One of my favorite Cold War pistols

[MilitaryArms]

The Makarov is one of my favorite historic pistols. The Makarov is one of the more popular Russian designed pistols with copies having been made in China, East Germany and Bulgaria. The pistol entered Russian military service in 1951. It can still be found in military armories and police holsters throughout Russia even though it was officially replaced by the Yarygin PYa pistol in Russian military service in 1991.

It's a straight blow-back operated pistol which chambers the 9x18 cartridge. Many of the features of the Makarov were borrowed from the Walther PP pistol including the double action/single action trigger system, the slide mounted safety/decocker and the method of disassembly.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I think it would still be around if they had upped the chambering to something a bit more solid. The guns are very high quality for being built in third world countries. I would be all over it if they made one in 40cal or even 45acp w/ some sort of locking barrel design.

 

[Birds Away]

Unfortunately the blowback design is topped out with the 9x18. Any greater pressure requires some sort of locked breech design. The Makarov is a great little pistol but a bit on the snappy side for some. If you like the PM (pistolet Makarova) you will probably really like the CZ 82. Although not a "true" Makarov, it is chambered in 9x18 and has less perceived recoil for most shooters. Also, the Polish P64 and P83 are both great guns.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Unfortunately the blowback design is topped out with the 9x18. Any greater pressure requires some sort of locked breech design. The Makarov is a great little pistol but a bit on the snappy side for some. If you like the PM (pistolet Makarova) you will probably really like the CZ 82. Although not a "true" Makarov, it is chambered in 9x18 and has less perceived recoil for most shooters. Also, the Polish P64 and P83 are both great guns.

agreed, thats why i said this

w/ some sort of locking barrel design.

 

[duffman0286]

I love cold war firearms and the mak is one of my favorite handguns to shoot and that round is still cheap to shoot... I have three in the family P64, CZ82, and my east german mak and i love them all

 

[MilitaryArms]

The 9x18's recoil is a bit peppy, for sure. It's more than most are expecting when they touch off that first round.

As for blowback and the 9x18 being the largest caliber that can be chambered... I don't think Hi-Point got that memo.

...with Zimac no less!

 

[Fordtough25]

The 9x18's recoil is a bit peppy, for sure. It's more than most are expecting when they touch off that first round.

As for blowback and the 9x18 being the largest caliber that can be chambered... I don't think Hi-Point got that memo.

...with Zimac no less!

Ahhhh Make them go away!! On a serious note I haven't had a Makarov yet but several friends have and they shoot nice! Finding ammo local seemed to be the only downside.

 

[Birds Away]

agreed, thats why i said this

Missed that, sorry.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Did i really just see a highpoint in a makarov thread? What is INGO becoming?

 

[msirelan]

I know what you mean I carry a Bulgarian Makarvo

 

[duffman0286]

even though its not a true mak still got to go with the CZ82 whats better than a mak? one that holds 12 rds!

 

[Disposable Heart]

Remember, the only place .380 or 9mm Makarov will not kill anyone is on the internet...

Honestly, aside from weight and the lack of accessories that people seem to think are "necessary" the Makarov is a GREAT carry weapon. Get decent sights (yes, I have researched it and Novak WILL cut it for their sights), lots of ammo and lots of mags, go to town with a decent holster and you have a rival for Kahrs and other carry pistols. Heavy? Yeah, but it dampens recoil for long range sessions and isn't anything horrible to tote around (I know, I do on occasion).

For the incoming onslaught of "well, a Glock 19 is the same size", consider this: many gunowners do not have the money. A Mak at 250 to 300 or a G19 at 400 (if you are lucky nowdays, jerks... ) on up. Many times, the idea of "well save more up" doesn't apply. 200-300 is all they can get, not just now, but even later.

