Shotgun TOZ-34 - sideflint for a hunter of any level of training

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How to distinguish a truly successful gun from ordinary, albeit good, models? Yes, very simple. The main difference is the test of time. The duration of production of such a gun can be counted in decades, the number of copies sold can be hundreds of thousands. This is exactly the history of the model that our review is devoted to. So, TOZ - 34, the legendary “vertical” of the Tula plant.

History of creation

The TOZ-34 shotgun was developed at the Tula Arms Factory in 1964 by a young talented designer Nikolai Ivanovich Korovyakov.

An interesting fact is that Korovyakov did not have a special technical education and was not a professional gunsmith. Perhaps this is what allowed him to move away from generally accepted clichés and create a gun with a truly original design. Designer Korovyakov was not afraid to experiment and found interesting, non-trivial ideas.

In 1965, the TOZ-34 gun won a gold medal at a specialized exhibition at the Leipzig fair for its original design.

Since 1968, the gun has been produced as a piece, and since 1969 it has been put into mass production. Immediately after the launch of the gun into mass production, a modification of the TOZ-34E gun appeared, with an automatic cartridge ejector (ejector).

The TOZ-34 shotgun quickly gained popularity among Soviet hunters, both amateurs and commercial hunters. This was the first model of a Soviet gun with vertically positioned barrels, characterized by versatility and light weight.

Most hunters know the TOZ-34 as a 12-gauge gun, but at one time guns of other calibers were also produced: 16, , 28 and even 32. Guns of these calibers were produced in small quantities, they were made on a 12-gauge block and were not in particular demand among hunters due to its heavy weight.

Currently, the TOZ-34 gun has been produced for more than 50 years, during which time more than a million guns of various designs have been produced.

According to the manufacturer's warranty, the lifespan of the TOZ-34 gun is 12 thousand shots, but in practice, most guns can easily withstand 20-30 thousand shots. According to rumors, there are TOZ-34 shotguns that have fired 100 thousand rounds and continue to work properly.

The Tula Arms Factory developed and even produced several models of smoothbore guns, which were supposed to replace the legendary TOZ-34: TOZ-84, TOZ-91, TOZ-120, TOZ-200, but all of them could not even come close to matching in popularity among hunters with TOZ-34.

Weapons connoisseurs advise buying TOZ-34 shotguns produced from 1970 to 1990, as well as those produced after 2000, on the secondary market. Shotguns of these years of production are made of high-quality materials, have a higher quality of fitting of parts and better build quality.

Pros of the model

As noted earlier, the most important advantage of the TOZ-34 is considered to be its unsurpassed accuracy and precision, comparable to top-end shotguns from famous manufacturers. The reason for this is the successful design of the barrels. The upper barrel has a “choke” type drill, the lower one has a “poluchok” type.

The hammerless (with internally located triggers) design increases the rate of fire. From the chain of operations for loading a gun with the new cartridge, the cocking link is excluded, which significantly increases the efficiency of loading. The hammers are cocked automatically during the process of breaking the barrels.

34 is perfectly balanced. It is easy to use for shooters of any height. Good grip together with low weight allows you to raise the gun very quickly, which further increases the efficiency of the shot, which is so important when hunting game. The main thing is not to forget to remove the gun from the safety lock.

Partial assembly and disassembly is not very difficult. On guns before 1979, the barrels were tilted using a trigger, which caused a lot of complaints from users. In some cases, the trunks were impossible to bend, and in others they “fell off” themselves at the most inopportune moment. Later, the plant had to abandon this design and use a special flag.

Interesting to know: Nikolai Ivanovich Korovyakov, a talented Soviet engineer, is considered the inventor of the TOZ-34. Nikolai Ivanovich did not have a special technical education, and certainly not a professional gunsmith. Perhaps it was precisely ignorance of generally accepted clichés that allowed him to create a gun of such an original design. He was not afraid to experiment and intuitively found the right solutions.

Specifications

• Caliber: 12, 20, 28
• Barrel length: 711 mm (for 12 and 20 gauge shotguns), 660 mm (for 28 gauge shotguns)
• Chamber length: 70 mm
• Upper barrel choke: choke (1.0 mm)
• Choke of the lower barrel: half (0.6 mm)
• Trigger force: 1.5-2.5 kg
• Overall length of the gun: 1160 mm (for 12 and 20 gauge guns), 1110 (for 28 gauge guns)
• Weight: 3,150-3,200 kg
• Manufacturer: PJSC "Tula Arms Plant"

Analogs

The main competitor of the product of Tula gunsmiths is the Izhevsk IZH-27 gun. It has a more durable and reliable design, larger dimensions and weight. The combat quality of the Izhevsk gun is slightly lower than that of the TOZ. This is explained by a different drilling of the barrels and a different muzzle constriction.

Other competitors of the thirty-four are the MP 233, TOZ-120 and some imported guns. Recently, products from Chinese factories have appeared on the market, among which there are quite decent models.

Design

TOZ-34 barrels

The barrels of the TOZ-34 shotgun are removable and vertically fastened together. The barrels are connected to each other using a breech coupling and an interbarrel strip. An aiming bar is attached to the upper barrel, which can be either solid or ventilated.

The bores and chambers are chrome-plated, which significantly increases the resistance of gun barrels to corrosion. The chamber is 70 mm long. To fire the TOZ-34 gun, you can use cartridges with plastic, metal and paper casings. It is recommended to use cartridges with plastic sleeves; they provide the best accuracy when shooting. When shooting, you can use shotgun cartridges, cartridges loaded with buckshot or bullets.

