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Posted: 12/29/2005 12:26:46 PM EDT
[#1]
I picked one up because it was cheap and I'd heard good things about it.
1 mag at the range convinced me of how accurate it was in a defense situation. 2 mags and I couldn't believe how something so "cheap" could be that good. Put in a stronger recoil spring and a new set of grips like Fat_McNasty has. It's now my warm weather carry. I liked it so much I went back for another and found a damn nice looking one, deep bluing, hardly any scratches. Just fired that one to make sure it works and it's a safe queen. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 12:53:42 PM EDT
[#2]
I'll look into them. Thanks. 
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:06:46 PM EDT
[#3]
'63 EG Mak owner here!
Beyond a doubt, its the sweetest shooter and probably the most accurate shooter I have. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:14:13 PM EDT
[#4]
I love those too, we call them 'gaping mouth' rounds. These are great little guns, if you don't own AT LEAST one, call your dealer right now. I bought my first one in August and a birthday gift to myself. A month later I had five. They're just too much gun for too little money. Hell of a bargain. I found this some time back, maybe someone here will find it useful. 
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:21:46 PM EDT
[#5]
I picked up a Bulgarian on a whim for $70 ... if I had a few more magazines, I'd probably shoot it more. That, and I need to find some cheaper ammo. OP, with those cast bullet loads, do you get a lot of leading? The rifling in this Bulgarian seems pretty coarse.
Pretty good little gun... even with the action and magazine still half full of cosmoline, it runs 100% Allthough the saftey has some rough edges on it, I'll probably leave that one alone. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:29:58 PM EDT
[#6]
East German ones are by far the best made Makarovs.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:45:00 PM EDT
[#7]
I do not notice any leading. Of course, I usually do not shoot more than about 50 rounds per session. But it is easy to clean up the barrel.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:45:46 PM EDT
[#8]
I have 2 Mak's and do not plan on letting them GO. Bob
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Posted: 12/29/2005 2:46:40 PM EDT
[#9]
Speer used to load a Gold Dot bullet in Blazer aluminum cases. They can still be found, and you can still find just Gold Dot bullets from tie to time.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:28:52 PM EDT
[#10]
Thanks for the information. I was not aware of the proof marks. Thanks. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:28:59 PM EDT
[#11]
Heck yes !. I have the same Baikal as you and an East German one. Both are great guns but the East German is prettier with a better finish and bluing. I've heard the Bulgarian copy is nice too. I got into them a long time ago and used to roll my own rounds with the fireformed & cut down 9mm X19 brass. COR-BON and Hornady both make a great little belly gun round now, so not as much need to reload. The last time I was at a gun show I bought eight - 8 round mags for 4.95 each. Great little guns. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:29:01 PM EDT
[#12]
My fun shop got one in last month. I got all excited when I saw it, had them get it out .
I think you guy's built it up too much, I was unimpressed. Do they all have machine marks under the safety? Is the factory finish always rough? I'm sure I was being too critical, but, I was underwhelmed. It sold within 2 weeks, which for that store, is REAL fast. Maybe I should have looked a little closer. I have no idea were it was made. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:37:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Heres a link for more than you ever wanted to know about maks, including date codes.
makarov.com/makfaq.html |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:39:36 PM EDT
[#14]
I am one, O_P, and I THANK YOU for your efforts.  The 9x18 Bulgarian Makarov is my carry piece and goes with me everywhere. I have friends who deride it as a junk gun or mouse gun, but who are also amazed at its reliability and at its accuracy, even out past 30 yds. I carry mine with a round in the chamber, and the safety off, hammer down. Floating firing pin helps if the gun is dropped, since the pin is not resting against round in chamber. Mag changes are quick, the rare stovepiping is quickly dealt with. The 9x18 round, either Russian made (Novosibirsk) FMJ or Barnaul JHP, 95 gr. is best, works very well. It is a nasty round to get hit with, I should imagine. I've put over 5000 rounds through mine since I bought it, and it still shoots very nicely. Not bad for $189.00, when I bought it a few years ago. 
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:40:38 PM EDT
[#15]
I love my mak
It is IMO as good as anything else i have ever owned I like the CCI blazer HP in mine but I have not seen it offered for awhile |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:43:03 PM EDT
[#16]
Yep, the East German and Bulgarian Maks are nicely finished. The Russian is more plain, but works every time. 
