9x18mm Makarov ammunition question. FMJ or JHP???

[Bradypatullo87]

Hello gents,
this month I will be purchasing a CZ vz 82. Recently i have been gathering some data on which bullets/ammuntion is best to use in these firearms. Considering that I will primarily be shooting brown bear (or preferably silver bear) ammunition, I am wondering which ammunition is/works best with the vz. 82.
I have heard (from an unknown and possibly unreliable source) that shooting 9x18mm Makarov hollow point ammunition is not a good idea, and I am wanting to know exactly why.
For both range shooting and self defense, I would prefer to use the same ammunition in my 82(while trying to save some extra cash by buying bulk).
So basically, what well rounded and effective ammunition should i consider? Should i just get brown or silver bear 90 grain hollow points, or should i just stick with the brown/silver bear 94 grain FMJ?
Also if anyone here knows of any other good 9 mil Makarov ammunition manufacturers, then please let me know.
ANY given information will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for all your help so far, and keep shootin' straight ; )

 

[Shadow 7D]

It eats everything, haven't had the chance to get any HP's other than Hornandy's never heard of a problem with a 82 feeding ammo, other than if it was a .380 mag with un converted feed lips, so if you have she, or crossed swords marked mags, you are good to go. Just buy what you want, you will never get the ballistics of 9mm Nato out of a 9mak, but the vz.82 can handle hot loads, actually the Czechs use a sintered iron bullet pushed at a very high speed for their combat load, it's hotter than standard 9mak.

 

[gearhead]

The velocities of the 9X18 round are right on the edge of not expanding a hollow point bullet reliably, and who knows what actual hollow-point bullet design is used in the Russian ammo. This is the conventional wisdom behind not using JHP rounds in the pistols chambered for 9X18. However, since the cost is virtually the same between FMJ and JHP rounds in Silver Bear I just load up hollow points and figure that an unexpanded hollow point is neither better nor worse than a JHP round hitting the same target and if the round expands then it's a bonus. Obviously, you should verify that your particular pistol will reliably feed hollow point ammo but mine has never failed to feed it reliably.

YMMV.

 

[Zundfolge]

Back when I packed a Mak, I preferred FMJ because like gearhead said 9x18 is on the edge of not expanding JHPs (same goes for .380).

 

[rondog]

Yep. General concensus is that for self-defense use with small rounds like 9mmMak, .380, .32acp, etc., the FMJ's will penetrate into vital areas better than hollow points.

But if you're busting jugs full of water, hollow points are more fun!

And FWIW, if you're a reloader, you can make your own 9mm Mak brass by trimming down 9mm Luger brass, then loading as normal with 9mm Mak dies. I do it, works fine.

 

[wnycollector]

When I carried as Russian Mak as my CCW, I loaded it with Wolf 100gr FMJ. As others have posted, opting for FMJ optimizes penetration for the 9x18 round.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

I shot 2 boxes of SB HP's and had one FTF with my p64. I decided to go back to shooting FMJ. With a 9mm Mak, I want the extra penetration anyways.

 

[amd6547]

I'm perfectly satisfied with FMJ in the 9mm mak...nor do I depend on silver bear JHP to expand. But, silver bear JHP does shoot pretty well in my CZ82.
I have not found a bad shooting 9mm mak round yet.

 

[Wishoot]

Mine has managed to digest everything I put into it. I have one on my nightstand loaded with Silver Bear JHP. It may not expand, but I know that I can hit darn near anything with this gun.

 

[Deaf Smith]

I take the Mak like .380s. That is for defense I'd use FMJ and bedone with it.

Look they barely make 1000 fps and even if they expand they would be low on penitration UNLESS you used FMJ. IF I was to use a JHP, I'd get DPX, but I doubt Cor-Bon makes a DPX load for it.

Now that ain't all that bad, at least for Maks. Ammo is cheap and I'd get lots of it suplus and practice tilll I coiuld hit fast and accurate.

But happly I pack Glocks and J .38s that use LSWHPs.

Deaf

 

[C-grunt]

Even if the HP doesnt expand, Id bet the sharp corner of the HP would create a bigger wound track than the rounded FMJ.

If your gun is reliable with the HP go with them.

