The Axe (Topor)

Poster

Country	Russia
Directed by	Vladimir Semenovykh
Release Date	2018
Language	Russian
Studio	Mars Media
Distributor	NTV

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Ivan Ilyich Rodin	Andrey Smolyakov
Liza	Darya Kalmykova
Kombrig Pyotr Alyoshin	Dmitriy Shevchenko
Sgt. Fyodor Mokhov	Vladimir Kapustin
Capt. Belov	Ivan Shibanov
Lyamin	Artyom Alekseev
Boris Gubin	Ignatiy Akrachkov

The Axe (Topor) is a 2018 Russian two-part made for TV war film directed by Vladimir Semenovykh. After the Russian Civil War is over, a Cossack officer Ivan Ilyich Rodin (Andrey Smolyakov) becomes a Siberian hermit. Seventeen years passed, and when Rodin gets news about the German invasion, he volunteers to the Red Army.

In 2021 the film was followed by a sequel Topor. 1943.

The following weapons were used in the film The Axe (Topor):

Revolvers

Nagant M1895

Voenkom (the head of the military enlistment office) Boyko (Gleb Podgorodinskiy) carries a Nagant M1895 revolver.

Nagant M1895 - 7.62x38R Nagant. Note the angular front sight which was used from 1930s.

The Nagant grip is partially seen in Boyko's holster. The holster is a universal pattern for Nagant and TT.

Pistols

TT-33

Kombrig (brigade commander) Pyotr Alyoshin (Dmitriy Shevchenko) carries a TT-33 in holster. The pistol in holster of a German saboteur Kurt (Edijs Zalaks) also turns out to be a TT.

Tokarev TT-33 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev. Pre-1947 version.

The heel of the grip of Alyoshin's pistol allows to identify it as a TT.

Kurt, posing as a Senior Lieutenant of the State Secutiry Ozols, carries a pistol in holster that also turns out to be a TT.

Unidentified pistol

Initially Kombrig Alyoshin carries a different pistol in holster. Only a minor part of the grip is seen. It has a hole, common for CO2 guns but the exact model cannot be identified.

Rhöner SM 80

The commander of the SS scout group SS-Hauptsturmführer Böhme (Konstantin Yudaev) (he carries the insignia of Untersturmführer) holds a pocket pistol that turns out to be a gas-firing Rhöner SM 80. This pistol is generally similar to Reck pistols, such as Baby and Perfecta but SM 80 has the longer barrel and the different shape of the grip.

Rhöner SM 80 - 8mm gas ammo

Böhme attaches a sound suppressor to his pistol.

Another view of the same scene.

A close-up of the pistol. The fake suppressor is screwed inside the barrel, as it is common on screen.

Böhme holds Rodin at gunpoint.

Submachine Guns

PPSh-41

Several Soviet soldiers and officers as well as one of the German saboteurs in disguise carry PPSh-41 submachine guns.

PPSh-41 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev

A PPSh is seen on the wall in Kombrig Alyoshin's dugout.

The platoon commander Senior Lieutenant Tsapko (Ivan Borisov) holds a PPSh.

Several scouts of Capt. Belov's unit carry PPSh-41s.

A scout carries a PPSh when transporting a German prisoner across the frontline.

A German saboteur, disguised as a Sergeant of the State Security, with a PPSh.

MP40 (Denix)

The commander of the scout company Capt. Belov (Ivan Shibanov) and several of his subordinates are armed with MP40 submachine guns. Hauptsturmführer Böhme (Konstantin Yudaev) also carries an MP40. The details and surface reveal these guns as Denix non-firing replicas.

Denix non-firing replica of MP40

Capt. Belov carries an MP40. Note the truncated front sight that is used on an early version of the Denix MP40 replica.

Belov (in center) carries an MP40.

A scout at the left carries an MP40.

Another view of Belov's MP40.

Böhme carries an MP40.

Belov and his scouts carry MP40s. In this scene Belov has an MP40 with a standard hooded front sight.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1891/30

Sergeant Fyodor Mokhov (Vladimir Kapustin) and some other Soviet soldiers are armed with Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifles.

Mosin Nagant M1891/30 - 7.62x54mm R

Stacked rifles are seen near the Soviet headquarters.

Sgt. Mokhov holds an M91/30 rifle.

Mokhov carries his rifle.

A soldier at the left carries an M91/30.

The barrel of Mokhov's rifle is seen.

Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbine

Ivan Ilyich Rodin (Andrey Smolyakov) is seen with a Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbine in one scene of his life in Siberia (he is mostly seen with an M44 Carbine in this sequence). When serving in the Red Army, Rodin also carries an M38 Carbine.

Mosin Nagant M38 Carbine - 7.62x54mm R

Due to a continuity error, Rodin's M44 Carbine switches to an M38.

Another view of the same scene. Note that the top of the hood on the front sight is broken.

Rodin's M38 Carbine is seen in his horse cart. The front sight is intact.

Rodin holds an M38 Carbine (at the left).

Mosin Nagant M1944 Carbine

Rodin is mostly seen with an anachronistic Mosin Nagant M1944 Carbine in the scenes in Siberia. When serving in the Red Army, Rodin also carries an M44 Carbine.

Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine, with attached side-folding bayonet - 7.62x54mm R

Rodin, at that time a Siberian hunter, holds an M44 Carbine. The bayonet is removed but the bracket is on place.

Rodin holds his carbine when he encounters the fugitive criminals.

He holds the carbine in close combat.

When Rodin goes to front, he leaves his carbine to a fugitive political convict Boris Gubin (Ignatiy Akrachkov).

Rodin, now a Red Army soldier, holds an M44 Carbine.

In later scene Rodin's carbine lacks the bayonet bracket.

Rodin's M44 Carbine, without the bayonet bracket, is seen in his horse cart.

Karabiner 98k

German scouts are mostly armed with Karabiner 98k rifles.

Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm Mauser. Manufactured in Germany, 1937.

Rodin uses his axe (claimed to be his personal WWI booty taken in combat against the Austro-Hungarians) in a close combat against a rifle-wielding SS-man.

The Kar 98k on the ground.

Several stacked rifles are seen at the left.

One of the scouts holds a short rifle that is identical to Karabiner 98k but has straight bolt handle. Supposedly this is a rework Kar 98k with Gewehr 98 bolt.

Ivan Rodin uses the captured rifle (the one with the straight bolt handle).

The SS-men with their rifles in action.

Vz. 16/33 Czech Mauser

One of the rifles of the German scouts seems to be a Czech Mauser vz. 16/33 Carbine, adopted for Wehrmacht service as Gewehr 33/40 (t). The bright yellow wood may be a result of a modern rework.