Ammo questions...

[ScottW]

I've been lurking for a short while, but since I now have a Bulgy on its way to me I figure it's time to come out of the shadows and post up!

I need to get some ammo for my Mak. What do you guys recommend for basic range ammo? Meaning, it shoots reasonably straight and is cost-effective. I've seen Brown Bear FMJ listed in both 92gr and 95gr, Wolf 109gr FMJ, and the Silver Bear 115gr JHP, and these all seem to be inexpensive at around $0.09-0.11/rd. I've also seen S&B 95gr FMJ and Norinco FMJ at around $0.13/rd (before shipping of course). I've also seen a few varieties of more expensive personal protection ammo, but I'm just looking for range ammo as of now. Looks like the Silver Bear might do well in both roles though? I've read comments from a few folks who like the Fiocchi too. I'm not going to be reloading in the near future, so brass vs steel case & Berdan vs boxer primed are not much of a consideration for me from that standpoint. Since everybody says the Maks are built like tanks, I assume it won't have any trouble feeding the cheaper steel cased ammo (?) Any pluses or minuses you guys can share with respect to these various cartridges would be much appreciated.

Also, I'm probably going to order a new recoil spring since it's cheap insurance. From what I've read, it seems the general consensus is to go with a 19#. Advice?

[Teakwood]

Over the years, the best Russian ammo has come from the LVE plant in Novasibirsk ("Brown Bear")and from Barnaul.
The Makarov was designed with 95 gr FMJ in mind.

Personally, I like the Barnaul 95 gr FMJ or JHP and the Brown Bear 92/95 gr FMJ. Most of the other ammo is too expensive or has caused me feed or fire problems.

That being said, you will now see folk zoom in here to chime the praises of Wolf 109 gr and Silver Bear 115 gr, as well as other brands.

[M2 Carbine]

I don't know of any "bad" Makarov ammo, with the exception of 120gr JHP Silver Bear, that's no longer available.

Once in a while an individual Mak doesn't like to feed the 115gr JHP Silver Bear/Brown Bear. A ramp polish sometimes helps that problem.

I've found some brand ammo is a little more accurate than other brands.
Second to my reloads, Barnaul 95 gr JHP is the most accurate and reliable I've found, but it now seems unavailable.

I've got 14 Maks and I've found that while all Maks are pretty accurate some are more accurate than others and not necessarily by brand name. So you might get an accurate one or a very accurate one.

So, IMO all brands are good regardless of cost, some are a little better (try the cheapest). You and your gun may find one you like the best.

If you do shoot ammo like S&B, ammo with re loadable brass, save the brass so you can sell it in case you run across a reloader.
Any re loadable brass case ammo is IMO too expensive for plinking.
I've got several thousand rounds and only use it on special occasions.;f

[mikedb]

Originally posted by M2 Carbine
I don't know of any "bad" Makarov ammo, with the exception of 120gr JHP Silver Bear, that's no longer available.

Once in a while an individual Mak doesn't like to feed the 115gr JHP Silver Bear/Brown Bear. A ramp polish sometimes helps that problem.

I've found some brand ammo is a little more accurate than other brands.
Second to my reloads, Barnaul 95 gr JHP is the most accurate and reliable I've found, but it now seems unavailable.

I've got 14 Maks and I've found that while all Maks are pretty accurate some are more accurate than others and not necessarily by brand name. So you might get an accurate one or a very accurate one.

So, IMO all brands are good regardless of cost, some are a little better (try the cheapest). You and your gun may find one you like the best.

If you do shoot ammo like S&B, ammo with re loadable brass, save the brass so you can sell it in case you run across a reloader.
Any re loadable brass case ammo is IMO too expensive for plinking.
I've got several thousand rounds and only use it on special occasions.;f

+1

[ericXD9]

The only ammo that ever caused my Makarov to hiccup was some of the Wolf conical-shaped stuff. Everything else has worked great - S&B, Barnaul, the "Bears" (brown & silver).

