BULGY MAK!

[Texas Star]

Do any US or other Western firms make 9X18 ammo? I don't fully trust Combloc ammo or the sources, which might be cut off by a Presidential decree.

BTW, my homepage had a feature this week about the AK manufacturer in Russia no longer being able to export here, as sales were cut off due to the Ukraine issue and the US view of that. They are changing their sales thrust to domestic sales, as some Russians can own rifles or shotguns. Almost no LEGAL handguns. Of course, the organized crime people have them, and no doubt many ordinary crooks. They will also presumably target sales elsewhere that citizens can buy firearms. Their marketing philosophy seems to be changing to be more like that in the West.

The availability of former Combloc arms, binoculars, etc. here has been interesting. I've thought that a Soviet/Russian pilot who can shoot a Mak well might not be as bad off for an effective sidearm if he has to bail out as would a US airman armed with a .38 and the weak M-41 ball round. Unfortunately, many of our pilots couldn't shoot well even with that light recoiling load. And it was also issued to our LE and security personnel. I promise you, I was glad when my unit in Denver went off base and bought some .38 Hi-Speed ammo.

Les, I noted the Krinkov that you're holding in the Moscow photo. Did you get to shoot it?

 

[RobertJ.]

I love the Mak!

This is a commercial Russian model in .380 ACP. I didn't care for the commercial grip so I swapped it for military.

This one, like the one I foolishly traded away years ago, has never malfunctioned. And if I do my part, it'll keep them all in about an inch and a half at 10 yards.

 

[OLDSTER]

Bulgarian

Well from what I've read, the Bulgarians started manufacture of these in 1960. This gun has a "28" on the side, so you are supposed to add that number to 1960 so that comes out to 1988.

Correct Enjoy that Bulgy. I own a Bulgarian and an EG and I'm on the market for a Chinese and Rusky to complete the "four" ( the four countries that have manufactured the Makarov pistol)

 

[Arik]

Do any US or other Western firms make 9X18 ammo? I don't fully trust Combloc ammo or the sources, which might be cut off by a Presidential decree.

BTW, my homepage had a feature this week about the AK manufacturer in Russia no longer being able to export here, as sales were cut off due to the Ukraine issue and the US view of that. They are changing their sales thrust to domestic sales, as some Russians can own rifles or shotguns. Almost no LEGAL handguns. Of course, the organized crime people have them, and no doubt many ordinary crooks. They will also presumably target sales elsewhere that citizens can buy firearms. Their marketing philosophy seems to be changing to be more like that in the West.

The availability of former Combloc arms, binoculars, etc. here has been interesting. I've thought that a Soviet/Russian pilot who can shoot a Mak well might not be as bad off for an effective sidearm if he has to bail out as would a US airman armed with a .38 and the weak M-41 ball round. Unfortunately, many of our pilots couldn't shoot well even with that light recoiling load. And it was also issued to our LE and security personnel. I promise you, I was glad when my unit in Denver went off base and bought some .38 Hi-Speed ammo.

Les, I noted the Krinkov that you're holding in the Moscow photo. Did you get to shoot it?

Geco and PPU make brass case but at double the price. Hornady makes self defense 9x18 ammo.

It can be cut off I suppose, that's why you buy now. But so far the only thing that has been cut off was "armor piercing" handgun ammo.

Not sure what there is to not trust. It's not rigged to explode. It's been coming in for decades and barely a peep about problems

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[Texas Star]

Geco and PPU make brass case but at double the price. Hornady makes self defense 9x18 ammo.

It can be cut off I suppose, that's why you buy now. But so far the only thing that has been cut off was "armor piercing" handgun ammo.

Not sure what there is to not trust. It's not rigged to explode. It's been coming in for decades and barely a peep about problems

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Nope: did you miss the loss of Norinco .45's and other models and AK's from China and the USSR? Done at just a Presidential order, from what I've read. Congress never even got involved. Can't say more on this board, but think ahead a little and you'll see the potential problem in having your ammo supply depend on countries generally deemed likely to have dificult relations with the USA.

 

[American1776]

The ammo issue with 9x18 is pretty much why I have the 380 auto Russian Makarov. 380 is everywhere in the US, and only getting more popular with the small pocket pistols being made by every major gun maker.

If I had a 9x18 MAK, I'd buy a 380 barrel for it, and have a gunsmith install it in the frame, and keep the 9x18 just as the 'original'

 

[Arik]

Nope: did you miss the loss of Norinco .45's and other models and AK's from China and the USSR? Done at just a Presidential order, from what I've read. Congress never even got involved. Can't say more on this board, but think ahead a little and you'll see the potential problem in having your ammo supply depend on countries generally deemed likely to have dificult relations with the USA.

We were talking about ammo but ok. The Chinese lost their import as punishment. It wasn't just China, most of Asia was cut off too. That was the last you saw of Daewoo as well. This is what happens when you import and sell clearly illegal select fire AKs, some of which are still floating around. Saw one a few years ago. And they occasionally pop up at gun shows from sellers who don't know or are not aware of what they have. The ban not only named countries but also named weapons. .....by name and function, effectively catching anyone else. In other words a short stroke gas piston Dragunov sniper rifle cannot be imported by anyone else from anywhere. Even if you change the name it still functions the same.

