Which Makarov to Buy?

Redcoat3340

Redcoat3340

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IF I were going to add a Mak to the accumulation, which one(s) do folks prefer.
I had a couple years ago but sold them in lieu of 9mm for carry. But now I'd like to have a least one in the safe....just because.
But I seem to recall some are better than others, and some (the Polish ones?) had really awful triggers.
I'm not sure I'd carry it, as my S&W 9s, 40s, and .45s are more than sufficient (ie: CS9, 3914LS, CS45, 4513, and SW99 compact and a Sig 320subcompact, both in .40)
I'm not looking for collector's grade, just a good decent shooter with a decent trigger...so should it be Russian, Bulgarian, FEG, or what?
 
Russian, Bulgarian, or East German surplus guns are the best. Next comes the commercial models from Izhevsk (Russia) and Arsenal (Bulgaria). There are no "Makarov" pistols made either in Poland, or Hungary - those are different handguns only sharing the same caliber.
 
Mizar said:
There are no "Makarov" pistols made either in Poland, or Hungary - those are different handguns only sharing the same caliber.
Click to expand...

The Hungarian FEG PA-63 is a close copy of the Walther PP. And both suffer from HEAVY double action trigger pulls.

You could find examples of all around $100-$150 20 + years ago. Even the FEG PA-63 will run about $300-$350 now days. And some of the more rare military versions of the Makarov will be even higher. I bought my PA-63 in 2001 for a whopping $125 after tax.
 
I bought my Russian commercial NiB in the late 80's for $89. It has a heavy DA trigger, but the SA is decent, and it's been completely reliable.

The Russian commercial guns have adjustable sights and are chambered in 380acp.

Both of those are good things, IMHO.

Makarov Target

Makarov Target

 
Redcoat3340

My brother, who's an ardent foreign militaria collector, was of the opinion that the East German and Bulgarian surplus Makarovs had excellent overall fit and finish. I have seen and handled the East German
version that he has and I have to say that the metal polishing and bluing on it was first rate.

The Russian surplus models were considered to be very good as well.
 
I guess the first question is - do you want an actual Makarov or just something that shoots the 9x18 cartridge? As mentioned, the FEGs, P64 etc aren’t Makarovs. Real Makarovs have decent triggers which are significantly better than triggers found on guns like the P64.

I would recommend going with a Bulgarian Makarov if you’re just interested in a shooter. They are good guns and generally less expensive than other options. Russian civilian models (easy to identify with their adjustable sights) can be found in both 9x18 and .380, and there are also double stack versions.

For a collector type both the Russian (military) and East German Makarovs make good candidates.
 
I like my little Polish Radom P-83. :) So far I've sold two Bulgies but I kept that. It's my EDC in colder months. I'd buy a true Mak again, probably a Russian one...but I'd probably get CZ-82 first. P-83 and CZ-82 are my two favorite "working" 9x18's.
 
Offhand McFlan said:
I like my little Polish Radom P-83. :) So far I've sold two Bulgies but I kept that. It's my EDC in colder months. I'd buy a true Mak again, probably a Russian one...but I'd probably get CZ-82 first. P-83 and CZ-82 are my two favorite "working" 9x18's.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way about the Polish P-83. Mine is one of the small number made for export, and has different sights and a different hammer. Even so, it is not as elegant as my Chinese Makarov, but I think it is a better gun. Bulkier, but with a much better DA trigger pull. To me it is interesting because it is almost entirely made of folded sheet steel, like a WWII sub-machine gun.

But nowadays, P-83s are hard to find. CZ-82s and Bulgarian Makarovs are much easier.

(The Polish name for the P-83 seems to have been "Wanad", BTW.)
 
Redcoat3340 said:
IF I were going to add a Mak to the accumulation, which one(s) do folks prefer.
I had a couple years ago but sold them in lieu of 9mm for carry. But now I'd like to have a least one in the safe....just because.
But I seem to recall some are better than others, and some (the Polish ones?) had really awful triggers.
I'm not sure I'd carry it, as my S&W 9s, 40s, and .45s are more than sufficient (ie: CS9, 3914LS, CS45, 4513, and SW99 compact and a Sig 320subcompact, both in .40)
I'm not looking for collector's grade, just a good decent shooter with a decent trigger...so should it be Russian, Bulgarian, FEG, or what?
Click to expand...
I have a Polish P64 which I love, yes the DA is atrocious so I switched out the extra heavy main spring with a 19# Wolff spring and while it's still heavy it's not as bad as the stock spring.
I also Have a CZ82, bigger but with the added capacity mags. Both are 9x18 which technically are not really Makarovs a name with only applies to the original Makarov design though most people call them Maks.
As for a (mostly) true Makarov I have the Zastava M57 which is a great pistol but really too big for concealed carry.
 
