Another classic- Makarov

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JN01

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I am continuing to add classic designs to my handgun collection. My most recent is a Bulgarian Makarov. It is claimed that more Makarovs have been produced than any other pistol model.

It feels good in the hand. It is a bit heavy, but the weight makes felt recoil pretty soft. DA trigger is better than my Walther PP and the SA trigger is decent as well. Accuracy is not too shabby, though I had to change up my normal grip to fire it. I use a high grip with straight thumbs. This causes the base of my dominant hand thumb to get beat up by the safety lever. It also puts my support hand thumb close to the slide. Once I adapted my grip, it worked OK.

Makarovweb.JPG
 
Your lucky that you got one as they are rare in vA. Only reparked ones. Totally reliable with ball ammo
 
They are really nice, simple and durable. I picked up a cz82 to go with it. Same caliber, "improved Makarov" design, higher capacity.
 
My brother has one, shoots quite well if a little high @ 10 yards.. Built to withstand a tank rolling over it.. But he replaced the red plastic drips with some soft ones and it feels better to shoot a box thru now.
 
More than 1911s, Hi-Powers, or CZ75 clones???
I have E. German and Russian examples, but I don't think I've shot them since I got my CZ82s.
 
I'm a big fan of the Makarov. I have a Bulgarian which currently has a .380 barrel and is a host for a micro suppressor (Thompson Machine Poseidon - it's a great combination), but I've been thinking about getting another to just keep in original configuration. I just wish I'd been able to pick them up when they first came in and were being sold for less than $200.
 
I bought one when they were being sold in new condition in cosmoline ($300). Cleaned it up and put a couple boxes of fmj through it with 100% results, as expected. I put away the original bakelite grips in favor of some wood ones, shoots well. Yours looks just like mine, enjoy it in good health.
 
I am continuing to add classic designs to my handgun collection. My most recent is a Bulgarian Makarov. It is claimed that more Makarovs have been produced than any other pistol model.

It feels good in the hand. It is a bit heavy, but the weight makes felt recoil pretty soft. DA trigger is better than my Walther PP and the SA trigger is decent as well. Accuracy is not too shabby, though I had to change up my normal grip to fire it. I use a high grip with straight thumbs. This causes the base of my dominant hand thumb to get beat up by the safety lever. It also puts my support hand thumb close to the slide. Once I adapted my grip, it worked OK.


View attachment 854293

Good pistol for self defense. SGammo has CorBon JHPs at $12.95 per 20.
 
I bought one when they were being sold in new condition in cosmoline ($300). Cleaned it up and put a couple boxes of fmj through it with 100% results, as expected. I put away the original bakelite grips in favor of some wood ones, shoots well. Yours looks just like mine, enjoy it in good health.

Where have you found wood grips for a Makarov? That sounds interesting.
 
I have two Russian IMEZ. One in 9x18 and one in.380. I found the .380 bulged cases near the rim because the case wasn't supported there. I bought another 9x18 barrel, but haven't installed it. Both are good shooters. Typical of the Soviet bloc arms, as noted above, they are rugged little guns.
 
We now watch British murder mystery series "Vera", on Amazon Prime etc.
An episode showed a soldier's loot from Afghanistan, and in his "illegal" personal stash on the British Army base was a Makarov.

Interesting authenticity. My Izhevsk .380 Mak would have worked for that purpose.

MI2600: You realize that some nitwit machined your feedramp.
This had been done to my WW2 Mauser Hsc (.32 Auto) which ejected very bulged cases, due to the concave feedramp and edge of chamber . A WW2 replacement barrel cost me about $250 on Gunbroker.
 
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Ignition.
Could be. I would be happy to just have a reliable 9X18 with brass I can form out of 9mm. I don't remember what I paid for the barrel, but at the time it was reasonable.
 
Over the years I've had several like new/new Bulgarians and one very nice East German. Thinking of letting the Ger go but need to come up with price. Haven't been watching prices on anything for some time due to age and such. What would a nice E.Ger go for?
 
I've never owned a Mak, but everyone I've seen, held and read about seems to be very praise-worthy for reliability and usefulness.

That's a very nice example of the communist PPK!

Stay safe.
 
Over the years I've had several like new/new Bulgarians and one very nice East German. Thinking of letting the Ger go but need to come up with price. Haven't been watching prices on anything for some time due to age and such. What would a nice E.Ger go for?

A nice East German Makarov can bring $500 to $600 these days.
 
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