The lower and upper barrels have different choke constrictions, they can vary from gun to gun, but most often the upper barrel has a 1 mm choke constriction, and the lower barrel has a 0.6 mm choke constriction.

Accuracy of fire is one of the most important indicators for a hunting rifle. The TOZ-34 shotgun is famous for its high accuracy. When shooting from a conventional TOZ-34 gun from a distance of 35 meters, at a target with a diameter of 750 mm, the accuracy of the upper barrel is 60%, the accuracy of the lower barrel is 50%. The TOZ-34 shotgun has an even higher accuracy, for the upper barrel - 65%, for the lower barrel - 55%.

Removal of cartridges is carried out when opening the barrels. In TOZ-34 the cartridge case is pulled out by an ejector; in TOZ-34E the cartridge case is ejected by an automatic ejector (ejector).

Locking system

The design of the TOZ-34 gun uses a unique method of connecting the barrel block to the gun block, which has nothing in common with any other gun. This connection is made by means of ring joints, which are partially cut off to allow the separation of the barrels. The use of ring hinges as a method of connecting a block of barrels and a block is quite expensive due to its higher labor intensity, as it requires high quality and precision fitting of the protrusions and grooves.

Thanks to the use of ring hinges, the TOZ-34 gun has a lower barrel arrangement, less weight and dimensions, and a more aesthetic appearance.

It should be noted that the opinion of many hunters that ring hinges will not withstand the load and over time will not be able to provide reliable locking is erroneous. The ring hinges do not carry any force load; the function of the locking unit is performed by a rectangular protrusion that fits into the corresponding cutout in the block. The rectangular protrusion is locked in the gun block using a wide bolt frame. The device is very simple and very reliable, ensuring a long service life of the gun. The working surface of this rectangular protrusion is larger in area than similar surfaces of other shotgun models and is less subject to wear than conventional under-barrel hooks.

On TOZ-34 shotguns produced before 1979, in order to fold back the barrels, you had to smoothly release the triggers, pull the trigger and smoothly move the locking lever to the right. If the locking lever was not pulled completely to the right, the cocking levers could be broken or bent. This method of disassembling the gun caused a lot of complaints from users. Owners of TOZ-34 shotguns complained that sometimes the barrels could not be disconnected, and sometimes, on the contrary, the barrels were disconnected at the most inopportune moment.

In order to correct the situation, the factory introduced a special flag into the design of the gun, which was placed on the right side of the block. Now, in order to disconnect the barrels from the gun, you need to turn the flag down, then open the gun, the barrels will easily detach from the receiver block.

Some people believe that the TOZ-34 gun is too difficult to assemble and disassemble, but this is nothing more than a myth. If you know how to do it correctly, TOZ-34 is assembled and disassembled very easily, even in complete darkness or by touch.

A special feature of the TOZ-34 shotgun is a removable plate of the forehead of the block, secured with two screws. Firstly, this allows you to easily replace this plate with a new one, and secondly, it allows the owner of the gun to remove the gap between the breech cut of the barrels and the forehead of the block by adding a metal gasket under this plate. .

USM

The trigger mechanism of the TOZ-34 shotgun is quite traditional in nature; it is placed on a separate base. The mechanism has internal triggers, the strikers are made separately from the triggers. The hammers are cocked when the barrels are bent. The gun has two triggers.

The TOZ-34 trigger mechanism has interceptors that intercept the triggers, preventing an accidental shot. The presence of interceptors significantly increases the safety of the gun. The mechanism provides for a smooth release of the triggers from cocking.

The TOZ-34 gun has unusual mainsprings; in appearance they resemble a horseshoe. According to some hunters, the mainsprings of the TOZ-34 are the weak point of the gun; in their opinion, they quickly break the seats, which leads to the misalignment of the springs themselves and their subsequent failure.

In the 60s of the last century, when the gun was being developed, the plant had an installation for the development and production of guns that could be easily repaired, which is why the gun, instead of the usual plate mainsprings, which are difficult to manufacture, used horseshoe-shaped wire mainsprings , which could be made even in artisanal conditions.

To be fair, it should be noted that the TOZ-34 mainsprings on most guns can normally withstand tens of thousands of shots, and if they break, they can be purchased at any gun store.

Another advantage of TOZ-34 mainsprings is that they cope well with the toughest domestic primers.

The TOZ-34 has a mechanical fuse that locks the sear. Non-automatic fuse. The fuse slider moved to the front position indicates the “fire” state, and in the rear position the “safety” state. For greater safety, the gun has cocking indicators.

TOZ-34 stock

The butt of the TOZ-34 shotgun can be made of walnut, beech or birch. Pistol-shaped buttstock neck. Most stocks have a tap to the right, but guns were also produced with a tap to the left, although much less frequently. The back of the butt can be made of plastic or rubber.

The weak point of the TOZ-34 gun is the connection between the gun block and the stock. With most guns, as the gun is used, a crack appears in the neck of the butt, which can subsequently lead to the stock splitting. The reason for this crack is that with each shot from the gun, the steel wedge of the gun's block hits the cutout of the stock, as if wedging it, which leads to the appearance of a crack. This is a design flaw in the TOZ-34 gun, which, despite the fact that the gun has been in production for many years, has not been eliminated.

The forend of the gun is integral and is fixed to the barrel block with two screws. Almost all TOZ-34 shotguns have unsightly nicks in the area of ​​the fore-end where it comes into contact with the metal of the block. They appear especially often after a person who does not know how to do it correctly tries to assemble a gun.

