TOZ-250

Lore & Background

The TOZ-250 was conceived by gunsmith designers K. I. Shekhvatov and V. L. Chernopyatov, who submitted an invention application to the Committee on Inventions and Discoveries of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union on March 17, 1958. Information about the gun was first published in the spring of 1965, and by August 1965 the public learned that preparations for producing an initial batch at the Tula Arms Plant were underway, with the gun priced at an estimated 90-100 roubles. However, the decision to manufacture the TOZ-250 was later cancelled, and serial production never began.

The TOZ-250 was an over-and-under hammerless gun with detachable barrels, one above the other. It operated as a semi-automatic weapon chambered for a 16/70 gauge shotgun and a .22 LR carbine, the latter fed by a detachable box magazine. To reduce weight, the receiver was made of light alloy, while the forearm, shoulder stock, and trigger guard were constructed from plastic.

The only known version of the gun is the TOZ-250-5,6/16 (ТОЗ-250-5,6/16).

Reader's Guide

The TOZ-250 represents a unique but unrealized attempt by Soviet designers to create a versatile combination gun for hunters. Its design as a semi-automatic over-and-under weapon—uncommon for combination guns—and its use of lightweight materials such as an alloy receiver and plastic furniture show an effort to produce a practical, portable firearm. The fact that the gun was prepared for production at the Tula Arms Plant, a major Soviet arms manufacturer, indicates that it was considered viable, yet the cancellation of serial production left it as a prototype or limited-run item. The TOZ-250's significance lies in its innovative combination of a shotgun and a rimfire carbine in a single, semi-automatic package, a concept that was not pursued further in Soviet production. Its legacy is that of a design that was publicly announced and prepared for manufacture but ultimately abandoned, making it a footnote in Soviet firearms history known primarily through the single documented variant, the TOZ-250-5,6/16.

Did You Know?

• The TOZ-250 was designed by K. I. Shekhvatov and V. L. Chernopyatov.
• An application for the invention was submitted on March 17, 1958.
• The gun was estimated to cost 90-100 roubles in 1965.
• Serial production was cancelled after preparations at the Tula Arms Plant.