Polish P-64 Perfect Pocket Pistol

[bouncer50]

The good points it all mill steel a good cal 9mm mak. Power between the 380 and 9mm Luger. It holds 7 rounds fits in the front pocket of my jeans you cannot really notice i am carrying it. recoil is not bad and it accurate. I have to oil it down every day because it will start to rust being in my pocket on hot summer days. The bad is the trigger pull that i fix with a Wolf replacement spring. Other will have other opinion on pocket pistols. I am old school i like all steel guns. Its close in size to a PPK. Summer months it sometimes hard to carry my 1911 so my Polish friend is my carry gun. :grin:

[MtGun44]

Two friends have these. Seem OK except for 25 lb trigger pull!
VERY safe.

[RobsTV]

And follow up shots in single action have very light and short trigger pull.
Results many times are two shots in a row when fired double action.

Also, the safety/decocker and slide together can be finicky at times, requiring extra caution (don't get in habit of cycling slide when loaded with safety on). Pretty much leave safety off to prevent issues. That initial double action trigger is a safety.

For a pocket pistol it compares almost identically to dimension of it's replacement here, a 40 S&W Shield, with same length and height, and 3/10ths of an ounce weight difference between the loaded 40 S&W and the P-64. But the P-64 has style, something the plastic guns never will.

Some P-64 Chrono results:
95gr Berrys plated
W231 4.15gr, 976 fps, pf=92.5, 200 ft/lbs (painful)

W231 3.75gr, 868 fps, pf=82.5, 160 ft/lbs (normal go to round)

and compared to a Bodyguard 380:
105gr Lee RN
W231 3.2gr, 895 fps, pf=94, 185 ft/lbs

[Brett Ross]

Its my carry. I don't like it in a pocket (To heavy) but great with a IWB holster. I carry with the saftey off and pratice cocking on the draw. The 9x18 may not have the woopi of the 9x19 but a very accurate pistol, I would not want 3 in my chest.
Tony

[W.R.Buchanan]

J&G Sales has these right now for around $200. Looks like a pretty good deal for a good quality gun. Nothing wrong with the 9x18 either,,, it is more powerful than a .380 and the ammo is way cheaper and you can make cases out of 9MM if you need to.

I have a Makarov and 2ea CZ82's in this caliber and they are staying right here.

Some of my easiest pistols to make hits with,,, Much easier than my Glocks in that department.

Randy

[Jal5]

Nice price too. I have the CZ also and really like it. Carried it for about a year too

[bouncer50]

J&G Sales has these right now for around $200. Looks like a pretty good deal for a good quality gun. Nothing wrong with the 9x18 either,,, it is more powerful than a .380 and the ammo is way cheaper and you can make cases out of 9MM if you need to.

I have a Makarov and 2ea CZ82's in this caliber and they are staying right here.

Some of my easiest pistols to make hits with,,, Much easier than my Glocks in that department.

Randy One of the best deals on the surplus market in today dollar the P-64 and the CZ82. I am a sucker for steel gun and old world workmanship. The 9mm mak is a well thought out caliber. One of the most powerful round you can used in a straight blow back design. Its really a 36 caliber because it use a 364 size bullet instead of a 380 or 9mm that use a 355 size bullet a 35 caliber.

[aspangler]

I have carried one for several years now and it is staying right here. Plenty of power and very accurate.

[Artful]

J&G Sales has these right now for around $200. Looks like a pretty good deal for a good quality gun. Nothing wrong with the 9x18 either,,, it is more powerful than a .380 and the ammo is way cheaper and you can make cases out of 9MM if you need to.

I have a Makarov and 2ea CZ82's in this caliber and they are staying right here.

Some of my easiest pistols to make hits with,,, Much easier than my Glocks in that department.