MAKSIMOV.SU

TOZ-34 in the arsenal of Soviet hunters occupied the same positions as

as in the souls and safes of hunters in modern Russia - unshakably strong.
TOZ-34 12 gauge

Guns TOZ-34,

along with the Izh-27, they are the most popular domestic “verticals”, respected and sincerely loved by several generations of hunters. We will talk about the Izh-27 separately, but in this article we will talk about the unique “tulka”.

Regular TOZ-34 12 gauge

Owners

"Thirty-fours" often associate the name of their guns with the best medium tank of WWII - the Soviet T-34.
Well, the unfading memory of the Great Patriotic War and the continued great popularity of the Tula “vertical”, which, according to various sources, were produced in an amount of about 1.5 million copies and became no less popular among the people than the famous “trigger”, are also encouraging. . TOZ-34 28 caliber
Whatever

No matter what they told us in the advertising of foreign guns, only consumer demand still determines the popularity of weapons, of which, I repeat, the “TOZ-34 model” is by no means deprived.

Rare TOZ-34-28.
The facilitating “grip” on the breech of the upper barrel is clearly visible.
The Tula “vertical” is 40 years old!

Hunting rifle TOZ-34

was developed in 1965 by a young but talented designer Nikolai Ivanovich Korovyakov (born June 9, 1937), with the participation of a team of designers from the Tula Arms Plant S.S. Ferapontov, V.P. Ochnev and V.A. Paramonov.
I once heard that Nikolai Ivanovich’s last name is correctly spelled with a soft sign - Korovyakov, but I cannot confirm this. The TOZ-34 butt could be with or without a cheekpiece.
For the development

a new, in many ways unique model of a domestic hunting rifle, all participants in the project were awarded the S.I. Mosin Prize. In total, Korovyakov was awarded the Mosin Prize twice.

Not every

Hunters know that N.I. Korovyakov worked not only in the field of developing hunting weapons. At the end of the 1980s. Nikolai Ivanovich developed (or rather, modified his own design from the 1960s) a very interesting gun - the technologically advanced TOZ-39 (TOZ-39M).

The difference in the design of the block
(upper) and ordinary (lower) TOZ-34

But

this, apparently, was already his last “chord” (“39”, unfortunately, was never put into production): at that time he was already busy not even with guns, but with ideas beyond the bounds of science fiction, even to deeply scientific work in the field of the universe, the fourth dimension and antigravity. This, for example, is the famous Korovyakov top, which refutes the theories of Einstein, Newton... (agree, an unusual situation?)

Korovyakov

was a multifaceted genius. He was burning with ideas, they promised to allocate him a research institute to develop projects such as, for example, trackless transport and other things that even today seem incomprehensible.

Who knows,

What would a talented designer have managed to do if the coup of the 1990s had not broken out, which, together with the USSR, buried the developments of hundreds and thousands of unique research institutes and these institutes themselves?
It is significant that ten years ago the Russian Academy of Sciences called Korovyakov a “pseudo scientist.” Shooting from TOZ-34
Let's return to the gun.

Individual elements of the TOZ-34 cannot be called anything other than ingenious. At the same time, completely innovative structural components are combined with typically Tula somewhat awkward elements, and on top of all this there were factory defects - there was simply not enough precision in production and the qualifications of the workers (from engineers to assemblers).

But

the gun could be a worldwide hit! From the “34” it would be possible to make a mass-produced 12-gauge over-shooter, very light, weighing no more than 3 kg. But our defense industry, unfortunately, had other priorities then...

Scheme TOZ-34

Tula gunsmiths

always won as a mechanic. Actually, to some extent, this was the reason for the sad current problems of TOZ - people simply ran for money to neighboring Moscow (and are still running today).

Besides,

in Tula it was always customary to rely on a high class of mechanics, and in Izhevsk, where peasants went to factories, technologists and designers had to strain their brains, focusing on the low qualifications of craftsmen.
TOZ-34-28. Due to the use of a 12 gauge block, the wall thickness of the barrels with a 28 gauge is impressive

From here

and one more Tula feature - everyone there is his own genius, no one will continue the work of another, he will do something of his own... Korovyakov made the TOZ-34. While it was working, it was in good build quality. Nikolai Ivanovich switched to something else - immediately there were problems with the assembly: none of the designer-technologists particularly looked after the “foreign” gun...

And then

at TOZ they decided that the “34” had many disadvantages, they needed to make a new gun, a better one.
Korovyakov was given Popikov as an assistant. And instead of modifying the Toz-34, they made the TOZ-84. Korovyakov left, instead of modifying the “84”, Popikov made his own TOZ-91, also a good gun. Non-automatic fuse

It seemed

- just refine it based on the production results.
But no, Popikov was removed from work (and he went to Blazer), and they decided to make Toz-120. They did it, they worked, but in some places it wasn’t so great. We decided to “return to the roots” by crossing “a horse and a tremulous doe” - the result was the suddenly deceased TOZ-200. In the end, we decided to return to the TOZ-120: apparently we can’t even find geniuses for the new model... And back in
1965, the TOZ-34 gun, presented at the international Leipzig fair, was awarded a gold medal and a diploma for its original design. But the gun went into production only a few years later.

TOZ-34,
barrel block muzzle

In 1968

The plant began assembling single-piece copies of the improved TOZ-34E model, which had an ejector mechanism designed by Korovyakov, and the gun went into large production in 1969. Therefore, today, in 2009, we can celebrate the 40th anniversary of TOZ-34.