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:50:10 PM EDT
[#17]
Do you want a pretty gun, or one that works? The machine mark is the sliding mark left by the safety catch spring, going against the slide. Not pretty, but it works- the safety is tough to release for the uninitiated, so it's not a easy gun for somebody else to pick up and fire. (Good around small kids, and if your gun, God forbid, ever got taken away from you....) The factory finish varies, but it's designed to keep the gun working and rust-free- sort of like an AK, but with better accuracy...
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:50:15 PM EDT
[#18]
Makarovs are awesome. I just picked up one of Cole Distributing's East German Maks (you can find it under pistols).
 Very nice Maks with tiny and inconspicuous import marks on the grip. The Bulgarian and Russian Maks are just as reliable but may not be as pretty as the E.G. in a side by side comparison. Some of the Norincos can look rough.  I carry a Bulgarian Mak with Pearce grips:  They are especially good for people with bigger hands, although many still prefer smaller profile grips. I shoot just about everything in my Mak. I like Fiocchi. It's more expensive than the Russian stuff but very pretty  : I've found Maks are extremely reliable with any ammo you feed them. I've put >3000 rounds through a couple I own and haven't had a single failure of any kind! There are many very reliable guns out there that choke on hollow points.  If I could have one other gun to go along with my Mak it would be a Bizon SMG:  It has 64 round tubular magazines filled with 9X18mm goodness.  I would need about a dozen or so magazines. Enough rambling. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 3:54:16 PM EDT
[#19]
Why Heck Yes! IJ-70 Baikal and Bulgy here still need a East German to complete the MakAttack crew
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:06:36 PM EDT
[#20]
They are definately cool little guns. I have my father's Makarov and it is a really nice pistol for the price. My only complaint is the harsh recoil for such a small round.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:10:35 PM EDT
[#21]
Put a new spring in it. No more harsh recoil. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:24:24 PM EDT
[#22]
I got one and I really like it.
If one where to put ina new spring, what kind would that be? and where do I get one from? |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:25:54 PM EDT
[#23]
Actually, some good stuff. In your pics, it shows something I find interesting in Makarov Ball ammo. It looks like flying pumpkins. Big, fat, ball ammo.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:33:33 PM EDT
[#24]
Tagged.........
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:37:05 PM EDT
[#25]
tag, cool thread!
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Posted: 12/29/2005 4:56:19 PM EDT
[#26]
I also am in the market for a Bulgarian and an East German. Can't have too many.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 5:01:49 PM EDT
[#27]
The problem with the bulgarians is that damm BILLBOARD CAI stamps on the side of them. Other than that I really like them.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 5:49:20 PM EDT
[#28]
Either 19# or 21# wolff spring. Makarov.com stocks them. I picked a bunch of stuff up when they were on sale. I think I paid 7.00 for them. I'm running 21# on mine with no problems of FTE or FTF. It still flings the brass into next week though.  |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 5:53:57 PM EDT
[#29]
The ammo definitely has an unusual shape. This is a very good little book for $15:  If for no other reason, it gives great details on stripping down the gun completely. It has very few parts. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:01:14 PM EDT
[#30]
Tagged for all the info. Thinking of a Makarov for a carry pistol. Opinions? Size, stopping power, malfunctions, holsters?
ETA: And thanks OP! Your threads are always entertaining and informative! TC |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:07:21 PM EDT
[#31]
I use a G-Code Kydex paddle holster:  gunnersalley.com/product/GCODECOMBO |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:13:19 PM EDT
[#32]
I've used Wolfe springs in other guns with great success. They are great springs.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:15:51 PM EDT
[#33]
I had a Mak just like the Russian one you got there, my dad threw it away.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:20:59 PM EDT
[#34]
The real question is: Did you walk 2,100 miles of the Appalation Trail with the Mac? |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:41:16 PM EDT
[#35]
I finally found a Makarov at a reasonable price at the last gunshow I attended. 160 out the door for a pistol made out of high quality steel with a chrome lined barrel. God bless those commie Ruskie bastards! I have only fired maybe 100 rounds through it total. I haven't fired it for groups (fixed sights) but I did notice that I never missed what I was aiming at. I imagine that it is more accurate than I am. The trigger is kind of heavy and the fixed sights are kind of tiny, but a dab of yellow paint on the front sight helps with quick aquisition. My only real gripe is the placement of the safety which forces me to take a lower grip on the pistol than I would like thanks to my gorilla sized hands. With some decent hollowpoint ammo loaded properly (the Makarov pistol is more than capable of handling stiff loads. It is built like a tank...) it would be a great defensive piece for those strapped for cash. The Makarov pistol is a blowback design, so recoil might be more pronounced than one expects. All in all, I agree with O_P. The Makarovs are pretty good little pistols that are built Soviet tank tough and that you can get dirt cheap with cheap ammo available.... Great guns for plinking. My only regret is that I don't have more plinking time I can use to have fun with the little bugger. 