Randy

http://www.jgsales.com/polish-p64-semi-auto-pistol,-9x18-caliber,-blued,-good-condition,-used.-p-62500.html

Extra mags @ $20 ea

other sources
http://www.slickguns.com/category/hand-guns?caliber=35

http://www.gunbroker.com/Makarov-Pistols/Browse.aspx?Keywords=Makarov&Cats=978

http://www.gunwatcher.com/gun/7EA9666989FE/p64-for-sale

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=f3p64
https://4b1e874935ea5d25a97e-f099844d0e354c7ab50c55a966be6870.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.c om/product/f3p64pw1X.jpg

for more info - see
http://www.p64resource.com/

parts
https://www.buymilsurp.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Polish+P-64

For cheaper P-64 magazines @ $18
http://www.sgammo.com/product/surplus/1-used-6-round-magazine-polish-9x18-makarov-p-64-pistol-ma1452
shipping is like $12 per order so not good if you order one.

but could save more if buying from J&G and include in shipping for the pistol.... just a thought.

Oh, and you can shorten up 9x19 luger to work in 9x18 Mak guns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE
but you need a fatter bullet mold .364
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/786209/lee-2-cavity-bullet-mold-365-95-1r-9mm-makarov-365-diameter-95-grain-1-ogive-radius
http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/786/786209.jpg

[koger]

I recently bought a Russian model, 1963, I believe, with holster and spare mag for $150. It has a silky smooth trigger double or single action, shoots dead on point of aim at 20-25 yds. It is a keeper.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'd say $200 for that pistol is a good deal. The 25# trigger pull can probably be mitigated a little without effecting reliability.
As for the rusting issue, that is life with a steel gun and a blued finish. Maybe a good candidate for one of the less expensive aftermarket spray-on/bake-on finishes ? A gun like that wouldn't be worth a trip to Robar because the resulting finish would cost more than the gun! However a can of Gunkote from Brownells and a afternoon with a cheap toaster oven might be worth it.
The 9x18mm isn't 9mm Luger territory but it's way better than .380 Auto (9x17mm) in most applications. It's about as big as you can go in an un-locked breach unless you care for the 10 lb. slides of the Hi-point variety. The Soviet style Makarov pistols are actually way simpler than the Walther PPK pistols they just happen to look like (the Soviets would never copy something from the west ;-) )

[Artful]

9x18 Ammo is not that weak
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?299-9x18-Ammunition-Data


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O18YhseiQMg

Another video with silver bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScHzHz3dItI

[charlie b]

I'm another happy P-64 owner. I have an IWB and shoulder holster for it. Also fits in pants or jacket pockets well. When I can't carry it, it fits in the front fairing pocket of my motorcycle.

[Radarsonwheels]

I sold my S&w airweight because I always carried the P-64 instead. Love mine.

[kbstenberg]

I have a couple questions before I get one.
How stiff is the spring when you hand cycle the pistol. For a very short time I had an XD45 Compact. I have problems with carpaltunnal. I could only cycle the xd 2 times in a short period of time.
Another question concerns the physical size of the 64. What other pistol is it comperable to?

[RobsTV]

Compares in physical size to S&W Shield.

Loaded photos are with 6 rounds in each, using 180gr plated in the Shield and 95gr plated in the P-64.

[bouncer50]

Another factor is cost P-64 200.00 compare to 400.00 for a S&W Shield

[marlin39a]

I took a ride over to J&G in Prescott last month and bought a Hand Select Polish P-64 for $259.99 plus tax. It was as new, made in 1970. It did indeed have a DA trigger that I would guess was close to 30 lbs. I installed a Wolff 18 lb mainspring and a 22 lb recoil spring. DA pull much better, but still heavy. I cut down 9x19 brass and load with Missouri Bullet, 93 gr powdercoated. Throws brass a country mile. I like the looks of this firearm, but I would never carry it for personal protection. The Smith & Wesson 40 Shield does that job perfectly.

[RobsTV]

Another factor is cost P-64 200.00 compare to 400.00 for a S&W Shield

Or even better, P-64 $139 shipped free from Aim when I bought mine during a sale, plus shipped directly to me with C&R. While the Shield cost $450, and now have more than $700 into it.

The Florida shorts and sandals life with pocket carry has been a thorn in my side for years, and eventually much has changed. Even dropping the Shield ammo to 155gr cast HP's (then the same loaded weight as P-64), it still was too heavy and bulky to pocket carry, and usually ended up carrying the wife's BG380 instead. I would actually say the BG380 trigger is worse than the P-64, since every shot is looooong double action. The already good Shield trigger is even sweeter with trigger job or Apex kit. Then dumped the BG380 an hour after test firing a Sig P238, which is by far the best pocket pistol of these noted above. But, still is the wife's P238 and I am stuck with the Shield here, although was tempted to get a Sig P938, until...

