a purchased cartridge, is much louder than from a normal 20-caliber shotgun. Especially if the gunpowder is “Falcon”, “Sunar” will be quieter. It’s normal to shoot with shot up to 15 meters (again, purchased), then there’s a big spread. I heard that cartridges with shot in containers have recently appeared on sale (the latter are sometimes also called “wad-constrela”; a purchased cartridge penetrated 15 cm into a freshly cut willow from 20 meters). In general, for a hike, Imho, that’s exactly what I took it for, but for hunting, if so, it’s better to take the prototype (MTs 20-01), it’s cheaper.

Here I have some information downloaded from the server https://www.deol.ru/manclub/ohota/

On my own behalf, I can only add that I successfully used, instead of the seal described by Alexey, cut from a container wad, a so-called 20-gauge shot wad. Its main purpose is to secure the shot outside in a metal sleeve. I put it on gunpowder instead of a cardboard spacer (in plastic sleeves). I was satisfied with the results. I’ve heard that some people use it to “plug” regular cartridge cases instead of screwing them in - but I haven’t tried it myself.

Shotgun selection:

In fact, there shouldn’t be any special wedges there. It is necessary to inspect (based on a little personal experience and the experience of friends): External inspection - as usual. Defects on wood and metal, whether the scope is blocked, how the butt opens. You can hit something with the butt, simulating the recoil of a shot, and try to fold it after that (sometimes it’s difficult to fold it after shooting). Inspect both attached magazines, insert and remove them 10 times each to see if they are sticking. Take 20-gauge cartridges from someone, fill the magazines, and insert them with them. (Or buy - when buying cartridges I was never asked for documents). Try to jerk them all with the bolt - into the barrel and eject. Although there are usually no problems with the 2-round magazines included in the kit, the 4-round magazines that are sold separately will need to be adjusted.

Insert a pre-emptied primer into one of the cartridges (the most convenient is a metal sleeve, with “filing” - in the sense of where it needs to be bent and polished so that it does not stick, and be sure to fit it to a specific gun (usually a new magazine has protrusions with which it “clings” , they don’t reach the seat a little). outward (they press it with your fingers to remove the magazine), and in the middle there is a semicircular protrusion, with which the magazine clings inside the gun (there is a corresponding “step” ledge on the metal parts). So, on newly purchased magazines separately from the gun, this protrusion It almost never “gets to the point”; it should be sharpened with a file - when the shutter is removed, everything is clearly visible there, whether it reaches or not and how much it does not reach. Moreover, you should also check your local stores. Since the new ones, due to the initially fairly large elasticity of these plates, can simply hold on “by friction,” this is not noticeable until you start shooting. Then the store pops out. It is also useful (if necessary) to “stick out” this semicircular protrusion a little more so that it clings better - by prying it with some strong awl or something like that. Other improvements: The store consists of three parts. Housing, feeder and spring. If you press the feeder so that it turns sideways, it is easy to remove it from the housing, and then the spring. Well, you can figure it out for yourself, remove the burrs and bend it slightly or, conversely, bend back what turns out to be “bent too much.” You just can’t guess what will be there initially. In general, it is necessary that later, when you insert cartridges, it moves freely and does not cling to anything. Metal cartridges do not fit into a 4-round magazine. Just like plastic ones, if they are not twisted. Only in 2-cartridge.

There was a detailed article on www.hunter.ru, something about compact guns, it described in great detail and with pictures, in particular, the “refinement” of the TOZ-106, and the refinement there is completely “maniacal” in my opinion, includes additional hardening of the case store. But it’s worth reading IMHO.

