P64?

There's some great recommendations on the P64 site as to smooth up the safety/decocker a bit.
My safety seized up the minute I got it home and I followed the suggestions on the forum and it works nice now. A little polishing, cleaning and deburring is all it takes to smoothen it out.

Good idea to strip it down and oil it up. My safety detent spring and recess had a bit of loose rust causing the detent to stick as well as the safety.
 
Took a while to get everything back together after the initial cleaning!

Let me give you one tip. That single screw that holds the grip halves together is somewhat problematic. If you tighten it enough to ensure it doesn't back out then you risk cracking those somewhat delicate grip panels. If you don't, you risk it getting loose. Use a drop of lock tight or fingernail polish so that you don't have to make it too tight.
 
Thanks guys, here it is:

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I used some Testors "Gloss Red" enamel paint to fill the safety dot back in. Pretty close match. Hopefully it doesn't get scraped off by the safety lever again. If it does, I'll lightly sand and polish the back of the safety so it doesn't interfere with the dot.

Overall the gun is in like new shape, near perfect bluing, with a matching magazine and very nice condition holster. All for a little over $250 including shipping and the transfer fee. I'm pleased! It also came with a spare magazine and I got a cleaning rod separate that goes in a small internal sleeve inside the holster. Way cool!
 
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Great. You got the version with the hammer that I like (rounded so it makes it easier to pocket carry). Get yourself an increased power recoil spring and an 18lb main spring and swap those out. You'll be surprised how accurate that little thing is.
 
Thanks, Doyle! It is a 1970 production gun. I will probably keep the springs stock as I bought this mainly as a collector's piece. I have my Bulgarian Makarovs for most range work. :)
 
Model 12, Good idea to keep the P 64 in a collection as the pistol, is accurate if up close and personal if the shooter can overcome the trigger and absolutely has the worst recoil I have experienced in a small sized pistol which is surprising given it is not chambered for a power house round but is a blow back action.
 
The P64 I have is no safe queen.
I bought mine when they were new to the market...and nobody wanted them.
I knew that the Poles had a reputation for making good firearms, so when I saw a dealer at a gun show selling them for $139, I bought one. Mine was made in 1974, has the triangular hammer, and looked like new.
It amused me that when I was getting my high school diploma, this pistol was patrolling the Warsaw Pact, and in a way, I consider it my Cold War souvenir.
The double action trigger was unusable, but the little pistol proved to be a reliable shooter, and accurate beyond expectation.
I did the spring change, lower hammer spring and stronger recoil spring. This made the P64 much better.
What I find is that the form factor makes the P64 very useful. It is small, and thin. In an IWB holster, it largely disappears. I also bought a Polish issue shoulder holster. This looks cheap and unimpressive by western standards, yet it holds the pistol well, and is very comfortable to wear.
The P64 does have a good kick to it, not fun for an extended Range Trip. But for self defense, who cares?
Finally, during one of the big ammo shortages, the one that found 9mm parabellum and 380acp unobtainable at almost any price, I was able to order all the 9mm Makarov ammo I wanted for $9 a box. My P64 and CZ82 kept me shooting.
 
http://www.p64resource.com/forum/

Go there for any and everything you ever want/need to know about the P64. Lots of info plus owner of site makes beautiful leather holsters for P64, other holster ideas, another member makes replacement springs w/instructions for hard-to-find springs (not available from Wolff) and all else you could want!

With a lower trigger-pull weight (try not to go below 18# because some misfires (and/or other issues) and good cleaning those babies are nice. One member makes replacement poly grips (slip-on) that tame the recoil (!!!) a bit and increase grip for better hold. CHECK IT OUT!!!
 
and absolutely has the worst recoil I have experienced in a small sized pistol
The P64 does have a good kick to it, not fun for an extended Range Trip
:confused::confused::confused:
I have to take my P64 out for a ride next range trip. But I can't remember any gun I have chambered in 9X18 Makarov being anything bit mild to average in recoil.
 
I have to take my P64 out for a ride next range trip. But I can't remember any gun I have chambered in 9X18 Makarov being anything bit mild to average in recoil.

See my post #28 (directly above). The P64 does indeed have a stout recoil. And "stout" is being nice! On the site a member ("Polish Iron") makes slip-on poly-foam grips that need no hardware and replace the OEM bakelite grip panels. These grips, alone, will make the P64 MUCH more pleasant to shoot. Believe me!

Git you some if ya gonna do a lotta P64 shootin'! :D
 
That recoil "snap" is why you need the extra power recoil springs. With the standard spring, the slide has a tendency to bottom out hard against the frame. The stronger recoil spring tends to tame that out.
 
The P64 does indeed have a stout recoil.
I have, and shoot a P64, East German Makarov, and CZ82. None of them has a recoil even approaching "stout". All of them are fun shooters.
The 9X18 Makarov is nothing more than a 380 in power, and has minimal to moderate recoil compaired to more powerful rounds.
But of course recoil is subjective, and if you are sensitive to a little bump in your hand I guess you could call it "stout".
 
My Hungarian PA63 fulfills all my wantings of both a Walther PPK (.380) and any other 9x18 mak caliber pistol.

Horrible ergonomics = awful recoil impulse.

I could see buying a 9x18 CZ82 but missed the days of the cheap surplus imports.

Had a friend over yesterday to shoot. Kid is 20 and in College in California. We blasted through a bunch of rifles - (2 AK's, AR15, M1A). A couple pistols - Glock 19, FN Hi Power, Ruger LC9, and S&W Shield.

Then I broke out some odd balls for him to try out. Let him shoot some 7.62x38R through my Nagant revolver. He mentioned he'd like to shoot a Makarov.

Pulled out the PA63 for him. He commented on the recoil. I shot a mag through to remember why I don't shoot it very often and haven't bought another 9x18 gun since.
 
Well the way I read your last post it sounded like you didn't know the difference between a PA63 and a Makarov since you think all 9x18mm pistols recoil so much.
 
I guess I should've gone into more detail of my conversation with him, for the overly literal folk here... :rolleyes:

I told him I didn't have a Makarov but I had a gun of the same era and caliber that he could "enjoy."
 
I'm not recoil shy. I enjoy shooting 357mag snubs, for example, and have fired many rounds of 44mag and hot 45colt.
But the P64 is just uncomfortable to shoot. The pinky extension hammers my finger, for example.
 
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