self defense ammo for 9x18 makarov

[firehawk]

recommendation for 9x18 ammo for self defense/carry
any help on this would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[guy sajer]

Hornady has some good choices .

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Handgun :: Choose by Caliber :: 9X18 Mak

 

[charliek]

I just picked up an odd lot of 9x18 today. In it was some Russian, S&B, American Eagle, a box of loose ammo, and a new box of Hornady Custom, 95 gr. JHP XTP. I use this brand for CC in both .380 and 9mm, and like it very much. Midway USA sells this for 15.99/25 rds. Their Critical Defense ammo is highly regarded also, although I have not personally shot it.

Find - MidwayUSA

 

[OzarkRecluse]

I've used Silver Bear HP in mine for quite a while with no issues.

 

[walnutred]

My wifes CCW pistol is a CZ82 and she prefers to carry Silver Bear HP ammo. I occasionally carry a Mak and personally don't I think bullet type matters that much in 9x18. However I'm not going to tell her that ;-).

 

[SMSgt]

CC ammo choices for the 9x18 are pretty limited. Buffalo Bore has some once, but I think they dropped it. Reloading is an option, as some decent CC bullets are available.

 

[Erich]

I use warm ball rounds (S&B for me) for the same reason (I've written too much on that already - search here for "Erich" and ".380" if you want to read more) that I use them in the ballistically similar .380. I've worked on more 9x18 killings than .380 killings, interestingly, owing largely to the influx of PA-63s in the mid-'90s.

 

[pete950]

With Erich good old ball.

 

[mkk41]

My CZ-82 has 6 Glasers backed up by Hornadys.

 

[BreakerDan]

quality ball ammo

 

[Vulcan Bob]

CCI Blazer 9x18 can be found useing the Speer Gold Dot bullets. They work fine in my Russian Mak.

 

[5906fan]

Wolf Military Classic

I just tryed out a box of these this past weekend, seems to me to be the 'hottest' ball ammo I've shot in my Mak. definitely more than Winny WB. clean burning too. just a bit of soot.

 

[GyMac]

I stocked up on some CorBons when they loaded the Makarov. You might try the Buffalo Bore load.

 

[Erich]

Here are some velocities from a (shorter-than-Mak) FeG R61:

(54°F, pretty calm, sunny, 20% humidity, 5950'>sea level)

Brown Bear 94 gr FMJ: M 993.1/ES 53.04/SD 21.35
Wolf 95-gr FMJ: M 1021/ES 59.80/SD 23.32
Silver Bear 94-gr FMJ: M 975.6/ES 117.0/SD 42.86
Fiocchi 95-gr FMJ: M 961.1/ES 41.93/SD 15.39
S&B 95-gr FMJ: M 1035/ES 77.67/SD 39.00
Fed American Eagle 95-gr FMJ: M 1025/ES 70.96/SD 26.81

 

[pete950]

Here are some velocities from a (shorter-than-Mak) FeG R61:

(54°F, pretty calm, sunny, 20% humidity, 5950'>sea level)

Brown Bear 94 gr FMJ: M 993.1/ES 53.04/SD 21.35
Wolf 95-gr FMJ: M 1021/ES 59.80/SD 23.32
Silver Bear 94-gr FMJ: M 975.6/ES 117.0/SD 42.86
Fiocchi 95-gr FMJ: M 961.1/ES 41.93/SD 15.39
S&B 95-gr FMJ: M 1035/ES 77.67/SD 39.00
Fed American Eagle 95-gr FMJ: M 1025/ES 70.96/SD 26.81

Erich,
I would love to get my hands on one of those R61's. n 9x18
When I got mine they were rebarelled for 380. Still have it and carry once in a while, nice and light.

Pete

 

[Erich]

There's one on GB right now, amigo . . . doesn't have the "in the white" frame, tho. They use the same mags as your .380, too, so you've already got spares.

 

[ibewbull]

Use of Expanding Bullets in Small Defensive Cartridges
This is a great article on pocket guns.
I have used Ball and HP in out PA 63.
Just messing with some old building materials I was amazed that ball went through 11 layers of 1/2 inch drywall.
On the pocket guns i have always felt mixing every other round was a good idea. Ball/ HP reason being HP may not penetrate deep enough to do its job.
Just some things to think on.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

From everything I know about the Makarov round it's a fairly low pressure round compared to the 9mm Luger even though most people think it's a hot round. If it were me I would carry either the Hornady Critical Defense ammo or Ball ammo.

 

[Pocketfisherman]

In my East German and Bulgarian Makarov's, the Cor Bon hollowpoints feed reliably and have noticeably more punch than S&B ball rounds.

 

[Erich]

What does that mean,

have noticeably more punch than S&B ball rounds

?

Do you mean that you perceive them to kick more? Do you have chrono data, or is this just your perception? What's the grain weight of the bullets?