[riverdog]

Found a nice looking Bulgarian Mak at the local gunshop and not having anything besides .22LR in a minor caliber I decided to go for it. So what is the story on Mak's?

This has a circle 10 so that makes it a 1970 model, but it looked to be in great shape. Are they arsenal refinished or just not used much? Are any years better than others or does it matter much?

Makarov.com recommends upgrading the recoil spring to 19#, that seems easy enough; are there any other mods that are recommended?

The range I usually shoot at doesn't like steel cases so besides Wolf and Barnaul, what's the best way to go for ammo? Thanks.

[aircarver]

WHAT dark side ? The Mak you bought is the best, most fun most reliable shooter you'll have in your stable. ;)

If you haven't already, go to makarov.com for goodies and gunboards.com the makarov forum for detailled info.

My own preference for ammo is Barnaul HPs, but if you're limited to brass case, Sellier & Belloit makes 9x18.

[alamo]

You have a surplus Bulgarian military model. Some are "unissued". They just sat in a Bulgarian armory for years, unfired. Some have seen some use but most are in good condition.

Check out this page if you haven't seen it:

http://www.makarov.com/makfaq.html

I got the Makawrap grips for mine in addition to the #19 recoil spring. Some prefer the Pearce grips, others the thumb rest grips or the original Red Star grips.

I also got from Makarov.com, the poor man's night sites. Stick-on glow-in-the-dark dots to improve the sites.

[timmerk]

How much did it cost you for the gun?

[Dave Markowitz]

The circle-10 just means that it was made in Bulgaria, not that it's some "1970" model, AFAIK. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.)

While a lot of people think the Mak is just a rip-off of the Walther PP, it really is not. It's a much improved, more reliable design. They are also surprisingly accurate. Some people find the recoil a bit snappy. The cure for that is to replace the factory plastic grips with rubber Pearce grips.

Unless you are shooting hot loads, e.g., the Wolf 109 grainers, you don't need to replace the recoil spring with one that's heavier.

If you are limited to brass cased ammo, Sellier & Bellot make it. AIM Surplus also has some Hungarian made brass cased 9x18.

Do NOT try to shoot .380 or 9mm Luger in a 9x18. However, you can trim 9mm Luger brass down and use it for reloading 9x18 if you are so inclined.

Congrats on your new purchase. I think you'll really enjoy it.

[borodin]

You can go to makarov.com and they have a listing of the serial numbers according to the year. The first two digits indicate the year. the next set is the number in the series that was made that year.

I got one that had never been fired about a week ago. Seems like everyone is getting one now. It is a superb shooter. I went with the Pearce grips but have not done anything else yet. i need an extra mag but I will wait till after xmas.

[riverdog]

The Circle 10 = 1970 came from makarov.com/makfaq.html (http://www.makarov.com/makfaq.html) under "Bulgarian production codes" -- my bad. Now that reread the page, the circle 10 is as Dave Markowitz pointed out, it just means it's a "Bulgarian "Circle 10" Military Makarov". I'll check the other markings closer when I pick it up next year and see what I've got. It seemed awfully clean to be a 33 YO weapon.

Price was higher than what you can find on the net, but the FFL and other fees for internet purchases would run even higher were I to have bought over the net. Over $200 out the door.

[borodin]

Mine was made in 1987.

[lee n. field]

Congrats. You have been assimilated.

Now just shoot the d*** thing.

[P95Carry]

Welcome to the Mak Club. You WILL enjoy!!


http://www.bedford.net/design/cb_gun2/mak_02_s.jpg

[ballistic gelatin]

How is the Makarov for concealed carry, printing and comfort?

How big is that thing? Like a PPK?

[P95Carry]

ballistic ... mine is not a primary carry piece but many people do like it as such. It is not a great deal larger than a Bersa Thunder and I would say is no more ''printable'' than any other compact auto. I would have NO probs with this for carry, at all .... and got a Don Hume ''belt slide'' holster for it at weekend gun show.

If it helps you at all .. let me know and I'll take and post a comparison pic for you ....... comparing it with bersa, Ruger P series, BHP etc :)

[JShirley]

Maks are great. Traded mine to Grampa 'cause he wanted it. I didn't really want to part with it, but how many Grampa's I got?

