Makarov PM pistol: an inexpensive CCW treasure

[Red]

I know there is a lot of experience on the forum on all things gun related, but I am bored and thought I would share my thoughts on the Makarov PM. Die hard "buy American" will scoff at the thought of having a non hand lapped, Detroit forged, get one spec of sand in the action and your $2.5k sub moa pistol is a jammomatic but a true pragmatist will appreciate a finely engineered firearm for what it is and not where it came from. Not trying to offend anyone, to each his own on how he spends his hard earned money.
For those lowly gun enthusiasts who have to try to maintain a household and feed our firearm hobbies, the Makarov PM might be something a lot of folks take for granted. I know I did at one point. I remember throwing these in a "confiscated" weapons connex while serving overseas, thinking "just another piece of cold war commie junk"
I have since totally changed my mind thru extensive personal testing and experience. A commercial Russian version with adjustable TGT sights can still be picked up in the $200 range if you look around. Bulgarians which IMO are better made can be picked up in the low $300 range after shipping and transfer. Germany made PM's are getting harder to find and going up in price but should be anywhere from $400-500 max. Germany PMs are well machined and feel like you are racking glass. Russian military versions are collectors pieces and fetch a premium. Usually 1k and up believe it or not. Chinese ones also fetch a premium for collectors but are still not made as nice as the Germany made examples.
So for shooters on a budget, a $300 dollar gun frees you up to buy ammo in bulk online. I usually get a case to my door for about $160 shipped. Now your talking several long range days to get to know your gun and get to shoot better. It has been said that the difference between you and the best shooters in the world is thousands of practice rounds.....
Mak PM sights are small and take getting used to, no doubt about it. Hi VIZ paint on the front sight post does help a lot I have noticed. DA/SA employment is what you are getting out of it so if that is a show stopper for you then don't bother reading on. It also has a heel magazine release which turns off a lot of folks but lets face it. So many people train on rapid mag changes while wearing tacticool gear that they wont be using while carrying the gun in real world scenarios. It does have a nice thick slide release that is easily manipulated if that is how you are trained, and locks open on the last round. Decocking is also a safety however if you carry "hot" with safety off relying on the first heavy DA pull as your main safety keep in mine that there is no firing pin spring which some people will claim to set off a primer if dropped. That is not the hammer hitting the firing pin then the firing pin hitting the hammer, its just the loose firing pin floating around that "may" detonate the primer. The hammer has certain safety mechanisms in place to ensure the hammer does not ride all the way forward unless the trigger is engaged. Take it for what its worth. If you think a free floating firing pin may detonate your primer, chamber the same 556 round in your AR a few times then take a look at the back.
A variety of holsters exist specific to the PM but I have found the cheapest ones work best for me. The little pistol is stupid reliable which IMO almost trumps all. Here is an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAEbbhRJNYw
I tried a bit of my own testing in this beautiful Florida sand and have achieved similar results. This thing eats anything fed to her and keep chugging. Before the debate of "SD man stopper" calibers begin. 8rds or either ball or JHP in the chest is gonna ruin someones day, so yes I am a shot placement guy. With the caveat of training to be able to make those shots comfortably, quickly and with clear judgment.
The PM has I think 27 parts? something in the high 20's. For a 1950's design that is very impressive and lends to less potential breakage.
I can go on and on about the good and some of the bad on this little treasure, but I feel every upstanding American Citizen, regardless of income range has the right to protect themselves, their families and their valuables and this is a very reliable, fairly inexpensive choice to do just that. Again I am bored and just letting my thoughts get onto forums. If you read this far, I am giving you a virtual high five and hoping you contribute your thoughts on the matter. God bless

 

[donr101395]

My EDC is a Wilson Combat CQB and it runs dirty as hell, but I've also been known to carry my CZ82. Nothing wrong with a Makorav.

 

[Red]

been looking to pick up a CZ82 someday if I find the right one. I had read that they are not dropsafe. I cant imagine that they let the hammer ride the pin like that, the PM doesnt but I never messed with one in persone so I dont know. I also want to pick up a CZ52 just for the caliber. I have a high end 1911 that I still cant believe how much I paid for but everytime I pic it up it reminds me why it costs what it does. Its a functional work of art. I am an endless malcontent, so I think I am going to send her in to get some custom work done which at that point will make it a 1911 that I will never get rid of.

 

[donr101395]

been looking to pick up a CZ82 someday if I find the right one. I had read that they are not dropsafe. I cant imagine that they let the hammer ride the pin like that, the PM doesnt but I never messed with one in persone so I dont know. I also want to pick up a CZ52 just for the caliber. I have a high end 1911 that I still cant believe how much I paid for but everytime I pic it up it reminds me why it costs what it does. Its a functional work of art. I am an endless malcontent, so I think I am going to send her in to get some custom work done which at that point will make it a 1911 that I will never get rid of.

Nope, they aren't drop safe, just like many of the guns of that period. Great shooters and conceal well though.

