Are all Makarov's created equal?

[wojownik]

Well, this thread gets odder and odder... Somewhat back on track, maybe some folks out there can help push me one way or another on buying another 9x18 (another Bulgie Mak or Polish Wanad P-83).

My current collection includes:

Soviet Mak PM (1976)
Russian Izh commercial
EG Mak
Bulgarian Mak
Polish P-64 Czak
Polish P-83 Wanad
Czech CZ-82

I'm torn on this - I have a growing Polish pistol collection (ViZ and TT as well), and a growing Mak collection.

If you could chose one or the other, which one would you choose and why?

(I picked up a bunch of magazines for both the PM and Wanad, so that's not a tie breaker anymore...)

 

[WardenWolf]

I'd choose another P-83. You've already got 3 Maks. No reason not to have another gun that's the exact same physical size but a little different and has some better features.

 

[GLOOB]

Wojownik,

You should be telling us!

Which one do you shoot better?

Which is more ergonomic?

Which one is more comfortable/easier to conceal?

Which magazine has the better design?

I'm also interested in the inner workings of the P-83. Does it have the same disconnect safety as the P-64? Does the SA trigger also have the long travel and takeup of the P-64?

Curious minds want to know!

 

[wojownik]

Which one do you shoot better?

- the Makarovs and the Wanad are pretty much a dead heat for accuracy.

Which is more ergonomic?

- The Wanad wins here, at least for me. More comfortable grip, more forgiving recoil than the Mak (and much more than the p-64).

Which one is more comfortable/easier to conceal?

Again, a dead heat, since the pistols have similar profiles. The Wanad has slightly larger/square rear sights than the Russian or Bulgie Mak, but that really shouldn't be perceptible for CC.

Which magazine has the better design?

I think the Wanad has a somewhat better mag release - easier button to release, with a robust ejection of the mag.

I'm also interested in the inner workings of the P-83. Does it have the same disconnect safety as the P-64? Does the SA trigger also have the long travel and takeup of the P-64?

Need to take a second look at the disconnect safeties, but I can tell you that the SA trigger on the Wanad is very nice, not even remotely like the p-64. A bit gritty though - grittier than any of my Maks.

 

[Al LaVodka]

Yes, Created Equal

Copies of better guns which were worth it to civilians when they were about $100. Not really before for the military and not since...
Al

 

[Wishoot]

Well, I finally had a chance to take my new CZ82 to the range today. Let's just say it was an absolute blast to shoot.

I put 100 rounds of that cheap Brown Bear stuff 15 yards downrange and my targets were ragged holes. The recoil was marginal even with the original spring and there were no problems whatsoever.

I've already ordered a bunch of additional ammo for this gun. Frankly, this gun may be a frequent companion to the shooting range.

 

[winchester '97]

The military russians are so-so, but the commercial IJ-70 from baikal with adjustable sights is a whole different animal, mine was 125 bucks, outshoots my friends ruger 9mm all the time, absolutely reliable, and your not taking the risk of a gun with fixed sights.
The CZ-82 is great as well, same round and size with a double stack 12 round magazine. For concealed carry a lot of people like the tiny 6 shot polish Radom makarovs with an aftermarket spring to take the trigger down from its unbearable DA pull, the thing is the size of a LCP and about 80 bucks less usually.

 

[WardenWolf]

The P-64 is NOT a Makarov. It's a Makarov-style pistol, and shoots the same round, but it's not a Makarov. That said, it's very good, very reliable, and extremely accurate. Once you swap the recoil spring and the hammer spring, it's actually quite fun to shoot. I own and carry both a Bulgarian Makarov and a P-64. Both are equally accurate, and great guns. They field strip the same, so you have 1 manual of arms for both guns. Beyond basic field stripping, though, the resemblance ends. I'd trust my life to either.

 

[Marshall]

Hey Marshall, that's a hell of a nice looking piece!

I do bet you'd like to have that one back!

Thank you. And yes, it wasn't my most stellar moment.

 

[GLOOB]

I have and like the P-64, too. And I'd trust my life to MY P-64, right now. But I would trust a Pistolet Makarov to stay in trustworthy condition under harder use and harsher conditions while needed less frequent cleaning, lubrication, and repair.

The P-64 trigger bar and disconnector are both pushed up by a very small, very thin gauge spring from a very disadvantageous position. This spring is ALSO the trigger return spring, as if it didn't have enough to do already. The result: the trigger reset is a tad sluggish and a bit crunchy. And it's effectively a small miracle that the thing ever fires, at all. It looks like a Rube Goldberg machine inside. If you play around with it, you will see that you can practically prevent the gun from functioning just by breathing on the trigger bar at the right spot. And there's plenty of area there, at the top of the right grip panel, for lint and dust to collect around the trigger bar. If the trigger bar is impeded by a lint ball, or if enough powder residue clogs up the disconnector, you may pull the trigger and nothing will happen.

Other than this, and the weird trigger action, the gun is an absolute gem. The fit and finish are beautiful, the gun is comfortable to hold and shoot, the controls are smooth and ergonomic, and the thing is stunningly accurate. And the good thing about that little spring is that it's a simple coil. It's a trivial matter to wind a stronger replacement spring from thicker wire, as needed.

The first thing my sister said when she saw this 40-yr-old pistol was "ooooh, it's shiny!" The plumb brown color exactly matches my leather sofa. And the top of the slide is checkered so nicely that you can literally file your fingernails with it.

 

[rainmakerarms]

To Full Metal Jacket, a Makarov will shoot 120 gr. hollow points flawlessly(over 1000 rounds) , a CZ jams or fails to feed with 120 gr. hp. The 120 gr. hp hit with over 250 ft. lbs the 94 gr. with just over 200 ft. lbs. My Russian Mak's trigger pull DA is 13 lbs. and SA 5 lbs. with no creep. If I ever need more than the 8 rounds to stop an assailant there is a bigger problem than 13 rounds can handle as well. As the slimmer Mak is easier to conceal than the CZ I would much rather have my "Pinto" that starts every time than a "Mercedes" that gets towed to the shop every other day.