I would like to add a couple of “undocumented features” of this sawn-off shotgun. At one time, the story about them surprised some hunters. Some features of TOZ-106 and the entire “family” of MTs 20-01 not described in the instructions:

1. Shutter
   Some people store it separately from the gun.
   But when removed (handle up), the striker spring is compressed, and it is not recommended to store it like that, it will weaken. We need to lower it down. But in order to insert the shutter back after storage, you must first lift the handle. This is known. But
   not everyone can do this manually (especially by lifting the handle, squeezing the spring). The passport says something like “find a suitable piece of wood, rest against it,” etc. So here it is. The “suitable piece,” and there is no need to look for it, is the gun itself. The shutter must be inserted exactly where it was intended, but not with the front part forward, but with the back part. It will go in about a centimeter, which gives sufficient support, and now raise and lower the handle as much as you like. Easily.
2. Not everyone knows that in addition to the cartridges in the store, you can have a cartridge “in the barrel”, i.e. in the chamber, with not cocked
   drummer. Those. relatively safe. To do this you need:
   • insert the cartridge into the chamber, move the bolt to the forward position, but do not lower
     the handle down - let it stick up;

   press the trigger and keep it pressed all the way, without releasing;

3. lower the shutter handle all the way down;
4. Now you can release the trigger.

(this entire operation is performed with the butt folded down, because otherwise the trigger is not pressed). The result is a cartridge in the chamber, + how many more are there (2 or 4) in the magazine, the firing pin is not cocked. To bring the weapon into a state suitable for shooting, it is enough (without pressing anything else) to raise the bolt handle up and immediately, without moving it back and forth, lower the handle down. The drummer is cocked. What position the butt was in when performing this operation is not important.

Sincerely, Sergey Vorobiev, Tula

Max K Petrov 2:5022/49

:

For self-defense, an almost ideal device (under our laws) is the TOZ-106 (20-caliber single-barrel with a folding stock, a magazine for 2 or 4 rounds and a rifle-type bolt). When folded, it easily fits under a jacket, and it won’t look small in any way, especially with buckshot. You can shoot from the hand, from the belly, even like a pistol - it is a pistol, only long and with a butt (folds down, under the fore-end), it doesn’t shoot with the butt folded (this can be eliminated, but alas - illegal) I tried it, my hand doesn’t hurt ( although there is no accuracy in this position, it’s enough for buckshot at 5m). Not very good for hunting - the barrel is short and 20 gauge... However, if you occasionally kill an “insolent” duck, or a “walking” hare - why not? At the beginning of this (1999) autumn there were 1500 in Tula, in Moscow, according to rumors, 2500. Quite reliable, the design is simple and, as they say, proven over the centuries. The only thing I didn’t like was the magazine spring (plate), but if necessary, you can put a cartridge on top. Made carefully...

Sergey Podgirin

([email protected]):

The TOZ-106 will only work as an extreme pistol, and not exactly a hunting pistol, but a “tourist”, “self-defense” pistol, etc. The weapon has a number of features that do not give it quality. Firstly, the store is quite buggy; only one out of ten works out of the box, and the probability of delay is an order of magnitude higher than, say, Saiga-20. Secondly, the innovators from TOZ seriously lightened the bolt (possibly fighting for the balance of the weapon with all their might ;-]]]]]), which had an extremely bad effect on the service life of the weapon. The TOZ-106 is guaranteed to fire up to a thousand rounds, after which the bolt may simply burst (I know of at least three such cases). To the question “What the hell is this?”, one of the senior TOZ leaders shrugged his shoulders and replied: “What did you think? We expected that someone would shoot a lot from the 106th? This is a gun to put in your car and shoot once in your life, when you’re really unlucky...” The third feature, already my personal preferences, but I think quite objectively, is that: - having a 20x76 chamber; - polymer, not wooden stock; — the reloading handle is on the left “pistol-style”, and not on the right “rifle-style”; - magazine more than 4 rounds; — mount for a simple collimator; weapons would greatly benefit. If it weren’t for all these considerations, I would gladly buy myself a TOZ-106 to carry it in my car.

