1911 Tokarev Kits

by
posted on August 15, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg (1)

Shoot as much as you can. In doing so, you learn more about the techniques and equipment involved, enjoy the company of other gun folks and help preserve the precious rights to do so. In this economy, shooting can be an expensive proposition, so anything that productively burns powder has at least some merit. For a gadget that's perfect for this line of reasoning, check out J&G Sales in Prescott, Ariz. You will find a new product that strikes me as a good idea. It's a conversion kit for most 1911 pistols in 9 mm Luger or .38 Super that permits the use of 7.62x25 mm Tokarev ammo. Please note the large quantities of this stuff that is currently on the surplus market.

The conversion is possible because of the similarity in case head dimensions. All three are pretty close to the same size. Although the website does not mention them, I would guess that Colts in 9x23 mm Winchester might also work. The kit consists of a new barrel and barrel bushing, as well as recoil, hammer and firing pin springs. Your base gun must be set up for a non-ramped barrel and you have to use .38 Super magazines as 9 mm magazines have a spacer to serve the much shorter round. You have to use the supplied springs because the Tokarev round drives a light .30 caliber bullet to some pretty zippy speeds. This changes inertia balances and timing cycles in the functioning of the gun.

The J&G website also shows a brief video of a J&G gunsmith shooting a converted pistol with the Russian ammunition. It's obvious that there is not a great deal of recoil and he seems to be doing pretty well with this clever conversion. If anyone has tried this system, I would appreciate hearing about it.

Also, J&G had an early issue and had to rework the design. Anyone with an early conversion kit should not fire surplus 7.62 ammunition (modern 7.62 is fine) and should contact J&G about exchanging barrels.

Latest

Taurus GX2
Taurus GX2

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.