ltwguns.com

The 9mm Makarov and .380 are practically identical, ballistically speaking. Makarov ammo uses a .364 bullet though where .380 ‘s are .355. The Makarov case is nominally 1mm longer ("9X18") but cartridge overall length is within a few thousands of the same.

Top, a lightly customized CZ82 in 9mm Makarov. Tungsten DLC over nickel boron plating by WMD, custom ash grips from Hungary. Big for its caliber but still worth considering perhaps, for its ease of shooting and remarkable accuracy. Reliability is 100% and the fact that it holds 13 doesn’t hurt. These can also be had in .380. When I say remarkable accuracy, I really mean it. The first one of these I looked at, I thought someone had polished the rifling right out of the barrel, but it is a true polygon bore, “out of round” in a hexagonal configuration, with a 1 in 18 or so twist. Oreo-sized groups at 25Y would not be too much of a stretch and keeping them all on a slice of Velveeta pretty standard. Hmm, must be snack time. I keep hearing about how hard it is to get .380 ammo, 9mm Mak is plentiful and reasonably priced in Russian-made ball, and self-defense ammo is made by several manufacturers including CorBon and Hornady.

Second, East German Makarov pistol… the original design where the pistol was actually designed by Makarov. The German made ones were, not surprisingly, the best or among the best.

Third, a Rohrbaugh .380. I didn’t even know they made this in .380 until the customer sent this one. Some VZ FRAG grips and FRAG on front and backstraps; a little additional dehorning of the slide with some serrating at the rear; tritium sights. The slide is stainless, treated with Ion Bond's Tungsten DLC. These things are very simple and well-made; a gentleman’s gun for sure.

Finally, a Ruger LCP for comparison. Nothing very elegant about it but it is very small and reliable. Certainly fills a niche.


More details on the Rohrbaugh. A little blotchiness due to not having got all the lube off and out of the FRAG pattern.

Ned:

Neat looking guns !

I have an East German Mak, and agree with your observations. Mine just needs better sights. I might not replace any of my small carry 9mms with it, but would not feel under-gunned with one. Very reliable and well made.

_________________
No good deed goes unpunished.

I also had an East German Makarov, and it was very very nicely made. I was having trouble finding ammo for it, and sold it. Now there seems to be more ammunition, and would love to have it back.

Richard

Ned has a long history with the Mak.

Back in the days of Second Chance, he built a 9mm Mak 9-pin gun/practice gun.

When the chinese first started exporting guns & ammo, you could buy an SKS for $79, and an ammo crate with two 1200 round tin cans in it for the same $79.

9mm Mak ammo cam 1600 to the crate, for something stupid cheap, like $69.

It was literally cheaper to buy a Mak and ammo, and practice with that, than to reload 9mm, even with cast bullets.

Ned, did you ever build a 1911 to work with 9mm Mak?

9 Mak 1911? No, was gonna do one in .380 one time for Steel Challenge but it was not SC legal.

I did sleeve a Browning HiPower barrel to 9mm Mak once but my BHP moved away before I could try it very much. Worked but needed fine tuning recoil-spring-wise.

I've got a BHP around here you could continue that experiment with.....

If that barrel is here I'll send it over, I'll have a look tomorrow.

That's a sick little Rohrbaugh!

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I will never forget you Lou......February 21, 2009

John Ralston
5 SHOT LEATHER, LLC - Finely Crafted Custom Handgun Leather

http://www.5ShotLeather.com

I'm working on an article that involves this CZ, and really liking the little devil. Found a place, Falco, from the CZ's homeland (Slovakia now) offering leather so thought it appropriate and ordered a few pieces-- decent stuff it is.



I was mistaken about CorBon, they are no longer loading the 9mm Mak, but Hornady is loading it two different ways and several others are too.

Ned, on the Makarov over the years and one of my wife's and my was to consign an estate for a widow who is in assisted living. The firearms paid for all of the extras. Still working on the C&R stuff. Well, the fellow had about 100 Makarov's. It took us about pushing 3 years but this is one he built for himself and I kept. I am certain and was told by the son it is a parts gun built with "Stasi" part, whatever that is.

The barrel is a bit longer, NOT threaded. I know it is a very accurate and reliable piece. I keep it in the car. Still have a magazine of the Glaser Powerball as primary mag. I was told by the son his dad said the barrel was one used for the target versions. Got me if it that is accurate as I am NOT a "Mak Ologist" in any way, shape, form, or manner.

I put it out at a few gun shows for comments. Usually have some mildly excessive price on it, but the folks who are self anointed "experts" and play every "low ball" routine imaginable are well worth the comic relief.

Here are four pictures of it.

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx

Well if it's East German is was used by or intended for Stasi.... kind of the East German cold-war Gestapo.

I never saw anything about a target version but that doesn't mean there wasn't one. You won't win at Camp Perry with Pow'r Ball either way , I find that of all the many Mak loadings I recently tested for an article, it grouped the least-well. Hornady is loading some good hollow-points for the Mak though. CorBon and Federal were both loading it but have dropped it. PPU is also loading HP's but I'd stick with the Hornady.

The article I wrote for SWAT Magazine about these guns is now out, the November issue.