Wind

():

... the resource is very low. A friend of mine developed a crack in the bolt after about 60 shots. Maybe a factory defect has surfaced, maybe something else...

sman

(conference on guns.ru):

In general, I’ll tell you. I bought it for self-defense, so that I could take it into the forest just in case, maybe I’ll shoot some duck if I come across it. I’m very pleased with the compactness and weight, it fits perfectly into a backpack, you can even wear it under your arm. It cost 2850 rubles. + cover for 160 rub. The case completely hides the gun and if you don’t know (and if they don’t see the partially protruding handle) then no one will guess that you are carrying a gun. The only thing is that the valve on the cover is made on the wrong side, i.e. If you use the case as an armpit holster, then its valve opens not from the outside side, but from the inside. It shoots very loudly, after shooting my ears buzzed for another three hours. The accuracy is quite sufficient for the conditions for which it was purchased. At a distance of 25m. several 000 pellets hit the A4 sheet. At real self-defense distances it’s easy to hit with it. There is not a word about the resource in the passport. The gun itself is made very decently, neatly, the stock is beech. The stock opens easily, without any manipulation of the buttons, and snaps into place on its own. After shooting, you really need to hit the butt to fold it, but this is also stipulated in the passport. These stores are made stupidly. One works fine, but the second one is empty and works fine with one cartridge, but with two it doesn’t fit into the latch (it does if you hammer it in there). Attempts to sharpen it did not lead to anything, well, no wonder you can use a 4-seater with it. The gun has a smooth release, so you can store it with a cartridge in the chamber; to cock it, you just need to raise and lower the bolt handle. And now I have it with a cartridge in the chamber and cartridges in a bad magazine, just in case

Rojkov Artem

(conference on guns.ru):

Colleagues!!! I will not touch on the scientific side of this issue. I will share my personal impressions. This was my first gun since 1995, then I bought everything else. For me, this miracle of domestic technical thought is one of the most successful acquisitions. And if for some trunks there is an opinion to part ways, then about 106 such a thought does not even arise. Convenient, funny and cool. And even bites painfully if necessary. A!!!! And this - in the book of records, if possible - I hit a duck.

Design Features

The TOZ-106 shotgun cannot be considered a hunting rifle; the term “dual-use weapon” is more appropriate to it, i.e. it is intended primarily as a “farmer” model for protecting peasant farmland and personal households, and has a secondary purpose - hunting at short distances.

The rifle is a repeating rifle with manual reloading. The barrel is connected to the frame using a press fit and secured with a pin. The bore is chrome-plated, and when fired, it is locked by turning the bolt. For targeted shooting there is a rear sight and a front sight.

The stock is metal, folding with a rubber butt plate, mounted on an axis located in the bracket. The stock is secured in the transport position (folded position) by a latch located in the fore-end, and in the shooting position by an axis in the wedge grooves of the bracket.

The firing mechanism is located in the bolt. The trigger mechanism is mounted in a housing connected to the box. The hammer is cocked when the bolt is opened. The gun has a cocking indicator, which, when cocked, protrudes above the surface of the insert, and when released, sinks.

Preparing for work

Before use, the TOZ-106 weapon must be cleaned from the outside of any lubricant residues and brought into working position by laying out the butt. Then you should press the magazine latches and remove it from the gun. The further procedure consists of several manipulations:

1. Two cartridges are inserted into the clip, which are shifted to the rear wall of the magazine.
2. The bolt base handle is turned counterclockwise until it stops.
3. The weapon is put on safety.
4. The bolt is pulled back, after which the charge is sent into the chamber.
5. The bolt handle is turned clockwise until it stops.
6. The equipped clip is placed in the existing connector until it clicks.

Before shooting, the safety lock must be moved to the extreme frontal position.

Operating principle of the TOZ-106 gun

The TOZ-106 shotgun is reloaded manually by moving the bolt to the rearmost position and then to the forward position. The cartridge is loaded from the magazine into the chamber when the bolt moves to the forward position.

The cartridge in the chamber is locked by the cylinder through the lugs of the bolt frame and the corresponding supporting surfaces of the box. The cartridge case is removed from the chamber by the ejector and pushed out by the reflector when the bolt is moved to the rear position.

To reduce the likelihood of accidental shots, there is a non-automatic safety lock that locks the trigger. To put the gun on safety, you need to move the safety button to the rear position with the hammer cocked.

In order to exclude the possibility of a shot when the butt is folded or removed, there is an automatic safety lock.

The magazine is box-shaped for two (or four) cartridges, detachable, and has two latches located on the sides.

The disadvantage of the model is the design of the magazine: a magazine filled with cartridges is very difficult to separate from the weapon without tools; The dimensions of the magazine do not correspond to the length of the cartridge, which leads to the cartridge sticking into the “stump” of the barrel, that is, to a delay in firing.

