TOZ 63 choke sizes

madmanuk · Jan 9, 2014

I recently picked up a TOZ-63, 16g hammer gun.

It was listed as a Baikal with 1/4 and 1/2 choke, but it is marked TOZ-63 on the barrels, so I believe it was made by Tula.

I have been trying to determine the choke sizes.
I *think* the left barrel is tighter - by sticking my fingers in the barrels - yes I took them off the action first

There is a mark on the left barrel which I think might be modified (1/2) - and the right - could be a mark for full, but I am not at all familiar with these marks and would value a second opinion.

Also, does anyone know the significance of the marks actually on the barrels - which look like a P inside a square, and a K inside a circle - next to what I think are Birmingham proof marks?

I assume the .662 and .669 are the barrel diameters, but I don't think they directly relate to choke sizes - and I'm not sure why they should be different.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Paul

Humpty Dumpty · Jan 10, 2014

Reproofed in Britain?

This is indeed a Tula Armory Model 63, or TOZ-63, made some time between 1963 and 1978. It's a XIX century design, implying lots of manual labor, and was the cheapest double gun in the USSR - it was mostly put together by apprentices who were cutting their teeth on the cheapest model before they were assigned more responsible tasks. So it can be anything in terms of quality, barrels dia's not excluded.

The chokes are supposed to be 'half' and 'full', the TOZ idea of those being .5 an 1 mm of constriction, which makes it IM and XF in your money. But on actual guns variations are possible (see above). Besides, someone could have messed with the gun (why did it have to pass reproof in the first place?) So my advice is measure and pattern.

madmanuk · Jan 10, 2014

Thanks, that is useful info.
There is a date mark - which is extremely hard to read - in this pic it is in the top left corner on the barrel flat - crossed swords and YB which would be 1973. I have a single barrel 12g Baikal of a similar age which also has British and Russian proof marks - so I wonder if they were all reproofed on import around that time - research continues...

TOZ 63 choke sizes

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