Can a Russian Pistol Be Sexy?

One of my favorite little pistols is the Makarov in 9x18 Makarov. It's just got the right combination of style and function and I love how it fits my hand. It's a cold war piece that can still be had for under $350 and its eight round capacity is sufficient for most CCW needs.

I recently did a little practice with an East German Model.

It was made in 1963 and has a Pierce rubber grip. The little 9x18 Mak. round is just a little more comfortable to handle with this grip.

It's an old fashioned gun in that the magazine release is on the heal of the grip. It's got a decocker. The first round can be fired double action. If the gun is cocked their is no manual safety other than to use the decocker.

On my recent visit to the range I used stock imported 9x18 Mak ammo (at around $7.50) a box, at 25 yards using a standard two hand hold in the standing position. Accuracy was more than acceptable. The Makarov comes with a small front sight which does not aid in rapid target acquisition, however at most gun fight distances it may not be a real liability. Even if you get one just for fun, its a classic piece of firearms history, inexpensive to own and shoot.

These guns are available. A lot of information on the Makarov is on the Net. Here are a couple of places to research if you are interested.

General Information

Makarov.com