Anyone know if these Polish P-64 Makarovs are any good?

DarkKnight01 · April 21, 2005, 04:52 PM

They sure look neat, supposed to be a Walther clone... heres some links to some for sale on gunsamerica, would appreciate any info on them, like are they as dead reliable as the bulgarians and east german makes of the regular makarov? etc.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976463130.htm

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976572528.htm

geojap · April 21, 2005, 05:18 PM

I don't own one. But I have read quite a bit about them. They aren't Makarovs. They are labelled as such, but their parts and design are different. A Makarov is considered to be the more solid pistol of the two, since there just isn't much that has gone wrong with the Makarov.

White Horseradish · April 21, 2005, 05:24 PM

Those are not really Makarovs. They are mistakenly called Makarov because of the caliber.

DarkKnight01 · April 21, 2005, 05:42 PM

Ok I see, its got the Makarov tag coz it fires the 9x18mm mak cartridge... interesting, they sure look neat, I just might have to try one, If anything itll be a range toy, but If it prooves itsself reliable id carry it =) a lil better than the .380 and looks to be about the same size.

Please keep the replies coming, id like to know more about these.

eagle45 · April 21, 2005, 09:07 PM

Here is the place to look:

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

I don't own one, I do have one of the Bulgarian Maks which is a good little shooter, but a little hard on the hands. As I remember, they are not thoiught of as highly as the Maks.

Dave Markowitz · April 21, 2005, 10:13 PM

RON in PA used to have one. Workmanship was pretty good but it had a DA pull worse than an AMT Backup .45 DAO. IOW, the DA was so heavy as to be unusable.

For a shooter, a Makarov is far superior. As a collector's piece, they are kinda neat.

SouthpawShootr · April 21, 2005, 11:04 PM

Handled a few. Almost bought one. Then I thought I'd wait around a little and see if these are brought into the country in large numbers. I worry about spare parts. Hate to break something down the line and not be able to get parts for it. May pick one up anyway.

Snake Eyes · April 21, 2005, 11:42 PM

For the prices in those GA links you posted ($190), why wouldn't you just buy an actual, honest to goodness Makarov?

Thereby avoiding any unknowns or pitfalls, and ensuring yourself a vast database of support?

Huh? Why?

Just asking!

Walt Sherrill · April 21, 2005, 11:47 PM

Put simply, don't go there. Even with work, the trigger is almost unusable. (Think bumper jack attached to the front of a 1947 Buick.)

A good Mak is a far superior weapon. (Some of the new imports may even be cheaper... and a more-pricey East German Mak is generally outstanding.)

DarkKnight01 · April 22, 2005, 12:39 AM

Quote:

For the prices in those GA links you posted ($190), why wouldn't you just buy an actual, honest to goodness Makarov?

Coz I already have an EG Mak =) (well actually my lady does its her carry piece, im in the market for a Bulgy atm) Just thought it might be worth looking at this Polish wannabe Walther =) the horrific tales of the trigger have turned me off it tho, If I want something In a similar platform ill pick up a bersa thunder heh.

Trebor · April 22, 2005, 01:14 AM

Don't bother. A friend of mine bought one and I tried it. The trigger pull is EXTREMELY heavy and the gun is just about unshootable because of it. I've heard the spring can be replaced, but I'd just go with a Mak instead.

M2 Carbine · April 22, 2005, 02:00 AM

I liked them enough to buy 3.

They are accurate (about 10 inches at 50 yards).
Reliable.
Slightly smaller than a Makarov.
They look and feel smaller than the Makarov, but they are almost the same size.

They have a pretty good kick.
An almost unusable double action trigger.
Small sights.

Some have had trouble with the thumb safety when new. Easily fixed.

If you already have a Makarov or a few, the P-64 is an interesting addition, but it isn't the gun the Mak is and costs as much.

50 yards

DarkKnight01 · April 22, 2005, 05:39 AM

Thx for the comparison pic M2 carbine, and yea that would be my only real reason, would be to have it just to have it, already have a nice EG and in the market for a bulgy.. the P-64 just looks neat =)

c_yeager · April 22, 2005, 05:55 AM

As a collectable they certainly have a place in your safe, but as far as quality is concerned; in a country where Makarovs can be bought for <$150 these should be selling for about $80.