One last try to make the Shield work for me, and bought an Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 2 IWB holster for the Shield. WOW, should have just done that from the beginning. Unlike pocket carry, even with the Sig P238, you do totally forget you are carrying the Shield with the Alien Gear IWB holster. If they don't make a holster for the P-64, I highly suggest you ask them to. EDIT: Looks like they do! http://p64resource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5684&p=52392

[bouncer50]

The P-64 is old school tech that 50 years old and made out of steel and cost a lots less. The S&W is new school tech that twice as much in cost and plastic frame and no outside hammer. The choice is what you want. It like a low tech mouse trap and will kill as good as a hi-tech mouse trap with a laser beam. Never shot a Smith 40 cal in a small frame gun. So how is the recoil

[W.R.Buchanan]

Its really a 36 caliber because it use a 364 size bullet instead of a 380 or 9mm that use a 355 size bullet a 35 caliber.

Actually 9.2 x 18.

Also look into "Sticky Holsters" http://www.stickyholsters.com/

These are cheap and work really well. they were giving them away at the SHOT Show I got one for my CZ82. They are MSRP $25 but I'm sure you can find them in the $15 range.

They are made from a kind of wetsuit material with a relatively smooth inside and a sticky outside. And when inserted into your waist band they stay put but you can still draw the gun easily.

They are available in a variety of sizes and there is something to hold everything.

I also have a Bladetech holster for this gun. It cost $85 but is a better solution for belt carry.

Here's 100 gr Lee Boolits and 95 gr, now 85 gr Saeco HP's. HPing was Erik's work on a $185 mould. I got it and the Lee for $50 .

Randy

[gloob]

WARNING:
Despite having a 30 lb DA trigger pull the P64 is not necessarily safe, at all.

Most people would carry a DA with a 30 lb trigger with the safety OFF. And that is not a great idea with the P64.

The P64 does not have an inertial firing pin. The engineers of this gun opted to make it "safe" with a rebounding, inertial hammer. Hence you can't carry this gun with the hammer fully down. The only thing holding the hammer off of the non-inertial firing pin is what amounts to a half-cock notch on the hammer.

As some of us know, half cock notches can easily be engineered to be strong enough to catch an errant, slipped hammer. They simply cannot be made strong enough to eliminate potential breakage if the gun were to be dropped on the hammer.

I've read of two accounts of such a failure where the gun was dropped while loaded, hammer down, safety off. One man narrowly avoided a new hole in his head. Another put a hole through his arm. In both cases, the "half cock notch" failed, either on impact, or at some point earlier in the gun's life. A close examination of the gun shows how this is certainly possible.

If you're not mechanically inclined, please take my word for this and don't carry a P64 with the safety off. The manual safety physically blocks both the hammer and the firing pin. Even if you trust your own life to the half-cock notch and your God-given ability to never drop a gun, it's not worth the liability to other people around you.

The gun is actually safer to drop while cocked than it is with the hammer down and safety off. I have one of these handguns, and it is superbly accurate. And I have occasionally carried it. With the safety on.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm not questioning the facts surrounding the firing pin and hammer design but I do have a question about the importation of such a gun. How does that pistol get around the point system of the 1968 GCA ? It has fixed sights, is fairly small overall and apparently would not pass a drop test. It would seem that it could not be imported as is. Is it possible some had inertial firing pins but not all?

[gloob]

Even if it had an inertial firing pin, it still wouldn't be safe because of the floating/rebounding hammer. You can't put the hammer all the way down against the frame. If the notch breaks through impact, the hammer gets a free running start at the firing pin with nothing to stop it. And no, none of these guns were made with a floating firing pin, to my knowledge.

I don't think handgun import points apply to a C&R gun.

[RobsTV]

The P-64 is old school tech that 50 years old and made out of steel and cost a lots less. The S&W is new school tech that twice as much in cost and plastic frame and no outside hammer. The choice is what you want. It like a low tech mouse trap and will kill as good as a hi-tech mouse trap with a laser beam. Never shot a Smith 40 cal in a small frame gun. So how is the recoil

40 Shield recoil is sharp and hard. It does not leave your hand red or webbing with blood like the recoil of the P-64 can do at times. I would still rather shoot the P-64 than the Shield at the range, but always single action only.

