bulgarian makarov junk?

Hello. There can be "lemons" from any maker. While not a big fan of Maks, I am more than pleased with my Bulgarian. I've owned it around a year and have shot well over a thousand rounds of ball and various JHPs through it with no problems. I was so impressed with the gun that I put a Beast Enterprise slide on mine. That actually cost about as much as the gun. I wouldn't have done it except that I thought the gun was worth the expense as it works, is accurate and just plain fun to shoot.

Best.
 

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by Stephen A. Camp...

I was so impressed with the gun that I put a Beast Enterprise slide on mine. That actually cost about as much as the gun. I wouldn't have done it except that I thought the gun was worth the expense as it works, is accurate and just plain fun to shoot.
Click to expand...

Tell me more. Are those Novaks sights? They look great! How much? Do you have a link?
 
Stephen A.

I just don't get it. You put a thousand rounds through your Mak without a belch, buy an expensive Beast slide for it, it gives you superb performance, then you add that you're not a fan of Maks.

Are those Hornadys in your photo, good PD choice for the Mak.

Mike H

PS - My Bulgie is so sweet she has acquired a name (all the best things in life being of the female persuasion)
 
Hello all.

2kiddad: I believe the new, commercial slide with Novaks and in matte blue cost about $175.00. Since I posted, I think another fellow's posted the link. If not, it can be found at www.makarov.com

MikeH: I said I wasn't a "big fan" of Makarovs. "Big" is relative.
I like and shoot the little dumpling and have confidence that it works. Despite their toughness, as was recommended at Makarov.com, I bought the recommended spare parts as I always want this little pistol to work. I'm a "big" fan of BHPs and 1911s and own several. I have no desire to own another Mak....unless the price was really right. That's all I meant. They're grand little pistols in my opinion.

Best.

PS: The ammo pictured is Corbon 95 gr JHP +P, but I do like and use the Hornady as well.
 
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Regarding the safety & firing pin coming out of the gun.

If you turn the safety upwards past its topmost detent (off safe), the safety & firing pin come out of the gun.

That's how you disassemble the slide for cleaning/repair.

Sounds to me like either the detent on their gun is weak, or they accidentally turned the safety past the upwards stop accidentally.
 
I have several Maks, Russian, East German and Bulgarian. I have never had any kind of problem. I also subscribe to Gun Tests and agree they missed the boat on this one and wonder how many other tests have been off the mark. I think the popular press pretty much loves everything they test so I don't subscribe to them.

I think this thread would have been better stated if it asked the question, "Tell us about your lemon Bulgarian Mak?.."
 
I was surprised at those test results. Both safetys flying off after the first round? At first I wondered what the heck, and then I thought AHA!

Betcha somebody cleaned the guns, messed up the extractor/extractor spring placement. I understand the Maks are a close copy of the Walther, eh? I got two PP32s. In order to take the safety plunger off you have to remove the extractor and spring and then push the firing pin in all the way, after turning the safety to off.

So, if the extractor and spring are messed up, firing would of course depress the firing pin, and maybe (just maybe) that would allow the safety to exit.

Could be somebody cleaned those Maks and didn't put them back the right way.

I was going to expand on this to give you all the wisdom of my cleaning tips, but think I will post a separate thread. I"m new to this board so will look around to see where my wisdom will shed the most light, garner the highest praise, and get the wimmen groveling for favors. We shall see, eh?

taa, cs

:D
 
Are you guys talking about milsurp Bulgies or commercial ones? I have no experience with commercial ones, but I have two milsurp Bulgies that have very good finishes, especially for a $150 pistol. Both are well made and reliable.

As for the saftey and firing pin coming out, the saftey must be rotated upward past its detent to be removed, and then the firing pin comes out. The saftey detent spring is usually pretty stiff, but if it does loosen up too much, I could see the saftey rotating up too much so that it could fall out. Replacing the spring or whole saftey lever would be cheap and easy to do.

It's still a great pistol.:)
 
Everyone should quit buying gun rags.....for the money spent you can buy ammo or something more useful.

Gun Test once rated the CZ-100 as a Don't Buy. A couple of issues later it was a recommended best buy. When I saw that I quit reading Gun Test. I'd rather read all of the fine posts on sites such as this one.

BTW, the last Bulgarian milsurp I purchased was in superb condition, but shot way off to the right. Had to tap the rear sight quite a bit. Otherwise accurate. My other Bulgy commercial arsenal is quite a shooter and has been carried concealed on several occasions.
 
Whew!!
Thanks for this posting.
Now, I am blowing-off Gun Test mag having never bought the first issue!
 
Bulgies are great little pistols. The only thing I've ever had to do with mine (after 1000's of rounds) is to replace the Slide Stop. The slide wouldn't lock back after I emptied a mag. I determined it wasn't a mag problem and ordered a $8.00 Slide Stop and was back in business. Great little guns.
 
Yep, sounds like someone over at Gun Test needs to learn how to reassemble a Makarov. If BOTH of the guns they tested did the same thing (and none of us that have shot 1,000s of rounds with ours have) then something is really fishy!

Too bad, I really like the premise of Gun Test. But if they are this undependable, the rag is of no use to me.
 
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