Monac said:
I feel the same way about the Polish P-83. Mine is one of the small number made for export, and has different sights and a different hammer. Even so, it is not as elegant as my Chinese Makarov, but I think it is a better gun. Bulkier, but with a much better DA trigger pull. To me it is interesting because it is almost entirely made of folded sheet steel, like a WWII sub-machine gun.

But nowadays, P-83s are hard to find. CZ-82s and Bulgarian Makarovs are much easier.

(The Polish name for the P-83 seems to have been "Wanad", BTW.)
Click to expand...

Yep, the P83 is somehow not as refined yet is still better built, IMO. I like how my mags slide right out instead of sticking like Maks do. I have a Combloc shoulder holster which fits it, but I think it was actually made for CZ82! Another good reason to pick up the latter!

One thing that really impresses me about the 83 is how balanced it is, but I've noticed Radom products are usually that way. Loaded, I can spin my 83 on a flat surface and it keeps going and GOING. Unreal! Also, if I stand it up on muzzle and butt, and pull it to one side as far as I can without dropping it, it will "tick-tock" back and forth forever! Eventually, the oscillation is so acute that it's like a tiny vibration,.almost too faint to be believed.

First gun I ever shot (when I had just hit 13 in 1985) was a Walther P-38. Second was a Radom P-35. I liked the P-35 better and "balanced" was an understatement. "Perfection" was more like it.
 
Telekinesis said:
...and there are also double stack versions.
Click to expand...
I would stay clear from those - magazines are hard to come by and rather expensive, not to mention springs for them - unobtanium... And they do require frequent change, not like the original single stack ones, because of the complex geometry of the double-to-single-stack transition.
 
My Russian comercial Mak has a nasty trigger yet works great. I think the CZ 82 is probably apex for the caliber. I sold my 82 and got a Mak but it wasn't an upgrade in any way, I just wanted to try a Mak. These pistols are all pretty good, they're just incredibly outmoded in 2023. Frankly if I wanted a "Makarov" today I'd find the closest and cheapest model to scratch the itch.
 
Why is it, that almost every thread discussing the Makarov pistol (PM) has to include all the other handguns chambered in 9x18? I mean, what are we gaining from such low signal to noise ratio?!?
 
Mizar said:
Why is it, that almost every thread discussing the Makarov pistol (PM) has to include all the other handguns chambered in 9x18? I mean, what are we gaining from such low signal to noise ratio?!?
Click to expand...

Because we like talking about pistols. And there are not a lot of different models in 9mm Mak, and it doesn't seem likely there will every be any more (not impossible, just not likely), so why not compare and contrast all of them? This may not be the best way of learning about the Pistol Makrovka in particular, but it is good for spreading knowledge about pistols in a general way.
 
Plus people not familiar with Makarov pistol or the other pistols chambered in 9x18 seem to call all of the Mak's due to the caliber. And describing the differences will help someone new to collecting Soviet and Eastern European pistols so they get the pistol they actually want.

Calling all pistols chambered in 9x18 Mak's is like how Kleenex is used as a generic name for all facilities tissue even though there are different brands available.
 
I only have experience with Bulgarians. Many moons ago I got one for 129 with two mags and a flap holster. It was one of the best shooting pistols you could find right out of the box. Ammo choices were pretty much FMJ or FMJ. There used to be a website called makarov.com it was pretty neat. They listed the Bulgarian as the Best Buy. Germans as best quality. My dad wound up with mine. Carried it all over for years.
 
I have a beater CZ82 and it is a nice, functional pistol, but it isn't a makarov. I really like the Soviet sidearms because they have an elegant simplicity to them. None of them were the greatest handguns ever made, but they were simple, rugged, functional, and easy to manufacture and maintain. I actually think the Makarov was probably the pinnacle of this ethos. Find one and shoot it.
 
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