A flag
that facilitates disassembling the gun on the block of the modernized TOZ-34
Hunting rifles

TOZ-34 models and its various modifications are designed for commercial and amateur hunting. For shooting, standard hunting cartridges with a 70 mm long sleeve are used.

Diameter

bore - 18.5 mm, with a tolerance of 0.2 mm. The increased diameter of the bore provides better combat characteristics and makes shooting from a gun with cartridges with a metal sleeve quite satisfactory.

Pad shield TOZ-34.
The hammer cockers and the screws securing the removable “forehead” of the gun block

TOZ-34 barrels

detachable, located in a vertical plane. The connection between the barrel block and the gun frame of this model has an original (I would say unique in its originality) design - it is carried out using a trunnion connection (partially cut off ring hinges).

TOZ-34,
incomplete disassembly

This design

places increased demands on the production culture, but makes it possible to obtain a lower arrangement of trunks in the box and, accordingly, made it possible to reduce its height.
That’s why TOZ-34 looks so elegant. TOZ-34

Barrel channels

chrome-plated and have different choke constrictions: upper choke, lower choke. The connection and locking of the barrels with the box is carried out by ring hinges and a locking frame. The trigger mechanism with internal triggers and two triggers is mounted on a separate base.

TOZ-34 first releases

Front descent

is designed to fire a shot from the lower barrel, and the rear one from the top. Cocking the hammers, working preload of the mainsprings, and in TOZ-34E, preload of the ejector springs, is carried out during the process of opening the barrels. The shotguns have cocking indicators. TOZ-34 first issues, in excellent condition

TOZ-34 first releases

For elimination

In case of accidental shots, there are trigger interceptors and a non-automatic safety lock that locks the sear.
Spent cartridges are removed from the chambers when the barrels are opened. In the TOZ-34 gun they are pulled out by an ejector. The TOZ-34E gun is ejected by an ejector mechanism. TOZ-34 first releases

Lodge

made of birch, beech or walnut wood, with a pistol or straight neck and with a tap to the right. The forend is integral and is attached to the barrels with screws. The forend on the guns of the first batches was angular; later it was made more “rounded” and comfortable.

TOZ-34 first releases

In the main

based on its weight, the TOZ-34 was produced in 12 caliber, less often with 20, 28 and 32 caliber barrels. Small-caliber shotguns are intended for fishermen, but they are not particularly widespread.

TOZ-34 first releases,
lower part of the receiver

TOZ-34

were produced in various designs. From flat ornaments made by knurling on ordinary guns, to highly artistic engraving and chasing on “pieces”.

Based on TOZ-34

bench modifications of the TOZ-57 (trench and ladder modifications) and combined shotguns TOZ-34 were produced, combining a 20 or 28 caliber smooth barrel with a 5.6 mm rifled one.
TOZ-34 of the first releases, the forend of the gun has a characteristic angular shape

Extremely

rare and very expensive was the Zubr fitting, also designed on the basis of the TOZ-34 design, initially manufactured for the 9.27x74 cartridge (modification TOZ-55-1), later - for the 9x53 cartridge (modification TOZ-55-2) . This elite weapon could be equipped with 5 pairs of barrels, which made it possible to cover all imaginable hunting tasks.

TOZ-34 first releases,
bolt lever and safety

Operation of TOZ-34

Among our hunters

There is a unanimous opinion that the TOZ-34 has a better fight than the Izh-27. And this is indeed confirmed in practice. Perhaps the drilling of the Tula “over-and-under” barrels and strong chokes are the reason for this, perhaps the better ergonomics of the gun are added to this.

TOZ-34 first issues, engraving

About

The outstanding characteristics of the TOZ-34 during bullet shooting are often said. However, you must admit that the ability of a good hand-held shooter to consistently hit a wild boar “on the spot” from a double-barreled shotgun at 70-120 m is not a common occurrence.

But this

– I personally have repeatedly verified a fact. Again, the criterion of truth is practice, which many hunters now sorely lack.

TOZ-34,
pad guard
When firing

In a T-shirt, the gun noticeably “kicks”, even a rubber butt plate does not help - its low mass affects it. There is no particular discomfort in winter clothes.

Gun

perfectly balanced and well controlled. Perhaps a white shoe is not the best solution in terms of camouflage, but it looks elegant. Yes, and habitually; TOZ-34 with a black oxidized receiver are quite rare.

TOZ-34 first releases

The most

The big problem faced by inexperienced TOZ-34 owners is assembling/disassembling the gun. The lower part of the forend of almost all 34-k guns has deformations from the sharp corners of the block, which appear during inept attempts to assemble the gun.

Despite

Despite the fact that the gun's passport describes in black and white in great detail a simple algorithm for assembling and disassembling the gun, someone is always unable to fit the barrels, or comes home with an unassembled gun or, in the worst case, with bent cocking levers.

Design of the trunnion connection
of barrels and TOZ-34 blocks

Old hunters

they say that when disassembling the TOZ-34, there were known cases of shooting off the toes on the right foot - this is when, during disassembly, an unloaded gun, with the hammers cocked, the muzzle of the barrels was pressed into the boot. Very instructive...

When assembling the gun

it is necessary to extend the extractor on the barrel block and do not forget to move the locking mechanism lever to the right.

TOZ-34 first releases,
fuse

Later,

in 1977, meeting the wishes of hunters, the plant introduced changes to the design of the gun in the form of a rotating flag on the right side of the block. The letter “M” appeared in the name of the modernized gun.