[Petrol & Powder]

For that size of pistol I would prefer a Kahr 9mm but for that cost I could almost buy 3 P-64's !

[bouncer50]

For that size of pistol I would prefer a Kahr 9mm but for that cost I could almost buy 3 P-64's ! I would say to myself is the Kahr 3x better then the P-64 for the price.

[bouncer50]

40 Shield recoil is sharp and hard. It does not leave your hand red or webbing with blood like the recoil of the P-64 can do at times. I would still rather shoot the P-64 than the Shield at the range, but always single action only. You need to change the springs on the P-64 that Wolf sells it sure helps the double action pull.

[Brett Ross]

Thanks for the info Gloob. Time to start carrying with the safety "on" and look into a spring change.

[gloob]

Time to start carrying with the safety "on" and look into a spring change.
Here's some info. This is not a suggestion.

A P64 can be modified to disable the decocker, which allows it to be carried cocked and locked.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=482467454
This is the P64 disconnector. As you may discover, this is one of the only super cheap and readily available spare parts for this gun. And it is very easily modified to remove the decocking function.
138956
The disconnector is oriented up and down like this, in the gun. When you push the safety lever down, this part is pushed down. The curved arm at the bottom is what pushes down on the trigger bar, effectively disabling the trigger. This happens early on as you press the safety lever down. Then, towards the bottom of the safety lever travel, the angled ramp on which I drew the white line pushes on the sear, releasing the hammer (well after the hammer is blocked and the firing pin is captured by the manual safety).

If you were to take a dremel to this part and cut out the ramped area as indicated by the white lines, the gun will no longer decock. But all other safety features of the gun will remain intact.

As the name implies, this part is also what disconnects the trigger when the slide is out of battery. This functionality is also unaffected by this modification.

[kbstenberg]

Does anyone know the difference between the 64 and the 83?

[Artful]

Does anyone know the difference between the 64 and the 83?

Well to start the P-64 is 9x18 chambered and the CZ-83 is .380 ACP or 32 ACP chambered. Do you mean the CZ-82?

[charlie b]

Carry it with the safety on. That's what it's for. If you don't like the DA pull, then change the springs or learn to cock it first.

At the ranges this pistol is good for I don't mind the heavy pull at all. Practice a little and it works well.

charlie

[kbstenberg]

Artful I did a search. An the 83 does come in 9x18 and certain models can be had in the 9x17 (.380)
The other difference is the 83 has a lot of stamped metal rather than milled steel.

[gloob]

At the ranges this pistol is good for I don't mind the heavy pull at all. Practice a little and it works well.
I disagree. I can shoot this gun as accurately as most any handgun I have shot, despite I can't group with a short handgun like a G26 to save my life. The fixed barrel, very excellent tiny sights, and the "mouse trap" SA trigger that doesn't have a break make this gun a sniper. It's good out to 50-70 yards, easy.

Because of the accuracy, I have thought this a good gun for woods/camping. Sniping snakes in the head or rabbits at 20 yards would be about as doable for me as with a 5" MkIII target with a lot less weight.

[9.3X62AL]

I've had a 24-year association with the Makarov pistol and caliber, mine being an East German example I scrounged up in 1991. They are just a Walther PP on steroids, and run at the midpoint between 380 ACP and 9mm Para. It was a favored CCW piece until our regs changed with the onset of HR 218, and I think it unwise to buck carry regs in this Worker's Paradise that already looks askance at CCW folks--both citizen and officer.

The 9mm Makarov is probably the upper limit of blowback operation, and the full-bore loadings running a 95-100 grain bullet at 1100 FPS have noticeable recoil. NOT 454 Casull impulses, but it does push back a bit. My old carry ammo was a Russkikh load with a 95 grain JHP that clocked 1100+, and I felt safe with that little blaster inside my waistband. I miss carrying it around.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Both my Mak and my 2 CZ82's are very easy to hit with. I attribute this to the fixed barrel.

