lokking at a makarov

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yes Maks are good I own a Russki 'commercial' import I payed 120$ like new.
I've also owned a CZ83 .380acp I sort of wish I'd kept - another good pistol.
now I own a BDA .380 - maybe the best ever made, and a fine peice.
but the Mak is my carry.
 
+1 for the Mak/CZ82, enjoy mine, But if you have a feed problem the relatively small ejection ports on these guns may make clearing the problem harder then pistols with more open ports. I have not had a problem with a Mak/CZ82/CZ83 that was not ammo or magazine caused. The guns have been 100%. So if you do the mag and ammo checks you should be OK.

The mag problems I had was trying to use CZ82 mags in a CZ83 380 ACP, lots of double feeds. After adjusting the lips, the mags are 100% reliable.
 
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I started with the FEG PA-63. Although I loved the design, it would beat the hell out of your hand at the range, and that was after the spring changes. :mad: Finally got rid of it and got the two Maks. I have a Bulgarian 8 round Mak and a Russian 12 round double stack Mak. Soon, I'll be starting my search for an East German Mak.

Where the PA-63 was not pleasant to shoot, :mad: the two Maks are absolutely wonderful. ;) I carry one or the other everyday. Personally, I don't feel as though I'm at any kind of disadvantage by carrying 9X18 exclusively.

As the old saying goes, the Maks are KGB tested and approved. :neener:
 
Have both a Russian and Bulgarian Makarov. Nice shooters, long/heavy trigger pull for the first round. Not a big fan of the PA-63.

Stick with Russian, Bulgarian or East German and you will be good. Plus some of them hold nice value.
 
Last month I bought an IJ-30 (Russian) from a friend who owned that and a Bulgarian Mak. He decided to sell one for a quick buck to pay off some CC debt and I happily obliged. :) I originally intended to carry it but it's pretty heavy and is currently used as my 1st-line home defense gun...

He put about 1,000 rounds or so through her, and I blew through a box of 100. Zero issues. :cool:
 
P-64

I had an E. German Mak that slipped through my grasp (Rule #1: buy, never sell :banghead: ), but I picked up a Polish P-64 a few years back that I have decided to carry after some "torture" testing this past weekend. Last fall I shot it for only the second time since getting it and it jammed a couple of times (not FTF/E: jammed). I brought it home, cleaned the snot out of it, lubed it very well with Tetra Lube & Grease, and this weekend it ate all 100 rounds of 2 different brands of Russian fodder without a hiccup, slow & rapid fire (six round mag). Recoil is smart, of course, less so with the new Brown Bear 94 gr versus the white box Russian 109 gr I bought from J&G ~ ten years ago. Accuracy was remarkably good for such a little gun, and the Brown Bear printed about 2-3" higher, but accuracy for both was about 3-4" at 15 yds with aimed fire. Center mass was no problem with either. I put a Hogue Handall Jr. on it & it really helps: if you've a notion to use the pistol, I highly recommend it or one of its cousins. All in all, it is a very well finished and made pistol, and it is pure Mak in its innards, down to the 347.6 lb double-action trigger pull but 3 lb single action pull. Talk about contrasts... I thought about selling it & getting something more exotic, but, Rule #1 asserted itself and I came back to earth. Good pistol, very well put together and the only drawback I can see is weight, being all-steel (and not cheesy steel, either). I recommend it. :scrutiny:
 
