Trade a Smith for a Mak?

[Dot_mdb]

Today I was browsing a Makarov board and reading threads about how good those Russian and Bulgarian pistols are. So of course I decided as I do once every six months or so that I have to have a Makarov. I tried one a while back but have never bought one.

While driving home tonight I was thinking about the handguns I own and trying to decide if I would be willing to trade any one of them for a Makarov. I don't actually need to trade any gun to buy the Mak, but I was just trying to weigh the value of the Mak against what I already own. What I decided was that there is no gun that I own that I would give up for the Mak.

My Model 10-9 Smith & Wesson revolver with a 2" barrel cost me about $190. That is not much more than the cost of a Makarov in equally excellent condition. In effect S&W Model 10's are the U.S. equivalent of the Mac because both are relatively inexpensive and utterly reliable. But I wouldn't trade a Model 10 for a Mak. Would you?

Bill

 

[tc300mag1]

Not much of a smith fan but no i wouldnt trade it for a Mak

 

[liliysdad]

No way, no how. the Model 10 is ten times the gun the Mak is on ay given day, for any given purpose.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

If you had caught me last month, I'd have traded a Mak for a Smith.

I have nothing against the Mak itself, it just doesn't suit me. I think the design is quite impressive, it was amazingly easy to armorer-strip every last piece in it, etc. The fixed barrel was really conducive to accuracy as well.

But the grip angle was odd to me, the slide-mounted wrong-direction safety bugged me, and the... odd recoil characteristics of the blowback design set my teeth on edge. So now it's on consignment at the local gunshop.

If someone had offered me a decent Model 10 (4" bbl) for it, I'd have happily accepted. Nothing at all against the Mak; they're cool little guns. They're just not for me. -MV

 

[M2 Carbine]

In dollar value a nice model 10 might bring 50 or 60 dollars more than the Mak.

The guns are apples and oranges.
Both are excellent for what they do.

Which one you want is up to you.

I've got 9 Maks (going on 10) and several Model 10's.

Both will keep all rounds in the center "5" of the 15 yard TX CHL target at 50 yards and both are 100% reliable and about the same power.

I carry the Mak before I carry a Model 10 because it's 9 shot and thinner.
(but I don't carry either one, except a couple in the cars)

Keep your Model 10 and buy a Mak
Every time I got rid of a Mak or S&W I had to go buy another one.

 

[chaim]

I actually don't think it is a simple yes/no question here. I would certainly prefer a S&W M10 over a Mak. If I only had one or two M10s I certainly wouldn't trade for a Mak. However, as a hypothetical situation it would depend on other factors. If I had a bunch of M10s and one was a pretty non-descript model- say a police trade-in that was cheap with little finish left and relatively recent manufacture- sure I'd probably trade. Why not? If you have a bunch, one isn't really all that special, and you can get a gun that is a good gun, about as valuable, reliable, well made, etc.- why not?

 

[444]

I probably shouldn't even enter into a conversation such as this because I don't believe in selling, trading, or "getting rid of" guns at all. They don't eat anything and odds are, if you are like about 90% of people I have talked to, you will regret it. I know I regret every gun I ever sold or traded. You wanted the model 10 and even if it isn't presently pulling your chain, six months from now it might - only then you won't have it.
From a purely economical point of view, you would be losing out by a wide margin. I haven't bought a Makarov for a few years, but a decent model 10 is worth significantly more than a Makarov. "In dollar value a nice model 10 might bring 50 or 60 dollars more than the Mak." Assuming this is correct that means the Model 10 is worth about 25% more than the Mak.
From a performance standpoint: You get a lot wider selection of bullets in .38 Special. Ammo is much easier to find. Sure, you may have a local store that stocks it, but every Wal-Mart in the country has .38 Special. Even if we agree that the two calibers are similar in velocity, the .38 does it with a significantly heavier bullet and a bullet that has a lot more engineering behind it. Cast bullet loads are commonly available in .38 Special. Loads that have been proven in the streets are available in .38 Special. .38 Special has a long proven track record for superior accuracy.

In a nutshell: No

 

[Trebor]

I like the Makarov, ALOT, but I wouldn't trade a nice Model 10 for a Mak even up because the Smith has more monetary value. You'd do better to sell the Model 10, buy the Mak, and have cash left over. Maks are cheap and plentiful right now and easier to find then nice Model 10's.