 

[MAXman]

One of my top three favorite pistols.
If I'm not mistaken the Bulgarian pm passed California's drop safe test. I wouldn't hesitate to carry one again

 

[Jeb21]

My cold war treasure is a Manurhin PP in 7.62 made in 1957. The bluing is in so so condition and portion of the slide is ground down to remove the "property of . . . . ." marks that the gun originally had on it (I am guessing it was issued to a German police force but I have no proof). Like the Mak, the PP sights are very small but it conceals well and has an amazing trigger pull, in both DA and SA. No hammer bite and I can fire 9 accurate rounds out of this weapon almost as fast as I can with a .22. The only real down side to this weapon is that 32 acp is not cheap to shoot. I had John Jogan make a kydex IWB holster for it and put some rosewood Altamont grips on it and it has been part of my carry rotation for a few years now. In fact, I carried it today as the wife and I ran some errands with the wife.

Handguns from that 1930 to 1960's era are no joke and can give the polymer guns a run for their money in terms of practical utility.
I need a Mak at some point.

Thanks for starting this thread.

 

[wildrider666]

I had a Russial Mak in .380 back when .380 was cheaper then 9mm. I would give the fit and finish a 7 out of 10 and was actually impressed with it for what it was. I hardly ever cleaned it, just a drop or two of oil on the rails. It would look like the inside of a chimney, flake off carbon and keep going! I found it 100% reliable with ball ammo, never tried anything else. Cheap ammo: 5 inch group @ 25 yards all day long with its fixed barrel. Good enough! Its not really a small gun compaired to todays abundant CC .380 market offerings but its size does contribute to its shootability.

My daughter shot it well and took it as her house gun. She got her CWP, upgraded to a G27 and gave it back. I didn't have a need for it and sold it. Its not a gun I miss, but it served well.

The only problem I had was a broken safety which then over traveled. I have read of this problem several times.

 

[Red]

Yeah with all the improvements in today's modern CCW options the PM starts to show its age, but for half the price of a Glock it more than gets the job done. The Russian commercial version I found is probably the roughest of all the ones I have seen. They seem to be produced in a rush without regard for smoothing out the machining marks and such. They are rough but like you said, they are very reliable. I did a mini "torture" test and though it severely affected the smoothness of the trigger and just made you cringe at the sounds of sand scraping against stuff, I just could not get the little gun to stop working. CCW choices are awesome conversations cause each person is built differently and with different tastes and though processes as to what they may run into. I have met folks that say a .25 is good enough to ward off an attack, and those that say no less that a .45 to stop a threat. I don't into much of a caliber debate so much as shot placement and proper training standpoint. For me the 380 or 9x18 is probably as small as I would feel comfortable going with. Depending on weather and clothing I would be wearing would dictate which pistol I would carry that day. If it is cold, nothing makes me feel warmer than having 18rds at my disposal God forbid I need it. If it is hot, 6 shots of good 380 hopefully would be enough to defend and exfil me from a bad situation until the good guys get there. As much as I personally like the Mak for its reliability, simplicity and how it just fits me perfectly even in summer dress, I feel it is important that every citizen that plans on carrying concealed trains enough with their intended sidearm to develop confidence and abilities. No point in saving yourself if you spray a kindergarten behind the threat.

 

[snowbound]

Love my IJ 70 AH. My back-up carry. Not as sleek as the single stack PM. My three magazines worth more than what I originally paid for the Mak in '96.

 

[76251]

Here's a good read on the cz82 as to whether it is or is not drop safe. And is drop safe defined with this type/design of pistol as to cocked, cocked and locked or with hammer lowered with round in chamber? There is a hammer block(w/in trigger mech, not like mak, beretta 92 etc) so hammer will not move foward unless trigger is pulled with hammer down. But there is no firing pin safety so if pistol was dropped on hammer, as OP in article linked, there is nothing keeping slide from recoiling back from inertia and slide/firing pin contacting the at rest hammer.
This pistol is probably drop safe if pistol landed direct on muzzle with hammer down but if dropped muzzle first and lands just right on front sight or above or below barrel on slide it would have same effect as if landing straight back on lowered hammer or straight back on rear of pistol causing slide to recoil with enough force to ignite primer.
But if pistol was carried C&L something would have to break in trigger mechanism for it to discharge.

Also cz has firing pin spring whereas mak has floating pin.


http://forums.gunboards.com/showthr...NOT-drop-safe#/topics/676665?page=5&_k=wmzvc3

 

[Monad]

I have a satin BWEST IMEZ Russian made .380 civillian version w the adjustable sights. It's a sweet shooter, carries more than the tiny .380 options.. I always think, for the size, I should be carrying 9mm or 40 but then the James Bond music starts playing in my head, so I grab the Mak and get down the road.

 

[Red]

Resurrecting and old thread but, yep the little Mak with is 27parts has sold me. My Russian one broke the safety lever somehow, no big deal as it still worked till I got a new one. The Maks that really impress me are the East German ones. Machining and bluing are on par and surpasses some of the modern all steel offerings. The German feels like it rides on greased up bearings. I believe if some company like Colt or Springfield were selling these under their names it would cost twice as much and I feel it still out pace some of their guns.