A few days ago the Bubbleheadgunnut wrote a short review of the commie Makarov pistol, which I can recommend (the review, not so much the pistol) if you’re into such things. I bookmarked it for further attention, because I’ve got a Mak that has always given me mixed feelings.
There are many (many many) like it, but this one is mine.
Ian got me a great deal on this pistol when I still had my townie job and wanted something smaller than my 1911 that I could wear in the shop, and that I absolutely was not afraid to get all scratched up. The little Mak fit the bill perfectly.
When I learned what a solid and reliable carry gun it is, I expected to fall in love – or at least in like. I don’t really know anything about 9X19 (or 9X18, for those who insist that I sound like I know what I’m talking about) ballistics, I’ve heard it’s a little hotter than .380 but I normally sneer at anything smaller than .45 ACP because I’m a guy and that’s how I roll. It’s heavy for its size but that makes recoil hardly a factor – which it definitely is in my Hungarian PA-63 in the same caliber. The sights suck and the trigger sucks worse but both are far better than the PA-63. In fact except for the fact that the PA-63 is slimmer and lighter, the Mak is a superior pistol in every way I can think of. It’s utterly reliable, very inexpensive or was six years ago, shoots a round that isn’t completely contemptible, and is surprisingly accurate for what it is. I have no rational reason to dislike the Mak as much as I do. But when I want to really conceal a pistol, I carry the PA-63 and the Mak stays in the drawer.
Why? This guy.
Yes, I know that’s not a Makarov. But that’s the image the Mak has for me, that it’s a pistol designed for shooting uppity proles in the head. Don’t write to correct me, I’m perfectly aware that it isn’t … completely … true.
But when I was growing up, this was the uber-badguy.
That’s right. I’m bad.
And I think that’s even a still from some movie, which shows you how completely emotional and irrational I am about the Mak. To me, it says “Soviet Oppressor” in a way that AKs never have. I hate it because I grew up hating them. Ich bin ein uppity prole.
And that’s why you should never pay attention to any gun review written by Uncle Joel.
Even though that’s the image you have concerning the Mak…consider how much Karma there is in using a Mak against those Fe….err…Oba…..errr……AT……errr…..uhm generalized oppressors.
I didn’t say I plan to get rid of it. 🙂
Ahem….9×18. 9×19 = 9mm luger/parabellum etc.
I knew that. I was testing your, um, attention to detail. Yeah. That’s it.
I think they used more of the Nagant revolver in the head shooting days of the revolution. At katyn forest they used captured German guns to make it look like the Germans shot the Poles. It is stil a communist gun, made to work, never to e attractive.
I never got to shoot a Mak, and when I got to see one in the flesh (In Africa) I was surprised how big it was – how small toks are in comparison, and how dumb I was mistaking a folding stock VZ58 at 20 yards (it wasn’t pointed at me) for a classy AK…
I’ve read people who compared a Makarov to a Walther PP (which I have fired), the Mak looks much bigger.
Not a Makarov owner, but do own a Polish P-64 which is somewhat similar (small 9×19). I like to SHOOT the all steel pistol, the recoil in aluminum frames like the P-63 is pretty snappy. But to CARRY, the lightweight models are more comfortable.