With an ambidextrous safety and magazine catch, and a 12-shot staggered magazine, it is the most highly sought after of all pistols of like caliber. Shown with its original military holster, the Czech CZ 82 is the most advanced of all of the Soviet Bloc 9mm Makarov caliber pistols made during the Cold War. The Makarov semi-automatic pistol incorporates many features of the Walther in that it disassembles identically by grasping the triggerguard, bringing it downward, and pulling back the slide and upward to disengage it from the frame. The idea behind it was in the case of a supposed contingency where stocks of 9mm Makarov ammunition might be captured by an enemy, that the cartridge could not be used in standard 9mm Luger pistols. Christened the 9x18mm Makarov, its bullet diameter is an odd.

Nikolai Makarov opted for a cartridge developed by Boris Semin, who in 1946 developed it from the older Walther 9mm Ultra, an experimental cartridge originally intended for the Luftwaffe. Manufactured at Russia’s Izhevsk factory, the Pistolet Makarova - Makarov 9mm - was the brainchild of Nikolai Fyodorovich Makarov, who designed his new double-action, straight blow-back pistol around the proven Walther PP/PPK series of pistols.Īfter World War II, the Russians had access to the Walther factory in Germany and shipped much of its tooling back to the USSR. (Photo courtesy the author’s collection) History of the Makarov 9mm Gun condition and discreet import marks have an influence on current prices. They are readily identified by the “K100” in a rectangle on the left frame along with a triangle cartouche and a circle within. The East German copy of the Makarov seems to be the most desirable among collectors and shooters given its silky smooth blue finish and black plastic grips. Bulgarian Makarov copies are available on the surplus market and are a good find.

Russian Makarov imports lasted only a few short years due to the Clinton import ban.The 9x18mm Makarov cartridge is distinct from the 9mm Luger, uses an odd-sized.The Makarov 9mm is a Russian-designed double-action, straight blowback pistol.

Russian makarov serial numbers