In order to fold the stock, you need to pull it slightly towards you, and then down until it catches. At the same time, the automatic fuse is triggered. The gun does not fire when folded. There is also a second safety on the receiver, a mechanical one, used to prevent it from being fired with the butt unfolded.

Design and operating principle

The TOZ-116 shotgun model has a simple but at the same time reliable design. The receiver and barrel channel are connected to each other by hot pressing, which makes it impossible to disconnect the barrel from the gun. However, it is precisely thanks to this system that the “Death of the Chairman” is able to withstand high loads when using cartridges with an increased amount of gunpowder. Additional strength to the barrel channel is given by a chrome coating applied to the inside.

The TOZ-106 trigger mechanism is located in the receiver, namely the bolt part of the weapon. The hammer is cocked at the moment the bolt moves. At this time, the cartridge is also sent into the chamber. After the shot, the cartridge case jumps out of the bolt, being under the influence of the ejector mechanism. Then automatic reloading occurs - a new cartridge is transferred from the magazine, and the hammer is cocked again. In order to prevent the possibility of an accidental shot, automatic and mechanical fuses are provided.

1 - upper half-ring of the sight mounting clamp (2 pcs.), 2 - sight, 3 - base of the sight mounting clamp (2 pcs.), 4 - wing nut of the dovetail clamp (2 pcs.), 5 - guide bar " dovetail", 6 — mounting screw M4x12 (2 pcs.), 7 — screw mounting the sight M4x14 (2 pcs.), 8 — bracket shelf, 9 — Grover washer (2 pcs.), 10 — bracket base, 11 — bolt box, 12 — stock wood, 13 — stop-limiter, 14 — screw for fastening the stop-limiter M2x8 (3 pcs.)

The receiver is made of wood (birch), painted red and varnished. The connection of metal and wooden parts is quite high quality - the gap between them is considered very rare. The stock is telescopic and can be assembled or disassembled. To make the weapon more compact, a special recess is provided in the receiver. Interesting fact: until the hunter places the butt in the firing position, it will be impossible to fire a shot.

Specifications

The TOZ-106 shotgun from the Tula Arms Plant has the following tactical and technical characteristics:

• the length of the carbine with the butt unfolded is 82 centimeters;
• length with the butt folded is 53 centimeters;
• barrel length 29.5 centimeters;
• weight of an empty carbine is 2500 grams;
• effective shot range – 30 meters;
• the caliber of the cartridge used is 20, the length of the sleeve is 70 mm;
• magazine ammunition type, 2 or 4 rounds;
• open type sights.

For the convenience of readers, we additionally present the performance characteristics of the TOZ-106 shotgun in the form of a table.

The TOZ-106 hunting rifle can be purchased by a person with a license to store or to store and carry smooth-bore weapons. It is bought not only for sporting or fishing purposes, but also as a self-defense weapon.

A large number of buyers of the “tozik” use it precisely to protect private property; the impressive appearance of the barrel discourages any burglar, even if it is not loaded.

When using hollow-point bullets, even with this caliber, you can kill any animal. By the way, such bullets for military use are prohibited by international conventions, but are allowed for hunting and self-defense. Not only ammunition loaded with bullets is used.

Cartridges for the TOZ-106 shotgun are loaded with small buckshot or small shot.

In self-defense, this is unlikely to lead to a fatal outcome for the attacker, but it can discourage further action. Well, when hunting, you use the ammunition that is suitable for a particular animal.

To kill game, experienced hunters load cartridges with a medium charge of gunpowder. You should not use a lot of shot - the initial flight speed will decrease, which will lead to low lethality.

When firing bullets, the most effective range is limited to 30 meters. It is at this distance that the accuracy is best. In the hunting community, there has begun to be an opinion that the 20 gauge TOZ has a number of advantages over the 12 gauge. The most striking advantage is the light weight and low recoil.

Disassembly and assembly

You should begin disassembling the 106-TOZ weapon after first making sure that it is not loaded. To do this, you need to check that there is no charge in the chamber, remove the magazine, pull the open bolt back and remove it from the box by pressing the trigger all the way. Complete disassembly of the bolt part is carried out in case of emergency.