Maj Dad said:
I had an E. German Mak that slipped through my grasp (Rule #1: buy, never sell ), but I picked up a Polish P-64 a few years back that I have decided to carry after some "torture" testing this past weekend. Last fall I shot it for only the second time since getting it and it jammed a couple of times (not FTF/E: jammed). I brought it home, cleaned the snot out of it, lubed it very well with Tetra Lube & Grease, and this weekend it ate all 100 rounds of 2 different brands of Russian fodder without a hiccup, slow & rapid fire (six round mag). Recoil is smart, of course, less so with the new Brown Bear 94 gr versus the white box Russian 109 gr I bought from J&G ~ ten years ago. Accuracy was remarkably good for such a little gun, and the Brown Bear printed about 2-3" higher, but accuracy for both was about 3-4" at 15 yds with aimed fire. Center mass was no problem with either. I put a Hogue Handall Jr. on it & it really helps: if you've a notion to use the pistol, I highly recommend it or one of its cousins. All in all, it is a very well finished and made pistol, and it is pure Mak in its innards, down to the 347.6 lb double-action trigger pull but 3 lb single action pull. Talk about contrasts... I thought about selling it & getting something more exotic, but, Rule #1 asserted itself and I came back to earth. Good pistol, very well put together and the only drawback I can see is weight, being all-steel (and not cheesy steel, either). I recommend it.
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I like your "buy, never sell" rule. I was actually thinking of selling my Mak to finance a 1911 build but it makes perfect sense most of the time I guess. If I ever want it back it'll probably cost me more in the long run...
 
I was looking at a P-64, but was a tad frightened by the crazy DA trigger pull that comes up in every review. Is there a way to fix it? And how does the P-64 compare to the P-83s that are coming onto the market?
 
funkychinaman said:
I was looking at a P-64, but was a tad frightened by the crazy DA trigger pull that comes up in every review. Is there a way to fix it? And how does the P-64 compare to the P-83s that are coming onto the market?
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Yes it can be fixed. There is an inexpensive Wolff Springs kit for it -- particularly the lower-weight hammer springs should be used for the trigger pull, probably as heavy as you are comfortable with. Same for recoil spring.

What an improvement.

Al

PS: Don't sell the Mak -- you'll miss it, it didn't hardly cost ya anything, ya won't want to abuse the 1911 right after ya buy it but who really cares about a Mak, and how much are ya gonna get fer it anyway -- just save up an extra week or two!
 
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All the real makarovs are very good especially if you can pick one up for under $200.
 
The CZ 82, and particulalrly the P-64 for carry, are the "Makarovs" to get. Don't bother w/a real one anymore -- they're just not worth it and were obsolete when they were first issued, especially compared to those others.
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I've owned a P-64. I did the spring swap, both hammer and recoil, and still had my hands bitten by the sharp edges on the trigger and trigger guard. It was downright uncomfortable. My Makarov is way nicer to shoot; the P-64 doesn't come close. The P-64 does work well, though; mine was jamless. It's just too sharp-edged for me.

Nowadays Maks are selling for $300-$350 and I think if Ruger or any other big name maker introduced that same pistol today at that price, it'd sell quite well.

Question: Makarovs were obsolete in 1951? I don't think so.
 
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I've got a Russian Mak with Marschal grips on it. It's a nice reliable pistol that was cheap by today's standards.

For me, it doesn't make much sense as a carry gun. It's exactly the same size as my P2000SK's and I can carry 11 rounds of 9mm or 10 rounds of .40 with those. So for the same footprint, I can't think why I would want to carry only 9 rounds of 9x18.

It's sometimes a glove box gun, but mostly to have something that's all steel with a pretty wood grip.
 
I am sorry, but isnt the Makarov is way smaller than a HK P2000sk, particularly in the width area? Not to mention you are comparing a top of the line $800 pistol to a $200-$300 military surplus pistol.
I find my E. German Mak to be as thin and real similar in size to my Kahr CW 9. Now I am not saying there is any thing wrong with the HK, its a great pistol, but compared to the Makarov, the HK is more girthy.;)
 
bdb benzino said:
I am sorry, but isnt the Makarov is way smaller than a HK P2000sk, particularly in the width area?
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You would think so until you have them on top of each other, the Mak seems smaller and sleeker than it really is. Cool design I guess...

And it depends what aspect your measuring. The Mak is a tiny bit shorter in length and height. The frame and barrel of the Mak are about 1/4" narrower, but the grips are about the same size.

The HK is 1.17" wide in the grip and the Mak is actually 1.25" with the Marschal wood grips. The plastic stock grips is almost exactly the same as the HK.
 