My Mak has a threaded FAC Barrel with a Compensator screwed onto to it. I completely reworked the inside of my Mak when I installed the aftermarket barrel back in the early 90's. The barrel came with instructions on how to smooth out the trigger and make the gun more friendly in general. Maks do have a lot of sharp edges on them as there is no word for "deburring" in the Russian dialect. Another example is the Break In period on a Russian Ural Motorcycle is 20,000 miles! Not kidding! Change oil frequently!

I hit an orange about 5 times in a row once at varying distances from 20 to about 40 yards. I handed the gun to my friend who was by no means a pistol shooter, and he was able to hit the same orange 2 more times at 40+ yards.

I do hate the Mag Release on the Maks and the one shown has given way to a fob that I can get ahold of easily. Mine is a Russian made single stack.

My CZ82's are simply better versions of the Makarov concept. They are IMHO the best sub mid sized pistols ever made. They are fully ambi, have 12 rounds on board and can be ran either DA/SA or Cocked and Locked just like a 1911. The DA trigger pull is no worse than my Mak but the SA pull is far superior. The guns are just nicer made, due mainly to not having any Russian hands touching them. The Czech's have always made good guns.

The biggest problem with CZ 82's is that most of them have seen 20 years of holster wear so they look like hell. However they also weren't shot very much so you aren't going to see many that are worn out. As such they are superb candidates for Cerakote Refinishing. I have already done one of mine and plan on doing the other one this year sometime.

I'd like to have one of these P64's but they aren't on the CA list so I can't have one.

Randy

[charlie b]

I disagree. I can shoot this gun as accurately as most any handgun I have shot, despite I can't group with a short handgun like a G26 to save my life. The fixed barrel, very excellent tiny sights, and the "mouse trap" SA trigger that doesn't have a break make this gun a sniper. It's good out to 50-70 yards, easy.

Because of the accuracy, I have thought this a good gun for woods/camping. Sniping snakes in the head or rabbits at 20 yards would be about as doable for me as with a 5" MkIII target with a lot less weight.

On single action I do not disagree.

I was speaking of the double action first shot.

[Brett Ross]

I will have to go with the spring change. The DA trigger pull is just to much with arthritic hands. Pulling, moving the safety to off and cocking may be to much for a stressful encounter.
Tony

[charlie b]

FWIW, that's why I ended up with my P64. My niece bought one and could not shoot it at all DA. I traded her my little Taurus .38spl for it.

For that matter, between my wife, her two sisters and their husbands, I am the only one who can hit a target at all with it in DA mode. I kinda like it that way.

[kbstenberg]

Tonight I pulled the trigger on a P64 at Buds.
I also called Al at NOE asking about a 9x18 mold. He said that he had started a thread on his sight but it didn't go anywhere. Would any of you here be interested in a mold from him?
Now I have to go to Titen and order dies and a lee mold.

[gloob]

Nope. I was determined to shoot cast in my 9x18s. So I did, for awhile.

Consider the problems. Mak and 9x19 cases are annoying to sort from each other. Blowback pistols are hard to shoot cast without a lot of smoke. And I don't end up shooting these pocket pistols that much when I can shoot other calibers with larger magazines and lower recoil and which don't need cleaning every outing. My foray into Mak reloading was short lived.

[RobsTV]

The only issue I had with cast boolits in the P-64 is sizing. Drop too large here to chamber. No retailer makes a sizing die. Would need to either enlarge a .358 or order a custom die.

Smoke is no different than any other caliber using W231/HP38. Also shoot blowback 9mm and 40 S&W, and again, no different than locked breech versions as far as smoke. Separating for 9mm and 380 already, so not an issue finding the cases in between. But as a rule, only use "nickel" 9mm cases cut down, and never use nickel with 380 or 9mm. And always make them with a sharpie.

[W.R.Buchanan]

As far as the DA trigger pull is concerned you have to develop a staging technique, where you pull the trigger most of the way thru and then finalize your sight alignment then break the shot.

I do this with all my DA/SA guns and always have. I learned it from Jerry Miculek. They tried to train me out of it at Front Sight as they wanted a clean pull thru, but nobody can hit anything like that and staging is not that hard to learn. The gun helps with this as the trigger let off point becomes pretty obvious after you play with the gun for a while.