The process consists of the following steps:

• the bolt is taken by the cylindrical part in the left hand so that the insert is on the right side;
• it rotates until it moves out together with the firing pin and hammer from the bolt body;
• the insert with the trigger is placed in the right hand, with the thumb resting on the back of the trigger element, and the striker is directed to the left;
• the second hand holds the base of the bolt, the working protrusions should be directed to the right;
• the firing pin is placed in the channel of the frame until it stops, the protrusions of the main spring are located parallel to similar parts of the bolt;
• after compressing the mainspring, the insert with the trigger is rotated at a right angle to the body, the lock and additional spring are removed from the firing pin;
• at the last stage, you should unscrew the firing pin from the trigger and separate it with the filling from the liner.

The gun is assembled in reverse order.

Advantages and disadvantages

To better understand what “Death of the Chairman” represents, it would be useful to study the main advantages and disadvantages of the Tula gun. It’s worth starting with the advantages of TOZ-106, since there are more of them:

• Dimensions. The TOZ-106 shotgun is known for its unsurpassed compactness - it would be difficult to find another 20-caliber shotgun on the market that is 53 centimeters long. It was precisely because of this that the model was popular in the dashing 90s, because it could easily be hidden in a bosom, as well as put in a bag or case.
• Low weight. The weight of the weapon is the indicator that owners of smooth-bore shotguns most often complain about. However, thanks to the telescopic butt and short barrel, the weight of the model is around 2.5 kg. For comparison: the mass of the famous Russian IZH-27 12-gauge shotgun is almost 4 kilograms.
• Possibility of modernization. The TOZ-106 sawn-off shotgun is an excellent platform for virtually unlimited upgrades. The sighting device can be mounted on a dovetail rail (11 millimeters), and a bayonet, under-barrel flashlight, or laser target designator can be easily attached to the barrel.
• Caliber. Many will say that 20 gauge is the weak point of the Chairman's Death. However, let's face it: Almost all modern shotguns come in 12 gauge, leaving hunters with fewer and fewer options when it comes to purchasing a specialty shotgun. The only way out is to take weapons from the last century.

The TOZ-106 Death of the Chairman shotgun has relatively fewer disadvantages than positive aspects, but many of them may be critical for most buyers:

• Poor build quality. The weapons produced by Tula Plant PJSC between 1990 and 2000 do not have the best reputation, since almost half of the samples had problems with the barrel or butt. Also on sale you can still find crude versions in which the magazine does not work, the bolt is jammed or the front sight is crooked.
• Low sighting range. Despite the fact that an accuracy of 50% is a fairly good indicator for a smoothbore gun, do not forget that the tests were carried out from a distance of 35 meters. Shooting from a 20 gauge from a distance of more than 50 meters is practically useless, so the range of use of the weapon is significantly reduced.
• The need for fine-tuning and upgrading. Even if a hunter manages to purchase a model without visible defects or defects, it will still have to be polished with a file and sandpaper. It is especially important to grind the trigger mechanism, bump stop, as well as the surface of the bolt and receiver.

In general, if you are not afraid of the need to modify the weapon after purchase, and also you do not plan to shoot the gun from a long distance, then the TOZ-106 will do quite well. The model will seem especially interesting to those who like to upgrade weapons, because you can change the “Death of the Chairman” almost beyond recognition.

Advantages and disadvantages

The gun has a number of advantages that made it popular among users. Let's list the main ones.

+ Dimensions and weight

Firstly, TOZ-106 has unsurpassed compactness. Indeed, finding another 20-gauge shotgun with a length of just over half a meter is simply unrealistic. The carbine easily fits into a small bag or backpack, it can be easily hidden in your bosom. At the same time, the weapon is lightweight, which allows you to carry it with you for a long time without getting tired. In addition, the model is perfectly balanced and has ideal weight distribution.

+ Versatility and caliber

The twentieth gauge provides versatility. This weapon can be used for self-defense, hunting, sports and training shooting. The recoil is small, which makes shooting from the TOZ attractive to women and teenagers.

