Questions about a makarov.

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Didorian

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Maxton, NC
Anybody here carry one as their CCW?
If so, what type of holster?
Any tips for the best ammo for it?
9X18?, .380?
Any special way of handling it differently than other pistols?

Looking into getting one. So if anyone on here has some real life experience with this handgun that they would like to share, I'd be happy to hear it.

Thank you in advance.
 
SIG 230/239 holsters are just tiny bid too long and if one files de-cocker/safety lever a bit then Bianchi leather one designed for the H&K P7 is perfect fit. Horady & Fiocchi make very good ammo in this caliber. The Fiocchi is loaded to cartridge full potential. If you don't mind using FMJ then Novosibirsk LVE ammo is best bang for the buck.
 
when I carried my makarov, I used a black hawk pancake holster size 5. took the back strap off and put the belt over the holster to help keep tension on it. worked perfect for me
 
I've got one that I occasionally carry (I carry my LCP more, but my Makarov is actually sitting on my hip right now :)).

I carry it in a Theis IWB holster (its a lot like a Crossbred). Carries well and its a good accurate gun. Just make sure you change out the stock grips. The lanyard loop on the stock ones dig into the skin a bit.
 
The Mak is a good carry gun. You won't find many more accurate and none more reliable. Its very slim and easy to shoot well. There are quite a few holsters available made for the Makarovs so it shouldn't be hard to find one. The Maks seem you feed just about anything. When I carried mine I carried it with Silver Bear 115gr JHPs. I currently load mine with Hornady XTPs. The new critical defense looks like a good option for them too.
 
I don't believe it it is safe for loaded chamber, hammer down carry unless the safety is engaged. Seems I read an article on it some years ago and the author was able to dent the primer of a primed case by striking the hammer.
 
I don't believe it it is safe for loaded chamber, hammer down carry unless the safety is engaged. Seems I read an article on it some years ago and the author was able to dent the primer of a primed case by striking the hammer.

While it doesn't have a firing pin safety, I am pretty sure its just like a 1911 in reguards to needing a strong enough spring so the firing pin wont accidentally strike the primer, unless you drop it muzzle down from 12 ft in the air. That's a problem I have yet to hear about.

To the OP, Its not the most potent caliber, but I love carrying and shooting mine. Reliable, accurate, and easy to shoot, it doesn't lack much!
 
There are too many brand new guns in the $350 range to consider the Makarov IMO.

I am aware that a recommendation to buy something different isn't what you asked for but why buy an older used gun when there's new stuff in the same price range that actually have companies that will fix them and plenty of parts available?

Also, please don't take my comment as saying that the Makarov isn't a great gun. All I'm saying is that the Makarov has now entered a price range where there are tons of better options.
 
There are too many brand new guns in the $350 range to consider the Makarov IMO.

I am aware that a recommendation to buy something different isn't what you asked for but why buy an older used gun when there's new stuff in the same price range that actually have companies that will fix them and plenty of parts available?

Also, please don't take my comment as saying that the Makarov isn't a great gun. All I'm saying is that the Makarov has now entered a price range where there are tons of better options.

The answer is that you can get a gun that offers superior reliability at a lower price than a new commercial gun. There are plenty of parts out there, all cheap, and the gun is 100% user-serviceable. The only thing you actually need tools for is the sear / slide stop spring, and then only a pair of needlenose pliers. Additionally, the Makarov has an excellent trigger and an excellent safety that are actually superior to the Bersa Thunder .380.

I briefly carried my Makarov as a concealed piece, but found it a little large and switched to its smaller brother, the Polish P-64. The Makarov is still one of my favorite pistols, though. Both pistols fit well in a Don Hume Makarov holster, and that is the holster I would recommend.
 
There are too many brand new guns in the $350 range to consider the Makarov IMO.

I am aware that a recommendation to buy something different isn't what you asked for but why buy an older used gun when there's new stuff in the same price range that actually have companies that will fix them and plenty of parts available?

Also, please don't take my comment as saying that the Makarov isn't a great gun. All I'm saying is that the Makarov has now entered a price range where there are tons of better options.
One should be able to pick up one in top shape for about $250. My personal weapon isn't much larger then PM yet with "two handed ammo" it has same velocity at 75 paces as 9x18 at muzzle and more then 2x energy in ft-lbs at that distance.
 
One should be able to pick up one in top shape for about $250. My personal weapon isn't much larger then PM yet with "two handed ammo" it has same velocity at 75 paces as 9x18 at muzzle and more then 2x energy in ft-lbs at that distance.
Actual Russian Maks are going for $350+ on GB and in my area, I'm wondering if you guys are a little out of touch with how much they actually cost these days.

