9x18 Makarov

[Grapeshot]

Anyone else own/shoot these guns. I have a Bulgarian MAK in 9x18 and have been making my brass out of 9x19Nato and 9mmPara comercial brass. It was free and I have some time on my hands.

Any how, I find that this gun THROWS BRASS into the next county and have decided to stop shooting outdoors unless shooting the Russian Steel Cases. The reloadable brass I use at the local indoor range and at least I can find 49 out of 50 pieces of brass after shooting. I find that the factory ammo is not as accurate out of my gun as my reloads using 7 grains of AA#7 and Berry's 95 Grain TMJ RN's or Hornady's 95 gr JHP's.

In either case all rounds go into a 5 inch bull at 25 feet so I know that I can keep them all in center of mass body target if I have to.

I replaced the front sight with a green fiber optic style so I can pick it up in low light conditions. I only have had to replace the fiber optic tube once after a session at the range when the green tube disappeared during a rapid fire sequence. Not to worry, I just had a ghost ring style front sight until I could get home and replace the little green tube. Now I'm ready for zombies.

[RU shooter]

I have found that a heavier recoil spring helps with the violent ejection of the brass. I dont shoot mine alot but a few of my favorite loads are 2.8 - 3 grs of Bullseye and a cast 95-100 gr cast bullet. For the full power loads I use AA#5 with a Sierra 100 gr FP

[Trey45]

I'm with you on the steel case stuff. All I shoot in my Bulgarian Mak is the steel case fire and forget steel cased stuff. I call it fire and forget because I don't have to chase the brass.

Other then that, I mostly look at this gun as a novelty, for me I don't see it as a serious contender for my CCW rotation. I really like the gun don't get me wrong, but I'd rather have 9x19 instead of 9x18 as my minimum CCW caliber.

[bob208]

i got my wife a pa63 in 9x18. she shoots the steel case stuff also. keeps it loaded with hp factory we got at a gun show. i have thought of geting one for myself to carry. but then with the ramp up of volince i will just keep carring my hi power.

[John in WI]

I don't shoot a Makarov, but my 9x18 CZ-82 really stopped throwing the brass when I added a heavier Wolff recoil spring. So far, I also haven't lost the new extractor, spring, and pin. The recoil was sharp enough to wiggle that loose a few weeks ago--and I imagine it got winged out into the grass at the range. Never did find it!

[jrayborn]

I love my CZ-82 and my P-64, both pistols are an excellent value. My problem is that the all seem to like the Lee 365-95-1R boolit but all I have is a 2-banger mold and Lee does not seem to offer a 6-Cav. Takes me forever to cast enough to keep 4 of these things fed!

Anyone have a line on a similar mold with 4-6 cavities?

[Fishman]

I love my CZ-82 and my P-64, both pistols are an excellent value. My problem is that the all seem to like the Lee 365-95-1R boolit but all I have is a 2-banger mold and Lee does not seem to offer a 6-Cav. Takes me forever to cast enough to keep 4 of these things fed!

Anyone have a line on a similar mold with 4-6 cavities?

Ranchdog is coming out with a six cavity 100 grain design in the next couple of weeks I think. I'm on the email notify list

[John in WI]

I need to start reloading for mine. So far it's mainly Silver Bears for it. It's reliable enough, but certainly not what I would call "high performance" ammo. I have never seen one of the HP's expand in water or phone books. I guess the important thing is that it feeds great and always cycles (even with the heavier spring).

[Dutchman]

Isn't there a forum rule that you can't have a thread without photos of the specific firearm?

There should be.

My East German Mak. I'm rather fond of it but have shot only East German iron core military ammo in it so far.

[jrayborn]

Here are mine, not Maks of course, but they feed the same!

[zaphod042]

I love my CZ-82, it's a sweet shooter and very accurate.

[jrayborn]

Ya, not to hi-jack the thread, but as a C&R holder the CZ-82 has to be the best handgun deal going. Inexpensive and very functional.

[zaphod042]

I don't shoot a Makarov, but my 9x18 CZ-82 really stopped throwing the brass when I added a heavier Wolff recoil spring. So far, I also haven't lost the new extractor, spring, and pin. The recoil was sharp enough to wiggle that loose a few weeks ago--and I imagine it got winged out into the grass at the range. Never did find it!

Which Wolff recoil spring did you get? The factory standard is 14.5 and the extra power is 16 and 18 pounds.

[zaphod042]

Ranchdog is coming out with a six cavity 100 grain design in the next couple of weeks I think. I'm on the email notify list

can you tell me how to get on the email notify list for this mold? My Lee 2 cav mold just takes too long.

[Fla9-40]

I have the CZ-82 as well and have the same problem slinging the brass into the next county. I also have a 7.62x25 that does this as well. I replaced the 7.62 spring, but did not help! I would like to know which spring would work well with the Mak as well as the 7.62?

[tgator]

The spring kit from Brownell's comes with a 16# and 18# spring. Try them both, then stick with the one you like. Both will allow you to keep brass near by.



Tim

[W.R.Buchanan]

Here's mine. I have never loaded for it as I have a bunch of factory Norinco ammo. Don't shoot it that much, really at all. It is my chair gun. (In the Easy Chair)

However I do have a boat load of 9 mm brass I have saved specifically for this gun. Some day I will set up the lathe and run a thousand or so cases thru it for the Mak.

I was lucky enough to get an FAC aftermarket barrel and compensator for the gun before they went out of business. While apart I smoothed out everything inside. The barrel came with instructions on how to install it ( you must completely disassemble the gun in order to install the barrel which is the first thing that goes in the frame ) and the instruction sheet also showed all of the places to polish to make the gun smoother. The trigger is actually nice now, both in SA and DA.

The standard Russian made machine requires a significant amount of break in. Ural motorcycles quote a 20,000 mile break in period! I don't believe there is a word for deburring in the Russian Dialect.

I also want a CZ82. My friend has one and I think they are one of the most underrated guns there is. Most were not fired hardly at all as the Chech police were given like 9 rounds of ammo per year. For the price I don't see how you could afford not to have one.

Anyway here's a pic of mine. And yes the compensator does work and it makes a significant difference in the way the gun shoots. The Key Ring facilitates dropping the magazine.

Randy

[Fishman]

Zaphod, here is the link:
http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/inde...roducts_id=184

At the bottom of the page is the notify me link. Ranchdog specs his molds from Lee. I haven't heard a bad word about the man or his designs and am looking forward to my first mold from him.

[Wayne Smith]

Randy, when I got my 82 it was literally unfired. There was absolutely no mark on it indicating that it had been. Since I have started using it there are some marks showing that it has been fired, so I am reasonably convinced mine was not used at all prior to my getting it.

[Fishman]

Mihec just posted some inventory molds over in the vendor sponsor area if anyone is interested in a premium 4 cavity brass mold that has the hollow point option

See here:
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/...d.php?t=160053

I bought one of the 380/Makarov combo molds. I didn't think he'd made any for the recent group buy but I guess he did. Score!