Teakwood · April 22, 2005, 08:49 AM

Personally, I am not impressed by the P-64, but whatever light your fire...
I would like to point out that $190 is way too high.

http://www.southernohiogun.com/surplushandguns.html

M2 Carbine · April 22, 2005, 11:20 AM

Yes DarkKnight01, as Teakwood and c_yeager say $190 is too high.

If you buy it "just to have it" I think you will enjoy it.

We have one fun contest where we shoot the BG to save the hostage. The hostage is rewarding you with new cars, money, guns, airplanes, etc for shooting the BG without hitting her.

The other shooters harass the shooter while he's trying to concentrate.

Good fun.

I like using the P-64 for this, because it's so accurate and has small sights.

The last contest we had, the P-64 was putting so many shots in the same hole in the BG's head we were argueing over whether I was shooting off the target.

This is one of the targets, using a Kel Tec 380.
We usually shoot this target from 5 or 6 yards but this was a little closer as I recall.
It's a scaled down Texas CHL target with a head added.

RON in PA · April 22, 2005, 02:03 PM

How the nation that created the excellent Radom and the well made cold-war era TT-33 pistols could issue P-64s is beyond me. The Da trigger is for gorillas, essentialy unusable, and the recoil is very uncomfortable. One or two Polish posters have made negative comments about the P-64.

Ascot500 · April 22, 2005, 02:40 PM

Hey M2 Carbine,
You mentioned the accuracy of the P-64. How does it compare with the Makarov?

DarkKnight01 · April 22, 2005, 08:07 PM

Thx for the info all, Its not a must have, but If I come across one for a good price Ill probably pick one up just to have.

sgt127 · April 23, 2005, 02:09 AM

As my last name ends with -ski, I had to have one. Pretty well machined, decent blue. All in all a pretty cool gun that I have never carried and lives in my safe. And, one further comment on the trigger, I've had Craftsman staple guns with much better triggers.

M2 Carbine · April 23, 2005, 03:23 AM

Ascot500
Hey M2 Carbine,
You mentioned the accuracy of the P-64. How does it compare with the Makarov?
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The P-64 is pretty accurate.
I think the 9x18 is basically an accurate round.
The 2 Hungarian PA63 (9x18) pistols I've owned were also accurate.

The P-64 may be as accurate as the Makarov but it's harder to shoot as well as the Makarov, IMHO.
Bad trigger, hard recoil and smaller grip make it harder for me to shoot as well as the Mak.

But it's a challange and fun to shoot.

trinculo · July 9, 2008, 10:10 AM

Hi everyone, I am a proud owner of a P64, it's my service pistol since they're still issued to police officers fresh out of academy, the truth is:
- the gun is relatively heavy, even unloaded it weighs about 600 grams
- the grip is too short so you cannot really handle the recoil properly
- the sights are too thin and they're not marked in any way so aiming in artificial light is kinda tough, the good thing though is they dont bend or get damaged in service conditions since theyre made of metal
- they require large amounts of tar when cleaning otherwise they are heavy to operate and may jam, I always hev to wipe the tar off the clip when unloading
- the gun is well made though, it was the flagship of Polish short arms industry in the '60s, mine is 1976 and still in almost pristine condition
- the worst disadvantage: the trigger pull, it was supposed to be an additional safety feature that would prevent premature shots when holding the finger on the trigger - I think it may be compared to the Anti Stress mechanism on Walther P99, even though the one on P64 is quite primitive

MOST IMPORTANTLY the P64 is not a Mak, it only looks like one, but the mechanisms are similar to those of Walther PPK (e.g. the trigger guard is hinged and it serves as a disassembling catch as in PPK), the P64 is supposed to be shot from SA only which is unreasonable for a service pistol

Indy_Guy_77 · July 9, 2008, 02:37 PM

I used to own one...

It was pretty good looking, nice deep finish on it.