The current ban only names Izhmash/saiga. It doesn't name Vepr. Vepr, another Russian AK made buy Molot, the makers or Russian RPKs still imports their rifles to the US.

This have been said since 1994 and yet ammo keeps coming in. All those people who have been saying this since 1994 could have bought 10 fold already instead of waiting for the "I told you so" My advice, instead of worrying about what MAY happen, buy it now. Dispite owning 308 and 556 my main calibers are 7.62x39 and 5.45. Yes 5.45 SURPLUS got banned (commercial didn't) but surplus was $100/ 1080 rounds. And since I also buy commercial ammo I'm sitting on a lifetime supply of 5 45 surplus.

For 7.62x39 ......it's still imported and I still buy. $220 for 1000 rounds. So my point is ....we all know what coming later this year ,even if it's just temporary pre election panic. 9x18 is $190 for 1000 rounds steel case.Brass case effectively doubles the price. Buy now. If you can afford to buy two cases at a time...great!



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[serger]

I've got several Mak's. the reason i initially got my C&R license was to get an East German one. Never got one. But have Bulgarian and Russian commercial versions. I see the Chinese ones on Gun Broker but haven't gotten one of those.

Just before Makarov Dot Com went out of business I bought some springs and other stuff from them. Below is the link from their FAQ page that gives you East German and Bulgarian production date codes.(Someone is keeping it alive for now)

Makarov.com - FAQL

FWIW, at one point in time there was a Brown Bear JHP loading that was imported. It was hot and reliably expanded in water to 60 caliber and retained it's weight. The loading was just below 9mm in equivalency and slammed the slide. It was the 9X18+P for sure.

These are accurate, tough little guns. You did good.

 

[Arik]

BTW Buffalo Bore makes 9x18 as well. Forgot about them

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[josywales]

I joined the Mak party a little late. I bought a Bulgy Mak online for $235. When I went to my FFL, he had two Maks in the case, $210 each, so I bought those as well, I think for $200 each out the door. Then I went to our local gun show, where I never find anything I'm really looking for. At the second table, I meet a guy working with his friend, who is a dealer. The non-dealer guy is selling an East German Mak, with magazines, holsters, etc. $325, I grab that as well.

At least one of the Bulgy Maks was still in grease. I ended up with various cleaning rods, grips, etc. and a ton of ammo. In fact, I ordered handmade wooden grips from a guy overseas. The first were really nice, but he actually made a mistake in the design I asked for, so he shipped me another set of grip.

A while later, I decided, foolishly, to reduce my inventory. I thought, sell of the leat accurate of the guns. I know the East German models are better fit, etc., but all my Mak were in Excellent condition. So I figured let them duel it out at the range. Good luck with that. They all shot exactly the same. Didn't matter what ammo, etc., they are all accurate as can be. When that's the case, I tend to sell off the cleanest guns, simply because they will bring the most and these are tools. So I sold off two of the Bulgy Maks. Plus, I thought the East German held a different history to it and holds value, so why not keep that one.

If I had kept all of them, I'd have 4 quality pistols, holsters, spare mags, and plenty of ammo, to equip a small entourage. Oh well. Live and learn.

FYI, watch the hotter rounds in these pistol. Google the Mak forum. There's a ton of info about these on there. I almost bought the 22 rimfire conversion that was availble a while back.

 

[Veker]

I'm glad we have some AK and Makarov people on here! Those are some of my favorite guns.

 

[TC47]

I have 4 Maks, 2 Bulgy Military a Bulgy Arsenal and a EG. All great shooters that I'm hanging on to. As for ammo, not a issue, a couple of LGS's stock it regularly and there's always the net(and it's cheaper than 380)

 

[loknload]

1 Rominian AK , 1 Russian SK, 1 Romanian SK and an East German Mak...
They are great to own and a pleasure to shoot!

 

[Warren Sear]

Did the Bulgys ever make a shotty?

I Don't have a Bulgy, Chiney, Russy, but I do have an Egy Mak:

 

[Arik]

They probably did but it was most likely a hunting shotgun

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[Bill Bates]

I bought a Russian commercial .380 cap Makarov about 10 years ago. I picked up used for 125 bucks. It is one great bang for the bucks little pistol. The darn thing is reasonably accurate. No matter what you feed it, it goes bang every time. What's not to like.

 

[les.b]

Les, I noted the Krinkov that you're holding in the Moscow photo. Did you get to shoot it?

Yes, I did, but the Russians don't call it Krinkov, which they claim is a word made up by the Americans. I'm not sure that I can use the Russian nickname for this particular gun on this family friendly forum. Of course it is officially the "AKS 74 U". The AK is pretty well known by Americans by now, the "автомат Калашникова", is familiar to most American shooters and is clambered in what we call 5.45x39 mm caliber. I also got to shoot the Makarov Pistol, the subject of this thread: they call it the "пистолет маскирова", I think, my Russian spelling and grammar haven't been used for awhile and I'm not 100% on this. Richincapecod could probably straighten me out on this, he's an old Russian hand. I don't want to hijack this really nice thread, but I might start one soon on some related topics.

Best Regards, and with apologies to JayFramer for thread drift, Les