At the same time, the combat power of the product helps solve the problems of security of objects, self-defense, etc. For little money, the buyer acquired a reliable and easy-to-use weapon with a wide range of applications.

+ Possibilities for tuning

But the most important advantage of the one hundred and sixth is rightfully considered the unlimited possibility of fine-tuning and tuning. What didn’t the Russian Kulibins come up with with the product of Tula weapons engineers! But more on that below, but for now let’s talk about the rifle’s shortcomings.

— Poor workmanship

The main scourge of Tula weapons of that time was the disgusting quality of assembly and manufacturing of parts and assembly units. If the buyer received a specimen with a straight trunk, this was already considered a great success. A new gun, fresh from the store, could simply not work; it was a crude semi-finished product that still had to be made into a weapon.

A sticking bolt, a poorly fixed magazine, a non-functioning fuse and a crookedly soldered sight sight - all this was commonplace for the 106th. Most problems were solved by disassembling the gun and thoroughly adjusting the mating parts. An old Soviet joke, where after assembly it was recommended to carefully process the product with a file in the best possible way, applied specifically to TOZ 106.

— Low aiming range and accuracy

“Death to the Chairman” has all the disadvantages of a sawed-off shotgun and, in general, weapons with a short barrel. The actual effective range is about 30 meters when firing a bullet. When using a fraction, this figure is even less. The absence of a narrowing of the barrel also negatively affects the technical characteristics of the model.

That is why the main purpose of the rifle should still be considered self-defense. Most of the specimens were purchased specifically for this purpose, and secondarily for hunting. For avid hunters, it was easier and sometimes cheaper to purchase a classic hunting rifle with a standard-length barrel. The compactness of a gun for those who like to shoot game is secondary; here the indicators of accuracy and firing range come to the fore.

— Upgrade and fine-tuning

After purchasing a new gun, the lucky owner had to arm himself with a set of files and sandpaper and thoroughly sand a number of parts and mechanisms of the gun. The trigger mechanism, the surface of the lugs, the surface of the bolt, the receiver and much more were subjected to grinding.

After these operations and subsequent lubrication of all parts, the model began to work acceptably. All kinds of jamming, grazing and biting disappeared. The bolt began to work clearly and smoothly, the gun engaged the safety, and the magazine began to clearly lock into the socket. The design of the model is so simple that when disassembling the model, you can immediately see what and where needs to be filed or sanded in order for the unit to work.

The possibilities for tuning the model are limited only by the imagination and technical capabilities of the owner. The main directions for modernization are as follows:

• Installation of a full stock and other stock. Similar parts from the MTs-20 models are usually used.
• Installation of various types of optical sights
• Installation of laser target designators (LTD)
• Installation of a longer barrel

Most of the TOZ-106 parts are interchangeable with similar parts from the MTs-20 series models, which increases the possibilities for tuning. Among other things, owners often experiment with the appearance of the product, turning a standard weapon into a real work of art.

In criminal circles, it was fashionable to get rid of the lock, which made it impossible to shoot with the butt folded. After this, it was possible to get rid of the butt, which significantly increased the compactness of the product and reduced its weight.

Interesting fact: due to the short barrel, the TOZ does not have a sighting bar, and a front sight is used for sighting. Often the front sight had to be resoldered, since it was fixed offset to the side when installed at the factory.

Modifications

At the stand from the Tula Arms Plant at the Arms & Hunting fair in 2022, two modifications of the Death of the Chairman were presented at once - the TOZ-106-M and TOZ-106-M1 shotguns. The manufacturer noted that during the development of new versions of the popular weapon, engineers tried to take into account all the aspects that made the TOZ-106 shotgun popular, as well as improve the existing technical characteristics and get rid of shortcomings.

