Thinking of customizing my Mak

[vertigo7]

I was reading a review on a Bersa Thunder .380 after handling one at the last gun show. They wanted $250 out the door for it, which isn't an awful price, but I've already got an East German Makarov that's smaller, slimmer, and packs hotter ammo. I was thinking rather than buying the Bersa and having to add yet another caliber to my shopping list, I should just customize the Mak. Refinishing the slide (matte black? matte gray? stainless? Can't decide.) and replacing the tiny stock sights with Xpress Big Dot Tritiums would run me about the same as I'd end up paying for the Bersa.

What say you? Get the Bersa .380? Customize my East German Mak? Buy a beater Bulgarian Mak and customize it?

 

[Preacherman]

Moving to Autoloaders for better exposure.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I have both the Bersa and a Makarov with Novak sights. I'd hate to get rid of either. Since you already have a Makarov, I'd customize it.

Best.

 

[SnWnMe]

You're going to refinish that deep blue??? Why, if Maks were made on the other side of the Wall it would cost $$$ more to get a rich blue like that! (assuming that yours still has the nice blue left).

I have an EG Mak, the only thing I would want changed, if I must change anything, are the sights.

 

[vertigo7]

Alas, mine does not have that lovely polished blue anymore. If it did, I wouldn't have even thought about refinishing it.

 

[clubsoda22]

i love my bersa, and mine was nickel finish for $240, it's not hard to find them for less. I was under the impression that the mak was a bigger heavier gun?

Anyway, if you like packing you mak and want to customize it: robar finish, night sights, trigger job (although East german guns are decent as it is).

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Here's a picture of the lightweight Bersa vs. the Makarov. They are similar sizes with the Makarov being heavier as it's all steel.


Best.

 

[Tamara]

If you have an all-steel Mak that's easier to tote than an alloy Bersa .380, I'd keep it...

 

[vertigo7]

If you have an all-steel Mak that's easier to tote than an alloy Bersa .380, I'd keep it...

Does the Bersa come in a steel-framed model? The Bersa I handled at the gun show felt like a brick. My Mak is not a featherweight, but it was definitely not as heavy as the Bersa.

 

[355sigfan]

Personally I would save your money and get a gun in 9mm/38 special or larger. Customizing a gun as cheap as the mak will be a waste of money unless you plan on keeping it forever. You will never get the money you put into it back out.
Pat

 

[denfoote]

Personally, I would keep the Mak stock!! There is nothing wrong with the gun as it is!! However, if you must, then I would recommend the www.makarov.com custom shop!!

 

[PCRCCW]

"Personally, I would keep the Mak stock!! "

You mean people actually leave guns stock? Blasphemy

Shoot well.

 

[RUT]

>>Makarov with Novak sights<<

I don't see these listed on the Novak website. Did I miss something or were this a custom adaption of some sort?

Thanks--RUT

 

[KT-P32]

Buy a Beater Mak and customize it.

 

[big_lead_ballz04]

So What are you planning to do?

 

[Zundfolge]

You will never get the money you put into it back out.

That's pretty much true out of any gun you customize ... even them fancy schmancy 1911s

>>Makarov with Novak sights<<

I don't see these listed on the Novak website. Did I miss something or were this a custom adaption of some sort?

http://www.makarov.com/slide/index.html

I had my Bulgarian done. I highly recommend it.

I voted for "buy a beater (Bulgarian ... not a Russian commercial because they can't put the Novaks on slide with the adjustable sights)" but if the finish on your East German is in bad shape then I'd go ahead and do the sight job and have it refinished (the true value of the EGs is when they are in excelent but original condition ... if you have to refinish it anyway, adding the Novaks isn't going to devalue it much more, but it will make it a much better shooter).