Heavy for size, but they carry well in a good holster. Maks are strong and well made, but are harder to reload in a hurry. 9x18mm ain't a bad defensive choice, especially if you can buy enough ammo to get good with it, which you can. Don't think I'd take a Mak in an open carry situation- if you can open carry, might as well carry more gun- but, they're sturdy, yeoman little pieces.

John

[tracer]

A different version.

[Thirties]

Whadja mean "Dark Side"? That is for Glocks, no?


Here is where you want to be for Makarovs:

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3

[riverdog]

I'm a 1911 and S&W revo kinda guy. Maybe it isn't a dark side but it's definitely different.

To complete the Mak process, I contacted Georgia Arms and ordered a bunch of their 9x18 (G9MAK) ammo. 95gr Gold Dot at 1000FPS. Not quite as hot as the Russian stuff but it's hotter than some loads on the market. It's also a bit more pricey but it uses brass cases so I should be fine at the range and the GD's should be okay for PD. That's just a bit more expensive than PMC ball for the 1911's -- not even close to what .45 Gold Dots run.

Thanks for the info. Now the waiting resumes.

[BowStreetRunner]

have fun with it :)

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I really like them and think you have a fine shooter there.


http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/makarov.htm


Best.

[Tropical Z]

Maks are OK i guess.Actually theyre almost as reliable as a Hi-Point.
(sssshhhhh,keep quiet,im just saying this to get denfoote all riled up!)
Actually i love mine!

[Richard]

riverdog, dark side my butt; You have seen the LIGHT! This is my Bulgie Mak complete with Novak Night Sights and hard chrome by Virgil Tripp. Go forth and enjoy your new toy! Regards, Richard:D
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid87/pacb72c57b4c4e8bb086ee8f26f51c9c0/fa9e0e8c.jpg

[David4516]

"You don't know the POWER of the dark side" - Darth Vader

Darkside or not, Maks are great guns. My Mak is my primary CCW.

[Snowdog]

I found the grip on mine a bit bland until I slapped on a Hogue Handall Jr. Seeing how nice Richard's hard chromed Makarov looks, I'll probably have my Russian IJ-70 electroless nickel plated (I'm a die-hard fan of this finish).

[Murphster]

I have a Bulgarian Makarov. It's the AK-47 of pistols. It has never, ever malfunctioned, mis-fed, jammed or done anything but function perfectly(and shoot pretty darn accurately) for a thousand rounds. It's amazing.
I haven't and won't do anything to the pistol. (Tried some Hogue grips once - they didn't fit my hands.)

[Murphster]

double post. couldn't get this one to delete completely.

[riverdog]

Stephen A. Camp -- Thanks for the link. Good read. I also found a few threads you participated in such as the one at gunboards (http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16749) , and that was a good read too. At this point in time I'd have to put myself in the 1911/.45ACP camp but that won't stop me from shooting and enjoying a Mak. As I said earlier, I've got 1000 rds of Gold dots on their way from Georgia Arms and if it shoots these well and is as reliable as most folks say about the Mak, it could be my carry gun in states other than CA. Even then a .45 won't be far away.

As far as changing out the sights and refinishing my Mak in hardchrome -- I've done that with .45's and wouldn't be surprised if it happened again, but first I need to get well into that 1000 rds.

[David4516]

If your Mak is anything like mine it will be 100% reliable...

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Richard - That is one waaaaaaay cool chromed Mak! Who did the grips?

[Richard]

Gary, I don't remember who made the grips and they aren't the prettiest but the damned things work and work well. They didn't cost that much, maybe about $25. I now wish I had bought three pairs as I have two EG Maks and my Bulgie Mak. I am sorry I can't help. Regards, Richard:D

[DaveH]

Richard - That is one waaaaaaay cool chromed Mak! Who did the grips?

Here's a post about some that are similar.

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=82344&perpage=30&pagenumber=1

[Richard]

I am sure those are the same grips. The E-mail given at the other site is grey_son@hotmail.com. I am going to send mail. Thanks, Richard:D

[jar]

He does good work. I have a set on one of my EGs.

The Mak is pretty heavy for pocket carry but I've found that with a good holster it works just fine.