• TOZ-106-M. The TOZ-106-M version of the shotgun is much more consistent with the original. Its dimensions remained unchanged, and its weight even increased slightly to 2.7 kg. In general, the modification corrects existing shortcomings, the same ones due to which the gun had to be modified after purchase, and also provides for one serious change - replacing the dovetail with a more modern Picatinny rail (22 millimeters). The model also began to be produced in plastic - the stock and forend were replaced with a polymer version.
• TOZ-106-M1. The modification of the TOZ-106-M1 smoothbore shotgun differs from the original much more than the Tula Arms Plant tried to convince us of. Firstly, the most noticeable change is the increase in barrel length to 500 millimeters; accordingly, the new weapon has a much greater target range and hit accuracy. Secondly, the shotgun's weight is now 2.9 kilograms, and the maximum magazine capacity has been increased to 5 rounds (+1 in the barrel). Thus, the gun began to look more like a hunting gun, but lost its compactness.

The release of modifications into mass production will take place only in 2021. There is no information yet that would help to imagine at least the approximate price of the new weapon. However, the fact remains that the Tula plant continues to support the TOZ-106. The death of the chairman with the release of modifications will undoubtedly affect the popularity of the model among the common population and hunting enthusiasts.

The TOZ-106 shotgun is a very unusual, but extremely specific hunting rifle. It is ideal for those who value low weight and compactness, and also like to install various modifications on weapons. However, many gunsmith experts agree that this gun can only be called a hunting gun with a stretch. Rather, it is suitable for protecting warehouses and farm fields from wild animals and birds. Well, in order for the hit accuracy to remain at an acceptable level, the hunter must have extensive experience in using 20-caliber smoothbore shotguns.

Despite the fact that the gun does not use the most powerful cartridges, to purchase a TOZ-106 Death of the Chairman shotgun you will have to obtain a permit, which is issued only if you have a hunting license. Considering all this, for most people it would be wiser to find some analogue of a semi-automatic shotgun, for example, the same Saiga. However, if this model hooks you with its history and loud name, then you can safely buy it - in this regard, the TOZ-106 has practically no competitors.

Tuning TOZ-106

The possibilities of tuning the TOZ-106 smoothbore shotgun are limited only by the imagination of its owner. Here are the main areas of modernization, as well as some examples of changes that can be made:

1. Technical - increases the combat characteristics of weapons. This includes modifying the trigger with reinforced springs for the firing pins, shortening the barrel to increase the power of the shot (negatively affects the accuracy of the fire), as well as installing various choke tubes to increase accuracy at medium and long distances (negatively affects the power).
2. Operational - designed to simplify the process of using the gun, as well as expand the possibilities for operation. For example, you can install an optical sight or collimator in order to get more accurate shooting with a bullet from long distances, install a laser designator under the barrel, attach fiber optics to the front sight, and so on.
3. Visual - affect only the appearance of the weapon, practically without affecting its technical characteristics. Among the most popular upgrades, it is worth highlighting the replacement of a wooden stock with a plastic one, chrome plating of the barrel, installation of a new (fixed) stock, engraving on metal parts, etc.

The compact TOZ-106 sawn-off shotgun is famous for the fact that most of its parts are interchangeable with the MTs-20 weapon line - this significantly expands the tuning possibilities and also simplifies the search for a body kit. If desired, the gun can be changed beyond recognition, turning it into a real work of art and endowing it with increased ballistic characteristics.

Optical sight

Although the designers do not provide for the installation of an optical sight on the TOZ-106, it can be installed using a suitable bracket. The sight of an optical sight mounted on an analogue of the kulak sawn-off shotgun “Death to the Chairman” can inspire awe in a robber. In addition to the fact that the weapon will lose its brutal appearance, the balance of the gun will be disrupted, and the total weight can increase to 3.5 kg. Much of this weight will come from the homemade bracket that may have to be built.

For self-defense and recreational shooting, an optical sight is not needed; installing it will add accuracy to the TOZ-106, although it will not turn the sawed-off shotgun into a sniper rifle. Since it is not possible to find brackets that fit the size of the TOZ-106, you will have to make it yourself, making a dovetail bar and using parts from the bracket for the Saiga. Using a vice, files, needle files, a screwdriver and a minimal set of various taps, you can make a homemade bracket in a few free evenings.

Shooting

The gun is cocked by turning the bolt handle up when it is opened, that is, the cartridge can be in the chamber without the risk of an unplanned shot. Before firing, you just need to turn the bolt handle up, pull it all the way back, sharply move it forward and lower it down again to its original position, after which you can shoot.