Swine r fine but the Mak is a 50+ year old Russian pig with blued lipstick. A cheapified-knockoff of a superior German arm 20 years its senior, this was a heavy, low capacity, blowback gun of a middlling caliber. They were a good value for a nightstand gun once, but, if they weren't obsolete in the 50's then they certainly were when even the hard-strapped Russians started swapping them nearly a decade ago.
 
I bought a 1961 East German Makarov about 5yrs ago for $200, after replacing some springs this gun has been flawless, depending on the ammunition the gun is very accurate but the sight picture is a bit strenuous. I reload for it now and it is a pleasure to shoot. I often conceal carry this gun it is quite comfortable in my waistband.
 
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If the Makarov was a poor pistol overall the many users would not be out there with them. Junk does not sell nor would anyone bet their lives or those of others on a third rate or less gun and cartridge. There are several or more ammo makers who actually make defensive rounds that are excellent for self protection yet get the caliber up off it's knees. Hornady is just one such company. These various ammo JHP loads surpass even the .380ACP overall. No it is not in the 9x19 ballpark, but it better than the other low powered rounds.

The Mak is also a reliable and dureable design. Many knowledgable gun writers who've been there and done that say so as well as the users. It's documented as to why. Here's an example.
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?1215A-Case-FOR-the-Defensive-Maka

This was written by Stephen E. Camp. A well respected and knowledgable shooter as has ever come down the pike.

Yes, there are limitations to the gun and cartridge.

Here's the scoop on the 9x18 cartridge and just about all the 9x19 rounds out there available.
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?299-9x18-Ammunition-Data-Post

There are those who also like the PA-63,P-64, and other similar 9x18 pistols.

I find that the original Makarov is easier, handier, and more fun to shoot than the others.

It's hard not like a pistol like that.
 
I've long been interested in the Makarov for its historical significance more so than its function. I wasn't too upset when my Makarov left me, especially since I couldn't find a darn thing to use it for that couldn't also be done by a better candidate that I already had.

That said, I do respect the Makarov. I simply haven't a use for one. The CZ-82 I purchased (that I believe is a far better pistol, IMO) to feed off the gobs of Norinco 9x18 I still had on hand has proven a joy to shoot. For target time, the CZ82 is hard to beat.
 
Hi guys,

The following opinion about the Makarov seems to have an emotional spin to it:

"The Mak was a questionable main military pistol."

"A cheapified-knockoff of a superior German arm 20 years its senior, this was a heavy, low capacity, blowback gun of a middlling caliber."

"The Mak is a 50+ year old Russian pig with blued lipstick."

Please read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makarov_PM for a balanced opinion.

Heck, they're not even made."

Here in the Amazon, I can buy a new Makarov (stamped "Made in Russia") today. I suspect they are still being made.

I think Mr. Makarov would be spinning in his grave if he heard some of the opinions of firearm experts on this forum.
 
Maybe that, a cult following by nerds (others collect thimbles and they cost more originally), and the Obama gun firesale is why their price has gone up? Nah. Even the company that specialized in parts and accesories for them couldn't keep a WEB-based part-time business open. Its over Johnny -- its OVER! And they'll fade into obscurity, a footnote to the fall of the Soviet Empire, literally.
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Can anyone else make sense of these statements? We seem to be viewing some sort of a one-man war against the makarov.

Shields up.
 
Maybe that, a cult following by nerds (others collect thimbles and they cost more originally), and the Obama gun firesale is why their price has gone up? Nah. Even the company that specialized in parts and accesories for them couldn't keep a WEB-based part-time business open. Its over Johnny -- its OVER! And they'll fade into obscurity, a footnote to the fall of the Soviet Empire, literally.
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A thought: Maybe the price has gone up because of demand, because some of us nerds value a reliable, accurate, simple gun?

Also, why do folks say it's a Walther copy all the time? If one looks at exploded drawings of the two, one can see the major differences.
 
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It would be nice if one comments on a Makarov and has the overall verifiable proof of what they say are all the negatives to back up the claim.

Never will see that anywhere. I've had some experience in dealing with people like that.

Since the overwhelming evidence is for the Makarov with facts and the truth, no problem.
 
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