[makdaddy03]

Mine is Russian (380acp) and has over 2000rds through it and it has only failed twice. Both failures was with Federal Hydra Shokz.
But Zero failures with everything else. Another point to ponder is that,Im not one who cleans his guns every time he shoots. I mean these are darn good guns. I would like to see the Walther do that. I have a Walther too. Its for sell.:)

[WonderNine]

I'm not one who cleans his guns everytime he shoots either. Maybe a good shot through the barrel and extractor with some electronic duster at most, sometimes not even that, but I ALWAYS lube my auto guns before I take them out.

However, I've been even luckier than you when it come to jams. My guns just don't jam. Almost never. Maybe I just shoot right or I lubricate them correctly or something. I believe that most reliability problems are related to failure to properly maintain your gun.

[lazhuward]

On the Makarov, the magazine is almost at a 90 degree angle to the chamber. That could help feeding.

Also, the tolerances seem to be pretty loose on the Mak. Dirt and goo and stuff doesn't seem to affect Maks much.

[denfoote]

Nikolay Fyedorovich Makarov was a genius!!! On par with Karl Walther, Samuel Colt, and John Moses Browning!!!! :D

[Handy]

In general, pistols that feed into a non-tilting barrel feed very easily since there is no friction interference from either feed ramp or breechface.

But I think Lazuward's comment is key. Steep magazines seem to prevent nosediving feed.

Remember that the PP was a design product of the 30's, and the design improved Mak has 20 years on it. It SHOULD work better.


Calling Makarov a genius is surely a jest, though.

[DonGlock26]

One place you do need to scrub is behind the extractor claw. Too much carbon build-up will cause a good auto to become a jam-a-matic.

[Soap]

What lazhuward said.

[Cooter Brown]

Denfoote: It is well known that John Moses Browning has and will never have a peer as a firearms designer and inventor. It is assumed that he was a space alien sent to Earth by God to bring firepower to man. You should repent now of your heresey before lightening strikes you down. :fire:

[Dr.Rob]

I think the only other pistol that comes close to that feed angle is the HK P7.

The Mak also has few moving parts and plenty of clearances for foreign goo/dirt/grime to get OUT and away from the operating surfaces. Still, like most Soviet handguns it was designed to be carried in a flap holster, rather than in a pocket. With a good holster I'm sure a Mak can be a lifesaver.

[surfinUSA]

good design.

[Drakejake]

It isn't the case that all Maks are 100% reliable. The second Mak that I bought misfired frequently in single action. I replaced parts. Now it works fine single action, but misfires in double action.

Drakejake

[jc2]

The fact that it was designed to fire Russian ammunition might have something to do with it.

[JohnKSa]

The second Mak that I bought misfired frequently in single action. I replaced parts. Now it works fine single action, but misfires in double action.

Are you sure that the engagement between the spring and the hammer is correct? If you get it wrong, you get light strikes in DA.

[9x19]

Who the heck is this John Moses Browning fella?! :confused:

[jc2]

9x19
Who the heck is this John Moses Browning fella?!
Look at your Glock. See how the barrel locks. It is a copy of a Sig modifed John Moses Browning design. :D At least ol' Gaston knew who to copy.

[Tamara]

In general, pistols that feed into a non-tilting barrel feed very easily since there is no friction interference from either feed ramp or breechface.

"Friction interference" from feed ramp or breechface has nearly nothing to do with whether the barrel tilts or not and everything to do with the relative location of the top round in the magazine vis a vis the chamber mouth. A well designed tilt-barrel system obligingly drops the chamber towards the cartridge. Out of curiousity, I just stripped down my G30 and my P7 and inserted a loaded magazine in each gun. To my admitted surprise, the G30 has (when the rear of the barrel is depressed as it would be in firing) an almost perfect line that runs down the axis of the bore and the axis of the top round in the magazine. The P7 has the top round very well-positioned, but still not that close.

[RON in PA]

I've had 4 Maks, one E.German, two Bulgarians, one Russian commercial and one Russian military marked "made in Bulgaria". The two Russians never bobbled, the E. German often required a second trigger pull when shot DA and of the two Bulgarians one was much better finished on the inside than the other. The roughly finished Bulgarian also periodically had feeding problems.

The above experience with Maks leads me to believe that they are not perfect in all cases with lots of variability, but that if you want the best from a Makarov stick to a Russian even if they are not as nicely finished as an E. German.

[Midnight]

Also check out your Series 80 1911 that uses a COPY of the Glock firing pin safety. Guess the pendulum swings both ways.

[jc2]

Also check out your Series 80 1911 that uses a COPY of the Glock firing pin safety. Guess the pendulum swings both ways.
Looks more like the P35's to me. So I guess we know who ol' Gaston copied it from. (BTW, do you do know who designed the P35, don't you? :p )

I'm not sure without doing a lot of research I don't fee like doing, but I think you might find that the Series 80 pre-dates the G17 slightly. It certainly pre-dates its introduction into this country.

[denfoote]

Denfoote: It is well known that John Moses Browning has and will never have a peer as a firearms designer and inventor. It is assumed that he was a space alien sent to Earth by God to bring firepower to man. You should repent now of your heresey before lightening strikes you down.

Suck Borscht, Comrade!!!! :D :neener: :p :evil:

[aircarver]

I put 2000 rounds through 3 Maks, and never had any failure whatsoever. :)

[buttrap]

Well they still dont work as well as a old 1896 mauser .30.