Kicked like a mule, though. Ergonomics left much to be desired = painful recoil.

As has been said, the double action trigger pull is atrocious. It's up around 20lbs. Many folks put in a Walther spring to lighten it up and are quite pleased with the outcome.

The single action trigger on mine was as smooth as fresh butter; but long. Could barely feel the "moment before the shot". It was smooth..smooth..smooth..BANG.

I MIGHT pick up another one in the future...

-J-

6x6pinz · August 3, 2008, 10:47 PM

I have taken mine to the range a few times now. I am going to use it to qualify for my ccw permit. As has been said in previous post the accuracy is just amazing for a small pistol with small sites. Groups of less than a quarter size are common at 30ft. Really a fun gun to shoot but would not want to shoot it all day.

weregunner · August 3, 2008, 11:00 PM

For those who want to get info or discuss the P64 or Pa-63 psitol owners there is:

http://p64.porboards67.com/

or
http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46

April 21, 2005, 04:52 PM	#1
DarkKnight01 Member Join Date: January 11, 2005 Posts: 391	Anyone know if these Polish P-64 Makarovs are any good? They sure look neat, supposed to be a Walther clone... heres some links to some for sale on gunsamerica, would appreciate any info on them, like are they as dead reliable as the bulgarians and east german makes of the regular makarov? etc. http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976463130.htm http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976572528.htm __________________ MOLON LABE!! I object your reality, and substitute my own ! =)

April 21, 2005, 05:24 PM	#3
White Horseradish Member Join Date: June 28, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,324	Those are not really Makarovs. They are mistakenly called Makarov because of the caliber. __________________ ...there is nothing proportionate between the armed and the unarmed; and it is not reasonable that he who is armed should yield obedience willingly to him who is unarmed, or that the unarmed man should be secure among armed servants. Because, there being in the one disdain and in the other suspicion, it is not possible for them to work well together. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, Chapter XIV

April 21, 2005, 05:42 PM	#4
DarkKnight01 Member Join Date: January 11, 2005 Posts: 391	Ok I see, its got the Makarov tag coz it fires the 9x18mm mak cartridge... interesting, they sure look neat, I just might have to try one, If anything itll be a range toy, but If it prooves itsself reliable id carry it =) a lil better than the .380 and looks to be about the same size. Please keep the replies coming, id like to know more about these. __________________ MOLON LABE!! I object your reality, and substitute my own ! =)

April 21, 2005, 09:07 PM	#5
eagle45 Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Southwest Ohio Posts: 551	Here is the place to look: http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3 I don't own one, I do have one of the Bulgarian Maks which is a good little shooter, but a little hard on the hands. As I remember, they are not thoiught of as highly as the Maks. __________________ "Let your gun, therefore, be the constant companion of your walks.” Thomas Jefferson.

April 21, 2005, 10:13 PM	#6
Dave Markowitz Member Join Date: December 24, 2002 Location: Plymouth Meeting, PA Posts: 4,898	RON in PA used to have one. Workmanship was pretty good but it had a DA pull worse than an AMT Backup .45 DAO. IOW, the DA was so heavy as to be unusable. For a shooter, a Makarov is far superior. As a collector's piece, they are kinda neat. __________________ Dave Markowitz ---- Dave's Blog O'Stuff :: The Shooter's Bar(SM) - Progun Attorneys :: The Rally Point

April 21, 2005, 05:18 PM	#2
geojap Member Join Date: December 26, 2002 Location: Austin Posts: 766	I don't own one. But I have read quite a bit about them. They aren't Makarovs. They are labelled as such, but their parts and design are different. A Makarov is considered to be the more solid pistol of the two, since there just isn't much that has gone wrong with the Makarov.

April 21, 2005, 11:04 PM	#7
SouthpawShootr Member Join Date: December 29, 2002 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 2,621	Handled a few. Almost bought one. Then I thought I'd wait around a little and see if these are brought into the country in large numbers. I worry about spare parts. Hate to break something down the line and not be able to get parts for it. May pick one up anyway.

