Makarov - Part 3

I WANT TO DEDICATE THIS ENTIRE MAKAROV SERIES OF ARTICLES TO MY FRIEND "JOHN DRAKE" WHO DIED SUNDAY NOV. 14, 2004 IN GALVESTON, TEXAS. I WILL MISS HIM. JOHN WENT HOME.

The Soviet made Makarov visually looks like the German Walther PP series of handguns, but I am now going to set the record straight once and for all.
Besides the removal of the slide from the frame in the same manor, and the fixed barrel design, the similarities go no further.

POINT OF FACT 1A. The Makarov does not have a loaded chamber indicator like the German Walther series.

POINT OF FACT 2B. The thumb safety on the Makarov is pushed in the "UP" position in order to initiate a safe condition, where the German Walthers thumb safety must be rotated "DOWN" in order to achieve a safe condition.

POINT OF FACT 3C. The Makarov uses a flat leaf mainspring, where the Walther pistols use a coil main spring. (main spring is also called a hammer spring)

POINT OF FACT 4D. The Russian Makarov as with all copies use a Trigger, Hammer, and Sear that have a totally different design compared to the Walther pistols.

POINT OF FACT 5E. The Makarov pistols use a different type of breech face and the extractor system is totally different and it is far more rugged and designed to withstand extreme service that is required for a military sidearm.

POINT OF FACT 6F. The ejector in the Makarov is part of the manually operated slide stop and it is designed for extreme service. The German Walther has no manually operated slide stop. In order to release the slide of the Walther that is locked back in the rear position, the magazine must be lowered or removed.

POINT OF FACT 7G. The magazine lock and release on the Makarov is located at the bottom rear of the magazine well. The German Walther has a magazine release button which is located on the left side of the frame below the slide in the upper portion of the left grip panel.

You are now starting to see we are not comparing apples to apples as there are very few similarities between these two very different designs .
The Russian military had major requirements and problems with supplying this Makarov not only to their own military, but they had to supply this Soviet pistol to all the Warsaw Pact countries everywhere.

They used stamped parts where ever possible, where as if you compare it to the German Walther they used many fully machined parts. Looking at these two very different handguns, the Makarov vs. the Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S, it is my personal opinion based on my experience and viewpoint that the Russian Makarov design is with out question far superior in every way to the Walther design.

Russian military handgun design engineers realized that the 380 acp cartridge was not adequate in stopping power for a military pistol. A 380 acp pistol in years past was a very poor man stopper using ammunition technology of years ago. They did not have the advancement of powders and bullet design to achieve a satisfactory load that would be superior in 380 acp caliber.

The Russians are no fools, they needed a pistol that was simple and something that was easy to manufacture in a direct blowback design that could be made cheaply and efficiently and they needed the most powerful cartridge they could use. The result was the 9x18mm Russian caliber. If the Russians would have made a pistol with a locked breech design in 9mm Luger (9x19mm) caliber it would have cost a great deal more money and it would have been a much more complicated design. At that point in time their resources were limited.

PLEASE NOTE: For so many of you that emailed me and requested an indepth commentary about the Makarov, I am keeping my promise. When this series is completed you will know more about the Makarov than all the "EXPERTS" . I have no agenda other than the truth. I have no intention of writing articles for monetary compensation for publications where a person with a fraction of my knowledge would be allowed to scrutinize and change my article to satisfy his or her agenda, for what ever reason. Whether it would be to justify their salary or to save money or protect advertisers. I have been down that road before and I did not like the ride, its a dead end. If you sincerely want the truth and no nonsense facts you have come to the right place.

TOMORROW - MAKAROV - PART 4 , This will be Makarov week.


AUTHORS PERSONAL NOTATION: This commentary as well as all previous commentaries are my persional opinion and viewpoint only. If you have any questions please email me and I will write down your suggestions on my list.
Thanks for coming here to my world of truth and reality, in this world of BS that is very hard to find. I am not politically correct, "IT IS WHAT IT IS"


Teddy Jacobson / Pistolsmith
www.actionsbyt.com
281 277 4008
tjacobson@houston.rr.com
www.actionsbyt.blogspot.com/