Makarov Ammo

[GoodAim]

Ok I am wondering what kinda ammo is out there for this thing. 9x18 Mak. In my PA-63. I want a expanding round. Something good for defense not target practice.

[toolman]

About the only hollow point ammo out there is either Silver Bear or Hornady. Cor-Bon makes some but it's hard to find. Cheaper Than Dirt sells self-defense rounds but they are expensive. Cheaper Than Dirt - America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter

[GoodAim]

Thanks Toolman. Oh I also senbt you a email about grips for a PA-63. Let me know what you can do. Thanks again.

Oh I just found the Silver Bear on JGsales.com for 8.95 vs. 10.33 at Cheaperthandirt.com Thanks again for the link though.

Well I yet again found it even cheaper at AIMsurplus.com 7.50 per 50 rnds of Silver Bear. Sounds pretty good to me!

[rondog]

How do you like the PA-63? I have one ordered, should be here Monday or Tuesday. It's a used one from Aim Surplus, I bought one because the price was appealing and it sounded like a good pistol for plinking or backup.

[toolman]

rondog, welcome to G&G! You'll love the PA-63. They have the wierd backwards safety used on most european guns but it's not bad once you get used to it. Most guys complain about the double-action trigger pull being too heavy but Wolff makes replacement springs to help with this. I've been building custom grips for them for over a year and usually stay about 2-3 months behind on orders, so that should give you an idea of how popular these guns are.

[ArkansasHunter]

GoodAim Winchester and Federal both sell 9 X 18 Mak ammo too.

Howdy rondog WELCOME to GUN and GAME feller !!! THANK YOU for joining !

[GoodAim]

Welcome Rondog I like it so far. I really haven't been able to go out and do some shooting with it yet though. I want to see how accurate it is. I hear it is pretty accurate though. I ordered the Wolff springs that Toolman was talking about just a couple days ago. For info go to Wolff Gunsprings Manufactures springs for modern and vintage firearms, guns, hammer, pistols, handguns, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, semiautomatic, accessories, weapons, law enforcement, hunting, shooting, recoil, colt, mainsprings, magazines, IPSC They have the hammer springs which lighten the trigger pull and some stiffer recoil springs that will help with the recoil. I hear that it has a pretty good kick to it. I think it has alot to do with the weight. I wieghed mine in at 1.82 lbs. with a full magazine of Wolf 94 gr. FMJ in it. So pretty light gun. I think that it should be comparable to the Bersa Thunder .380 Duotone.

[rondog]

Thanks guys! I also have a Bersa Thunder .380, shot it for the first time today, and I think I've gotta have a talk with it. It wants to shoot consistently to the left. I tried adjusting the rear blade, then spent 1/2 hour on my knees looking for the screw.

I also have an RIA GI model .45 with the CTC Laser Grips on it, and that's a lot of fun! Nothing like putting the dot on the bullseye, and seeing a hole magically appear there! Guy from the next lane had to come over and tell me how impressed he was, he saw the dot on the bull and BOOM!, there's a hole.

[GoodAim]

So you have not shot it with the sight adjusted yet? I am sure that may cure it. I normally just correct for that kinda thing by just aiming a little to the right LOL.

[DrBoomBoom]

I use "Kentucky windage" an a couple of my firearms too

For the PA-63, I had a little problem with Silver Bear HPs. One live round got stuck in the cylinder. After checking, the rounds in the box were not uniform in their diameter.

I've shot the MFS +P 95 gr. FMJ with good results. I get a little concerned about low velocity HPs in the cooler weather. I'm not sure an HP going at 950 is going to expand or penetrate that much after going through a few layers of clothing. The ball gets pretty good penetration according to box o' truth.

The Box O' Truth #26 - Little Guns vs. The Box O' Truth - Page 3

I love that little gun. I'll probably get a "proper" makarov before too long, but I may end up carrying the FEG and keeping the mak as a collector/range piece.

[GoodAim]

How was the accuracy with it? Just curious as I have yet to get out to the range with mine. I am hoping that it will prove me wrong about the small guns. I really like to have a .45ACP Glock or SA XD but I like the size of the FEG but not so big on the caliber. I figure when my CCW comes in that I may carry this one for a bit while I save for the XD or Glock.

[DrBoomBoom]

I've never tested it off a bench rest, but I can keep it in a 6" circle out to 30 ft, and I'm not a great shot. I do recommend the Wolff spring kit, and you might get a disassembly manual, I didn't and it was a b getting the safety plunger back in after changing out the firing pin spring. I think you can find one of those manuals through the mak forum.

As for CCW, I've put 250 rounds through it before changing the springs, want to put another 200 in to make sure, then I intend to carry it crossdraw for driving. It's a lot easier to carry in the hot weather than my CZ75B, my Smith 4566 or my 1911, that's for sure.

[toolman]

I forgot to mention the ammo made by one of our members, jarcp. Here's a link to his site: Home Page Reed's Ammunition & Research Home of the .22 Reed Express His ammo is loaded pretty stout, so I wouldn't recommend shooting it out of a PA-63 on a regular basis.

[GoodAim]

I have a manual for it. And if you want to see a pdf version for it then you can go to the tenesseeguns.com page here is a link to it. TG*International - P-64 Pistol Enjoy! I think I can handle changing the hammer spring and the recoil spring. I do agree that it looks really difficult to get the firing pin assm. back together. I so have only ordered the hammer springs. I got the set of them I think it comes with 9#, 11#, and 13#. What do you reccomend BoomBoom? Thanks

[Jimbo Indy]

S&B works fine in my Bulg. Mak. I'll start working up handloads as soon as I get enough commercial brass saved up. No sense in trying to load anything real hot. With a blowback action, you just batter the gun with little increase in velocity. Around 1000 FPS seems about the reasonable limit.

[GoodAim]

Well, I finally went out and shot it. It worked ok. I am not really impressed with the PA-63. I am even less impressed with the ammo. I was using Wolf Military Classic Ammo. 95gr. I got three duds in one box! I checked them and the firing pin is definatly making good contact with them. Plus the accuracy at about 15 yards was not so great. I had a hard time with it but that may be not enough practice. I plan on trying some better ammo. As far as the bite they say that thing has I didn't even notice. It worked smoothly.

[DrBoomBoom]

Hey GoodAim,

I used the 11# spring. Shoot it a bit before you make up your mind. Mine looked unfired and after the first few boxes, the pistol seemed to "set in." The R.O. at the range said often a new pistol needs a bit of firing to smooth out the barrel.

I like the gun and the 9x18 round so much that I bought a Polish Radon P 64, their military Walther "clone." I fired it a few times after cleaning the barrel, but really should give it a good cleaning and lube. I'm going to put in a new hammer spring, then make a decision on the recoil and f.p. springs. The safety's not as stiff as the one on the 63 was, it's a little smaller but all steel. The recoil felt just a little harder than the 63 with the new recoil spring. I fed it all MFS +P 95 grains.

[GoodAim]

BoomBoom I used the 9lb hammer spring it works well. I have not replaced the recoil spring or the firing pin spring yet. It seems to be just fine the way it is though. So I may not make any other changes.

[Dookiebutt]

I can't even find 9x18 here anymore.

[rondog]

Originally Posted by Dookiebutt

I can't even find 9x18 here anymore.

I bought two boxes recently from AIM Surplus, where I got my PA63 from. They were $7.50 a box, IIRC. Silver Bear hollowpoints I think they were, made in Russia(?).