Best cheap gun, cheap ammo combos?

[Borachon]

Hmmm...I'll keep it in mind if I ever find myself in Australia in a Post Nuclear War ravaged land trying to find gasoline to keep my car running and need to use some salvaged ammo.

The blow by is probably the worst part of the whole process...in terms of wearing out your Makarov. Heat and pressure going the wrong way...and a reduced sized bullet banging its way down the interior of your barrel...first one side, then the other. Probably not good long term. That said though....if the excreta were to impact the rotory occilating device...that one 9x19 in the barrel could mean the difference between making it or not.

Thanks for the info.

Edited:

Now a .380 Makarov is a different story. The case is only 17 mm long and the barrel is sized for a .355 bullet. If the 9x19 would fit and fire it would develop, I'm sure, dangerous pressure.

Agreed. Bad idea to put the 9x19 into the 9x17 (aka .380) sized pistol. I've heard that it's possible...in an emergency situation...to 'get away with' shooting .380 in a 9x18 barrel. Same problem with blow by and smaller diameter bullet in the 9x17 as you'd find in the 9x19....but the x17 doesn't have quite the explosive power behind it....so you might (don't quote me on it) be able to get away with shooting .380 bullets in a 9x18 barrel for longer before wear and tear ruins the gun. But I feel like this ruination would eventually happen. A 9.2mm gun just isn't designed to shoot a 9mm bullet for very long. But it might be enough to get away with doing it once or twice and not explode in your hand. Like I say...of all the guns out there, I'd trust the all steel Mak to shoot "near but not quite" ammunition sooner than I'd trust a polymer, polycarbonate, ceramic Sesame Street pistol.

 

[M2 Carbine]

The blow by probably isn't a wear problem, at least not for many thousand rounds.
The VP70 was originally a 3 round burst machine pistol. I have no information on barrel wear due to the blow by but since they used this feature on a machine gun the wear time must have been acceptable.

My shooting the 9x19 in the Makarov was done just to answer the question that was brought up from time to time. What would happen?
I was of the opinion that nothing would happen.
And it was just another demonstration of what a tough pistol the Makarov is.

What I was really interested in was using 38 (.357) bullets in the Makarov. I wanted a 110-115 grain bullet. The bullet manufacturers only have 90 to 95 grain Makarov bullets available for reloading and they are expensive. 38, 9mm and .380 bullets are relatively cheap.

The tests were good.
The .357 bullets were engraved pretty well by the rifling and shot well within what might be considered defense accuracy.
The 9x19 bullets were also engraved by the rifling but not as well and did not have the accuracy of the .002 larger diameter .357 bullet.

I can't find any of the .357 targets but this one is the 9x19. Pretty poor group.

The .357 bullets would hold a good group inside of the center ring.

In all, the tests were successful but as long as cheap 9x18 ammo is available, loading the .357 bullets isn't necessary.

 

[MaMa PyCb]

Well..........

I live very close to AIM surplus and get box of silver bear 9x18 for $4.95.........But I normally buy it by the case.....
I love my MAK, very close to my heart, a little low and to the left of it to be exact!

 

[Juna]

bcochran,
Actually I can.
A friend bought a Glock 17. He had so much trouble with it that he tried to give it to me.
I wouldn't take it.
Glock is on my short list of guns I don't want even if they are free.

I'm not a huge Glock fan, either, but I'd take one for free. Does your friend still have it?

 

[M2 Carbine]

I'm not a huge Glock fan, either, but I'd take one for free. Does your friend still have it?

Yes he's still got it, after I wouldn't take it he spent more money on it and he's got it working so he decided to keep it.

A couple weeks ago I gave him a new Bulgarian Makarov so he would have a good pistol. He was carrying the Makarov the last time I saw him.



Don't get a rope all you Glock fans.

 

[Borachon]

M2...have you ever come across a 9x18 bullet that was FMJ but larger than 109gr? I know the old Wolf ammo had 109 gr bullets but I was looking for FMJ in a bigger bullet.

I know 120gr Silver Bears were made in a hollow point at one time, and I was curious if they ever filled in the hollow point and made a 130 or 135gr FMJ? I'd probably buy some if an ammo maker had some.

 

[sm]

Used Model 10.

Police trade-ins may be a bit worn externally, internals are usually sound. Especially the OLDER ones. .38spl is not expensive, easy to find, and a variety of loadings to meet many tasks. I mean bait shops, Mom&Pop grocery/ gas stations have a box of some kind of .38 spl on the shelf.

Not dependent on Mags to run. Not ammo dependent.

About the only thing one can find easier for less monies , and maintenance free is a stick...the Model 10 will work, sticks break.

Similar is the Ruger Security Six series

 

[M2 Carbine]

+1 on the S&W Mod 10.


No Borachon, I haven't seen any FMJ heavier than 100+.

I've still got a case or two of the Silver Bear 120 gr JHP. To get them to feed in all my mags I set the bullets back a few thousandths. Then they are pretty reliable.

 

[Moonclip]

Surprisingy though, I have actually broken model 10 and variants. Snapped a mod 14 firing pin just shooting wadcutter ammo, gun had a lot of ammo through it though.

Dropped a model 10 in a Crown Royal bag on tile. No damage to finish of gun but impact snapped the end off the rod that goes thru the middle if the ejector rod and star that locks up the gun on the frame. I've seen Maks break too, I think the factory from Bulgaria specifies less than a 10000 rd service life, but that seems conservative and I'd say a Makarov can take more abuse if that would be a consideration.

 

[jlh26oo]

P89DAO $289 out the door nib
CCI Blazer $3.86/50

2 1/16" 5 shot group from rest at 25 yards

 

[Scout Sniper]

Astra M960 38spl = $110 Ammo @ $8 abox