From: cjp@megatek.com (Chris "Systems Stud" Pikus)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Makarov (sp?) pistols?
Date: 12 Jan 93 22:18:15 GMT
Organization: Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California


 weed@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov (daniel weed 283-4162) writes:
# 
# 
# Does anyone have experience with this gun?
# 
# I was at a gun show this weekend, and looked at a Makarov (sp?) 380 double 
# action pistol which appeared to be a clone of the Walther PPK.  It was 2-tone, 
# with a blued slide and a shiny (stainless?) frame.  The decocker lever on 
# the slide was very stiff.  The price was only about $150.00.  At this price, 
# I almost bought it.  But I thought I'd ask for any net wisdom on this gun.  
# The gun rags seem to review these eastern block guns favorably (at least being 
# good for the price).  I think there is a similar Hungarian PPK clone also
# available for under $200.
# 
# Anyone have any experience with these?
# 
# 
# Thanks
# 
# -- Dan
# 
# 
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Daniel Weed                                       weed@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov
# McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Co. - Houston
#               "My comments are my own, not my employer's"
# 
# 

	Last summer, Soldier of Fortune reviewed the East German one and was
quite positive about it. Claimed that the East Germans make the best of the
communist munitions and that these are from the fire sale the now-defunct
E.German Secret Police (Stasi) were having to sell off their intruments of 
oppression to raise money.

	SOF said it was a relative bargain "you could own eight of these
for the cost of a W.German made PP) and that "you can own a whole page of
history for the price of a footnote".

	 Needless to say I bought one for my brother as a wedding gift; it
caused a family scandal with his in-laws.

	The Makarov was introduced sometime after WWII as a small sidearm.
You are correct in that it was sort of a clone of the PPK. (Although with
several internal modifications to make it simpler/cheaper to manufacture.
It is a straight blowback semi-auto. The safety is on the slide and operates
backwards from that of the PPK. [i.e. down for fire, up for safe] The safety
drops the hammer, blocks the sear and firing pin.

	The safety is kind of stiff, but with use it should free up. The
trigger pull is sort of heavy, but this is a defense gun, not a target pistol.

	The gun originally came in 9mm Makarov (9x18mm) but American importers
often rechamber them to use .380auto (9x17mm) for which it is much easier to
find ammunition. Ammo for 9x18mm is becomming more common and thus I would pre-
fer the original chambering.

	I've seen three variants of them, depending upon which country they
came from:

	1. East Germany - imported by Century Arms Inc., about 25 - 30 years
		old used by the Stasi, excellent condition except for a bit of
		holster wear around the bluing at the muzzle. (about $140
		dealer price)

	2. Hungary - imported by FEG inc., also good to excellent  condition.
		(about $140/150 dealer price)

	3. China - new manufacture by Norinco, Called "Type 59", always .380
		auto. Even more horrible in workmanship than their SKS's. Ab-
		solutely AWFUL trigger pull; even compared to the above two. 
		(About $100 dealer price)

	The way to tell them apart is to look at the frame for the importers
mark. According to GCA'68, every gun importer must stamp name and address
(usually city/state) on the frame. The East German one is stamped "CAI StAlb.T"
for Century Arms St. Albans Vermont. The Hungarian one has "FEG xxxx" somewhere
on it, and the Chineese one has "Norinco, ChinaSports inc. Ont.CA" (that's
Ontario, California) proudly stamped on the side.

	I highly reccommend the East German one, and several persons will
probably also reccommend the Hungarian one. I would stay far away from the
Norinco, it's not worth the $50 savings. If you saw it at a show for $150,
it was probably the Chineese one, it's far too close to dealer price to be
one of the European ones.

	ObGunRipoffs:
	Recently I saw an E.German one at a gun show. The guy wanted
$295 for it. He then reluctantly said that he might be able to let it
go for $250. I was really tempted to let him know in front of his cus-
tomers that I KNEW where he got it from, that he got it for $140, and that
even an 80% markup is excessive. But, since my brother already has one,
I did not want it that badly.

	 Sheesh, the horribly inflated gun prices in California. Must
be that captive market.


-- 
Christopher J. Pikus,        | "Forgive me for not knowing about El Salvador. 
Megatek Corp., San Diego, CA | Like it's not like I'm ever going to go to Spain
INTERNET: cjp@megatek.com    | or anything."	  -- "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"