 

[Bradypatullo87]

Thanks To all. This info really helped me out. I think i'll stick with the extra 4 grains of silver bear's FMJ. Still, a few boxes of some JHPs won't hurt. Also when i do get into reloading I'll just trim of some 9mm para, pass it over an expander ball and try to come up with a load that is just hot enough to expand a HP at self defense range (without blowing up my piece though lol)

Again, thanks everyone for your valuable input. I will take all your considerations into account.

 

[Shadow 7D]

http://www.dakotaammo.net/Glaserandreg-PowRBallandreg/9mm-Makarov-70gr-PowRBall/PB09MAK70-20/600/Product

Yep, they do, no worries in a vz.82, might want to check in a mak or 63 or 64 to make sure it's not too much, but then again I keep hearing US 9mak ammo is loaded down.

 

[C-grunt]

Hollow point design has come a long way in the last few decades and many designs are made to expand at well under the old 1000 FPS standby.

Remember that a standard pressure 230 grn .45 ACP has a muzzle velocity of around 850 FPS.

A 180 grn .40 S&W and a 147 grn 9mm, Two popular PD loads, have a muzzle velocity of around 950 FPS.

 

[harmon rabb]

For carry in a gun chambered in 9x18 that can take it, buffalo bore's JHP load is it. They hit low end 9mm velocities out of a cz-82, and thus will expand.

Personally, I carry the buffalo bore hardcast in my cz-82. 115gr @ 1050fps. not too bad. I'm not currently seeing the 9x18 jhp loads on buffalo bore's site, though. Must be sold out.

 

[dovedescending]

I just carry FMJ in mine. I figure, go for penetration. The likelyhood of any type of over-penetration is slim, and the basic FMJ is cheaper than cheap. And with 12+1 in a gun that you can triple tap with easily, just keep shooting until they're down I reckon by the time they've got 8 boolits in 'em, FMJ or JHP isn't going to matter that much.

 

[MCgunner]

I carry the Silver Bear 94 grain JHPs in my P64 Radom, about 11 bucks a box. It'll feed everything I've tried in it. These eastern bloc guns are fantastic. The CZ is large, but NICE.

 

[Snowdog]

Sure, 94gr Silverbear JHPs aren't known for expansion, but they sure do cut nice holes in paper and feed just fine from both my CZ-82 and P-64. I like them in my P64 for the precise reason C-grunt describes. As they only cost a buck more a box, I just go that route.

 

[christcorp]

There is no "Special Velocity" at which a hollow point works. That's why ammo manufacturers spend so much time and money on developing their loads. Not every bullet is made out of exactly the same exact material or designed the same way. So, when someone says that a particular hollow point may have difficulty expanding, because of the velocity, they don't understand that bullets are different. There's plenty of reliable hollow points of different calibers that expand at 1000 fps and less. And the larger the mass of the bullet, the more difficult it would be to expand. I guess 45acp bullets traveling at 850-900 fps can't possibly expand. It all depends on the material and design of the bullet.

Me personally, I like quite a few 9x18 rounds. My favorite has become the Buffalo-Bore 115 grain Hard Cast Flat-Nose. And no, hard cast isn't the same as regular lead, and no, there are no problems shooting in a polygonal barrel. I personally like the much heavier bullet. Better penetration. (I don't believe in over penetration). This is my colder weather ammo when the target is wearing a lot of clothing. It's either this or my 45acp Sig Sauer P220.

My next favorite is the PowerBall 70grain. Great for normal warm weather carry. Excellent penetration at 1250 fps. Reduced recoil. Great expansion without getting clogged. This is my normal carry round in my CZ-82 about 70% of the time.

For plinking, I use the SilverBear fmj. As backup ammo, if I'm running short of the 2 I listed above, I use SilverBear Hollow Point. It works fine.

 

[makarovnik]

You're right. .45acp hollowpoints moving at 850fps can't be expected to expand reliably in soft tissue. I use Buffalo Bore hardcast bullets in all my .380's and .45,s. They are just too slow.

 

[C-grunt]

You're right. .45acp hollowpoints moving at 850fps can't be expected to expand reliably in soft tissue. I use Buffalo Bore hardcast bullets in all my .380's and .45,s. They are just too slow.

I havent heard a single complaint from my dept about our 230 grn Federal HSTs not expanding. In fact the firearms trainers told me that the HST has been performing fantastic.