Makarov thoughts and recommendations
- Thread starter straightShot
- Start date
don't ignore the military bulgies. iv'e got a couple, one is a carry/car gun the other still in cosmoline for a rainy day. the mid 60's militarys have a deep polished blue finish, harsh grips. put a peirce rubber grip on it and it's a completly different gun. the sights are so small, they are almost silly, but at least mine is amazingly accurate. never a single misfire on any ammo i have tried. most often i use s&b ball, i'm getting it at shows for about $120 a case. boxer primed, non corrosive, very consistant. the russian surplus stuff is steel cased, berdan primed, corrosive and very dirty. it also sells for about the same price, maybe a little cheaper. i think these things are the best deal by far in a pistol that actually functions. round for round they will outshoot guns that cost four times as much. buy now, i think these are going to dry up, and there sure isn't going to be any better price.
sorry for the long post, i got enthused.
kdub
sorry for the long post, i got enthused.
kdub
straightShot
New member
In looking at the new East German that I just received, how can I tell where it's from? It doesn't have any special markings, such as a manufacturer's name or country or anything on it.
It did come with a clumsy holster and an extra grip with a long rope attached, but I don't think that I'll be using these...
I appreciate the advice on the Bulgarians and the PA63s. I'll be looking into these in near future...
Life is good,
straightShot
It did come with a clumsy holster and an extra grip with a long rope attached, but I don't think that I'll be using these...
I appreciate the advice on the Bulgarians and the PA63s. I'll be looking into these in near future...
Life is good,
straightShot
I have both a Bulgie "unissued" and an EG mak. Put Pearce grips on them and mail ordered some ammo from Dan's and away I went. Of course, I had to clean cosmoline off the Bulgie first but a field strip and soak in mineral spirits, plus a Gunscrubber chaser and re-lube did the trick. Anyway, they are both fun shooters and a steal for the money. Also, Dan's just launched their website http://www.dansammo.com/
Good guy to do business with. Art G.
Good guy to do business with. Art G.
straightShot
New member
I'll check out Dan's. Thanks.
I had asked about markings, but I went out to makarov.com and found out that mine was East German.
Mine has a diamond with a circle in it on both the slide and frame, so it's East German. It also has a 63, so it was manufactured in 1963. I wiped it with a silicone cloth, and it looks great.
After I get the inside cleaned out, I'll have to see how it works. With all that I've heard, I'll have to look at getting a Bulgarian, too, and the Walther-like PA63.
I had asked about markings, but I went out to makarov.com and found out that mine was East German.
Mine has a diamond with a circle in it on both the slide and frame, so it's East German. It also has a 63, so it was manufactured in 1963. I wiped it with a silicone cloth, and it looks great.
After I get the inside cleaned out, I'll have to see how it works. With all that I've heard, I'll have to look at getting a Bulgarian, too, and the Walther-like PA63.
Adventurer_96
New member
I have a Russian civilian pistol which I've owned for about three years. I bought it like new from a dealer for something like $165 (?) when I lived in Massachusetts about 1997 or so. Mags for it were cheap, something like two for $5 at the time, and I did get the holster/extra grip deal that was out there for a while, although I have a lanyard ring on mine which makes the second grip unusable.
For the money, it's an excellent shooter. I consistently have good groups at 25 yards single action, but my double action is a bit worse since the trigger is still new, even though the gun is three years old. I believe it's a reliable gun although I've only shot maybe 500 rounds through it. That's about the same as my S&W Sigma .380, which has jammed four or five times. Food for thought...
By the way, are you only looking at the 9x18 calibers? Some came in .380, but why not buy a gun which has a name for its own caliber! Besides, a *sleightly* more capable round IMHO. I had good luck with the Norinco stuff that was available. The only drawback is it's harder to find cheap rounds where you can reload the stuff since so much is not brass.
La perte des armes est la fin de la liberte.
For the money, it's an excellent shooter. I consistently have good groups at 25 yards single action, but my double action is a bit worse since the trigger is still new, even though the gun is three years old. I believe it's a reliable gun although I've only shot maybe 500 rounds through it. That's about the same as my S&W Sigma .380, which has jammed four or five times. Food for thought...