Aiming and holding a target with the TOZ-106 is quite convenient. The balance of the shotgun, its weight and caliber even allow for very comfortable shooting with one hand. The effective range of the bullet is up to 50 meters (with an installed optical sight - up to 150 m), the best results are observed with the Polev bullet. The scope bracket for the TOZ-106 is quite easy to install.

The recoil of the TOZ-106 shotgun is moderate, and the butt is quite ergonomic. The short barrel has a direct impact on the volume of the shot, which is very high in the TOZ-106.

Due to the fact that, according to the Law of the Russian Federation “On Weapons”, the total length of a firearm in a ready-to-fire state should not be less than 800 mm, the manufacturer has provided for the inclusion of a lock when the butt is folded, which makes a shot impossible.

Shooting Features

The gun is cocked by sharply turning the bolt handle upward. At the same time, thanks to the presence of an automatic fuse, the risk of an accidental shot is reduced to almost a minimum. Before firing, it is necessary to move the butt to the firing position, otherwise you will not be able to load the rifle. Once the shooter is ready to fight, simply release the safety, take aim, and pull the trigger.

The undeniable advantage of "Death of the Chairman" is its good balance. The center of gravity is located in a good place, which is why the barrel does not deviate forward or backward while aiming. This will increase the chances of hitting, especially for novice shooters. Considering that the weapon weighs only 2500 grams, the TOZ-106 can be suitable for shooting with one hand. Although the target range in this case will be noticeably reduced.

The gun also has a very comfortable recoil due to the presence of a lightweight butt with a shock absorber. The sound of a shot may seem too loud for some owners, but this problem can be quickly solved with the help of a sound moderator - a special device that is not prohibited by law and acts as a silencer.

It is quite normal for a moderate flash of flame to appear when firing.

Choosing a TOZ-106 shotgun

Since TOZ-106 is currently no longer in production, you can buy this charismatic shotgun either second-hand or in specialized consignment stores. In any case, it's better than getting a new weapon whose build quality has always been terrible. When choosing a TOZ-106 sawn-off shotgun, you should pay attention to the following design nuances:

• The quality of the barrel;
• Shutter adjustment;
• Operation of the trigger mechanism;
• Butt fixation;
• Metal deposit in the gun stock.

The remaining shortcomings can be eliminated at home, so you don’t have to pay attention to them when purchasing.

The most important thing in any weapon is the quality of the barrel. If the trunk is crooked, then it is almost impossible to straighten it. It is very difficult to hit the target clearly with such a “stick”. No matter how much you would like to have a TOZ-106 in your arsenal, it is better to refuse to buy a weapon with a crooked barrel. In addition, the trunk may have a difference in thickness, which cannot be eliminated on its own. Sometimes the front sight, which the Tula Arms Plant sometimes managed to solder crookedly, can also cause trouble.

The next important point is to inspect the bolt of the gun. This procedure boils down to checking the locking unit. You can also immediately check the firing mechanism. To check, you need to repeatedly pull the shutter at both a slow and fast pace. This process must be accompanied by the mandatory release of the trigger to check the trigger. When checking the shutter, it is advisable to use cartridges without primers.

If the TOZ-106 barrel, its bolt and trigger work flawlessly, you can immediately take this copy, since you can deal with unclear fixation of the butt and magazine on your own. If these mechanisms also work flawlessly, then this means that you are very lucky.

Service

Timely preventative treatment will extend the service life of the weapon. To do this, it is necessary to regularly lubricate the working parts with gun oil. Owners of 106-TOZ should adhere to a number of rules, namely:

• do not allow a sharp impact on the barrel cut when changing the shutter mode;
• avoid pulling the trigger idle;
• When storing, make sure that the trigger is released to avoid deformation of the spring;
• make sure that moisture, snow, and soil do not get into the trunk;
• do not use charges that fit tightly into the chamber, which requires even more effort to open and lock the weapon.

The gun should be cleaned and lubricated after each use, and during storage - at least once a quarter. The barrel and chamber are treated with a wire brush lubricated with special oil. After the element is cleaned, it is wiped dry and lubricated. Wooden parts are treated with a soft, dry cloth.