My Makarov Pistol

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Frenchy68

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Hello gentlemen,
Let me show you my Makarov pistol, in 9mm makarov (9,2 x18 cartridge).

It is a very robust, simple and efficient pistol. The size is in between a Walther PP and a Walther PPK and the ammo is inspired by the german 9 mm ultra.
It's a DA/SA mechanism but the DA trigger is heavy.

You can carry this gun with safety engaged and hammer cocked, or with safety disengaged and hammer uncocked.
The ammo are quite easy to find, but it is not a big deal to reload with the appropriate tools, using 9mm parabellum brass.

The pictures are not that good, but you can see the typical 9 mm makarov ammo (reloaded), the leather holster and the gun itself.
 

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Very nice! Appears to be Circle 10 Bulgarian? The Makarov models I'm familiar with cannot be carried with safety engaged and the hammer cocked. In your second picture, the hammer is cocked, but the safety appears to be disengaged and would fire if the trigger is pulled. If the safety is moved to the up position, it functions as a hammer drop, again on the Makarovs I've handled. In the third picture, the hammer is down and the safety is in the up or "safe" position where the trigger cannot be pulled, the hammer cannot be cocked, and the slide cannot be retracted. Again, this is true of the Russian, East German, and Bulgarian Makarovs I know about.
 
The Makarov is a very unique pistol. There are only 27 parts to the entire pistol. I have an old Bulgarian that I paid $67 for many years ago. I've never had a problem with it at all. I also have an Arsenal that appeared to be new when I got it. Great guns.

The Pistolet Makarov was designed in the Soviet Union by Nikolay Makarov in 1948 and went into service in 1951.
 
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To inusuit.
Yes, this is a Bulgarian model, and you are right.
The safety is pressed upward to drop the hammer. Also, when the Makarov safety is in the up position, it locks the action. In order to enable the double action of the Makarov, the safety must be returned to the down position after using it to drop the hammer.
Best regards.
 
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I have never owned a Makarov, but had a couple of friends who did, and I have fired theirs. One of them appeared to be a civilian model, I think Hungarian. As I remember the slide was nickel plated. On a whim, I fired a box .380 ammunition in it instead of the correct 9mm Mak. It seemed to function OK with .380, but I didn't attempt to get any patterns with it. I believe some were imported with .380 barrels, and that .380 barrels for the Mak were available. I remember when one could buy a Makarov with holster and a spare magazine for less than $100. I didn't but should have. Very similar to the Walther PP/PPK.
 
I've had a nickle plated .380 Makarov for nearly 30 years now. I don't recall it ever having a malfunction either. Seems to me like I paid $160 bucks for it, which was just a so-so price back then, but it was the first nickle plated Mak I'd seen. (still is) IJ70 I think it is. Great little pistols!
 

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DWalt said:
I have never owned a Makarov, but had a couple of friends who did, and I have fired theirs. One of them appeared to be a civilian model, I think Hungarian. As I remember the slide was nickel plated. On a whim, I fired a box .380 ammunition in it instead of the correct 9mm Mak. It seemed to function OK with .380, but I didn't attempt to get any patterns with it. I believe some were imported with .380 barrels, and that .380 barrels for the Mak were available. I remember when one could buy a Makarov with holster and a spare magazine for less than $100. I didn't but should have. Very similar to the Walther PP/PPK.
Click to expand...
Hungry had a PA63. Shared the same caliber and was also a clone of a Walther but neither is a copy of each other.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
Yes, Arik...here is my PA63. Back when all these guns were going for less than $100, I bought all the variations that I could find, 4 different nationality Makarovs, and several guns like the PA 63 that chambered the same cartridge:



Even though these were "surplus", when I was traveling from Austria into Hungary, the border gaurds were still carrying these. Several years ago, but still after I had this one!!

Best Regards, Les
 
Here is a Polish variant, which also shoots the same 9x18mm Makarov round, the P 64:



Notice ten Arsenal 11 mark on the slide.

Best Regards, Les
 
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les.b said:
Yes, Arik...here is my PA63. Back when all these guns were going for less than $100, I bought all the variations that I could find, 4 different nationality Makarovs, and several guns like the PA 63 that chambered the same cartridge:



Even though these were "surplus", when I was traveling from Austria into Hungary, the border gaurds were still carrying these. Several years ago, but still after I had this one!!

Best Regards, Les
Click to expand...
I never had the PA63 but I did have two different Makarovs, a Bulgarian military and a Russian commercial. Also had the Polish P64. It's weird to think that Police, military and boarder guards carried these little guns. The P64 would be considered a pocket gun!

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
But the "crème de la crème" of the Makarov caliber handguns may be the CZ 82. Still shoots the 9x18mm Makarov cartridge, but has a double stack magazine, ambidextrous safety, and is super reliable. Note the worn spot on the slide, caused by the unique ambidextrous holster strap snap:



Best Regards, Les
 
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Frenchy68 said:
Your Makarov is really in perfect condition!!! I would like one like this.
Click to expand...

Frenchy68:

I hope you aren't offended by all the posts. We all just love to share information about each other's guns. You have a great Makarov there, and I'm happy that you are able to possess it in France, as some European countries, such as England, make handgun possession impossible.

Collecting and shooting and exchanging information about guns and ammunition and reloading are a passion for many of us here, and we are thus bonded, no matter what country we are from!!

Again, welcome to the forum, and we are glad to have a kindred spirit amongst us.

Best Regards, Les
 
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That's very nice and have only heard good things about the Makarov's.
Here is my CZ82.
 

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The Makarov PM is a great pistol. I've had two in the past. In my opinion, it fills a lot of different roles well. It's a fine gun for those who just want one handgun to 'do it all'. 9x18 is sufficient. The gun is not too big for carry, but large enough for home defense. It's all steel, and very reliable. Change the recoil spring occasionally, and the gun will last forever.
 
I don't know if you guys are aware but there was a company converting CZ82 and Makarov guns from 380 to 32NAA. This is a 380 case necked down to 32acp! It avg 1200fps with 199ft-lbs of energy from a 2.5 inch barrel. A 4 inch barrel generates 1453 ft/s and 287 ft·lbf energy

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
These Makarovs are nice little guns. I own two, a Chinese and a Bulgarian. I had to replace all the springs in the Chinese with German springs as the Chinese springs failed after a few hundred rounds but both guns are functionally reliable (other than that) and reasonably accurate considering the sights.
 
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