CZ-52 or Mak

M

maxinquaye

New member
Hi,

Well with the coming legislation here in Kali, I'm really starting to drill down on which handguns I want to buy. 1st couple purchases will be one of the above simply cause of the rave reviews each gets here on TFL.

Anyway, which would you buy first? I already have a 9mm, so I'm leaning towards the CZ.

What is the difference in ballistics between 9x19 and 9mm Mak? How about felt recoil?

I know absolutely nothing about the 7.62x25 cartridge. What is it comprable to? I knoe surplus ammo is widely available online for it, but can affordable ammo be had for both calibers that is not steel (my range wont let me shoot anything a magnet sticks to)?

Any other advice/opinions appreciated.
 
Get a new unissued Mak. Ammo is more available. It's cheaper. It's more powerful and the Mak is a great gun. The Bulgarian is approved in the PRK. The Russians still use this weapon in combat. It is an excellent product and accurate too.
 
Ditto what Will said.

Maks are very proven little guns, parts are cheap and ammo is plentiful and really cheap.What other gun can you get good quality JHP ammo that has bullets that expand reliably and sealed case mouths and primers for < $6.00 per 50???

I have a Bulgie and really like it. Had a Russian and an East German in the past. All of them were perfectly reliable (not ONE jam out of the three guns, with mixed chinese/russian/e.german magazines.)

The CZ52 is a very cool gun also, with great styling and a fascinating roller locking mechanism. Pretty cheap to feed, but there is very little defensive ammo avalable for it. Depending on what ammo you use it can be a much more powerful pistol (in muzzle energy) than the Mak, but the FMJ ammo will shoot through any 3 or 4 people in a row.

Had a CZ52 for a while and sold it, still have a Mak. Might pick up a second Bulgie in the future.
 
Actually, since this will strictly be a toy I'm leaning towards the '52 - I have a Mossburg and a Glock for HD.

Now I just have to figure out where to buy one. God, I hate this state...

:mad:
 
I've got both. CZ is definitely a toy.

FP breakage. ADs on decock. Slide won't lock back. Grips that disintegrate upon removal.
A clip that hold the stocks on that can break anytime (no spares) and
causes grip disintegration.

Otherwise fun.

Buy several for the sake of parts. Everything about'em is unbreakable except the small parts.
 
maxinquaye
The mak is a super little gun. Dependable (usually), accurate (depending on ammo) and inexpensive to buy and shoot.
The cz 52 is a riot. I stomps the mak into the ground for energy!
The tokerav round is the only hand gun cartridge to go through low level ballistic armor..we chrono'd some scary ammo at 1600+ fps out of a cz 52...over 500 ft lbs energy...line up the people...we gotta see something...come on , be quiet ...its for science OK?
Anyway the cz is a toy...never an ONLY gun. The mak would make a good ONLY and even CARRY gun with the right ammo.
Get em both...250$ and you are ready to rock and roll.
We shoot 50-75+ yds with the 52...the gun is ACCURATE..way more so than I am. shoot well
 
I agree with Eric.
The 7.62x25 wields roughly twice the energy of the 9x18, but I personally don't feel the CZ-52 will have the same life-span of a quality Makarov.
 
I would get a Makarov, I have an East German, trigger is sweet, and goes bang each time its fired. The CZ-52, is hardly a toy, the firing pin problem can be easily dealt with, makarov.com has machined pins for the CZ that are made of stronger steel than the orginials and virtually eliminates the issues. The downside the the CZ-52 is that 7.62x25 isn't as available as 9x18mm, and accessories and parts for the Makarov is cheaper.
 
