holy makarov

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PARAGLOCK1

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ive been hunting and shooting guns my whole life, but im green in the handgun / target portion of it all, my brother jdgray got me hooked, shot my first glock17, it was a service issue, i liked it,so i just bought one this week. was wondering if there were any baikal ij-70 makarov owners out there.
 
Welcome to the High Road! You may have bought a new gun, but I'm gonna shoot it first:D See ya this weekend Bro.
 
interesting, my mak is russian made, i bought it probably 13yrs ago, mabey 500 rds through it. not really sure of its accuracy. can hit a lifesize steel silouhette pretty consistant at 60ft and in. wonder of the difference between the two makes.
 
from revolver to auto freak

hey jdgray, thats the least of my worries, have fun shootin, and thanks for the traveling work. havnt yet looked at that taurus 1911, but i will tonight, talk to you later bro.
 
Don't forget a Bulgie or EG Mak.
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I saw one at the range this week. Where can a guy get one and a reasonible price?

Gunshows, online auctions, dealers. Patience will net you one.

Reasonable prices for very good condition ones are

Bulgarian military <$200
German police <$300

Not sure about the russian military or russian/bulgarian commercial ones, but basically similar prices.
 
Got two Bulgarian Maks.Like them a lot.As Bulgie says in the movie "CASABANGA","Shoot it :) :D :cool: again Sam.":what: Welcome and enjoy.
 
they're built like tanks, just as reliable as a glock

I have a Bulgarian commercial mak with the 'Arsenal' brand. Paid $250, OTD. It was made in 1999, one of the newest made maks I've ever seen. I liked it becase I wanted a .380 cal model, and for me, the finish on the Arsenal and standard fixed rear sight made it more desirable than the Russian IJ70.

I would say the Mak has a strong cult following in the US.. I've put thousands of rounds through mine with narry a malf. of any kind. It was the only pistol that I owned for a good stretch of time.
 
I've a commercial Russian IJ70 chrome finish .380acp with adjustable sights. Wondering if this model is very common, perhaps a ballpark value? Thanks.

I've purchased the Makarov.com replacement fixed rear sight, to make it a little more suitable for true use. Makarov.com mentions the chrome finish is a little thin and fragile. Any other comments from youse guys? Thanks again!
 
I've been reading that the prices are creeping up on makarovs so I've been thinking about getting one. I know they are/were made in different countries.

I was wondering if there was any versions/countries to stay away from.

Thanks
 
Myusername, The Russian,East German,and the Bulgarian Maks are considered to be in pecking order as to quality or desireability.Though I have to Bulgariian Maks I have seen nothng to change my mind on my pick.The others may be nicer finished but all else with mine is just fine as far as operation goes.Plus now we talk extras.Meaning time to add new widgets.Usually, it is recommended to stay away from the P63 and P64s.The trigger pull can go off the scale.And they are lighter and can kick more with the heavier 9 by 18 loads.Then { I can here you guys breathing out there} there are going to be those who disagree with this and make their presence known.There are exceptions to conventional wisdom.
 
"Check out www.kyimports.com KY Imports has good Bulgarian Maks for $150.Very good condition for $160 and excellent condition for $170.Just saw this today."

Hate to pop your bubble, Weregunner, but KYImports is notorious for not keeping their web pages up to date. That info is about a year old. If you call, they will tell you that they no longer have that item in stock.

As to your comment about the "P63 and P64s", I assume you mean the Hungarian PA-63 and the Polish P-64. They are simply not Makarovs.
 
At the gun show last month here in WPB, one vendor had a whole crate of 9mm Maks selling for $238 (IIRC) and they looked to be in good shape. I would say the best place to find them are at gunshows.
 
I have both a Bulgie and an IJ-70 in 9x18. Both are quite surprisingly accurate and about as reliable as gravity. Build quality is pretty much a toss-up, IMO. At least it is on mine.

The major difference is the big, rather clunky looking adjustable rear sight on the Baikal. IIRC, it was slapped on to add "Import points", being commercial production rather than surplus. The almost invisible (in bright light) front nub of a sight is the same as on the Bulgie. As was mentioned, Makarov.com offers a fixed replacement rear that's less fragile and more snag resistant for the IJ-70s for CCW.

As a tight budget SD/HD/CCW piece it has few, if any, peers in its price range IMO. It is rugged, dependable, well-made of real steel, accurate and chambered for a cartridge that is both relatively inexpensive and easy to get. Hornady and Cor-Bon make premium defensive loads for it that are tailored to extract the maximum performance from its available energy.
 
Ok,KY then needs to improve things.The other pistols I mentioned only because these get lumped together by some individuals.Advertising what it is I don't want anyone getting snookered.Say like ol KY imports for example.
 
Thanks a lot for the info.

I just looked around online and found a picture of a russian mak. I noticed it was stamped on the slide. I'm pretty sure it said, Made in Russia. Are there any stampings on the frame to distinguish its place of origin?

Thanks
 
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