$350 is just too high IMO for a used surplus gun when there are lots of new guns in that range.
 
You can still get Bulgarian Makarovs which are just as nice as Russians only more available for around $200. They are worth every penny.
 
while not technically a makarov....the P64 is a fantastic carry gun.

small size, very slim, good weight, and fantastically accurate....

plus you can pick them up for $180......i challenge you to find a better gun for the price.
 
while not technically a makarov....the P64 is a fantastic carry gun.

small size, very slim, good weight, and fantastically accurate....

plus you can pick them up for $180......i challenge you to find a better gun for the price.
I had a P64 and disliked it, that little gun was one of the few that actually bruised the web of my hand in 50 rounds or so. Parts for the P64 are not common either.

I actually prefer the Hungarian PA63 because it is much lighter and has much more comfortable recoil too. Only downside of the PA63 is the DA trigger pull. I have heard that you can make the trigger much better with a spring swap though.

I was strictly going by actual Russian Makarovs with my comments above, there are lots of cheap pistols in that price range but the Russian Mak is no longer cheap.
 
Only downside of the PA63 is the DA trigger pull. I have heard that you can make the trigger much better with a spring swap though.

That is correct. Wolff offers 11, 13, and 15-pound springs. You want the 13-pound spring. The 11-pound spring causes light strikes. I know from experience. The 13-pound spring is just right, though. Changing the spring is extremely easy, easier even than changing a 1911 housing. Just remove the grips, push out a pin, and the spring plunger comes right out. Take the old spring off, put the new one on, and you're good.

Regarding the P-64, it can be made much more pleasant to shoot with a set of Marschall wood grips (http://www.marschallgrips.com). However, it's not a gun you should shoot a lot. Just enough to be in practice with it. Some Siteglo sight paint also helps dramatically.

Oh, I forgot to mention, Hornady now makes their Critical Defense and XTP ammo in 9x18 Makarov. However, at least one of their versions does not feed correctly in the P-64. A real Russian or Bulgarian Makarov, on the other hand, will eat anything. Buffalo Bore also has a +P loading that's safe to use in any of the steel-framed pistols (NOT the PA-63).
 
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you know, i hear people complain about the P64 recoil.......i just dont see it.

i mean, it could be that i am desensitized to recoil because i started shooting with a .357 snubnose revolver......but i have not yet shot an autoloader that had a 'hard' / 'stiff' / 'unpleasant' / or 'unmanagable' recoil......and ive shot everything from .22 to .45 in just about every size frame out there.
 
you know, i hear people complain about the P64 recoil.......i just dont see it.

i mean, it could be that i am desensitized to recoil because i started shooting with a .357 snubnose revolver......but i have not yet shot an autoloader that had a 'hard' / 'stiff' / 'unpleasant' / or 'unmanagable' recoil......and ive shot everything from .22 to .45 in just about every size frame out there.
The P64 was more uncomfortable to me than the Security Six I had and the Kel Tec P40 I still have. I don't know why but the P64 was very punishing to shoot, I had a set of Marschal grips on it too.
 
I guess the way I look at it is that I can shoot decent quality(Speer, Fed, etc.) 9luger ammo for the same price as cheap, dirty(Bear, Tula) Mak ammo. I'd personally rather spend the money on the better 9Luger ammo. There are a few limited brands of quality Mak ammo out there but you end paying closer to what it costs to shoot .40 or even .45. I'm talking purely target/plnking here. That being said, Maks are cool, reliable guns. They are built like tanks and never complain about what they are fed.
 
While it doesn't have a firing pin safety, I am pretty sure its just like a 1911 in reguards to needing a strong enough spring so the firing pin wont accidentally strike the primer, unless you drop it muzzle down from 12 ft in the air. That's a problem I have yet to hear about.

Dented primers were caused by a moderate blow to the hammer with a light mallet. This is close enough to an unintentional drop from a holster at waist level for me. It is a viable concern IMO and not a liability I would assume when I could spend the same on a safer pistol. Maks are nice guns, but not a consideration for carry IMO.
 
WardenWolf:
As a guy comparing a few .380s along with the Maks, P-64 and FEG as a very First handgun, though I might choose not to "carry", just one question.
When you say that the P-64 isn't a gun you should shoot a lot, is it because of the DA pull with the original springs, or the recoil?

Three middle-aged friends who are very experienced with handguns (and rifles) carry the P-64, but I haven't asked them any detailed questions about them.

Has anybody here or a friend etc bought a Makarov-caliber handgun (single-stack magazine), or .380 Makarov as their very first handgun?:scrutiny:
It would seem that other than spare parts, the .380 Maks have a much wider selection of rounds and bullet specs.
 
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