Kindling rifle

Here’s one for shits and giggles…

The lads were cleaning out the firewood shed at the homestead, right at the bottom they came across a very sad looking Toz 16. WTF?! Belonged to the grandpa of our old mate who’s in his 60s. So yeah. Been there a long time. Probably last used in anger as a general purpose cosh by the looks of things.

I really regret not taking photos of it in the condition in which it was found, just got into it one day. Bugger! Barrel was blocked all the way down with mud and crap, couldn’t get a cleaning rod down it, not even one inch. Action was seized, bolt was rusted solid, the forend was split and missing about 3x1” of timber down one side.

After some determined soaking and in various solvents and gentle persuasion, the bolt came free, followed in time by the barrel blockage. Opening up the barrel felt like a major win, thought it was tickets. More scrubbing, soaking, cleaning (repeat, many times over), and things started to move ok. The firing pin spring tension was still good, same with the wee trigger spring. Out came the Dremel and the fine wire wheels, then the metal polish. The barrel wasn’t pitted! Couldn’t quite believe that. Rubbed down the metal work with 400 / 800 / 1200 grit wet & dry, also no pitting. Amazing.

Had to bubba the front end of the stock as no way to recover that split forend. Still plenty of timber to hang onto. But the rest of it came up fine with a simple sand and oil (repeat 4 times).

Polished the woeful trigger components until creep was gone, not too bad now.

Test day came round this morning… Shoots minute of magpie at 50 yds no bother! Result!

Made in the USSR in the 1940s probably, anyone get any better idea on the likely date range?

Good fun little project for a rainy couple of days, pleased it worked out. Great to shoot cans with this with my boys. It’s going back to our old mate soon, nice.

Attachment 170034

:), excellent, any rescue is a good rescue.

Russian quality, built to be abused and still come out swinging.

That is damn impressive, amazing to still be in that condition under all the crud.

I learnt to shoot with one similar...we didnt have the magazine for it so was single feed only. awesome job on the restoration.

I’m not just impressed by the rifle’s survival, I’m freakin’ blown away but how it’s come up. After a good scrub the bore was shiny!

Whatever was the steel recipe was back in those days?!

Would appreciate some suggestions on what to use to provide a protective coating on the exterior steel.

Ive looked at duracote or duracoat to refinish a couple of mine but thats as far as ive got...

Yeah kinda trying not to spend a single cent on this. Matter of principle!

(For example, I have been known to strain and re-use various solvents….)

Is parkerizing an option ?

Built strong like a lada

Nicely refurbished.

Mate had a brand new one circa late 70s. His was a 5 shot.
His had a very distinctive new smell to it - what did the Soviets make the stock varnish out of?
They came in for a bit of slagging back then but most of the slaggers, if still around, would have to eat their words given the prices they still sell for and the fact that the examples are still going strong.

This is a single shot, @zimmer, so your mate must have had something quite different?

The Toz 17 looks very similar to this but has a mag.

I'm pretty sure a lot of these came into NZ 60's & 70's in both single and 5 shot. I used one in my teens (70's) a 5 shot and very accurate. Cock on closing like the Enfield & 95 Mauser.

@zimmer I remember that smell too
A 5 shot was my first rifle
Succumbed to nostalgia last year and bought one

Yeah, just Googled it. Looks like the Toz 15 was the 5 shot rifle and then they had a range of models numbered below 17.

They started off with a Toz-1 then progressed -

The TOZ-1 is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action cadet rifle designed in 1927 by V. Selivanov and Ya. Kanevsky. The TOZ-1s were made from the late 1920s to early 1930s, until it was replaced with the improved TOZ-8 rifles.
TOZ-8M — is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action cadet rifle. It is an improved TOZ-8 that was developed after World War II.[2]
TOZ-8OPF — is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action cadet rifle. It is the TOZ-8M produced by RPC Fort in Ukraine.
TOZ-9 — is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action rifle. It is the sporting version of the TOZ-8 designed by D. M. Kochetov.
TOZ-11 — is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action rifle. It is a lightweight version of the TOZ-9 made for hunters and fishermen. It was designed in 1946, by K.I. Shihvatov. The TOZ-11 was an award-winning design, that was about 2 kg lighter than the TOZ-9.[5] The TOZ-11 was produced from 1946 to 1957.[6]
TOZ-12 — is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action cadet rifle. It is an improved TOZ-8M designed by D. M. Kochetov. It features an adjustable aperture sight.[7]
TOZ-12OPF — is a single-shot .22LR, bolt action cadet rifle. It is the TOZ-12 produced by RPC Fort in Ukraine.
TOZ-16 — is a single-shot .22 LR, bolt-action rifle. It is based on the TOZ-11, and was produced using more modern manufacturing techniques.[6]

The TOZ-17 is a .22 LR, bolt-action repeating rifle with a 5-round detachable magazine. It was designed in 1956.


I think the later single shots and 5 shots were virtually identical (less the mag cutout) along with their stocks and sights.

Didn't have Google when my mate had his.

Another mate had one and made it into a very successful hunter class silhouette rifle. Cut off the bulbous muzzle. Cannot remember if it was a single or mag rifle.

Bought one New the week after turning 15 and getting my fal. 1970 and was the 5 shot model. Excellent rifle and accurate as well. Still have one in the safe but no bolt.
If one of you good gents have a spare bolt I would be interested.

Here's mine. Single shot. Looks like the same rifle.
I also learnt to shoot with one but it was a repeater.
Attachment 170077

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Originally Posted by Shearer

Here's mine. Single shot. Looks like the same rifle. I also learnt to shoot with one but it was a repeater.

