Makarov grips - "different" on some IJ70's

G

Gene Pool

New member
Some of the PM/IJ70-18A Makarov pistols came with a "different" style black plastic grip. I am refering to Makarovs in 9x18 caliber with adjuctable sights. When I say different, I mean the grips have a slightly different shape low on the heel of the grip...and a different shape from military style grips. I realize this is not much of a description but it's the best I can do.

Anyway, if someone knows the "why" of this different grip, please let me know. I am presuming the gun is the same, and military grips could be installed on it if one wanted to change them out. But that is only a presumption.

Any suggestions and comments would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance,
Gene Pool
 
I think it was "Baikal" brand Makarovs that used a funky looking black plastic grip that was different than the standard military style grip. It had more of a "skirt" at the bottom, for lack of a better description.

As to the "why," it was probably because these guns were intended for commercial sales, and the Russians wanted to downplay the origins of them. (Just a guess, however.)

Any original military style grip will fit on the gun providing that it's not a double stack model.
 
Can't remember the exact details but some of these guns were having their grips replaced in country to comply with a 'sporting purposes' rule. Seems like they added a thumbrest and enclosed the back of the grip frame. May have been an overall length thing I just can't remember. Search "Makarov thumbrest grips" on Google/Bing and you'll probably find more info.
 
Some of the PM/IJ70-18A Makarov pistols came with a "different" style black plastic grip. I am refering to Makarovs in 9x18 caliber with adjuctable sights. When I say different, I mean the grips have a slightly different shape low on the heel of the grip...and a different shape from military style grips. I realize this is not much of a description but it's the best I can do.
Click to expand...

Do you have pictures?

I've had a number of different Makarov grips over time. My Baikal .380 Mak's grip is pretty much identical to the milsurp grip.
 
firearm29: "Seems like they added a thumbrest and enclosed the back of the grip frame."

The cheesy after-market thumb rest grip was intended both to make it a "sporterized" gun and also to increase the overall width (tying in with the US government rule on minimum overall dimensions for imported handguns).

All Pistolet Makarovas have a one-piece wrap-around grip. That's a basic feature of the pistol's design.
 
Gene Pool: "Some of the PM/IJ70-18A Makarov pistols came with a "different" style black plastic grip. I am refering to Makarovs in 9x18 caliber with adjuctable sights. When I say different, I mean the grips have a slightly different shape low on the heel of the grip...and a different shape from military style grips."

Some IJ70-18A PMs came with a black grip similar to the East German grip. Some came with the red/brown bakelite "military" grip with the lanyard loop on the left side. And some have both. ;)
 
Just to clarify: Are you talking about a single column Makarov or a double stack hi-cap model?

As I stated, original military grips will not fit on the double stack models due to modifications of the frame.

The best grip I have found for the hi-cap models is the Pearce grip. It actually feels better on the hi-cap than one does on the standards, and it certainly looks better.
 
I thought that the OP was talking about the IJ70-18A. That one is single-stack, as far as I know. The high-cap double-stack was the IJ70-18AH. It, as you say, does have a very different grip.
 
Like these?

photo2-1.jpg
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There ya' go. The top one is the classic military grip, and the bottom appears to be a rubberized(?) version of the East German grip. (But you knew that! :D )
 
There ya' go. The top one is the classic military grip, and the bottom appears to be a rubberized(?) version of the East German grip. (But you knew that! )
Click to expand...

Bottom one is a Pearce Grip. I'm beginning to think the OP might be referring to a hi-cap Makarov, which used a very funky looking grip.

Unfortunately, the OP hasn't been back since his initial post.
 
I guess I had never really looked at the Pearce grip before. It does look a lot like the East German, doesn't it?

Yeah, I agree. The OP must have had one of the high-caps. They do have a strange looking grip. I wonder if maybe he sold it and moved on?
 
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