Piece TOZ-34

When disassembling the gun

with a flag to facilitate disassembly, before separating the barrels, the locking lever should be located along the axis of the gun, and the flag should be turned down until it stops against the wall of the box groove. Design of the TOZ-34 block of later releases

Disassembly of TOZ-34

When

If the flag is not brought all the way to the wall of the box groove, when separating the barrels, deformation of the cocking levers may occur, after which it will be impossible to separate the barrels from the box.

Disassembling TOZ-34, removing the trigger

Conclusion

TOZ-34

is a unique gun. Remarkable in all respects: light, flexible, perfectly balanced, with strong locking, excellent bullet and shot action... Beautiful, finally.

Structurally

the built-in possibility of eliminating the shat makes the gun attractive even for those who will not shoot even half of the considerable resource of the TOZ-34.

Disassembly of TOZ-34

However

, even an unrealized opportunity is tempting. As mentioned above, the design of the gun has a weak side - the mainsprings.

Good memory

stand builder and teacher of USSR champions V.A. Karamyshev, who was personally acquainted with Korovyakov, told me how to correctly make mainsprings for TOZ-34 from ordinary sofa wire, if they are not available.
Complete disassembly of TOZ-34
Gun equipment

spare mainsprings indicates their possible initial fragility. But, as we remember, Izhevsk guns were also equipped with similar spare parts. If the assembler of your TOZ-34 was competent and not lazy, then the gun, with the right attitude, will delight your grandchildren.

Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

Shotguns TOZ-34

small calibers are no longer relevant: there is simply no practical point in using them. Is it somewhere in the wilderness, where every gram of gunpowder and shot counts, saving on consumables is not only justified, but vitally necessary.

That's when

TOZ-34 of 20, 28 and 32 calibers is an excellent tool for a fisherman or village hunter: 2 ready-to-fire barrels that can be loaded with various projectiles - anything is better than a single-barreled gun.

Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

Great strength TOZ-34

small calibers are also only a plus here. The chrome-plated channels of the barrels of a fishing gun will be appreciated by those who are familiar with the problems of caring for “black” barrels during a multi-day stay in the forest.

Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

Quality TOZ-34

Soviet releases are usually without any complaints. But modern Tula guns, despite the sharp decline in the quality of metal processing and assembly, are quite good, especially if there is plenty to choose from.

Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

Anyway,

on the secondary market there are a large number of TOZ-34 in good condition, for every taste and budget.
Gun stores usually have all the parts you need, including stocks and forends. TOZ-34 is quite repairable even at home, even despite the design features. Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

Complete disassembly of TOZ-34

And how would

No matter how Turkish and European modern “verticals” were advertised, domestic hunters, not burdened by imposed stereotypes, are increasingly buying commissions (and new ones too) TOZ-34, attracted by the excellent performance characteristics of this gun, as well as by its more than adequate price .
TOZ-34 in the Caucasus
The article was published
in the magazine “Hunting”

Have a good hunting!

Operating principle

• In order to open the barrels, you need to move the locking lever all the way to the right.
• The lever moves the locking frame out of the groove, and the frame presses the triggers. The triggers release the strikers, the strikers, under the action of their springs, are pressed behind the forehead plate of the block.
• The bevels of the barrels press on the cocking levers, which cock the hammers.
• The cocked hammers push the cocking indicators up. The cocking indicators protrude above the plane of the box, indicating that the hammers are cocked.
• When closing the gun, the hammers remain cocked. The locking frame moves forward and locks the barrels. The cocking lever also returns to its original position. If the locking lever has not reached the end, it must be moved by hand.
• In order to fire a shot, you need to move the safety forward to the “fire” position, take aim and press the trigger. When you press the trigger, the sear is disengaged from the cocking mechanism and the trigger, under the action of the mainspring, strikes the firing pin, firing a shot.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of the gun of this model include:

• good accuracy of shots;
• standard cartridges are used, the sleeve of which is 70 mm. They can be loaded with shot, buckshot or bullet;
• The advantage of the gun is its light weight - only 3.3 kg, especially considering that hunting usually lasts several hours;
• the barrel in the inner part is chrome-plated, which has a beneficial effect on the accuracy of shots;
• The warranty round is designed for 12,000 rounds, although in reality there are more.

Flaws:

• in early models there was a non-standard separation of the trunks. A flag was later added because guns often broke at the internal trigger points. If you lower it down, the trunks will become easy to separate;
• mainsprings are sometimes unreliable and warp during shooting due to their horseshoe shape;
• due to the idle pull on the trigger, it is not possible to quickly shoot at targets;
• metal cartridge cases significantly reduce accuracy.

Advantages

The TOZ-34 shotgun has many advantages, thanks to which it has become so popular among our hunters:

• Excellent accuracy of the gun. High accuracy is achieved by using strong chokes and drilling the barrel bore to 18.5-18.7 mm. A smoother transition from the chamber to the bore reduces the pressure in the first phase of the shot and reduces the deformation of the shot, hence improving the parameters of the shot. Sometimes there are guns whose choke constrictions are stronger than those indicated in the passport; it is better for the owner of the gun to measure the choke constrictions themselves with a caliper in order to accurately verify the size of the chokes of his gun.
• Light weight. The standard TOZ-34 weighs 3.1-3.2 kg, but in the piece version the weight of the gun was reduced to 3.0 kg. The main competitor of the IZH-27, according to its passport, weighed 3.4 kg.
• A double-barreled shotgun with vertically positioned barrels is the best design of a smoothbore shotgun, no matter what fans of horizontal, five-shot and pump-action shotguns say. It is possible to fire a second aimed shot from a vertical rifle much faster because the axis of the barrels coincides with the aiming lines and the barrels do not deviate to the side due to recoil, as in a gun with horizontal barrels. It is also believed that the production of verticals is much more technologically advanced, and thanks to this, verticals have greater survivability.
• Internal triggers are much more convenient for hunting than external ones. There is no need for additional operation to cock the hammers before firing.
• Good balance of the gun, giving good grip. Everyone who has picked up a gun talks about this.
• Good turning ability, good controllability, ease of quick insertion and quick offhand shooting.
• Two triggers allow you to select the barrel from which the shot will be fired. Each barrel can have its own cartridge, with its own characteristics. The hunter, depending on the situation, chooses which cartridge to use for the shot.

