Makarovs, 9x18 is not Luger?

[TexasGuy]

They are sold with description that they are made for 9x18 caliber. The luger is 9x19, can regular 9mm from walmart be used in the gun?

[Teakwood]

Absolutely not. The 9x18 is actually 9.2 mm in diameter and it is shorter than the 9x19, as well as less powerful. Attempting to shoot 9 mm Luger ammo in a Makarov is potentially detrimental to the pistol as well as yourself.
http://www.makarov.com/makfaq.html

[grecco]

Originally posted by TexasGuy
They are sold with description that they are made for 9x18 caliber. The luger is 9x19, can regular 9mm from walmart be used in the gun?


NO!
besides the lenght difference 9x18 mak v.s.9x19 for the luger,
the 9x18 has a different size projectile,
the 9x18 actually has a larger diameter.

so you would be shooting a larger cased shell and a smaller diameter bullet, if it actually chambers in the pistol.
not a very good idea.

[TexasGuy]

Are there true luger 9mm Makarovs?

How much more one pays for 9x18 ammo vs more common 9x19 ???

Thanks.

[grecco]

Originally posted by TexasGuy
Are there true 9mm Makarovs?

How much more one pays for 9x18 ammo vs more common 9x19 ???

Thanks.

your best bet would be to go to a gun show,
'usually mil surplus or russian imports like wolf brand are very reasonable.

[MPG1737]

Originally posted by TexasGuy
Are there true 9mm Makarovs?

How much more one pays for 9x18 ammo vs more common 9x19 ???

Thanks.

There are no 9x19 Makarovs that I am aware of. As stated above,be sure to use 9x18. The two calibers are worlds apart.

[M2 Carbine]

Originally posted by TexasGuy
They are sold with description that they are made for 9x18 caliber. The luger is 9x19, can regular 9mm from walmart be used in the gun?

As said above, no you can't.

A couple random facts.

The 9x19 fired cases can be trimmed back to 18mm long and reloaded for the Mak. That's what I used before reloadable brass 9x18 ammo was available.

The 9x19 will chamber and fire in the 9x18 Makarov.
It's too long to be loaded in the Makarov magazine.
Fed one at a time by hand, into the chamber, it will fire even though the slide is 1mm short of going full forward.
Since the 9x19 bullet is .355 and the 9x18 bullet is .364 there is a lot of blow by past the .355 diameter bullet, which prevents what could be a dangerously high pressure.
As the saying goes, "Kids, don't try this at home."

9 380 rounds can, in most cases, be loaded into the 9x18 magazine when loaded for a 380 Makarov.

Makarovs are manufactured by the same people that make the potato chips that give you an uncontrollable urge to have more than one.;)

[TexasGuy]

Damn, thought that was a good cheap buy (Makarov) to have some semi-auto to shoot 9mm (luger).

[ericXD9]

Originally posted by TexasGuy
Damn, thought that was a good cheap buy (Makarov) to have some semi-auto to shoot 9mm (luger).

It actually is a great cheap semi-auto. Most 9x18 ammo can be found as cheap or cheaper than 9x19. I buy it by the case (1000) at gun shows for about $95 - $100. Availability and price of the 9x18 should not scare you away from a Mak.

[Top Gun Supply]

There are many sources for 9x18 Makarov ammo. It can be had for $5-6 box/50 and sometimes even less than $5.00.

[TexasGuy]

Probably not around me. I'll visit Academy Sports and ask their price, usually they have even lower than walmart.

BTW, here is a cool pic of 9mm dimensions google dig up.

[IMAS]

Originally posted by TexasGuy
Probably not around me. I'll visit Academy Sports and ask their price, usually they have even lower than walmart.

BTW, here is a cool pic of 9mm dimensions google dig up.

Living in Houston I'm almost certain you will have a gun shop with cheap 9X18.

I can get it around here but I normally buy it online. I saw your budget on another thread and you could afford to buy a Makarov and probably 1000rnd. That will probably last you a while. If I was on a $250 budget I would buy a Mak and ammo and/or accessories. I feel the Makarov is better than just about any gun under $450. And better than most that cost more than that.

