Hello everyone,

My new CZ82 arrived from AIM this morning, so this afternoon I went in search of some 9x18mm Makarov ammo.

The latest fliers from SOG have 1000 rounds of 9x18mm for $175.  This is new production 95gr. FMJ ammo, made in Hungary by MFS, and is brass-cased, boxer primed (i.e. reloadable), and non-corrosive.  However, it is also listed as "+P" ammo.

I called SOG and they didn't know if it was OK for the CZ82 or not, but they said I could try a few rounds and if it didn't work, send back the remainder.  So I went ahead and ordered a case of it.  Alas, SOG was out of CZ82 magazines so I'll have to make due with the two that came with the pistol, at least for now.

But before I started shooting it, I figured I'd ask here and see if anyone had any thoughts on the matter.  I did a bit of searching on the web and found one site comparing the 9mm Makarov and the .380ACP and they used a pair of CZ's (82 & 83) for the test, which included some +P loads, so that is a good sign.

Any thoughts?

Fortunately, there is a most outstanding thread with technical data on this caliber that I found via google....:

www.gunboards.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=110185

It includes the ammo you're asking about. It also contains *pressure data* on this cartridge you're asking about.

Judging from the velocities obtained from most of these with the average being around 1,000 fps, this MFS 9x18 +P isn't any hotter than any of the other ammo. It has a 92 gr bullet @ 1,000 fps.

That being said, I think it prudent that with these Cz82 that you obtain a new recoil spring. These are not new guns and they are blowback so the recoil springs are very important to protect the frame from battering and more importantly, to facilitate returning the slide to battery on a fully loaded magazine. I don't know if Wolff Gunsprings carries a new recoil spring for the Cz82. I know when I got my EG Makarov that the new spring in the armorer's kit was much longer and stronger than what was in it and the new spring functioned perfectly with East German milsurp ammo.

My knowledge of the Cz82 is minimal but I have handled and fired one. A friend bought one and brought it over and we broke it in pretty good. The holster that comes with it is the world's worst looking holster. Its ugly beyond belief. I think maybe the Czechs wanted people to laugh at their policemen while they wore that thing... but maybe the white holsters often worn by other European policemen are just as bad. If it was me I'd shoot it for the pure entertainment value .

I think maybe the holster should be donated to Old_Painless and should be tested for it's ability to repell penetration of various projectiles:::::::

www.theboxotruth.com/

Bookmark the above url or copy/paste the data into a notepad file (what I did) to keep it handy. You can't buy information that well put together.

Dutch

Thanks much for the EXCELLENT link.  

I looked around a bit and found the ammo in question on that link.  From the data, it seems that 24,000 psi is the maximum pressure for the 9mm Mak cartridge.  (I also found this in some other research.)  The test results for this load are under 20,000psi.  As such, I don't think it is really "+P" at all.

As for the CZ82 in particular, yes, it is a used pistol, but from the looks of it I'll bet my deer rifle has seen more ammo down the tube than this thing has in its lifetime.  I may look into replacement springs down the road, but I think I'm going to fire it as-is and see what happens.  At worst, I'll make a $210 mistake and ruin it.  But honestly I think it will be fine.  Trust me, I'm generally of the very paranoid mindset on things like this but I'm willing to roll the dice on this one.

Besides, getting a new spring would prevent me from firing it as soon as the ammo arrives, hopefully on Friday.  I already have one new pistol, a Sistema .45, that I've fired a total of seven times because of my desire to replace springs before I use it.  I can't put another new toy in that category without risking a brain seizure.  

I'll let everyone know what happens when the ammo arrives.  

I guess I'll also break out the chronograph too.  

Now as for the holster, I kind of like it myself.  It is 100% ambidextrous, just like the pistol.  As a lefty, that gets big points with me.