Undeniable advantages

Hunting enthusiasts speak very positively about the TOZ-34 hunting rifle. Among the technical characteristics of TOZ-34, as a rule, they note:

• light weight, which makes using the weapon very convenient;
• “turnability”, that is, good controllability;
• excellent, wide aiming bar;
• excellent combat accuracy indicators;
• excellent balance;
• good quality of the metal used, as well as “jewelry” fit of parts;
• cocking indicators that make life easier.

Minuses

For all its advantages, the TOZ-34 gun also has its disadvantages:

• High accuracy of a gun is not always good. There are many types of hunting for which excessive accuracy of a gun only harms, for example: hunting with a pointing dog, hunting woodcock in the spring, hunting hazel grouse. The TOZ-34 gun is poorly suited for all these hunts.
• In addition to high accuracy, the uniformity of the shotgun’s shot pattern plays an important role when shooting. Unfortunately, this parameter for the TOZ-34 is far from ideal, especially when compared with modern foreign guns.
• TOZ-34 shotguns, produced from 1990 to 2000, have poor build quality. The quality of the materials used during these years also leaves much to be desired.
• Imperfect barrel locking mechanism. The introduction of a flag mechanism into the design only partially solved the problem. The node is still not very reliable.
• The trigger mechanism uses horseshoe-shaped springs. The reliability of the springs is not very high; they often warp and break at the most inopportune moment.
• The triggers have an idle pull, which is almost impossible to remove by adjustment; this pull makes it difficult to shoot at fast targets.
• The gun does not like to shoot overly powerful cartridges; shooting with such cartridges quickly leads to wear of the gun and loose barrels.
• In Soviet times, the gun seemed very elegant in its shape, but these days, especially in comparison with modern foreign guns, the TOZ-34 no longer seems so elegant and aesthetically perfect. The block of the TOZ-34 gun has a rectilinear angular shape, without a smooth transition to the wooden parts of the gun; the barrels give the impression of being simply stuck into the block. Although many hunters really like the appearance of the TOZ-34 gun, as they say, there are no comrades in taste and color.

Disassembly

For cleaning and lubrication, the TOZ-34 is partially disassembled. Maintenance is carried out immediately after shooting, and in case of non-use of the rifle - once every 3 months.

Before disassembling, you need to make sure that the rifle is unloaded - check the cartridges in the chamber.

1. The safety button is pushed forward until it stops.
2. The triggers are pulled: to do this, with the barrels open, press both triggers at once and smoothly close the barrels so that the locking lever reaches its axial position.
3. Then the flag on the box is moved to the right until it stops. The locking lever is also moved to the right and the barrels are unscrewed from the receiver.
4. The locking lever is moved to its original position.

Complete disassembly includes the described steps, as well as separating the box from the stock and removing the trigger mechanism. Complete disassembly of the TOZ-34 is only necessary for repairs.

Modifications of TOZ-34

There are several modifications of the TOZ-34 shotgun:

• TOZ-34R , a version of the gun with a rubber butt pad on the butt, the cartridge case is pulled out by an extractor
• TOZ-34E , basic version of the gun with an automatic ejector (the cartridge case is ejected by an ejector mechanism)
• TOZ-34ER , a version of the gun that has both a rubber butt pad and an automatic ejector (ejector mechanism)
• TOZ-34-5.6/20 is a combination shotgun with a rifled upper barrel of 5.6 mm caliber and a smooth lower barrel of 20 caliber. The gun was intended for commercial hunting and was produced in limited quantities.
• TOZ-34-5.6/28 combination gun, similar to the previous version, also has a rifled upper barrel of 5.6 mm caliber, and a smooth lower barrel of 28 caliber. The gun was intended for commercial hunting and was produced in limited quantities.
• TOZ-34-55 “Zubr” combination gun, smooth upper barrel 12 gauge, rifled lower barrel, caliber 9x53 mm. The gun was a one-piece design and was equipped with an optical sight.
• TOZ-34-1 , a single-barreled 12-gauge smooth-bore shotgun released in 1995.

Hunting use

For many hunters, the TOZ-34 is the true embodiment of reliability and accuracy. Not a single hunter who has a thirty-four in his arsenal would exchange it for the Izhevsk analogue. In general, hunting with TOZ-34 is carried out for all types of game. Buckshot is used for small and feathered game, and sub-caliber bullets are used for large animals. Fur-bearing animals are killed by hunters using the TOZ-34-5.6/28 or 34-5.6/20; it is quite possible to go after a large animal with the TOZ-55 “Bison”.