[grimjaw]

I haven't found 9x18 as cheap as 9x19, but that's not to say it's expensive. I got 1000 rounds of Fiocchi FMJ 95 grain for $144 shipped. It's good stuff, reloadable if you're into that. I'm almost 500 rounds through it with no problems. Other stuff is cheaper, but I like the Fiocchi and will probably stick with it.

jmm

[Guy Powell]

Fellow texan, I see you're in the market for a pistol under $250.00? I got an old Makarov quite sometime ago for $99.00, shot the heck out of it, and would still bet my life on it. Far quicker than my VERY high $$$ 1911's. If you'll look around on some of the internet gun dealer sights you can find Maks in great condition for under $200.00. They can't be beat for their simplicity and reliability. EXTREMELY accurate too! I really wish I could do as well with my Glocks. Although Makarovs are cheapely priced there's NOTHING cheap about the way they're made. Get one, break it down, look inside. You'll be sold.

[M2 Carbine]

TexasGuy
If there's any Houston gun shows soon you should beable to get a "like new" Bulgarian Mak for about $170 from a dealer and Brown Bear 9x18 for about $5.50 a box.

[50 Cent]

I agree with all of the above - my Bulgy Mak has moved to the top of the list of guns I take with me to the range. Currently its my "summer carry" - slim and easy enough to slip into my front shorts pocket or carry IWB.

The accuracy and ease of shooting this pistol continues to amaze me. Even though it only cost me about $ 200, when stripping it (another easy task) its obvious that its a stout little pistol - all steel rugged construction (unlike my POS Bersa Thunder .380 the Mak replaces, the Bersa self-destructing after 200 rds).

As to ammo, I can either get Wolf around here (I'm in the Houston area too) or Blazer, good stuff to plink with and comparable in price to Walmart 9mm. Can also get hi-grade Hornady self defense stuff as well.

But I just got some Silver Bear ammo - about 300 rounds I'll run through the Mak this weekend. If it feeds well, based on what I've read (and the photo's of expanded rounds) it looks like a great summer round.

But its still cheap - even throwing in shipping an online purchase worked out to about $7/50 rounds. As a bonus -its delivered right to my door ;f

[Guy Powell]

50cent, you mentioned a Bersa 380 and that you'd had problems with it. Would you mind some specifics please? I've got an almost new Colt 380 that I'd figured on my wife useing for a CCW but it's too small for her. She likes the feel of a Bersa, but I certainly don't want a POS. Any enlightments that you can give may save me a couple hundred $$$. Thank you.

[50 Cent]

Well Guy I had put a variety of .380 ammo thru my Bersa then one day at the range the trigger basically broke - grin. Pulling the trigger with the safety off and a round in the chamber and the hammer didn't move.

Had REAL trouble racking the slide getting the round off and then tried the trigger again. Hammer did drop. Wouldn't fire in double action - tigger just moves back and forth with no movement to the hammer.

I figure its probably a simple fix to the trigger mechanism that any gunsmith could fix, but whats the point. If it failed once - it could fail again. Or something else could go wrong. So instead of spending the money to get it fixed, got the Mak and have put 200 problem free rounds thru it - will put another 300 Silver Bear rounds thru it tommorrow.

I want a carry gun that always goes BANG when the trigger is pulled like my revolvers, Glock 19 and (so far) the Mak. I'm still putting rounds thru it and gaining more confidence with it as a carry piece.
Every range session I like it even more.

[NoGo]

Two fairly usless points-

- I've read about a Mak adapted or otherwise designed to shoot 9x19. Because of the blowback design, it had serrations (My words, can't recall the exact description) in the chamber to grip the case and somehow help whatever cycling or ejection problems that were created by loading a fairly hot round (For a simple blowback action). Recoil was apparently stout.

- What happened to the $129 (Or cheaper..) Maks? SOG, AIM, Century?

[Teakwood]

NoGo

1) If you read the source material regarding the experiment in a 9x19 Mak, then you should have also sen that the project was abandoned as impractical.
2) As to what happened to the $129 Maks, they were sold. The river has temporarily dried up and the price went up, probably due to Mr Bush's war.

[Guy Powell]

Thanks 50cent. I'd found a new Bersa locally for $190.00, and while it pointed nice I could tell it lacked the quality of a Makarov. As always, I truly appreciate the honest feedback. My little Colt 380 had some malfunctions with CCI ammo, which I hate, but that's beside the point. With what Colts cost it SHOULD have functioned! I've corrected the problem but.....that terrible sound/feeling will always be in the back of my mind...click, click.