I own one of each, does not make me an expert, but gives me a little insight.
First of all, I beg to differ with the poster who indicated the Mak is more powerful than a CZ-52. It is not. The 7.62x25 is a screamer! But, the CZ-52 is a beefy enough gun to suck up some of the recoil and leave the shooter with what I think feels like a semi-hot 9mm felt recoil.
I love both guns. The ammo is alot cheaper for the Mak. I buy Barnual hollow points for my mak. for $115.00/1,000 delivered.
The 7.62x25 ammo is at least half again as much. I prefer S&B (7.62x25) ammo in my CZ-52 and TT-33.
You can buy both guns with for less than $300 (at least we can in the midwest).
I have a Russian Mak and plan to buy a new/near new Bulg. Mak soon...they run $100.00 if you buy two...with background check and dealer fees, I'm back up to $115.00/each...
In my opinion, the Mak is as trouble free as a Glock. That's my personal experience.
The CZ-52 I purchased has also NEVER mis-fired or had any kind of malfunction (now, remember, I do not use surplus 7.62x25 ammo).
You really should consider both.
VF
 
The firing pin replacement kit for the CZ-52 is no guarantee that it won't break.

Karl of mak.com WILL replace it, though, if you ask nicely.

I've had my firing pin come out b/c it rotated and slid past the retention spring.

I could fix the slide lock problem if I wanted to risk prying the grip clip off again.
 
Both are awesome guns and you should try to bring in both.A CZ-52 must not be dry fired or you will break the firing pin.My replacement cost $15 at CDNN.The only problem with a CZ-52 will be trying to find a nice one.I recently brought in an "excellent" CZ-52 from Century International and it looked like it had been tied to the bumper of a Trabant and dragged from Albania to the North Sea!
 
You will like either, and should probably get both :). I have a Bulgarian Mak and a CZ-52. I second the recommendation to avoid surplus 7.62x25, as much of it was intended for submachine guns and has hard primers. New commercial S&B is what I use.

The only problem I have encountered with the Mak is the "fingers" on the main spring - I have broken two of them during dry fire (a lot). I doubt there is anything about the design that causes this problem, but probably brittle metal.
 
Buy a Makarov pistol, in 9X18 Makarov - not the ".380" 9x17.

Toys are meant to be played with - you'll get a lot on fun out of that gun. If anything would break (not likely), parts are inexpensive, available, & easily replaced. Ammo is all over the place & easy on the pocketbook.

One word of advice: if you do happen to find one, try to stay away from the Russian commercial gun that has the adjustable rear sight. Replacement parts and/or entire sight units are not available from the factory or aftermarket.

All of the military surplus guns, and the Bulgarian commercial gun are virtually identical and will all have fixed sights.
 
I own two CZ52s and three Maks. One of my CZs has all the toys offered by makarov.com along with a pair of Hogue rosewood grips. One of my CZs came with a spare barrel in 9mm Luger which feeds perfectly. Makarov.com also offers barrels in 9mm Largo and possibly others.
If you can only afford one, get the Mak. Hands down. A really nice, trouble free gun. My Bulgarian was accurate as hell. My Russian with adjustable sights is terrific. My East German shoots so high with the issue sights that I don't really enjoy shooting it, but it is also a fine quality firemarm. This is a sight issue, not a gun issue. Maybe the Germans are optimistic about the ranges they imagined themselves engaging the enemy.
I personally have no interest in carrying either one for personal defense, but if you handload you can have defensive ammo in any caliber you want. The 7.62x25 is no exception. If you shoot the real hot handloads such as the 85 grain Sierra (#8005) over AA9 powder at over 1900 fps, make sure you have an adequate recoil spring in it. B Shipley posted "I've had my firing pin come out b/c it rotated and slid past the retention spring. " I had the same thing happen and I pretty much decided that it was because I didn't have an adequate recoil spring for the load. Nothing broke, the firing pin just came out upon firing and hit my buddy in the chin. I also have a problem with pins backing out in the CZ. But, they are both fun. IMO every guy here offered solid advice. If you can swing it, I would get at least one of each. By the way, Winchester offers hardball in both calibers. Midway has brass, dies and bullets for both calibers.
 
J&G surplus had (don't know about HAS) VG+-Exc. gray parkerized finish
CZ-52s. SOG and AIM are worth trying if anyone wants one. AIM is the first choice, BTW.
 
Get The Makarov!!!

This is not a serious question, right??? :rolleyes: The only way to go is Pistolet Makarova!!!!:) :) :cool: Even in the PRK, you should be able to get 9x18mm!!!!!:D
 
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