“Most likely a 7.62 X 25 Tokarev.”
Makarov.
Makarov is 9X18. It sits right between a .380 which is 9X17 and a 9mm luger cartridge which is 9X19. The Makarov is certainly powerful enough to kill a human but I wouldn’t want to use it for self defense against a bear.
likewise the 7.62X38 Nagant revolver cartridge is roughly equivalent to a .32 in the US (at least the Soviet military cartridge is - its more powerful than the civilian rounds made by Privi Partizan). In other words, its totally inadequate for self defense against a bear.
The 7.62X25 Tokarev round is modelled after the 7.63 Mauser round. both aren’t that big but are very fast. Until the advent of .357 magnum in the mid 1930s, the 7.63 Mauser was the fastest handgun round in the world. Gangsters in the 20s liked using Mauser c96 broomhandle pistols because except for a single variant during WWI, they fired the 7.63 Mauser round and that was the only pistol round that could reliably penetrate car doors. The 7.62X25 Tokarev can still defeat some of the lower level body armor such is its penetrating power.
The Tokarev is smaller than I’d like to have against a bear for self defense, but it would have the penetrating power to kill one if you hit it in the right place. I’m certain the pistol he used fired the Tokarev round. I’d guess it was a TT30 which were common in the Soviet Union.
and yes, I’m a gun collector/history nerd. :^)
Most Makarov pistols I’ve seen are chambered in 9x18.
L