By the way, are you only looking at the 9x18 calibers? Some came in .380, but why not buy a gun which has a name for its own caliber! Besides, a *sleightly* more capable round IMHO. I had good luck with the Norinco stuff that was available. The only drawback is it's harder to find cheap rounds where you can reload the stuff since so much is not brass.
La perte des armes est la fin de la liberte.
I haven't seen too many Russian commercial models lately. That is what I have. Finish is nice and it has adjustable sights. Fine with me since I don't CCW - It feeds literally anything. FMJ, hollowpoint, whatever. It is also very accurate and I have NEVER I repeat NEVER had it fail in any way. Only change was to add Pearce rubber grips. I have had mine for about 5 years.
Any Mak is good.... Get one while you can get one cheap.
Any Mak is good.... Get one while you can get one cheap.
straightShot
New member
Thanks, loknload:
All that I need to do now is clean it up and get some ammo...
Could you point me in the right direction so that I can look into getting a C&R license?
Thanks,
straightShot
[Edited by straightShot on 02-08-2001 at 09:41 AM]
All that I need to do now is clean it up and get some ammo...
Could you point me in the right direction so that I can look into getting a C&R license?
Thanks,
straightShot
[Edited by straightShot on 02-08-2001 at 09:41 AM]
After reading about these things for awhile, I pikced up a Bulgarian Mak at a show today, for $149 with a holster and some ammo. I look forward to trying it out, hopefully my trigger control will improve. Currently I have trouble keeping it still during the DA pull which is quite heavy. Maybe one of those rubber grips would help.
C&R License
straightShot, All you have to do is go to the ATF website http://www.atf.treas.gov/ and there is a page there for that. They will give you all the info there. May take 60 to 90 days to get the license once you have applied. You won't regret getting one.
Hope this helps
straightShot, All you have to do is go to the ATF website http://www.atf.treas.gov/ and there is a page there for that. They will give you all the info there. May take 60 to 90 days to get the license once you have applied. You won't regret getting one.
Hope this helps
European PA63
I owned a PA63 years ago and traded it away. During the time I owned it the pistol was totally reliable and more accurate than any Walther in the PP, PPK, or PPK/S series I have owned or shot. I am thinking of buying another Feg (PA63) and having a trigger job done on it. With all this said, The Mak, in any flavor, is the best buy out there today. I wish I had bought one years ago. Even more I wish I had bought one of the Chinese Maks years ago. Why? They are thought to be the pick of the litter. Regards, Richard
I owned a PA63 years ago and traded it away. During the time I owned it the pistol was totally reliable and more accurate than any Walther in the PP, PPK, or PPK/S series I have owned or shot. I am thinking of buying another Feg (PA63) and having a trigger job done on it. With all this said, The Mak, in any flavor, is the best buy out there today. I wish I had bought one years ago. Even more I wish I had bought one of the Chinese Maks years ago. Why? They are thought to be the pick of the litter. Regards, Richard
I liked the Bulgarian milsurp so much, I bought 2. One is still in the box, soaked in whatever you call that preservative they coat on them.
The other one I am using for carry & is an ongoing customizing project: <br>
<center><b><font color=red>Custom Bulgarian Milsurp Makarov</font></b></center><br>
<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=880217&a=10281919&p=34686720></center><br>
So far, I have added Pearce Grips, a Nolan Hi-Drop mag release, MMC adjustable Combat Night Sights, and usually carry in a Fobus paddle holster. I still want to have it refinished - probably 2-tone, and have the action worked - probably Actions by T will do that.
Kevin
The other one I am using for carry & is an ongoing customizing project: <br>
<center><b><font color=red>Custom Bulgarian Milsurp Makarov</font></b></center><br>
<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=880217&a=10281919&p=34686720></center><br>
So far, I have added Pearce Grips, a Nolan Hi-Drop mag release, MMC adjustable Combat Night Sights, and usually carry in a Fobus paddle holster. I still want to have it refinished - probably 2-tone, and have the action worked - probably Actions by T will do that.
Kevin
i bought a russian high-cap mak for $220 (but i got $70 trade in on a POS jennigns j-22!) i love this gun. zero jams and awesome accuracy. i use it for CCW at all times. i had a thread on glocktalk about "the cheapest handgun to trust your life to,", and a mak was the overwhelming winner. im glad i asked.