Calibers TOZ-34

The TOZ-34 shotgun was produced with barrels of three smooth calibers: 12 and 28. The most popular is the TOZ-34 12 gauge. Shotguns and 28 gauge are extremely rare and are more of a collector's value than of practical hunting use. The TOZ-34 and 28-caliber shotguns were mounted on a 12-gauge block, so they correspond in weight and dimensions to a 12-gauge shotgun. These guns were not popular with hunters due to their heavy weight, large dimensions and poor balance.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages are considered to be the simplicity of the device and operation, with a somewhat complicated procedure for disassembling the TOZ-34 gun. Excellent balance, good grouping of piece barrels.

But at the same time, the disadvantages of this weapon lie in the low production culture. Some parts are made of low-quality steel and quickly fail, especially often parts of ejector mechanisms and springs.

The protective coating of metal parts wears off quite quickly, and pockets of corrosion appear. For this reason, the weapon requires constant care. The quality of manufacturing of wooden parts of ordinary weapons is also not encouraging.

It is necessary to note the unification, the barrels of all calibers are united by a 12-gauge coupling, which is too large and heavy for 20 and 32, the only consolation is that such a strength reserve gives the weapon a longer lifespan.

Versions of the gun TOZ-34

TOZ-34 shotguns differ in design:

• The usual version is a regular gun intended for hunting.
• Ornamental design - designated by the letter “U”, in fact it is a regular gun, it just has a little more ornamental engraving made on the metal parts of the gun.
• Souvenir version - designated by the letter “C”, have an intricate, complex handmade engraving, the butt and fore-end of the gun are decorated with wood carvings. Some models can be inlaid with precious stones. For souvenir versions of the gun, engraving and embossing are considered highly artistic and occupy more space compared to all other versions.
• Piece execution - designated by the letter “Ш”, the gun is of improved quality, may have chrome plating, embossing and engraving on the metal parts of the gun.

Owner reviews

Opinions about the rifle are divided into 2 parts. In one case they talk about the capriciousness of the gun, about breakdowns and misfires, in the other they claim that the TOZ-34 is one of the best models of the former USSR. Which, however, does not negate the fact that the springs are really weak, nor the fact that many of the owners would like to improve the gun somewhat. For example, remove the idle pull from the trigger, as it interferes with shooting at fast-moving targets.

Stock and handguard on TOZ-34

The main competitor of the TOZ-34 is the IZH-27 gun

For many years, the main competitor of the TOZ-34 has been the IZH-27 (MR-27) smoothbore gun. Both of these shotguns are double-barreled over-and-unders, both domestically produced, and both cost about the same. There is a lot of debate among hunters about which is better, TOZ-34 or IZH-27. We compared these two guns in some detail in our article about the IZH-27 gun. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with it.

In recent years, the TOZ-34 shotgun, like all domestic shotguns, has been seriously competing with foreign-made shotguns. Most foreign guns are much more expensive than domestic guns, but they are also of much higher quality. Turkish guns are comparable in price and quality to our domestic guns. One thing is for sure, our factories producing hunting rifles will not have it easy.

Reviews about the gun

In general, reviews about the TOZ-34 are positive - they praise its light weight and good reloading speed (especially in models with a cartridge ejector), and most importantly, it is appreciated for the ease of repair work - some parts can be done literally on your knees, using the simplest instruments.

Many hunters praise the gun for the quality of the barrels - but this only applies to models produced during the Soviet era. In the USSR, the build quality, as well as the quality of the components, was better, especially in the period from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. One of the major drawbacks is the price of the trigger mechanism, which is also difficult to find. And also the “right-handed” orientation of the gun, that is, it was designed for a right-handed hunter, was also a drawback. Left-handers will have to order a custom stock because the standard factory version does not come with the required stock.

Hunting with TOZ-34

The TOZ-34 shotgun is used by hunters for hunting all types of game, from feather hunting to hunting large ungulates and predators.

It was previously mentioned about the high accuracy of the TOZ-34 shotgun, due to which the hunter may have difficulties on hunts that involve shooting at close range. For such hunts as hazel grouse hunting, hunting with a pointing dog, or woodcock hunting on a draw, the gun is not suitable.

For such hunts as capercaillie hunting on a lek, black grouse hunting, duck hunting, hare hunting, the TOZ-34 gun will be a suitable option.

By choosing the right bullet, you can successfully hunt ungulates with the TOZ-34 gun. When selecting a bullet for the TOZ-34, you should try to shoot the gun with smoothbore bullets such as: Gualandi bullet, Polev bullet, Brenneke bullet. You need to choose one that, based on the results of zeroing, will show good accuracy and accuracy.

Design Features

The design of the weapon uses a unique method of connecting the barrels of the weapon to the receiver, which is no longer used in any domestically produced model. The connection is made using ring joints. This is a rather labor-intensive method that also requires a lot of resources, but as a result, the weapon receives a unique aesthetic appearance and additional reliability points.

The butt of the gun has a pistol-shaped neck, which significantly improves the performance of the weapon. To make the back of the butt, rubber or plastic is used - materials that absorb recoil well. However, in samples released after 1990, the butt plate is simply missing, as dissatisfied owners like to remind us on various thematic forums.

Disassembling and assembling the gun

Disassembly of TOZ-34 can be complete or incomplete. Partial disassembly is performed to store the gun in a safe and to transport the gun to the hunting site. Complete disassembly is performed for maintenance and repair of the gun.

To partially disassemble the gun, follow these steps:

• Make sure the gun is unloaded.
• Remove the gun from the safety lever by moving the safety lever to the forward position.
• Smoothly release the triggers.
• Move the checkbox on the right side of the box to the down position.
• Turn the locking lever to the right until it stops.
• Open the barrels and gently rock the barrels to separate them from the receiver.