 

[Tamara]

Smiths eventually appreciate as they age; a Mak will always be just a Mak.
Smiths have soul; Maks were made in countries where believing in souls was against the law.
There will never be a rock band called "9x18".

Conclusion: Don't trade Smith for Mak.

 

[Bainx]

Tamara pretty well summed it up!

 

[Greybeard]

Not me. I'd hang on to the Smith and save up for the Mak. And maybe a little extra for a better pair of grips.

Last I checked, there were two rubber grip options. www.makarov.com I've got one of each kind on my 2 Maks. Have picked up Silver Bear and Brown Bear ammo for Maks in the $6 range. It's not easy to do that with .38s. But if I had to pick one of the two, it would be the Smith.

And some think the Maks have "no soul"? Just think of the ones here as being "Liberated".

 

[Ala Dan]

Smith For Mak?

NO WAY, PARTNER

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[RUT]

>>There will never be a rock band called "9x18".<<

How 'bout "Aeromak"??

 

[gulogulo1970]

I'd trade the Smith for 2 Makarovs but not for one.

 

[HSMITH]

Not in a million years.

 

[BowStreetRunner]

yeah if you dont want to the smith anymore i would sell it instead of a trade........you'd lose on that deal
but get a mak somehow because they are great guns for the price!
BSR

 

[liliysdad]

I'd trade the Smith for 2 Makarovs but not for one.

I wouldnt trade the Model 10 for ten maks.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I'm a huge fan of both S&W K-Frames and Makarovs. My Mak may be the most dependable handgun of any type that I own. That being said, I would not trade a Model for a Makarov. The Smith is more valuable, unless it's an old beater.

Maks aren't too expensive. Save your pennies so that you can buy one without getting rid of the Model 10. Having both will make you happy.

 

[goon]

It would depend.
The Mak is an excellent gun, the Smith is too.
But it would depend on what I needed the gun for and whether or not I could afford both.
If I had a M-10 that I couldn't conceal and I could conceal a Mak and I needed to be able to carry, then yes but I would try to even it out a little.
I don't get hung up on sentimental "die commie, die" crap. A gun is a gun.
My brother's 40-some-year-old Makarov keeps him safe. I could care less about where it was made.

 

[wingman]

a Mak will always be just a Mak.

Not so, i paid $160 for an eg mak 2 years ago the price now is approx.
$300+ while I dont like trading and would buy a mak., I really dont
believe they make a much better gun then a Mak.
Very few guns qualify as a work of art. My list is the 1911, ak47, makarov.

ps" I used to be a gun snob also before I found out they make good guns
for less then $200

 

[RVSinOK]

I absolutely love my Mak. It is the most reliable auto I have seen, and SIMPLE....I live by the K.I.S.S. principle.

That being said, I have to agree with those who have said that it would depend on the circumstances. If it had to be one or the other, and I already had the Model 10, I wouldn't trade. It's a tough call, but .38 special ammo is considerably easier to find than 9x18, and a revolver pretty much beats anything for reliability.

In my ideal world, I'd keep the Model 10 and buy the Mak too! You won't be dissapointed....

 

[Deaf Smith]

I have Smiths and I have a East German Mak (perfect condition for $105 bucks, including spare mag and flap holster.) No, I would not trade a Smith for a Mak. One of my M-10s is a 2 inch nickle, tight, I picked up for $180. It to is in perfect condition. The M-10, single action, shoots like a rifle. The Mak will never do that.

Which would I pick for CCW? The M-10, with 158gr LSWCHP Cor-Bons hits almost 900 fps. The Mak, at its best, puts a 115 at 1000 fps. The lead SWCHP is way ahead of the little 115. Both have plenty of shots if you can shoot. So, I woud pick the M-10 unless I really had to hide the gun well.

 

[Feanaro]

I like Makarovs a lot and I do not like Smith and Wessons much(*gasp*) nor the Model 10 in particular. However, given that S&Ws appreciate in value over time and the extremely cheap price of Maks, I would not trade.

 

[LoneWulf]

Mak, blech.
Keep the Smith.

 

[ACORN]

There will never be a band called 9x18

What the matter with you? You've never heard of "Fleetwood Mak"?