.380acp in a 9x18 makarov

[ar154life]

does it work? I have a friend who does it and it is reliable and no KBs.
will there be any problems for the gun?

 

[Green Lantern]

Hmmm....I'm pretty sure I've seen .380 'conversion' barrels for Makarovs, and you just use the same magazine. Not SURE though.

But sure enough to say that I wouldn't recommend shooting .380 in a 9mmMak gun without further research.

I read an article not too long ago that mentioned a problem with the popularity of Maks was the lack of ammo, at least until recently. Since .380 hasn't really been scarce that I know of...that should maybe tell us something....!

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I don't have a Makarov, but have read that this can be done. I would still not advise it. The .380 case is shorter than the Mak (9x17mm vs. 9x18mm), but the extractor can hold the cartridge firmly enough against the breechface to let the firing pin strike a good blow ... but maybe not. Also, the .380 bullet diameter is smaller (.355" vs. .361" or .363", something like that) and would likely be very inaccurate, rattling down the bore like a musket ball. I think in general it is a poor idea to shoot the wrong ammunition in any firearm.

 

[MAKster]

I believe the 9x18 bullet is a larger diameter than the 380acp. The 9x18 is actually 9.22mm.

 

[flag2442]

Conversion barrels were available at makarov.com I do not know if they still are. I would not be shooting .380 out of a 9x18. I have a factory russian makarov in .380 and was told I just needed to swap barrels to shoot 9x18 and vise versa which required some type of a tool to get the barrels in and out because they are pressed in I beleive.

flag2442

 

[nwilliams]

Different round, I would stick to what the barrel is chambered for....Even if its not seriously dangerous, I can't imagine its good for the gun to do that.

9x17 (.380 aka: 9mm Kurz)
9x18 Makarov
9x19 Parabellum (9mm Luger)

Although people still debate whether or not you should interchange 7.62x51 with .308 Win or the age old debate of 5.56 vs .223. However I think with the 9x17 Kurz and the 9x18 Makarov they are considered two different rounds completely, so there's probably less room for debate. Then again I've been wrong before, I'm interested to hear what others have to say about this.

 

[North Bender]

Fire .380 through a 9x18 barrel? Seriously?

Ok, I'll bite and take it serious.

http://www.saami.org/Unsafe_Combinations.cfm

UNSAFE ARMS AND AMMUNITION COMBINATIONS
TECHNICAL DATA SHEET
UNSAFE ARMS AND AMMUNITION COMBINATIONS

CENTERFIRE PISTOL & REVOLVER

In Firearms Chambered For
9x18 Makarov

Do Not Use These Cartridges
9mm Luger, 38 Automatic, 38 Super Automatic, 380 Automatic

 

[Black Adder LXX]

Don't do it!!! Check out Makarov.com.

 

[nwilliams]

dupe

 

[nalioth]

Yes, there are .380 barrels made for the Makarov. They used to be everywhere, and I can't think there are enough folks buying these that they were all bought up.

Please don't shoot .380 in your 9x18 barrel.

 

[ar154life]

well, ill tell him.
this is what he buys for the mak because it has worked for him.

i can say accuracy is not there. When i aim for the bullseye, it wanders off target.

 

[Trebor]

It works, but it's NOT safe.

The .380 won't headspace correctly in a 9x18 chamber. That can cause dangerous problems. Just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't ever happen.

Stick to the rounds the gun was designed to shoot. Anything else is foolish and dangerous.

 

[legion3]

Good luck to him, when he finally has a problem you'll let us know.

PS, tell him a 10mm will shoot just fine in a 40 Cal

 

[CajunBass]

I had a gun shop clerk tell me it was safe one time. I don't buy ammo there anymore.

 

[Nietzsche]

He's lucky. He's just shooting a .380 round, which is less powerful than a 9x18mm. I routinely get lied to by gun vendors telling me that the Makarov was designed to use 9mm Nato...because it has 9mm written on the side of the gun! They think that lying to me and suggesting the gun is in a more popular caliber is going to influence me to buy it more quickly. Usually it provokes the opposite response. One of these days though, they are going to convince somebody to go home and shoot 9mm Parabellum. If the person manages to get it to load in his barrel without it getting stuck in the magazine, or the mag well, and if he manages to then shoot it, he'd be shooting a round rated more powerful than the gun is intended to shoot...never a good idea.