The CZ82 is particularly easy to stage, but I'd carry it Cocked and Locked instead.

Randy

[gloob]

Smoke is no different than any other caliber using W231/HP38. Also shoot blowback 9mm and 40 S&W, and again, no different than locked breech versions as far as smoke.
That's good to know. I have never, personally, been able to shoot cast in a revolver or a blowback without noticeable smoke.

When I shot my cast loads out of my P64 at the indoor range, I had a couple inquiries as to what kind of relic I was shooting. It was embarrassing. I can mag dump my cast loads out of my G19, and I would only notice any smoke at all when I was specifically looking for it.

The only two powders I had at the time were Unique and HP38, and I don't remember which one I used, but whichever one it was, I recall loading about 4 grains behind a commercial 100 grain cast bullet.

Come to think of it, back then I didn't know about using custom expanders for cast bullets. I bet I had a metric ton of bullet swaging in my cut down 9mm cases.

[opos]

I have a UI70 Russian Makarov and a Bulgarian...both in 9mm Mak...really enjoy those little blow backs and they are reliable and almost impossible to hurt...if you want a real laugh look at Makarov torture test on you tube...amazing.

https://youtu.be/IAEbbhRJNYw

[MtGun44]

Pulling straight through is easy to hit with a normal trigger. . . . . not so much
for a 25-30 lb pull!!

[Petrol & Powder]

I can shoot DA pretty well but a 25 pound DA is out of my ball park.

[kfarm]

You lucky dog getting one with a 25 lb hair trigger. I got one of widners c&r several years ago they had a real mans trigger.

[Petrol & Powder]

What's that trigger bar made from? Must be some strong stuff !

[bouncer50]

I can shoot DA pretty well but a 25 pound DA is out of my ball park. The Wolf spring kit will reduce it a lot. I have two of the P-64 it really helps the trigger pull.

[gloob]

The P64 might be better off as a SA, for the two reasons. DA trigger sucks. And you need to use the safety, anyway. See post #30, if you aren't afraid of using a Dremel on a $5.00 replaceable part.

The gun can still be manually decocked, if you want to carry hammer down and safety on with a 25 lb trigger.

There's still one more safety concern I failed to mention, regarding the SA trigger. The P64 has no positive sear engagement. If you pull the trigger partway and then let go, the sear is likely to stay were you left it, rather than resetting. So keep this in mind, fellow P64 owners.

[bouncer50]

Just my opinion i really don"t like slide safety at all. I like to pull it and use the double action if i am attack. I don"t really think how bad it shoots in double action if your have to use it. I am so use to frame mounted safety like the 1911 cocked and locked. It would take time to learn the slide safety for me cause i switch guns for summer and winter. The best part of a double action auto is like a wheel gun for the first shot. I sometimes carry it in my jacket pocket and my hand on the gun in bad area. No one can see it, if i had to shoot it their be a hole in my jacket.

[gloob]

Ok, but please read post #22 for safety's sake. No pun intended, although quite appropriate.

*In addition to drop-safety, it is wise to check to make sure that the "half-cock" notch of your gun is working and undamaged any time you may have bumped or dropped the empty gun. Once it's broke, it's broke. And once it's broke, this can happen on top of a drop-fire through the noggin.

http://www.xdtalk.com/threads/accidental-discharge-polish-p64.232632/

His assessment was that the gun doesn't have a half-cock notch. It does, but his was probably broken, perhaps from a previous drop in which the gun was unloaded or on safe.

A half-cock notch does not meet modern safety standards. It might work 9 times out of 10. But it's really only suitable as a backup in case the hammer slips while thumb-cocking, or if the main cocking notch fails or slips in a drop while fully cocked. Relying on a half-cock notch for drop safety is like throwing away your main chute and jumping from a plane with only a backup, only worse. The backup chute has at least a chance it will open. If you drop the P-64 just so onto a hard enough surface, the half-cock notch has no chance of holding up. It will fail, and when it does, the gun will fire 100% of the time, and when it fires, it will fire at appromately a 20-45% angle from straight up, which put the important bits of anyone within 8 or so feet (which will most usually include the guy who dropped it) in the line of fire. This would be one hell of a way to win a Darwin award or an even worse way to accidentally injure or kill another human being, whether a stranger or a loved one.

