Is the Makarov PM the only Soviet pistol that could be considered a contemporary of the Kalashnikov?

I know there are the expirimental and limited issues pistols, but when it comes to a basic issue sidearms for officers and such, is the Makarov the only one?  

I've been looking at the surplus Soviet hanguns floating around for a possible companion to my Afghan-74 clone, but it seems I'm limited to the Makarov, which is doesn't seem nearly as attractive to me as the TT-33, or even the old-timey Nagant revolver.  

It just seems odd that a copy of the Walther PP could be the basic issue pistol for a whole army.  

SHOULD have been the CZ52!

I work with a ex-Red Army Sgt who would slap you silley if you called the Makarov a cheap Walther copy. I have my fair share of Maks and I love them, the PPs are too small and too user-unfriendly IMHO, and the Makarov makes up for this in spades. Beautiful it is not but as a personal sidearm, its more than effective.

I also have a couple Tula-Tokarevs, nice guns, great power, but they are a little more finniky and tend not to be as easy to control and operate as the Mak.

You could also call the APS Stetchkin a contemporary sidearm of the AK, a beautiful "full size" take on the Makarov, its one unfortunate drawback is that its safty switch has that "extra notch" that makes it both very rare in the US and very expensive. Having shot a collectors APS in Idaho before though, I'll agree that its a far better weapon than the Mak, bigger, more substantial, more accurate in semi auto, but that extra feature, well, the added zip makes it a killer to get a hold of.

I'd even buy one off the back of a truck if I knew where any of those trucks were, but alas, in this country, its mostly Glocks and Ravens you see there...

Good info, of course I didn't call it cheap, just a copy... which it is.  I like the Makarovs, but they are kinda dinky for my taste, effective or not.  

Well, all that aside, where's the best place to buy a Kahr Arms/Auto Ordnance 1911?  My search for a Russian sidearm led me back to the old .45

Quoted: SHOULD have been the CZ52!

Nah, the Cz52 would be the little pal to the Vz58 & the semi version that OOW makes.  

Either the Makarov or Tokarev would be it.  I like RebelGray's idea re the APS but good luck finding one.  It also depends on which AK you need a companion piece for.  ASAIK Hungary, Yugoslavia, Poland & a few others never made the Makarov & stuck with the Tokarev or other pistols.  The ChiComs used both the Mak & Tok for a long time.

A Makarov would be a perfect fit with a AK74 clone, a Tokarev for a AK47/AKM clone.  A NAgant would only be appropriate for a semi copy of the PPSh41.....unless it was silenced....

If you want comblock pistol and .45, check out the CZ97B. Mine is great!
I just got a Makarov. $149 well spent when you can put all 8 into a group sized like your palm at 50' from rest. Plenty for a compact gun.

Have you guys ever seen the Arcus pistols from Bulgaria? Just wondered what the quality is like.

Hell with that man, get the FEG45 :) Mine rattled a little bit but it was an awesome gun. All the style of a bloated GP-35 :)

I just mentioned the APS because I've been on a bint for machine pistols lately. Got a Tec-9, a PM-12 with a few pre-ban mags, and I realy had to fight myself to not stick a virticle foregrip on my Walther P22 and figure some way to adapt it to take high-er cap mags. I ended up selling it in favor of a new Mosin and a case of ammo and I stand by my decision. I realy want a Skorpion and a Mauser 712 though...I'm also thinking of buying one of those Stars in 9mm Largo, and a Star Machine Pistol 20rnd single stack mag for it. Just for shits and giggles.

I just still hate myself for selling my AK74 :( Think I may part with my beloved Saiga to get another SAR2. Who'd ever have guessed that I'd love a sub-caliber gun so much.

I know the Makarov isn't a Walther design directly, but it uses the same operation and is very dimensionally close to a PP. I think the way the slide tapers upward near the muzzle is the giveaway.  The round is also a take on the failed "9mm Ultra" 9x18mm, which was a Walther idea.  

I just think it's dinky, and I don't care for "compact" handguns as far as general shooting and asthetics.  

Naw, I've decided I want one of the Kahr/Auto Ord. M1911A1 clones.  Reviews I've read have been good, as it seems the Auto Ordnance quality has increased under the new ownership.

But seriously, I'm not a member of any pistol related boards, so I've gotta ask if any of you know the best place to buy one from.

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