They are accurate when you get one with a decent trigger (again, another issue: No one knows how to fit the parts, so we are stuck with how they come), their forged frames, slides, and firing control parts will outlast us. Some day, down the road, like the Ruger GP100, a cockroach after a nuke war will dust off a Makarov, tuck it in it's waist pouch and use it for defense on a Saturday night when another roach wants to fight it for a Twinkie.

ETA: Only other gripe: lack of good ammo. Outside of the untested Hornady Critical Defense (which seems to be blah in most forms) and the underpenetrating XTP (from Brassfetcher's testing), not much remains. My horsing around showed the Silver Bear HP to be NOT bad, but that was cursory testing in denim covered mud (just to see clogging, didn't test penetration depth, nor is it an effective medium as such). If Speer or Corbon wanted to make a few sheckles, they would bring back their loadings (Speer had a GOLD DOT, yowza, try finding that nowadays... and Corbon made a hot load using a Sierra Powerjacket which no longer exists). Heck, anyone could make a decent coin making a 9mm mak load that goes 12" in gelatin, bonded bullet, low flash powder in a nickel case.

 

[duffman0286]

They are accurate when you get one with a decent trigger (again, another issue: No one knows how to fit the parts, so we are stuck with how they come), their forged frames, slides, and firing control parts will outlast us. Some day, down the road, like the Ruger GP100, a cockroach after a nuke war will dust off a Makarov, tuck it in it's waist pouch and use it for defense on a Saturday night when another roach wants to fight it for a Twinkie.

.

Why does family guy come to mind on this one lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y37ufav17xw

 

[MilitaryArms]

The 9x18 has been serving the Russians well for longer than many of us have been alive. While some would say the 9x18 is a worthless round, there are a number of militaries and police agencies around the world gladly using the 9x18 round to this day.

While I would prefer to have a 9mm, I don't think the 9x18 is a horrible choice. Heck, I've been known to carry a .380 and feel quite comfortable with it.

The Mak is a superb pistol. As mentioned, it's all forged, well made and nicely finished (the Bulgarians anyway). They're accurate as the shooter and the current crop of Bulgarians that hit the market recently (imported by CAI) have bright bores and good finishes.

Holsters are available for the Mak as well. Fobus has an affordable paddle holster for it and if you're really wanting to do something unique, you can pick up one of the Russian "Spetsnaz" EFA-2K holsters up too.

It's one of the classic military pistols that are still somewhat available and affordable.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Why does family guy come to mind on this one lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y37ufav17xw

Exactly. Like those, future nuke roaches will cut you so bad you will wish you were not cut so bad...

 

[duffman0286]

The 9x18mm is still serving the motherland to this day say hello to the pp19 Bizon ( and its dear to my heart because its a ak)

 

[doctrpt]

I'd be happy to take any of the "not so snappy" Makarov .380s out there off your hands if you want to part with them. Especially looking for one from the early 1990s imported the the US by Big Bear. Got a 9X18 from them, and love it.

 

[MilitaryArms]

The 9x18mm is still serving the motherland to this day say hello to the pp19 Bizon ( and its dear to my heart because its a ak)

There have been a couple of attempts to bring this to the US market as a pistol. I keep waiting for someone to do it, I think it would be a great seller assuming they didn't sell them for $1500.

With a Form 1 and stock this would be one of the coolest SBR projects ever.

 

[MilitaryArms]

I have posted more info about the Makarov on the MAC blog:

Military Arms Channel Blog: Mother Russia's Pistol

 

[duffman0286]

There have been a couple of attempts to bring this to the US market as a pistol. I keep waiting for someone to do it, I think it would be a great seller assuming they didn't sell them for $1500.

With a Form 1 and stock this would be one of the coolest SBR projects ever.

Id love to own one but i doubt we will see them any time soon... Id like to see the Vityaz come over as well but till that time im currently in the process of making a Vityaz clone (9mm blow back) using ppsh43 mags but dont expect to have a functioning firearm for quite some time (college takes up alot of my spare time)


A Vityaz for those that dont know what it looks like ( its was Russia's answer to the mp5)