[Felonious Monk]

I am getting my first Mak; an unissued, still in the grease bulgie Makarov.
I plan to make it a CCW.

Can you Makarovniks please tell me:
1) What's the favorite SD ammo for 9x18?
2) URL or where to buy it?

I saw some Hornady JHP that looks decent...but I also heard Cor-Bon makes (or made at one time) 9x18 ammo as well...

Thanking you in advance,
Felonious

[DMK]

Unfortunately, that Cor-Bon load is no longer made. It's a real shame too because it had good performance.

IMO, all the other HPs have very shallow penetration performance. Except CCI Blazer and I can't find it for sale. I use FMJ.

Have you seen Goldenloki's 9x18 gel tests? http://www.goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/9x18/gel9x18.htm

BTW, is your sig a Jack Handy quote? That's too funny. :D

[Mannlicher]

Makarovs may be cute, and they are fun to shoot, but I would never consider one for personal defense. My butt is worth more to me than to depend on something like that if the going got rough.

My favorite load was always the Hornady JHP.

[DougB]

I haven't done extensive testing, but based on a little experience, I'd look seriously at the Russian Barnaul ammo. It is reputed to be pretty hot, and I've fired the hollow-points into soft mud and they expanded nicely. You can buy the FMJ ammo for a little around $6/box of 50, and the hollow point are only about $.50 more per box. That's probably about 1/3 what you'd pay for the "premium" brands. I wouldn't be surprised if these perform every bit as well as the much more expensive brands, and you can easily afford to practice regularly with the same ammo you use for self-defense.

Doug

[curt]

Great link DMK! Pretty dismal results except for the extinct CorBon and the Wolf FMJ which really overpenetrated.

I'll stick with rounds that perform better for self defense and use my bulgy for fun shooting with whatevers cheapest.

[CZF]

One would think that the XTP would show good penetration. The
Barnaul stuff is pretty peppy, but I'd rather a major brand of SD
ammo, like the Hornady.

When I asked Eric about his choice in 9mm MAK or .380. He told
me that he uses the Hornady XTP in his CZ83 MAK.

I don't like Makarovs, but find the cartridge very interesting.

[Dave Markowitz]

When I've carried my Bulgie, I've used the standard Soviet load of a 95 grain FMJ. It should give good penetration, and it's what the gun was designed to feed, so I know it's going to work.

[Felonious Monk]

Thanks, all.

Yeah, I know. We should all be carrying 30 round mags full of 10mm or go home and admit we're girlie-men. :rolleyes:

If I was a LEO or hunting Uruk-hai, of COURSE I'd carry a cannon.
Here in the 'burbs, chances are small that my weapon will ever participate in a social situation.
If it does, presenting it and being ready to use it will probably be enough.
If not, I'm perfectly comfortable with 9x18 as a SD round.
For that matter, I'm comfortable with my 9 rounds of .32acp in my P32.
Reliability is King, Placement is everything, and I have nothing to prove.
YMMV.

DMK-- Yep. Jack Handy...embellished a touch for color.

[curt]

and I have nothing to prove.

Yeah but see that's the neat thing about ballistics,gel testing and all that science stuff, it proves stuff for ya!

Of course its up to you whether you want to pay attention to what its proving or not.

[JERRY]

my arsenal bulgie mak has been 100% period. in fact, i dont know anybody with one who has had a failure of any kind. i use wolf 109gr. fmj.

as far as reliabilty is concerned, my mak is one of 6 auto loaders that has never malfunctioned.... hell, my 1991a1 sucked the first 200 rounds or so.

carry what you are the most competant with. like you said, you have nothing to proove.


good luck and have fun.

[PCRCCW]

I dont know that its my first choice as a primary carry gun...but Ill tell you if your good with a mak with good JHP's Barnaul, Corbon, Hornady etc....I DONT FEEL UNDERGUNNED IN THE LEAST!

Especially when my CZ83 is stoked with 14 rds of it........

What I can tell you is dont carry Silver/Brown bear...the stuff sucks.

Shoot well...............

[Bren]

I don't use a Mak for SD but I have a few boxes of Cor-bon and would use that. Bren

[Zundfolge]

www.dansammo.com

The Barnaul is excellent (in either flavor you prefer ... JHP or FMJ) and if you reload, the PSGrand stuff is brass cased and very good ammo (but FMJ only).

Plus Dan's has great prices.


Makarovs may be cute, and they are fun to shoot, but I would never consider one for personal defense. My butt is worth more to me than to depend on something like that if the going got rough.

My favorite load was always the Hornady JHP
Boy if that wasn't dripping with irony ... the Hornady JHP is the weakest JHP ammo out there in 9x18. Plus its expensive (strike 2). One plus side is its brass cased so if you reload (but you'd still be better off with the PSGrand)

I carry a Mak as my primary CCW because I can't afford a 9x19, .40, 10mm or .45 right now ... I'm not as comfortable carrying it as I would be with a larger caliber ... but I can say 2 things for the little Mak. 1. it goes BANG! every time you pull the trigger PERIOD! and 2. If you do your part it puts the projectiles where you aim it. In essence those are the two most important things for a self defense gun.

[Big Mike]

Try Georgia Arms ammo. Mike

[Bren]

I use Barnaul "RAM" 90gr JHP for the range and it's $5 a box at the show. Good stuff. Bren