I just found this forum today while searching for some other gun info. I bought my Mak about 5 years ago for maybe $100 and figured it was probably a throw away at best but I've been surprised by what I'm reading on here.
Mine is stamped on the left side FD7437, 65, has a small r w/3 dots to the right. On the slide above and on the frame it has a diamond shape with a circle within. Also on the frame it looks like it has K100 stamped on it.
On the right side it is marked: Makarov mod. M9x18mm, Ernst Thaelmann, Germany, G P Trad St. Alb, Vt.
The gun looks to have hardly been used at all except for the light wearing on the safety (redish color). For what I've seen for sale that are rated as very good I'd have to say mine is excellent.
I've taken pics and will attempt to attach. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
You have an East German Makarov made in the Suhl factory as indicated by the diamond with a circle in the center. Definitely not a "Throwaway" gun. Maks are accurate, slim and Lightweight for concealed carry, and the Double action makes em nice for carrying with a round under the hammer. They have increased in value since you bought it...
Rich
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65, has a small r w/3 dots to the right...................................... Also on the frame it looks like it has K100 stamped on it.
Thr R is a stamp with dots all the way around it. Only 3 are visable. The other dots didn't show up because it was only lightly stamped. My 1961 Mak has a Y with dots around it. Supposedly Y means "training" but that isn't known for sure. I have no idea what the R is for.
K100 is on mine also. Dunno what that means. Surely some of these markings are rearsenal marks. If yours was made in 1965 and mine in 1961 then they were rearsenaled at lrast once.
K100 is an EG inspection stamp. There has been a lot of discussion over the years as to the meaning of the letter with the dots around it. The most credible theory is that these are inspection marks also.
1965 was the last year of East german Makarov production. The grip is from a later commercial model produced in post-unification Germany, called the Simson-Suhl model.
This is definitely NOT a throw-away gun. East German Makarovs are going for about $350 these days..
K100 is an EG inspection stamp. There has been a lot of discussion over the years as to the meaning of the letter with the dots around it. The most credible theory is that these are inspection marks also.
If a gun is being inspected then many will re rearsenaled/reworked/repaired. My 1961 EG Mak shows different levels of wear in different areas telling me it has has parts replaced. After a gun is reworked it is stamped. Most all Surplus Euro guns have these rearsenal stamps, I have four different Euro pistols and rifles, some were police and some were military, all four have these type stamps. I don't think both K100 and R are rearsenal/inspection marks. They are there for different reasons. One could be a storage mark for instance showing that the gun was part of a large government storage warehouse. There are two letters, R and Y, stamped on EG Maks with a circle of dots around them. Whatever these letters mean I dont know but they were probably stamped at the same geographic location in East Germany. Makarov.com FAQ says the Y may mean "training". The R may mean for use in frontline police service. I am surmizing abit here.
The EG Makarovs were all made and serviced at the Ernst Thaelmann facility in Suhl.
This does not discount the idea that there amy have been some field servicing done elsewhere.
The bit about the "Y" meaning training is not proven. In fact, it is in dispute.
The K100 is definitely some kind of original factory inspection or proof mark since it is on all of the EGs.
The letter on the side with a circle of dots is thought to be some kind of later servicing mark. Dieter Marschall mentions it in his book, but is not clear as to the meaning.
The bit about the "Y" meaning training is not proven. In fact, it is in dispute.
The letter on the side with a circle of dots is thought to be some kind of later servicing mark. Dieter Marschall mentions it in his book, but is not clear as to the meaning.
There are only two letters that get the dots around them: R and Y. So they must mean: either-or, here-there, good-bad, pass-fail, training-active duty. Dieter Marshal's book sounds weak on the research if he can't explain that because Maks don't have that many marks
I think that the East German Makarov are the best of the Makarovs.They were the best fit and finished and had different grips, the grip had two checkered pannels with no badge or stars. Both of those pictured in the previous posts have replacement grips. The original grips were removed by importers to gain "points" on the ATFE importation scale. Here is a pic of mine with the original grips.
The original grips were removed by importers to gain "points" on the ATFE importation scale. Here is a pic of mine with the original grips.
Zen900 replies:
One Mak I bought had the worst looking grips I had ever seen. They have a C on them. I heard the importer (Century)put those crappy grips on it. I replaced them with the Pearce grip. They are fatter but feel nice and look good.
You can buy these at Cole distrbuting for $325.00 there in excellent condition.
Sure wish I had one.
Are these pretty small ? Are they as small as a CZ 82 ? Is the grips the same size as the CZ 82 ?
Thanks A.H
Edit...I found a site that has new grips and rubber grips for these.