The manual safety is the only thing that makes the gun drop-safe with a loaded chamber.

[bouncer50]

You are correct sir it does have a half cock safety on the P-64. His was most likely broke as you said. This gun the P-64 is a 50 years plus old design not like today auto safety. People have to know it limits on this old girl.

[bouncer50]

Same as a 1911 on half cock can go off if drop on the hammer to.

[gloob]

Few people do, even when faced with the information. From a liability standpoint, I suppose "I didn't know" is going to be good enough on this one, since everyone seems to be oblivious. But you can't take it back if you hurt someone you care about or yourself.


Same as a 1911 on half cock can go off if drop on the hammer to.
Which is fine, because you can carry a 1911 with the hammer fully down. Or you can carry it cocked and locked. It's a SAO, so there's little point in carrying it hammer all the way down, and no point in carrying it on the half-cock notch. And in the case of the 1911, the manual safety CAN'T be applied with the hammer down or on half-cock, and it wouldn't do squat anyway, since it does not block either the hammer or the firing pin. And with the 1911, there's at least a chance the gun won't fire if the half-cock notch fails, because it's so close to fully down and the firing pin is inertial. Neither of these are the case with the P64. In the 1911 none of this matters, because if you're using the gun correctly, the half-cock notch is only there as a backup in case your thumb slips while cocking (or decocking with finger off the trigger), or if the main notch slips when the gun is dropped while cocked.

The P64 is a DA/SA, and there is no way to carry it with the hammer all the way down, even if you wanted to. The firing pin is longer than the firing pin channel. Putting the hammer down would rest the firing pin on the primer with room to spare. Fortunately, the hammer decocks to the half-cock position. And trying to manually lower the hammer all the way down with the trigger pulled (BAD IDEA) would result in the hammer automatically rebounding back to the half-cock position. This is what makes it a "rebounding" or inertial hammer. Unfortunately, this puts it in a position of hovering over the non-inertial firing pin with only a ridge of steel in the way. In a drop, peak force can be astronomical. Way more than what a metal pin and little sear and a little ridge can take. Is not same. Is not safe. Use the safety on the P64, always.


People have to know it limits on this old girl.
How does joe consumer know what the limit is, until it breaks? I know that dropping the gun from waist high while putting the gun back in the safe was enough to break one example and to put an unintended hole in one's roof and a surprise dry-cleaning bill.


IF you want to carry a P64 decocked and safety off, I would suggest you bob the hammer until NONE of the hammer is exposed in this position and it is completely enshrouded by the back of the slide by at least 3 or 4 tenths of an inch.

[bouncer50]

Now that a good idea to bob the hammer. The hammer has a big hole in it. It would not take much to cut it down. Thanks for the great idea to make it drop proof.

[jrayborn]

I modded both of mine long ago to remove the decocker. Cocked and locked is how I carry.

[superc]

The Pis not a good choice for a noise suppressor because it is a straight blow back pistol. That means some noise comes out of the ejection port as the gas pressure is still a little high when the slide moves back.

When I carry a P64 it is with the safety on. Much more important than the dropping of the hammer is that the safety also blocks the firing pin. You could bash the hammer with a sledge hammer and the gun can't go off because the blow doesn't reach the firing pin.

Yes, you need to order the Wolff springs, then play with them on the range. The mainspring is not only the hammer and trigger spring, it is also the control spring for the magazine release. If your chosen spring is too light, then it will during firing vibrate the magazine release and drop your magazine on the ground. In a fire fight that could be a bad thing. Try a slightly heavier spring until you find the one that works for your gun.

Speaking of the magazine release, there is an aftermarket one (slightly longer and easier to work in the dark) found on Ebay.

Also available aftermarket are wooden grips.

The sights on the P64 as issued are lousy. IMO the most important modification you should make to a P64 is install a fiber optic (light pipe) on the slide. It makes a big difference. I milled the old one off, used a Hi Viz shotgun sight as the replacement, and welded the screw in place from the inside (underside) of the slide for the P64 I chose to not be a safe queen. Comparison photos, sight picture.