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Yup. Exact same forend that sadly I had to cut off @Shearer.

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

I’m not just impressed by the rifle’s survival, I’m freakin’ blown away but how it’s come up. After a good scrub the bore was shiny!

Whatever was the steel recipe was back in those days?!

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T34s or German panzers...Panther maybe or Tiger 1....more than likely PKZW IV...


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Nickel steel would make sense (tiger1)

I have 3 of these and one at my SIL. Fantastically accurate, rugged and handy. Bit short on the pull for me but I don't really mind and that is fixable. Great job on the restoration!

FYI a Mossberg Plinker 10rd Mag will fit with a little attention with emery paper judiciously applied to edges allow a smooth entry. Load it, close the bolt, seat mag up against bolt firmly. It will feed all 10 rds no prob and the friction fit will hold the mag up hill and down Dale. Just don't bump it further up with the bolt open.

And it would not be hard to dowl and glue a nice bit of black wood or mahogany or somesuch to that fore end if you really wanted.

Good job!

Enjoy.

I’ve probably got a suitable tank to rust blue a barreled action


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Cool @MSL. Maybe we can sort that out down the track.

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Originally Posted by Swanny

Bought one New the week after turning 15 and getting my fal. 1970 and was the 5 shot model. Excellent rifle and accurate as well. Still have one in the safe but no bolt.
If one of you good gents have a spare bolt I would be interested.

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Which model? I know a guy with a bucket of rimfire bolt's

TOZ16 single shot and TOZ17 5 shot . I had both bought new in the 1970's. Still have the 17 and have put many many 1000,s through it.Very accurate to this day. I have worn all the bluing off but no barrel rust. I was told the steel is SAE4140 or the russian tank equivalent . The funny thing about the smell is that after 50 odd years it still has it, sort of like possum piss mixed with burnt coffee grounds and varnish.

Shot a coupla thousand cattle a few dozen pigs and the odd sheep with one of them.
My after school job and when I left school doing home kills.
From memory was a repeater but mag had been lost

Pretty neat story.

For someone with some basic woodworking skills it shouldnt be too hard to do something like this.Attachment 170112Attachment 170113

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Originally Posted by Russian 22.

Which model? I know a guy with a bucket of rimfire bolt's

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There is no model number unless it's under the rail. 5 shot though. Shot my first deer with this one. Neck shot fallow. If I can get a bolt will do it up.. Attachment 170143Attachment 170144

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Originally Posted by GWH

Pretty neat story.

For someone with some basic woodworking skills it shouldnt be too hard to do something like this…

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Yeah nah @GWH.

The truth of it is… These buggers are the archetypal rough cunts, they don’t look after anything, and I know that it’s only a matter of time until this old rifle gets left out in the rain / left on the floor of the ute (in gritty mud) / forgotten about in the sheep yards etc.

So the amount of effort invested will be enough to get it shooting reasonably, and hopefully rust protected to an extent.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. I sold one of the fellas one of my rifles a while back, couple of weeks back I took it out of their safe and couldn’t believe the state of it. Oh well.

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Originally Posted by MSL

I’ve probably got a suitable tank to rust blue a barreled action


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I definitely have a stainless tank/trough suitable for blueing that happy to lend.

Very kind of you, thanks @Got-ya. We’ll see where we end up on this down the track.

Had a single shot and 5 shot around the late 70's early 80's, great little 22 's alright, you sure made a good job cleaning up that one.

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

Yeah nah @GWH.

The truth of it is… These buggers are the archetypal rough cunts, they don’t look after anything, and I know that it’s only a matter of time until this old rifle gets left out in the rain / left on the floor of the ute (in gritty mud) / forgotten about in the sheep yards etc.

So the amount of effort invested will be enough to get it shooting reasonably, and hopefully rust protected to an extent.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. I sold one of the fellas one of my rifles a while back, couple of weeks back I took it out of their safe and couldn’t believe the state of it. Oh well.

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reminds me of my brother in laws family (married my sister) once heard remarked"they would be cruel to a crowbar" I remember as a teenager cleaning up thier rifles in disgust at state of them..

Yup, provided 22, 303 and 12g to new arrival to family a few years back. Was asked for some shooting and care lessons. Duly given..duly ignored.. I've rescued them all from rust twice. Provided cleaning rods, brushes, security racks, oiled cloths, ammo, etc etc..gave up sometime after year 3..don't look, don't ask. Took my attention and interest elsewhere. I should have learned from people wanting to get into flyfishing but only if I did everything for them..each time they went out. Gave that up after a couple of rod tips got smashed. I'm a slow learner. If they haven't got the passion to get started themselves then don't bother. I'd sooner take time to help the enthusiastic kid down the road than a diffident family member or try to persuade a mate.

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Originally Posted by Jhon

Yup, provided 22, 303 and 12g to new arrival to family a few years back. Was asked for some shooting and care lessons. Duly given..duly ignored.. I've rescued them all from rust twice. Provided cleaning rods, brushes, security racks, oiled cloths, ammo, etc etc..gave up sometime after year 3..don't look, don't ask. Took my attention and interest elsewhere. I should have learned from people wanting to get into flyfishing but only if I did everything for them..each time they went out. Gave that up after a couple of rod tips got smashed. I'm a slow learner. If they haven't got the passion to get started themselves then don't bother. I'd sooner take time to help the enthusiastic kid down the road than a diffident family member or try to persuade a mate.

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Ooooh nasty. Sounds like that has (unsurprisingly) left you feeling somewhat embittered.