bulgarian makarov or the cz82

[contender]

just looking at these two weapons and the 9x18 round.

this will be for CHL.

i understand the arguments for different calibers and more modern designs. I want the 9x18 round for costs/availability. I want a proven and durable design for ccw in the 9x18 which leads me to the bulgarian mak and the cz82 for availability/costs.

Would also like to hear about some head to head comparisons in durability, shootability, and carry.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I have both.

Although I am a big fan of the Makarov I would chose the 9x18 CZ83/83 for carry because of the larger magazine capacity.

 

[harmon rabb]

I have both and have carried both. The makarov is easier to carry, but the cz-82 has a greater mag capacity and a better trigger (the makarov trigger isn't bad, mind you).

Decide which you care more about. Flatness and compactness for carry, or an extra 4 rounds in your mag. That will give you your answer.

As far as shootability, both are very nice and comfortable to shoot, but the cz-82 has better sights and one of the best DA/SA triggers ever put in a gun, so I'd say the cz-82 wins in shootability.

Reliability? Both are reliable, proven military designs. Heck, apparently the czech military still uses the cz-82. The Makarov has fewer parts, however, and some think that makes it more reliable. Personally, I don't think you need to worry about reliability with any of the 9x18 guns. They're all good.

Can I toss another design into the hat for you, though? The PA-63. They're currently only $150 from southern ohio gun. Yeah, they need a spring swap before they're shootable, but the springs are very cheap and the swap is very easy. They're much, much lighter than the cz-82 or Makarov, and are also reliable. Not as shootable to me though -- but far nicer to carry.

Right now, Makarovs are $230 from a variety of sources, and cz-82's are from $150-$200 or so, depending on the source and the condition. If you're going to get a Mak, get one from southern ohio gun. The batch they have are in like new, unissued condition.

Personally, if I had to choose between the cz-82 and makarov for my only carry gun, I'd get the makarov. It's easier to conceal, easier to carry, and is still very shootable. If I could have two 9x18 guns for carry and nothing else, I'd get a pa-63 for summer carry and a cz-82 for winter carry, though.

 

[harmon rabb]

Of course, there's also the P64, which royal tiger imports currently has in stock, and the P64 is the smallest of the 9x18 pistols. Like the pa-63, it needs a spring swap. That's an option as well.

And of course, there is also the P83, which is currently available for a variety of sources for $230 or so. It's similar to the Mak in size and shootability, but it has this large dorky hammer that probably makes it a worse choice for carry.

A warning: this won't be your last. These 9x18 pistols seem to multiply. They're all equally sweet in their own way, all proven military designs you can trust your life to, and they're all cheap. I started out with 1. I now have 5, and I plan on getting at least a few more

 

[harmon rabb]

hmph.

 

[contender]

thank-you harmon rabb.........

while the vote count appears severely slanted towards the cz82, your detailed reply about my questions was informative....

the makarov appears more suitable for my requirements.

i think i have tried a pa 63 a long, long time back but was put off by what seemed to be a 20+ lb da trigger pull, a "thumb rest" in the grip panel that was uncomfortable for this lefty, and if my memory is correct, it had a surprising amount of recoil.

are there neutral grips available along with a heavier recoil spring for the pa 63 to tame it a tad? this weapon may be used by other family members as well which is a concern.





the p64 and p83 are unknown to me but will research them.

 

[harmon rabb]

thank-you harmon rabb.........

while the vote count appears severely slanted towards the cz82, your detailed reply about my questions was informative....

i'm just a nerd for these 9x18 guns. the vote count is no doubt slanted toward the cz-82 because of how sweet they are to shoot, and how sweet the triggers are.

the makarov appears more suitable for my requirements.

If you only want to buy one 9x18 gun, and carry that gun year round, then I agree. The makarov is more compact and very flat. With a decent holster, it hides easily under a t-shirt. Plus they probably are the most reliable and most durable of the 9x18 guns.

i think i have tried a pa 63 a long, long time back but was put off by what seemed to be a 20+ lb da trigger pull, a "thumb rest" in the grip panel that was uncomfortable for this lefy, and if my memory is correct, it had a surprising amount of recoil.

are there neutral grips available along with a heavier recoil spring for the pa 63 to tame it a tad? this weapon may be used by other family members as well which is a concern.

I thought the same thing about the pa-63 when I first got mine. Hated it. Until I swapped the springs. http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?page=items&cID=1&mID=20

Get the 15lb recoil spring and the 11lb hammer spring from that link, toss them in there, and the pa-63 is a completely different gun. Recoil goes from ridiculous to merely a bit snappy, and the 25lb DA trigger goes down to about 15lbs. Suddenly, the pa-63 becomes a nice carry gun. It's as compact as the makarov, but a good bit lighter.

With respect to the grips, http://www.marschalgrips.com/fegpa63/fegpa63.html . All kinds of pretty grips with or without the thumb rest.

As a bonus, if you end up with more than one 9x18 gun, they all fit in the same leather holsters.

the p64 and p83 are unknown to me but will research them.[/quote]

 

[Janos Dracwlya]

I have no personal experience with the CZ-82 (though I intend to get one), but I did carry a Bulgarian Makarov for several years and still have it as a back-up carry gun.

Mine is a commercial model, so it was nearly new when I got it. It took some breaking-in before it was reliable with hollow points, but it's been totally reliable since then. They are solid guns, and I want to get one of the mil-surp guns before they're all gone.

 

[rellascout]

The CZ82 is so cheap right now it is hard to pass up. If you have a C&R you can get it to your door for about $149 + shipping. If you don't have a C&R add what a transfer cost you.

It has a much nicer trigger than the MAK.

 

[contender]

what are the differences between a "mil-surp" and a commerical buligarian makarov?