9mm Mak

[bikerdoc]

Lgs has Bulgarian maks for $298. 2 mags , original and rubber grips, holster , lanyard , and cleaning kit

Story is they were made in 89 and stored and never issued.

I dont own anything smaller than 9 mm and prefer 45. Will be used for ccw

Opinions please!

 

[Acera]

They are heavy, reliable, clunky pistols. The trigger will probably not be real good. I like mine. If they are in great shape, that is a good deal now. I've found them for <$250 from individuals in issued shape.

I would consider paying that for a never issued, brand new in the box mak.

Someone I know likes them a lot more than I do. He has a good number of them in his emergency boxes stashed/buried around his properties in the country. (Vacuum sealed along with 4 boxes of ammo and other stuff......)

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[BSA1]

I am surprised you have missed out on the discussions about the Makarov. Just some posts in 2016;

THR Member Komrade Cooldill has posted a lot of excellent information about it;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=810491&highlight=Makarov

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=804386&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=804850&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

Other comments;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=799720&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=799505&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=798834&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

How to carry it;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=806858&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=805438&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

http://www.tuckergunleather.com/iwb-double-magazine-pouch/


Handloading for it;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=802306&highlight=bulgarian+makarov

 

[BSA1]

And a few personal comments;

All steel, battle proven reliability. I don't consider it to be clunky though.

The safety on the slide is somewhat different from American designs. When the safety is on it locks up the slide and trigger. For CCW mine has the safety off.

Since Silver Bear ammunition is so affordable it is one of the few cartridges I don't reload for. My shooting buddy and I both have Maks. He carries JHP's. I carry FMJ's. He prefers expansion and I prefer penetration. Both of us consider ourselves to be equally well armed.

I like to store my factory ammunition in the all steel surplus G.I. ammo cans. 12 50 round boxes of Silver Bear (600 rounds) fit perfectly in a 30 cal. can.

 

[JDGray]

Way lighter guns for carry, but the 9mm mak is an accurate round, should serve the intended purpose well.

 

[Coyote3855]

I recently bought one of the Bulgarian Maks with the same accessories for the same price. I already have a 1960 East German and a Russian Commercial from 1993. Easily the best of the three is the EG - great finish, super trigger in SA and DA but also the most worn. The Russian was new in box as is the Bulgarian. The Bulgarian is not as nicely finished as the other two, but great for a $300 pistol. The trigger was a bit rough, but smoothed up considerably after 100 rounds. I regularly carry the Russian IWB with the extra mag. Everybody should have one, and the Bulgarians are excellent pistols.

I can't find readily find ammo locally, but it's available in both FMJ and HPs on line.

 

[Telekinesis]

Makarovs are great guns - very reliable and very accurate. I find its an enjoyable gun to shoot as well due to the fact that it is pretty light recoiling. The Bulgarians are the most common and aren't quite as well finished as E. Germans or Russians but are still very good. For a shooter you can't go wrong with a Bulgarian.

The 9x18 is similar to a hot .380 but does not have a great selection of defensive ammo in the Golden Saber, Gold Dot, PDX1 type loadings. That said, there are HP loadings from companies like Wolf etc. I tend to carry FMJs in my 9x18 weapons in a preference for penetration.

Makarovs typically fit well in Walther PPK marked holsters which makes it relatively easy to find a good holster.

If you prefer .380, there are barrels available (threaded and non threaded) and it is a pretty easy conversion. I have a .380 threaded barrel on my Makarov and it works well (though note that if you intend to suppress it, you may run into issues like excessive pressure and premature wear, even with heavy springs. It is still a very cool suppressor host though!).

As far as downsides for carry, it is relatively heavy and large for what it is. Sights on the Makarov are small and not easy to see, but white paint on the sights helps a lot. There used to be a conversion to put Meprolight sights on the gun, but I'm not sure if it is still available. And for the final point, a S&W Shied is similar in size, capacity, and price (if you find it on sale) but is in 9x19, has an American style mag release, and larger sights that can easily be replaced with night sights.

For a purely logocal "I need a smaller carry gun" type of thing, a Shied is probably a better choice. However, a Makarov is an excellent gun and would be fine for carry. For $300 you're getting a lot of gun with the Makarov, and there's certainly more history with a Makarov than a Shied, which for me makes it more fun to shoot.

Finally, be careful with Makarovs, they have a tendency to multiply. Just writing this post has me thinking that I really need a Makarov in the original 9x18 as opposed to my .380...

 

[BSA1]

Makarov Porn

 

[AZAndy]

I have two CZ-82s, a Russian Mak, Radom P64 and P83, and two FEG PA63s. I've rarely carried any of them, since I have .357 and .45 for that, but I wouldn't feel completely naked with some Hornady XTPs if I had to. It's a fun cartridge. I even reload for it.

Edit to add: Here's a post that describes all of the above pistols. With photos!

 

[unclenunzie]

I bought one just as described but from an online dealer for 300. It came in apparently unfired/unissued condition packed in cosmoline. The importer mark was a rather subdued "PW Arms". After I cleaned it up I ran 100 rounds of Russian steel cased ball ammo through it and found it 100% reliable (no surprise), easy to shoot and quite good looking. I have little doubt it would be a good carry weapon though I prefer to carry lighter weight modern designs in service calibers.

I recently picked up an additional one in more used condition for less than 300, as I was favoribly impressed with the first one.