As for recoil spring, I've got a #19 in one Mak, and a #21 in the other... Can't really tell them apart (in function and recoil).

As an aside, I seriously can't tell them apart. I don't remember which gun has which spring. Any easy way to visually identify which is which?

[M2 Carbine]

The factory spring is ground flat on the ends and the Wolf spring wire is just cut off square on the ends, so it's easy to tell an original spring from a Wolf.

I gave away my 19 pound spring so I can't compare them.
You might measure the diameter of the wire.
Wolf told me the reason they can't make a 23 pound spring is because the diameter of the wire prevents the slide from recoiling back far enough. I wanted a 23 pound spring for testing hot loads.

What I did do when I cut down a 21 pound Mak spring for a P-64 was have a friend try the slides on two P-64 pistols. I had fooled with the P-64 so much I couldn't be sure the heavier spring felt like much of an improvement. My friend picked out the heavy springed P-64 every time.

[richardoldfield]

If you can locate it I liked the Chinese ammo the best but I haven't seen any for sale in a long time. Other than the Chinese I do like the Barnaul. Regards, Richard :)

[North Bender]

If you like Chinese, KY imports still sells Norinco:

http://www.kyimports.com/ammo.htm

And you can find it on auction sites. There has always been a question as to whether Chinese 9x18 is corrosive.

[ScottW]

Thanks for the input everyone. I ordered the Brown Bear 92gr, Silver Bear 115gr, and Fiocchi 95gr FMJ (will save the brass). Got a few hundred rounds of each to see what I and my Mak prefer. I'm hoping to have time to hit the range next weekend. :cool:

[SalemShooterMN]

Well, Its been 4 months your ammo should had arrived and you probably shot some if not most of it.

Tell me, how did the Silver Bear 115gr cycle in your Makarov?
I still have 995 rounds of the worthless **** left!
I just added it to my stack of
"Semi Blendado Cartachos" 9mm Spanish S&B that is worthless as well.

[ScottW]

Good thing for GT's email notification, this one had fallen off my radar!

When I first got the Mak the FMJ ammo would feed fine but Silver Bear JHP would occasionally have problems. It was mostly due to the nose of the HP catching on the edge of the feed ramp. I gently filed a little off the edge and polished it up with the Dremel. It took a couple range trips to get it right, since I was careful not to take off too much at once. Now it happily eats whatever I feed it, no problems in my last three or four range trips. I've also given a light polish to the hammer where the sear rides on it... although the DA pull is still long & heavy, it seems smoother now. Other than the above, and a Wolff 19# recoil spring, it's a plain old Circle 10 Bulgy.

If you can't stand living with the Silver Bear anymore, I'm sure somebody would take it off your hands. ;)

[SalemShooterMN]

If I remember correctly, this Silver Bear Ammo also created havic on my mags causing the spring to seize up. After this proublem with the mag, and the failier to feed properly, I just put the ammo, and 2 messed up mags aside. Now I just shoot Brounel (sp) and Wolf which I know will feed and shoot. and of course the Czech S&B ammo...

[M2 Carbine]

Originally posted by SalemShooterMN
If I remember correctly, this Silver Bear Ammo also created havic on my mags causing the spring to seize up. After this proublem with the mag, and the failier to feed properly, I just put the ammo, and 2 messed up mags aside. Now I just shoot Brounel (sp) and Wolf which I know will feed and shoot. and of course the Czech S&B ammo...

The Silver Bear 115gr ammo is OK, at least all I've tried has loaded, fed and functioned OK. (but sometimes after a feed ramp job)

The 120 grain, due to the giant, poor quality control JHP would jam in the magazines and on many Mak feed ramps.

A couple weeks ago I wanted to recheck the 700-800 rounds of 120gr SB I have left.
I grabbed 3 magazines at random and tried to load them with the 120 gr SB but it jammed up all three mags.

I just run the rounds through my reloading press and set the bullet back a little and the 120 feeds OK.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/120SBinMags.jpg