However, the heavy trigger weight in double-action mode decreases first-shot accuracy. For more info and pictures of some common pistols of this type, see the Other Pistols Page. The safety can lose its pressed-in detent spring and thus always be on fire.
A wide variety of aftermarket additions and replacements exist for the Makarov pistol, including replacement barrels, custom grips, custom finishes and larger sights with various properties to replace the notoriously small originals. You must log in or sign up to reply here. Information, pictures, and discussion of Makarov autoloading pistols. In general, I always check out AlienGear and their incredible line-up of products.If you think you have a Hungarian or Polish Makarov, check the other pistol page. These single-stack 8-round metal mags remarkably simple yet reliable, so long as they are oiled properly. In order to fix this fundamental problem, the Makarov was constructed to keep mags firmly in place until released by pressing on the heel release on the bottom of the grip. When the Russian engineers decided to replace the Tokarev, magazine reliability was one of their utmost priorities. Russian Makarov from the Brownells Gun Library! Pistol shoots the snappy 9. In another attempt at increasing its reliability, the Makarov was built with a deeply recessed breech face to keep ejection and extraction consistent and dependable. As expected, the Russian-designed semi-auto can perform reliably year after year. Although less common than 9mm.Īlso called 9mm Short and. One of their best-selling Russian variants to be sold in the West was a. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, many Soviet weapons were commercialized, including many by Baikal. Like 9mm, the Soviet equivalent packs a decent punch but is slightly wider and a tad shorter. In addition to being unwieldy and heavy, the Russian pistol features a horrific plastic wraparound grip setup. To say the PM is lacking in ergonomics would be a major understatement. In addition to its safe blowback operation, the Russian shooter also sports an innovative and easy-to-use decocking safety switch.īesides for functioning as a standard safety lever, this feature also effectively prevents the hammer from striking the firing pin.įurthermore, the PM was designed to avoid accidental discharges, thanks to its notably heavy double-action trigger pull. If I had to compare it to another pistol, the only one that comes to mind is the Walther PPwhich is also a minimalist steel semi-auto. Although its simplistic steel design increases its reliability and durability, it makes the pistol significantly heavier than comparable firearms. By incorporating as few components as possible and sticking with highly-durable steel, the Makarov pistol is actually a pretty solid handgun.įurthermore, because they wanted to create an effective sidearm that was both concealable and compact, the PM uses a unique caliber, but more on that later. Ytd pay stub calculatorĪlthough most American shooters will never shoot one of these guys, I still felt it was important to acknowledge a gun with this much history. In fact, the PM has been a military-issued firearm on over 3 dozen countries and is still employed in several former Eastern Bloc countries. Rather, it was meant to serve a trustworthy sidearm, which it still does to this day.