At 300 dollars I'd be hard pressed to find essentially a new in box all steel pistol that is 100% reliable and likely to remain so. Thumbs up

 

[Nicky Santoro]

Good gun. It would serve you well. I have an EG and it's built like a tank. That being said, it's a bit large for the caliber for CC. If the peasants here in NJ were allowed to defend our lives, I'd choose something in 9mm parabellum such as a Shield or Glock 43.
FWIW
YMMV

 

[PabloJ]

Lgs has Bulgarian maks for $298. 2 mags , original and rubber grips, holster , lanyard , and cleaning kit

Story is they were made in 89 and stored and never issued.

I dont own anything smaller than 9 mm and prefer 45. Will be used for ccw

Opinions please!

The PM is most reliable pistol one can get, but given choice I would look at new .45ACP Shield before buying one.

 

[MedWheeler]

I'd have no qualms going about armed with mine, but I have other guns I'd rather see stuck in "evidence lockup" should I ever have to use it. It's a rock-solid shooter that, for me, hits right where I want it to, even with the rear sight drifted 1mm to the right (I'm left-handed, and whoever had it before me must have sight-pictured just as I do.)

I just received a much-more-worn P64 to add to my Commie-Bloc set as well.. it joins the Bulgarian, a Romanian TTC, and a CZ-70.

 

[Tallball]

I bought my Russian Makarov brand-new for $89. The year was somewhere around 1990. As far as I can recall, it has never once malfunctioned. They are a bit heavy, but they are simple durable pistols which will function well for many thousands of rounds. I have not carried it recently, but I would feel quite adequately armed with it. I don't recall exactly, but the picture was something like 20-30 rounds at seven yards. It is a better shooter than I am.

 

[GyMac]

I have other guns, revolvers and autos, but my hands down favorite firearm is my EG Mak. I have a Bulgarian Makarov for cc and a practice Russian commercial in .380 and Bulgarian commercial in 9mm Mak that I reload for. Never had a malfunction with any of them.

 

[Devonai]

Tallball, what load were you using in that pic? It did fine on the paper but didn't damage the carpet at all.

 

[Panzerschwein]

It started off with one Bulgie Mak several months ago. 2000 flawless rounds later and I just had to have another one. Then, this month, I figured "why not" and bought a third one, this time with the nifty log book used by the Slovenian Army. These are great pistols and I've since fired close to 3000 rounds through one gun and have had no issues:



I highly suggest you pick one up before they dry up and become more expensive. They will only increase in value in the coming years, and are fun to shoot and fire a relatively inexpensive cartridge. I use one as a bedside gun and I will never part with it. Highly recommended.

 

[Furncliff]

Doc... I waited a couple of years until this latest shipment of Bulgy Maks arrived, glad I did. That price is fair for what you listed. Modern 9mm Mak ammo is enough for ccw IMHO. The pistol is easy to conceal, utterly reliable, simple mechanics, the sights are small. Certainly worth a try at that price, would be easy to resell.

 

[bikerdoc]

Im gonna do it today. Thanks all.

 

[Panzerschwein]

DO IT!! DO IT NAOW!! (Arnold voice)

Trust me, you might just have happen what happened to me... I fell in love with them!!

 

[Ignition Override]

YES bikerdoc. You must have also read through the Makarov forum on Gunboards.

A 9x18 Mak. magazine can be used in the single-stack commercial .380 Russian Maks.
And Vice Versa. There could be a few on E-Bay and several on Gunbroker.

Now that you own what might be your first Actual Mak. you might need to buy a commercial Russian (9x18 or .380), to avoid putting too much wear on your Bulgy's finish.
How do you like it?

GyMac: we both have the same exact collection of them.
bikerdoc might find the more rare EG versions also an attractive option if not abused.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Some people say that 9mm Mak and .380 acp are less than stellar sd rounds because they lack penetration. The fact is that in fmj, both will penetrate close to 30 inches in ballistic gel. Buffalo Bore in both rounds penetrates 40+ inches. Very deadly, but runs the risk of over penetration. .380 has more options in HP, but both can easily penetrate 10+ inches for most of the options, while expanding quite a lot; some brands can penetrate 16 inches in +P (even thou it technically doesn't exist).

 

[bikerdoc]

Got a range session planned for wen cantwait. Love the feel,smallest gunI got is cz 75 and the mak feels better.

 

[Acera]

For all hating on decent selection of self defense ammo for the Mak............
http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/2013/09/18/9x18-makarov-ammunition-self-defense-guide/

Personally I have mine loaded with Hornady 95 grain Critical Defense. Don't feel that it would let me down in the least, extremely comfortable carrying that combination.

In fact, got a LTC qualification test tomorrow and will probably leave the 1911s at home and go with the Mak now, just for fun.



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[agtman]

A better 9mmMak ...

Had a pristine E.G. Mak and sold it for a profit.

Beautiful gun, but the trigger sucked, the slide-mounted safety was stiff and awkward, and it was a single stack.

Then I bought a butt-ugly CZ 82. The Commie paint was about half chipped off, so I had the gun re-painted in Multi-Cam. The trigger is surprisingly smooth in SA or DA, it's got good sights which can actually be seen for real-world use, and has a wonderfully smooth trigger. Between the trigger and the fixed barrel, it's SUPER-accurate to boot.

CZ 82.