The gun is assembled in the reverse order.

To completely disassemble the gun, perform partial disassembly and then follow these steps:

• Unscrew the forend screws and remove both halves from the barrel block.
• Unscrew the trigger guard screw and turn it to the side 90 degrees.
• Unscrew the receiver screws and remove the receiver from the stock along with the trigger mechanism.

All further actions with the mechanisms of the gun must be performed only in special weapons workshops that have the appropriate equipment and qualified specialists. Don't meddle with the mechanisms of your gun out of simple curiosity.

Assembling the gun is done in the reverse order.

Principle of operation

The original solution that was used in the development of the TOZ-34 double-barreled shotgun resulted in an atypical interaction between the parts of the gun that are involved in the process of opening and closing the barrels. At the same time, the use of such an atypical scheme made it possible to significantly increase the service life of the gun and make it practically trouble-free.

In order to open the barrels, you need to move the lever responsible for locking the barrels all the way to the right. When pressed, the lever acts on the locking frame, moving it out of the groove. At the same time, the triggers are pressed out. When the triggers are pressed, they release the strikers, which are pressed behind the plate under the influence of springs.

Since the cocking lever has a stop with the box, when opening the barrels they do not rotate. When the hammers are cocked, this pushes the cocking indicators up, which in turn serves as a signal that the hammers are cocked. When the gun is opened, the upper bevels of the box act on the ejector, which extends along with the cartridges, ejecting them.

When the opening procedure occurs, the triggers remain cocked. This movement affects the cocking lever. The frame locking the barrels is released, locking the barrels, after which the locking lever returns to its original position. If the lever does not return to its place on its own, it must be moved there using your hand.

To fire a shot from the TOZ-34, you need to remove the gun from the safety catch, take aim and pull the trigger.

After shooting, the gun is thoroughly cleaned of carbon deposits and placed in a safe for storage. The TOZ-34 should be stored unloaded and with the triggers pulled. Failure to release the triggers may weaken the springs.

Care

The TOZ-34 shotgun, like any other weapon, requires care and careful treatment, only then will it last a long time and delight its owner with shot accuracy and reliable operation. In order to maintain the TOZ-34 gun in good condition, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• When storing the gun, all metal parts should be coated with a thin layer of gun oil.
• Before shooting, the oil must be removed by wiping the bores and external metal parts of the gun with a rag.
• The gun must be stored disassembled, always with the triggers pulled, otherwise the mainsprings will shrink and the gun will misfire.
• Periodically you need to check the tightness of the two forend screws and the trigger guard mounting screw.
• Immediately after shooting, the gun needs to be cleaned and lubricated, even if you have not used the gun, the gun needs to be cleaned and lubricated at least once every three months.
• Powder deposits from the barrels must be removed with a brush with a weak alkaline solution.
• The lead lining of the barrel bore is removed with a metal brush, with plenty of wetting with gun oil.
• It is undesirable for gun oil to get on the wooden parts of the gun.

Prices

The cost of the hero of our review is relatively low - around 30 - 35 thousand rubles for a “remake”; a used one can be purchased at a price of 12 to 27 thousand, depending on condition.

Do not neglect the advice - do not seriously consider purchasing a TOZ-34 in good condition at the lower cost limits - from 10 to 15 thousand rubles.

The reason for this lies on the surface - the wear of the gun, at times too strong for the normal combat of the gun. Of course, at such a price and the availability of repairs, you can spend money on bringing the “vertical” to proper technical condition, but whether the game is worth the candle is up to the buyer to decide.

Tuning

The TOZ-34 shotgun does not offer much tuning capabilities; there are only two tuning options that the owner of the gun can implement:

• Installation of an optical or collimator sight. Some hunters who plan to hunt ungulates with a gun put an optical or collimator sight on the gun. The sight must have a minimum weight, no more than 200 grams; in addition, you need to find a special bracket for the sight.
• Replacing the stock. Some owners change the buttstock of their guns to a butt that suits them according to their anthropometric data; to do this, they have to order the buttstock from a craftsman who makes customized buttstocks. In addition, you can find a serial stock, which can be made of different materials: walnut, beech, and can be covered with artistic carvings or without it. There is a large selection of stocks for TOZ-34 on sale to suit every taste and budget.

Competitors and analogues

The main competitor of the Tula “vertical” is considered to be the Izh-27, which has the same layout as a double-barreled shotgun with a vertical barrel arrangement. However, the Izhevsk model is inferior to the Tula one in the quality of materials used, combat qualities, and also has large dimensions and, as a result, weight.

Other analogues are the MP-233 (the heir to the glorious traditions of Izh-27 production, which also inherited all the negative aspects) or the “Tula” TOZ-120, the disadvantages of which are considered to be a too thick forend, inconvenient to hold with a small hand, as well as an overly complex fuse system triggers.

In its price niche, the 12-gauge TOZ-34 is a universal shotgun, distinguished by a reliable mechanism, accurate firing and balance.

Flaws

As a rule, most weapon defects are associated with one defect or another, which can be easily corrected at home on your own. The fact is that the first assembly line samples were produced with a significant number of defects, but over time this trend completely disappeared. If you are still unlucky enough to purchase a defective weapon, then you can replace it at a gun store with a high-quality sample, provided you keep the receipt and box of the goods.

If we compare the gun with imported analogues, then it is, of course, inferior to them in some technical characteristics. And the build quality could be better... However, in this price category this is almost the best example of a smooth-bore weapon for commercial or amateur hunting.