Papered M20 Tokarev pistol

[Phosphorus32]

I picked up this M20 off of Gunbroker a few weeks ago. It's my first papered Vietnam bring-back firearm. I feel about 10x more knowledgeable about authentic papers after looking at this first set up close. Upon a glance, they are obviously authentic. The holster noted in the paperwork was not included.


The paperwork came in the Official Records envelope and included: two copies of a DD 603, one of which had his signature signing the pistol over to another soldier (deceased in the US this century), one copy of a DD 603-1, a group photo of SSGT Paul (cropped image of Paul shown), and one Temporary Export License. Paul, who originally obtained the pistol, is still alive based on my internet searching, so his Service Number (SSN) and last name on the paperwork have been redacted. Paul apparently gave it to James (101st Airborne) a few weeks before leaving RVN. Paul was with the 88th Transportation Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.


It's certainly got plenty of jungle patina but is in better shape than it appeared in the listing pictures after cleaning with 30W oil. I'm very, very happy with it. Mismatched magazine but all of the other numbers match. Bore is beautiful, gauges at .301". Interior bluing is excellent and it operates perfectly based only on a non-firing mechanical function check.

[Bob_The_Student]

Sa-weeeeet! This is way better than the one I just saw posted on GBoards, which I would love to have, but this one P32 is damn purty! Nice pick-up!!

[Phosphorus32]

Sa-weeeeet! This is way better than the one I just saw posted on GBoards, which I would love to have, but this one P32 is damn purty! Nice pick-up!!

Thanks a lot Bob! I was so happy to finally add a firearm with papers to the collection, and being an M20 was a big bonus.

[Bacarnal]

Nice one, Jon.  Another of one of my, "I wish I still had" was a papered Hungarian Tok.  Sold it and four others to a boss at a time it didn't fit my collection.  Great find you have!!!

[Phosphorus32]

Nice one, Jon.  Another of one of my, "I wish I still had" was a papered Hungarian Tok.  Sold it and four others to a boss at a time it didn't fit my collection.  Great find you have!!!

Thanks 

Wow, a papered 48.M That's one the average collector is likely to see...never 

[Bob_The_Student]

Nice one, Jon.  Another of one of my, "I wish I still had" was a papered Hungarian Tok.  Sold it and four others to a boss at a time it didn't fit my collection.  Great find you have!!!

Ouch! 

[running-man]

Nice one Jon!!  I was surprised to see the N111 of the S/N appears to be a beforehand stamp with the rest of the S/N stamped after the gun was completed.  The other M20 photos I have in my collection are pretty crummy and don't show this near as well as your photos do. 

Funny story: I had a roommate in college in ROTC.  He had an ROTC keychain that basically said the same thing that your envelope with "official records" says: "If found drop in mailbox..."  When he would leave them laying around, we would always grab his keys and head straight to the mailbox outside and he'd shout out at us before we could make it out the door because he knew what we were about to do.   

[Phosphorus32]

Nice one Jon!!  I was surprised to see the N111 of the S/N appears to be a beforehand stamp with the rest of the S/N stamped after the gun was completed.  The other M20 photos I have in my collection are pretty crummy and don't show this near as well as your photos do. 

Thanks RM! Could be, or at a minimum the N11 portion. From Cameron Whites's recent Tokarev book, apparently there were 6 digit "N0______", and 7 digit N11 and N12 series M20s. He has ascribed to the SKS Files dating scheme for the 7 digit M20s, 1964 and 1965 for 11 and 12 series...okay, Type 54s have years on them, so he's really just going by the Type 54 scheme  . This seems reasonable that the M20, M21 etc. would have been early guns before the Chinese stopped caring about trying to be surreptitious in supplying the Vietnamese with direct small arms aid.

Funny story: I had a roommate in college in ROTC.  He had an ROTC keychain that basically said the same thing that your envelope with "official records" says: "If found drop in mailbox..."  When he would leave them laying around, we would always grab his keys and head straight to the mailbox outside and he'd shout out at us before we could make it out the door because he knew what we were about to do.   

Great story, you merry prankster!

[Bob_The_Student]

 , RM... good stuff!