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:51:06 PM EDT
[#36]
I believe he is speaking of the main recoil spring that fits around the barrel. Wolff makes some extra power springs that can absorb some of that recoil. I use extra power springs in my Les Baer 1911 to help soak up some of that 230 grain recoil. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:52:58 PM EDT
[#37]
Yup. The Makarov is the "SKS" of the pistol world. Cheap, built like a rock, reliable and easy to shoot. Rough around the edges, but more fun and functionality than one would expect for the price. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 6:54:35 PM EDT
[#38]
LOL Did someone ask for a Mak lover?
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Posted: 12/29/2005 7:10:57 PM EDT
[#39]
Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S series guns along with my wife's old SIG 232 all share the same concept as the Makarov (Im pretty sure they all derived one way or another from Walther's design). The wife's gun didnt get noticeably hot though, but it had an alloy frame which may have helped. |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 7:20:32 PM EDT
[#40]
If there's a 'Poster of the Year Award' they should just mail it to you now.
It's not even close. My buddy in Orlando has one, and carries it periodically. He's been trying to get me into them and I just might take him up on a Russian after this thread! HH ETA: O_P, Who makes the finest example of one? I see you've got the Russian version and you're looking for an East German one. Did any one country just flat make the best one? HH |
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Posted: 12/29/2005 7:22:25 PM EDT
[#41]
I had a PA63 and the shells ejected could knock birds out of the air!!! The 9X18 was invented by arms makers that fell under the Warsaw pact!! No more military rounds(9X19 parabellum) so they just made a 9X18 !!!
Not a whole lot of difference except the 9X18 has a larger Diam bullet that the 9X19!!! The none moveing barrel makes it quite accurat!!! They are old school but very affordable(ammo is a little steep) but will get the job done!!! Bob
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Posted: 12/29/2005 7:30:05 PM EDT
[#42]
I had an East German Makarov. I gave it to my dad. One of my favorite autos I owned.
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Posted: 12/29/2005 7:52:34 PM EDT
[#43]
I got to shoot a Mak for the first time a few months ago,
and I absolutely loved it. I was amazed at how accurate it was. I can't remember for sure which MAK the gun's owner told me to get. He said some have adjustable rear sights like his did, and some don't. Which country of origins guns have adjustable sights, and are some guns better than others? I am pretty sure he said the Polish ones weren't too good. His may have been East German I think. Thanks for the info, and as always, great thread OP. |
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Posted: 12/30/2005 5:18:23 AM EDT
[#44]
Thanks, HH. I sure hope there is a cash reward with that honor.
My opinion is that all of them "work" just fine. They are not prone to mechanical problems. If you want the best fit and finish, the East German models are usually the nicest. Some of them may be refinished, but who cares? It's not a "collectable" pistol, it's a shooter. |
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Posted: 12/30/2005 5:21:21 AM EDT
[#45]
Yep, that ejection is something to see. You sure don't have to worry about empty brass just dribbling out of the ejection port. I didn't mention it before, but Makarov bullets are .363 diameter, compared to Luger bullets of .356. Not much difference, but enough to require different bullets for best accuracy. |
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Posted: 12/30/2005 5:24:43 AM EDT
[#46]
Ejection is also very "positive" with CZ-52's. O_P you have now caused me to add a Makarov to the list of firearms to buy. |
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Posted: 12/30/2005 6:02:04 AM EDT
[#47]
Great! My work here is done.
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Posted: 12/30/2005 6:12:29 AM EDT
[#48]
Had one. Sold it. When I learned that Sig Sauer made handguns. Hello, my name is garandman, and I am a gun snob. |
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Posted: 12/30/2005 6:17:29 AM EDT
[#49]
Gun snobbery, like other addictions, can be cured. I have a great variety of guns, some good, some better, some the best. I am a non-discriminator with regards to guns. Of course, with Col. Whelens limitation; "Only accurate rifles are interesting." |
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Posted: 12/30/2005 6:32:55 AM EDT
[#50]
Makarov on duty, sea side park in Varna Bulgaria
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