9mm Makarov and ccw

[ArkansasFatboy]

Guys is the 9mm makarov an adequete ccw gun. Can it be carried safely with a round chambered and what kind of stopping power does it have.I have a XD .45acp 5inch that I will carry in the winter where a coat or jacket makes it easier to conceal but this summer I will want something easier to conceal. And the low price and size of the makarov have caught my attention. I know the punch will be nowhere near what my .45 can deliever just looking for some opinions from people wiith more knowledge than myself and my redneck friends

 

[grimjaw]

Halllo to Bono! I walked from there to Jonesboro once; damned long day.

Yes, you can safely carry it with a round chambered. The sights aren't that great, though, and can be difficult for quick target acquisition. If you can find someone to replace the factory sights with a set of Novaks, it's a sweet gun in a CCW role. Unfortunately, unless you get lucky they aren't as inexpensive as they used to be.

jm

 

[M2 Carbine]

I'd have no problem with carrying the Makarov, especially with hotter ammo.
But I can carry my 45 Kimber Ultra as easily as I can carry the Makarov, so the Makarovs are usually in the cars or stashed around the house.

Both the Makarovs and 9x18 ammo are becoming hard to get and expensive.

 

[denfoote]

I carried a Makarov exclusively for years!!

The round is closer to the .380acp than the 9mm parabellum in power, but it will get the job done.

I never knew what the fuss was about with the sights.
I never had a problem with them!!!

You can carry one in the tube no problem. The gun is double action for the first shot just like any number of pistols such as the Beretta 92 or the Ruger P series.

Buy with confidance and carry with pride, comrade!!

 

[jon_in_wv]

I carry my MAK with confidence. With 115gr silver bear ammo it is very accurate and has plenty of power. It is also one of the easiest guns to shoot accarately and quickly that I own. If you shoot it well and your comfortable carrying it then go ahead.

 

[mr.trooper]

Why do we carry firearms? In order to defend ourselves should a violent situation arise.

So essentialy what your asking is, are Makarovs suitable for defencive combat. YES. That is what they were designed for.

 

[Shoney]

I Pak my Mak the majority of the time, no hesitation. When clothing allows, I also carry 40 or 45 depending.

After SAAMI pressure standards were set to accommodate the junker 9x18 pistols safely; ANSI, the European counterpart of SAAMI, now has set similar standards. European 9x18 ammunition, like American loadings, is now downloaded and very anemic compared to the original Russian military loadings. The old Russian military loadings with Barnaul 120 gr was very close to 9mm Luger specs, but is no longer available.

When I got my Maks in the mid-late 90’s, 9x18 ammo was very difficult to find. With the introduction of the Bulgie Maks, the availability got much better. Now it’s basically out of stock in most bulk dealers on the net. And the 115gr and 120gr loadings have not been produced for a couple of years.

Since I reload, I bought bulk cases from Starline. I use bulk lead bullets for practice, and load very stout loads with XTP & Gold Dot bullets. I use 800X, fairly dirty powder, but it is very low pressure, and load to 1200fps with 95 gr, but I use a heavy spring in the pistol. See Makarov.com for springs.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I beg to differ with Shoney. While Mak ammo is a little more scarce there still are sources for the ammo. Hornady hollowpoints are decent performers and are readily available as is the Gold Dots from Georgia arms and my gunsmith stocks 115gr silver bear that I use in my carry gun. Worse case scenario is that the stock of 9x18 completely disappears and I will have my .380 barrel installed and off I go.

 

[David N]

TAKE IT FROM A MAKAHOLIC

Here are the only tips you will ever need:

www.gunboards.com/forums/makarov

www.makarov.com

 

[.45&TKD]

what kind of stopping power does it have

Better than nothing, but not enough to defend me and mine.

I have a Bulgarian and love it, but the round is not enough for CCW in IMHO. There are just too many more effective rounds available to choose from.

If that is all you have, or all you can afford, that is a different matter.
(On the plus side, it is accurate and dependable).

 

[Manedwolf]

Keep in mind, for summer clothing, that the old Mak is heavier than a lot of new compact steel/polymer .45's, even. Size, small, yes. But it is heavy, about 24oz UNloaded, and apt to drag down any unsupported clothing.

 

[mr.trooper]

I would jsut like to point out that hitting your attacker in the face with a brick delivers more "stopping power" on target than a center mass shot with any magnum handgun.

Wacking someone with a brick could verry well kill them instantly. Most gunshot victoms, evn those of hi powered wepons, tend to linger untill they bleed out.

OBVIOUSLY a gun is a better wepaon that a brick, even though the brick can reasonaly claim greater "stoppin power". Now do we see how rediculous it is to argue about stopping power...whatever the hell that means anyway?

As long as you hit what your aiming at the Mak is fine.

 

[SVThuh]

ROTFLMAO at the "brick" comment!

 

[Prince Yamato]

Listen to ManedWolf on this. The Mak is a great gun, but is quite weighty. I initially bought a Mak for concealed carry and when I put it in my pocket it really dragged my pants down. Since you're in the south and are probably going to be lightly dressed during the summer, I'd recommend a sub or micro compact, like a Beretta Tomcat or a Kel-Tec 3AT. As far as 9x18 stopping power. Remember, this was the standard issue side-arm of the Soviet ARMED FORCES. So, yes, it's powerful. It doesn't feel like a foo-foo caliber when you shoot it.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I think the Mak is a little big for a pocket gun. The perfect pocket pistol is still the snub nosed .38 in my book, (I know some would say the keltec P-3at or p-32). As a belt gun carried IWB is a great gun. If points nicely and is nicer to shoot rapidly than almost any gun I've shot. If you shoot it well, its a great carry gun. As to the weight, I have a Keltec p-11 that I will sometimes carry in a fobus holster with my sweat pants on. It is light enough to not pull my Sweats down but it is also a lot more difficult to shoot rapidly and with precision and the low weight makes recoil pretty brisk. My MAK with 95gr loads and a 19lb recoil spring is a little softer shooting. With the 115gr loads the recoil is on par with the KT again but the DA/SA trigger makes shooting a little easier. IMO.

 

[Anna's Dad]

M2,

This is another opportunity for you to post a picture of that chrome EG Mak so I can drool a little more.

 

[Jim_M]

Yes. Where I go, so does my Bulgie Mak. Everything else feels like I'm packing a trenching tool.

 

[joneb]

I carry a E.G. Makarov mostly, $200 well spent. I use a Uncle Mike's in the waist band holster, it's loaded with Fiocchi 95 grn. fmj . I believe this load to be ballisticly simular to the .38 spl. from a 2" barrel . Accuracy is very good I get minute of beer can at 20 yds. My Mak pointed a bit low for me so I sanded the black plastic grips down at the back strap near the mag release, now it points excellent at 5 yrds I have minute of pie plate in fast fire, sight acquistion is much faster. The draw backs to the gun are poor sites, and the location of the mag release, though it would be very hard to accidently dump the mag.

 

[M2 Carbine]

"M2,
This is another opportunity for you to post a picture of that chrome EG Mak so I can drool a little more."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK

Got it out to look at it a couple days ago. Sure is a perdy thang.




For someone that doesn't like shiny guns I'm sure winding up with a lot of "Pimp-mo-biles".