makarov question

[benjaminw7528]

 does anyone know anything about one of these pistols are they reliable and is the 9x18 caliber good for self defence

[S.S.]

I have a PA-63 in 9 MM Makarov (Walther PP Clone)
and I absolutely love it. It is light and very acurate.
power is slightly above a .380 auto.

[rockbilly]

I often carry a Polish P-64.  It is a great little gun, fairly light, easy concealled, and accurate out to about 30 yards.  I highly recommend it, for the price, and cost of ammo, you can't go wrong.

[Type99]

Hello...

Well, if you are asking about "a Makarov", you would be asking about a Makarov pistol, of which there are many variants (Russian, Bulgarian, E. German, etc.), but not just the Makarov pistol caliber - 9x18 Makarov.  The Makarov pistol is a great gun.  It took me a long time to break down and buy one, but I find it to be a great carry gun.  It is light, reliable, easy to break down, and very accurate.  I have a Russian commercial IJ-70, the one that has the adjustable sights.  Despite what I have read for time to time, I have had no problems whatsoever with my adjustable sights.  The Makarov is one great pistol!

Cheers,
Gary

[kid_couteau]

Only bad thing I can say on the Mak is that when I would use a 2 hand hold sometimes I accidentally hit the mag release on the bottom releasing the mag and causing a jam.

Outside of that it is a cool gun tho

I sold both of mine and bought an XD in 40 S&W

Later
Kid

[Old Griz]

I have a East German Mak, and it is a fine gun. The fixed barrel is very accurate, and the chrome lining is easy to clean. There is all kinds of ammo out there for it, but as mentioned, it is more powerful than a .380, but not by too much. Therefore, a lot of Mak shooters use FMJ for greater penetration. Some of the cheaper Russian ammo is not 100% reliable. I haven't used the Sellor & Bellot yet, but their stuff is uaually on the warm side, and they've been making it for a long time.

The 9x18 is .364 in diameter, the .380 is .355. The Russians would use .380 ammo in emergency situations when their regular ammo wasn't available. It works for close range shooting, but sometimes requires a second strike (though some of the Russian 9x18 ammo does as well).

It is a handy pistol, and has a good fit and feel. Very easy to field strip and clean. Avoid the Chinese version at all cost.

[hogship]

The Makarovs are up in price these days. Expect to pay in the high 100s to low 200s for a good one. I couldn't possibly get rid of mine. It's been reliable and accurate. It's been at least a year since I shot mine. I took it to my CCW class and I think I made a few believers out of the others there! Anyway, my Mak was the most accurate pistol there.

hog