April 21, 2005, 11:47 PM	#9
Walt Sherrill Member Join Date: January 1, 2003 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 1,889	Put simply, don't go there. Even with work, the trigger is almost unusable. (Think bumper jack attached to the front of a 1947 Buick.) A good Mak is a far superior weapon. (Some of the new imports may even be cheaper... and a more-pricey East German Mak is generally outstanding.)

April 22, 2005, 01:14 AM	#11
Trebor Member Join Date: February 15, 2003 Posts: 4,036	Don't bother. A friend of mine bought one and I tried it. The trigger pull is EXTREMELY heavy and the gun is just about unshootable because of it. I've heard the spring can be replaced, but I'd just go with a Mak instead. __________________ Rob Reed NRA Certified Instructor (Pistol, PPITH) SigArms Academy Certified Instructor (Pistol) Graduate, LFI-1 & LFI-2 CCW classes and private instruction in the Metro Detroit and Lansing areas

April 22, 2005, 02:00 AM	#12
M2 Carbine Member Join Date: May 29, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 4,297	I liked them enough to buy 3. They are accurate (about 10 inches at 50 yards). Reliable. Slightly smaller than a Makarov. They look and feel smaller than the Makarov, but they are almost the same size. They have a pretty good kick. An almost unusable double action trigger. Small sights. Some have had trouble with the thumb safety when new. Easily fixed. If you already have a Makarov or a few, the P-64 is an interesting addition, but it isn't the gun the Mak is and costs as much. 50 yards

April 22, 2005, 05:39 AM	#13
DarkKnight01 Member Join Date: January 11, 2005 Posts: 391	Thx for the comparison pic M2 carbine, and yea that would be my only real reason, would be to have it just to have it, already have a nice EG and in the market for a bulgy.. the P-64 just looks neat =) __________________ MOLON LABE!! I object your reality, and substitute my own ! =)

April 22, 2005, 05:55 AM	#14
c_yeager Member Join Date: March 14, 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 5,487	As a collectable they certainly have a place in your safe, but as far as quality is concerned; in a country where Makarovs can be bought for <$150 these should be selling for about $80.

April 22, 2005, 08:49 AM	#15
Teakwood Member Join Date: April 7, 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 127	Personally, I am not impressed by the P-64, but whatever light your fire... I would like to point out that $190 is way too high. http://www.southernohiogun.com/surplushandguns.html

April 22, 2005, 11:20 AM	#16
M2 Carbine Member Join Date: May 29, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 4,297	Yes DarkKnight01, as Teakwood and c_yeager say $190 is too high. If you buy it "just to have it" I think you will enjoy it. We have one fun contest where we shoot the BG to save the hostage. The hostage is rewarding you with new cars, money, guns, airplanes, etc for shooting the BG without hitting her. The other shooters harass the shooter while he's trying to concentrate. Good fun. I like using the P-64 for this, because it's so accurate and has small sights. The last contest we had, the P-64 was putting so many shots in the same hole in the BG's head we were argueing over whether I was shooting off the target. This is one of the targets, using a Kel Tec 380. We usually shoot this target from 5 or 6 yards but this was a little closer as I recall. It's a scaled down Texas CHL target with a head added.

April 22, 2005, 02:03 PM	#17
RON in PA Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: S.E. PA, USA Posts: 1,669	How the nation that created the excellent Radom and the well made cold-war era TT-33 pistols could issue P-64s is beyond me. The Da trigger is for gorillas, essentialy unusable, and the recoil is very uncomfortable. One or two Polish posters have made negative comments about the P-64. __________________ I shoot, therefore I am. Proud TFL alumnus NRA Endowment Life Member

April 22, 2005, 02:40 PM	#18
Ascot500 Member Join Date: July 23, 2003 Location: NC Posts: 123	Hey M2 Carbine, You mentioned the accuracy of the P-64. How does it compare with the Makarov?