The only way I'd use .380 in a 9x18 barrel would be if it was the only ammo available and I was facing a lethal threat right then. Why risk blowing your hand off, or damaging your gun, when 9x18mm is still cheaper than .380? (Although that may change in the future)

 

[FieroCDSP]

There are drop-in barrels for PA-63's here

There might be ones for other Makarov chambered guns. I certainly wouldn't shoot a 380 in a 9x18, but to each their own.

 

[fletcher]

As others have said, it will not work unless you put a .380 barrel in.

Although, my $0.02 is - Why would anyone switch a Mak to .380 unless it's to consolidate calibers? It's horrible to fire that American ammunition through that poor little communist gun 9x18 is real cheap and easy to find online.

 

[Maverick223]

I unknowingly fired 9x18mm (was a friends ammo, told to be .380=should have checked the head stamp) in my Bersa Thunder .380, it actually did pretty well from an accuracy standpoint, but would not extract properly. The gun was new (never fired) so I thought the gun was the issue, and only after further inspection did I discover that it was the ammo. Went through 25rnds first. Hindsight, it probably broke the gun in pretty well...just glad that it didn't break it apart. That little Bersa has performed pretty well though, no complaints, even after firing the wrong ammo, but I don't think I will try firing a 9x19mm (or any more mak ammo).

 

[rcmodel]

Well, thats special.
Seeing as how a MAK round measures .392" at the rim, and a .380 ACP only measures .374".

Your Bersa must have a seriously out of spec chamber!

rc

 

[Maverick223]

Your Bersa must have a seriously out of spec chamber!

Didn't realize it was that big of a difference, will have to get a hold of it (sold it about a year ago to my uncle) and check it with some calipers. I thought it was a couple thousandths not hundredths, that could be bad.

I did however realize that the 9x18mm Mak. is a full millimeter longer case...I don't know how it chambered it... Maybe the recoil spring jammed it into the chamber enough to fire...I don't rightly know. It did have good spring pressure but chambering a completely different rnd is a bit extreme.

Just remembered something else it did eject, but would not feed from the mag properly.

 

[lvcat2004]

Although people still debate whether or not you should interchange 7.62x51 with .308 Win or the age old debate of 5.56 vs .223.

there is no debate about 7.62x51 and 308 win. They are identical.

 

[BBstacker]

makarov .380

I have two makarovs both were chambered for 9X18. I changed one to .380. You used the same mag. as for the 9X18. I have a press to change out barrels on makarovs. There is no problem with head space.

 

[crushbup]

there is no debate about 7.62x51 and 308 win. They are identical.

That is incorrect. They headspace differently, which can cause .308 in a 7.62 chamber to have problems. Some 7.62 guns are fine with it, some aren't. The point is, they're not the same.

 

[Capt Marvel]

.380 ACP in a 9 x 18 Makarov

As a point of information (this is not exact) 1mm=40/1000ths of an inch. So 9 x 18 Makarov case is approximately .720 long. The case length on the .380 ACP is .900 in length. Meaning you can not chamber a .380 ACP in a 9 x 18 and have the breach lock up. But because the difference is only about 180/1000th of an inch, if the chamber is sloppy or the breach manages lock up the weapon may fire.... not good. Ruptiured case, possible broken parts or injury. If you want to shot .380 get a "conversion kit" for .380.

Close but no cigar!

 

[Maverick223]

So 9 x 18 Makarov case is approximately .720 long. The case length on the .380 ACP is .900 in length

Think you have that a bit wrong...both have an OAL of 0.984in. and the .380 case length is 0.680 vs a 9x18mm case length of 0.713.

because the difference is only about 180/1000th of an inch

Ummm, that is pretty big like 3/32 of an inch big...but is small if your trying to level a barn...I guess.

EDIT: And .380 will most certainly lock up as all of the dimensions of 9x18mm Mak. are the same or larger.