Here's an EG in a High Noon Holster Pocket Grabber.

http://www.fototime.com/0D066A38F7BC46C/standard.jpg

[riverdog]

Jar,
Which Pocket Grabber is that? The High Noon website doesn't list Mak on their Pocket Grabber page. TIA

[hnm201]

No disprespect to Jar or to HighNoonHolster (I love my iwb highnoon for my steyr) but that pocket grabber looks like a poor fit for the makarov. Why not buy a pocket holster that is made for your mak? See Eric Larsen of HBE Leather works.. he makes pocket and iwb holsters for the makarov....see his page of pocket holster pics here: http://www.imageseek.com/hbeleather/gallery/album06

[Bainx]

Yup, I still brag about the Mak on occasion to new shooters telling them what a great deal they are.
At the gunshow in Knoxville today, a guy had numerous Maks on his table, and all different flavors [countries] too!:cool:

[care-less]

I can't add anything to whatever everyone else has said; except: You have left the dark side, and are on your way to enlightenment. Welcome to the LightJ!! Maks are great pistols.

[Missouri Mule]

Darkside???
I say it's more like seeing the light!!!

Maks are awesome little pistols. :D

[dandean316]

How is the Makarov for concealed carry, printing and comfort? I carried mine while my Para Carry was getting night sights installed. It's not bad to carry, but considering its only 5oz lighter than my Para Carry .45 (which isn't a light gun by any means), I can't see the Mak for a CCW carry piece. Truck gun? Yeah. A couple Mak's stashed around the house? Yeah. But seeing how the 9x18's performance levels are about the same as a .380, I think the Kel Tec is the better bet and 1/3 the weight.

I guess I can't see the arguments Mak’s are great for CCW because they are inexpensive. For the law abiding guy who lives on the bad side of town who can't afford much, the Mak is great for CCW. But we all have computers or at least work at a job with a computer so my guess is we make at least decent money. Probably enough to get a decent 9mm or .45. Not wanting to spend a few hundred extra bucks when your life depends on it I don't get. The informal testing I've done with the 9x18 and the reports I've read, and I don't really trust the performance of the 9x18. I've seen the 9x18 bounce off 2x2 pine boards at 7 yards.

My Mak did jam with that Barnul ammo. So to say all Mak's never jam is wrong (some have made this claim).

It is a fun gun to shoot. It has its place. It is better than carrying nothing. Something about Cold War era guns are intriguing. I don't mean to sound like I am ripping the Mak, I just think sometimes the claims have been a little overblown.

All that said, I will be adding to my Mak collection. Those EG’s and Chinese ones look real nice.
:)

[Missouri Mule]

Maks are great pistols a three times the going rate and i plan to carry mine at least part time.

But seeing how the 9x18's performance levels are about the same as a .380, I think the Kel Tec is the better bet and 1/3 the weight.

As much as I like my Maks I couldn't have said it any better ^^^^^^^^.

My beloved 1911s are big and heavy. I will carry them when possible but. I am buying a P-11 and a P3-at for those times I don't feel comfortable trying to cover the bigger pistols.

[riverdog]

I've usually found weight to be a good thing when it comes to shooting and recoil management. Ergo, I'm not big on alloy frames regardless of caliber, particularly in .45ACP.

IF I buy another minor caliber gun I might be forced to change my mind because most have alloy frames and those with steel frames are limited -- Mak and CZ and that's about it. Sig, FEG, Beretta, Bersa are all alloy framed. Obviously that's where the demand is, but I've rarely followed the crowd. IMO the steel frame on the Mak is a plus.

[standingbear]

im not big on alloy frames either.for me,the mak fits my budget perfectly.its design is simple,its accurate,reliable and made from steel.its not a 44 or 357 sig but middle ground between 380 and 9mm which is exactly what i wanted and could afford.

[riverdog]

Just brought the Mak home and gave a cleaning, something I'd recommend for any "new" Mak. Mine had a year code of 19 making it of 1979 manufacture. The pistol was clean except for the spare magazine which had an abundant amount of grease inside. The spare mag had been used as evidenced by marks on the follower.