April 22, 2005, 08:07 PM	#19
DarkKnight01 Member Join Date: January 11, 2005 Posts: 391	Thx for the info all, Its not a must have, but If I come across one for a good price Ill probably pick one up just to have. __________________ MOLON LABE!! I object your reality, and substitute my own ! =)

April 23, 2005, 02:09 AM	#20
sgt127 Member Join Date: April 29, 2003 Posts: 516	As my last name ends with -ski, I had to have one. Pretty well machined, decent blue. All in all a pretty cool gun that I have never carried and lives in my safe. And, one further comment on the trigger, I've had Craftsman staple guns with much better triggers. __________________ "No one ever won a gunfight by being the first to make a loud noise."

April 23, 2005, 03:23 AM	#21
M2 Carbine Member Join Date: May 29, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 4,297	Ascot500 Hey M2 Carbine, You mentioned the accuracy of the P-64. How does it compare with the Makarov? -------------------------------------------------------------------- The P-64 is pretty accurate. I think the 9x18 is basically an accurate round. The 2 Hungarian PA63 (9x18) pistols I've owned were also accurate. The P-64 may be as accurate as the Makarov but it's harder to shoot as well as the Makarov, IMHO. Bad trigger, hard recoil and smaller grip make it harder for me to shoot as well as the Mak. But it's a challange and fun to shoot.

July 9, 2008, 10:10 AM	#22
trinculo Member Join Date: July 9, 2008 Posts: 1	Hi everyone, I am a proud owner of a P64, it's my service pistol since they're still issued to police officers fresh out of academy, the truth is: - the gun is relatively heavy, even unloaded it weighs about 600 grams - the grip is too short so you cannot really handle the recoil properly - the sights are too thin and they're not marked in any way so aiming in artificial light is kinda tough, the good thing though is they dont bend or get damaged in service conditions since theyre made of metal - they require large amounts of tar when cleaning otherwise they are heavy to operate and may jam, I always hev to wipe the tar off the clip when unloading - the gun is well made though, it was the flagship of Polish short arms industry in the '60s, mine is 1976 and still in almost pristine condition - the worst disadvantage: the trigger pull, it was supposed to be an additional safety feature that would prevent premature shots when holding the finger on the trigger - I think it may be compared to the Anti Stress mechanism on Walther P99, even though the one on P64 is quite primitive MOST IMPORTANTLY the P64 is not a Mak, it only looks like one, but the mechanisms are similar to those of Walther PPK (e.g. the trigger guard is hinged and it serves as a disassembling catch as in PPK), the P64 is supposed to be shot from SA only which is unreasonable for a service pistol

July 9, 2008, 02:37 PM	#23
Indy_Guy_77 Member Join Date: December 4, 2006 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 31	I used to own one... It was pretty good looking, nice deep finish on it. Kicked like a mule, though. Ergonomics left much to be desired = painful recoil. As has been said, the double action trigger pull is atrocious. It's up around 20lbs. Many folks put in a Walther spring to lighten it up and are quite pleased with the outcome. The single action trigger on mine was as smooth as fresh butter; but long. Could barely feel the "moment before the shot". It was smooth..smooth..smooth..BANG. I MIGHT pick up another one in the future... -J-

August 3, 2008, 10:47 PM	#24
6x6pinz Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Posts: 182	I have taken mine to the range a few times now. I am going to use it to qualify for my ccw permit. As has been said in previous post the accuracy is just amazing for a small pistol with small sites. Groups of less than a quarter size are common at 30ft. Really a fun gun to shoot but would not want to shoot it all day.

August 3, 2008, 11:00 PM	#25
weregunner Member Join Date: August 12, 2006 Posts: 744	For those who want to get info or discuss the P64 or Pa-63 psitol owners there is: http://p64.porboards67.com/ or http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46 __________________ NRA member. www.rugerforum.com www.taurusarmed.net www.rugerforum.net Ruger P95-2 Ruger SR9 Ruger P97 Ruger 22/45 Ruger MK.III Ruger Mini-14 Taurus 941 Ber.Cx4 carbine SIG P6 2 Makarovs Taurus PT111 Mil/Pro Taurus PT22 Taurus 65,66(2),82,85CH,94Rossi462 H&R649 Spr.XD9

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