The pistol itself has some holster wear, not enough to see in the store's lighting, but enough to see on my bench. Regardless, it's still 95%+ and in excellent condition. The bore was very clean, as in never fired clean. But the holster wear says it isn't new, the trigger feels pretty good but the thumb safety/decocker is real tight, as in brand new tight. I'm getting mixed signals as to how much range time it's seen; carried a lot and shot little comes to mind.

Still waiting on ammo.

[P95Carry]

Riverdog ..... listen up - I gotta warn you ...........


























Once that ammo comes and you get to shoot it ..... I'll wager you will LOVE that lil puppy, from magazine #1 !!!!!! If I'm wrong then you'd have got a lemon .. and that is extremely unlikely.

Enjoy and come back and tell me I was right!:)

[BIGJim223]

Riverdog: You will love your Mak! I also have a '79 Mak (BE 19 XXX), some holster wear, but appeared unfired internally. I have put near 1000 rnds through it and have NEVER had any problem whatsoever! Most of this ammo was Barnual HP which has been most impressive, especially for the price ($4 something a box of 50).I have custom made exotic wood grips on mine (around $35) and they work great as well as look great. I would post a picture but have no clue as to how to do it.
Even at $200 for your pistol, you would have to look very hard to find a pistol as well made, and reliable as a Mak! It is heavier than my Kel-Tec P-11, but I still carry my Makarov!

BIGJim223

[Bill Hook]

The Hard Chromed Mak looks nice, but those yellow looking grips gotta go.

[PAshooter]

I love mine. IIRC I paid about $130 for it a year or so ago. Gun was perfect except for a small scratch on the left side of the slide from the extra grip screw that was rolling around loose in the box.

Maks are just plain cool - the AK of the handgun world - simple, reliable, easy to strip, clean, and maintain. Had mine completely detail-stripped in a matter of minutes in order to soak everything in paint thinner and remove the gallon or so of Bulgarian cosmoline that was included at no extra charge :D

http://www.bcpl.net/~ourzoo/pix/bmak_r.jpg

Looking for a nice EG to keep her company (Rule of Twos, y'know!).

[CZSteve]

mdshooter,

Are those the 'comfort carry' grips from makarov.com?

If so; how do you like them?

If not; did you modify the factory grips yourself?

They look good.
Are like the Red Star myself, just a worried about being too slick for carry.

[PAshooter]

Steve:

What's pictured is the standard Bulgarian-issue hard plastic grip that came on the pistol. It's got the thumb rest on the opposite side - which doesn't work for me as I'm a southpaw. The gun also came with a set of red plastic "star" grips.

I wanted something with a little cushion to it so I first tried a Makawrap but found it too blocky for my taste. Currently the gun sports a Pearce rubber grip which is nice but does add some bulk to the gun... not an issue for me as we don't have CCW in these parts.

[TooTaxed]

Your MAK makes a fine carry gun with the Gold Dot ammo and Fobus roto holster. Besides my single-stack Bulgie, I also have a Russian double-stack high cap model with adjustable sights, which is surprisingly accurate at 25-yd. I also handload for the MAK...you can get American boxer-primed cases, as well as the Sellier & Bellot.

[Richard]

Bill Hook, ...those yellow looking grips gotta go. I felt the same way when I received the grips. Guess what? They are great grips for shooting and carry. These grips work so well I am going to buy a set for my two EG Maks. Regards, Richard:D

[Mr Jody Hudson]

You will be basking in the light.

Just try and remember to clean them about every twelve million rounds or so and all will be well.

I prefer the 115 gr. LVE HP ammo at about 1100 fps...

EVERYONE in the gun shop that I work in sometimes has a Makarov on when working... no matter what other gun we prefer otherwise, if we think we might just need a gun that never, ever, fails to function... It's the Makarov.

Try it for a million rounds or more and you too will liklely join the Church of Makarovia where Makarovniks have total faith in the reliability, accuracy and perfection of the HOLY MAKAROV. :D :cool:

[tracer]

Here's a Russian 380

[tech]

mdshooter, I modified my grips by removing the thumbrest with a dremmel and then finishing with sandpaper. I like the stock grips as they are slim and I carry mine.

Mike

[care-less]

"There is no turning back now young Makwalker"