[m2carbine]

The question comes up from time to time,
What would happen if I accidentally fire a full load 9mm in my Makarov?

Because the 9mm will chamber in the Makarov this is a possibility.

Full length 9mm are too long to fit in a Mak magazine, except the top round.
A magazine loaded with a 9mm as the top round will not fit in the Makarov.

So just mixing up your Makarov (9x18) and your 9mm (9x19) doesn't mean you are going to accidentally load and fire the more powerful load in your Makarov.

To "accidentally" fire the 9mm in your Makarov you will have to hand load a round into the chamber.
Or you have to have some very short (hand loaded) 9mm ammo.

So us Makarov owners can pretty much dismiss the possibility of accidentally firing a 9mm in our Makarovs.


BUT, the question still remains.
What will happen if a full load 9mm is fired in the Makarov?


I've torture tested a new Makarov in many ways trying to get it to malfunction.
Put it in mud, water, froze it, fulled it with "pocket lint", limp wristed it, etc, etc.

In just under 1,000 rounds I had 3 malfunctions.
Two, I found were a bad magazine and the third was when mud blocked the hammer (DA) from hitting the firing pin but the the Mak fired on the second (DA) trigger pull.


Anyhow, the last test was firing 9mm in the Makarov.

So how do you think the Makarov handled the 9mm?

 

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I do not know if you are posting for new members so I am keeping this general, and not quoting what you did before.

I believe that, though a straight blow-back action, the Mak could be safely converted to 9x19 through the use of a barrel with a bit thicker chamber and a bit tighter barrel. Of course someone would have to figure out the magazine also.

I've seen a Walther PP(K?) done this way. According to the owner it's a rare piece and only a few thousand were made. I don't know about all that. I do know that the Walther fired from a locked breach.

Josh <><

 

[m2carbine]

Joshua,
I understand the Russians? tested the Makarov converted to 9mm and it turned out to be unsuccessful. Slide too light and other problems.
I haven't personally seen anything about these tests.

A Mak barrel with a 19mm chamber is or was available from Makarov.com so 9mm brass can be used in place of Mak brass.
The .364 diameter (Mak) bullet still has to be used.
The overall length still can't exceed the Mak round so that the loaded 9.2x19 will fit the Mak magazine.
And the pressure still had to be kept to 9x18 standards, even if you use a 21 pound recoil spring.
(I use 21 lb springs on all my Maks)

I never saw a use for this 19mm chambered barrel after reloadable Mak brass became available.

When I got my first Mak, reloadable brass was very scarce. I trimmed down a few thousand 9mm brass to 18mm and I'm still reloading them today.

 

[Guest]

You shared with us something similar a while back.

I'd guess that it took it and kept on running. Recoil may not have been pleasent but from what you said before I'd guess that it didn't get up to full pressure.

I'd guess that the Russian did test this while in the design phase as the 9x19 was a common cartridge that could have been happened across on the battlefield. Don't want your soldiers blowing up their hands now do we?

Steelheart

P.S. Here's the link to the other thread.
http://handgunsandammo.proboards36.com/index.cgi?board=Discussion&action=display&thread=1100979687

 

[m2carbine]

Thanks Steelheart.
I had posted that experiment on a couple sites and didn't remember posting it here.
The mind is a terrible thing to waste. :


The only thing I can add is an offshoot of testing .357 bullets in the Mak.

The lightest 38 bullet I had is a 110gr SP JHP bullet.

The power charge was adjusted for the heavier bullet and expected blowby from the .357 bullet in the larger Mak barrel.

The smaller diameter bullet shot well.
Functioned 100% and is reasonably accurate.

If I run across a 100gr 38 bullet that's considerably cheaper than the brand name Mak (.364) bullets, it might be worth while using a .357 bullet in the Mak.
(for practice ammo)

Other than a savings in reloading cost and a wide range of bullet styles I can't think of a practical use for loading the 38 bullet instead of the Mak bullet.

 

[jose]

Several years ago , Makarov chambered in 9x19 was available in small quantity in Bulgaria (Arsenal) and Russia. Because the higher pressure of 9x19 In this model inside the chamber there were little holes (like in Automag in .22Magnum) . In this way, Mak 9x19 work normally and extraction of the cartriges was delayed.
I never fired with 9x19 makarov. They are very rare even in Bulgaria.

 

[Josh Smith]

Jose,

Sir, I read a report years ago on a delayed blowback action pistol from the Communist Bloc that had an open slide.

Two small porting holes in the barrel, behind the front of the slide, pushed against the front of the slide, delaying blowback.

The article had the disclaimer, "Not available in the United States."

Is like what you're talking about Sir?

Thanks,

Josh <><

 

[jose]

Hi, Josh.
I mean bulgarian makarov 9x19.

 

[Guest]

I think it's mentioned on makarov.com that one of the importers was considering getting them until they test fired one. The chamber was serrated to allow the brass to retard the slide enough for the chamber pressures to drop to a safe level. This shredded the brass and tossed it into orbit. The recoil was classified as horrible.

Found the blurb. It's 3/4 of the way down. Basically it's what I said above (but better

) with names.
http://makarov.com/makfaq.html

Steelheart

 

[m2carbine]

The HK VP70 uses blow by to reduce the pressure of the 9x19.
The VP70 is blow back and the slide is fairly light.
The barrel rifling is heavy and deep allowing the hot gases to blow by the bullet.

This was much the same effect I was getting shooting the 9x19 in the Makarov.
The 9x19 loads I was using actually felt pretty mild.

So in effect what the blow by is doing is neutering the 9mm down to about the Makarov rounds power.

 

[Guest]

Please forgive me for digressing a tad, but I didn't think this question was worthy of a new thread:

I've been shooting handguns and reloading for nearly 30 years. I have only just recently acquired my first Mak, a 1988, unissued, 9x18, Bulgarian version. I took it out again for another 150 round range session w/ Barnaul JHPs. I really like this gun and would consider it for occasional CCW, however I don't feel very secure with the terminal performance of the standard factory ammo.

Getting to the point - Is there any (reliable) reloading data available which would render additional velocity and energy (+P)?
Just personal preference, but I'd also be happier with a slightly heavier bullet, e.g., over 100 grains.

FWIW, I have a supply of Wolff recoil springs (incl. 19# & 21#) on their way to me from Brownells.

 

[m2carbine]

Catbird,
Silver Bear has a 115gr JHP load doing 1000fps. SB had a 120gr JHP also doing 1000fps but there was length/feeding problems with the 120gr. I have a 1000 or so of them. I set the bullet back a few thousands and they function fine.
You might check out the Silver Bear 115gr load and see how you like it.
Silver Bear has a large sharp hollow point that may jam on the bottom of your feed ramp.

I worked up what might be called a +P load using the 95gr Hornady and Speer JHP doing 1125/50fps.
Since it's an "overload" I wouldn't say what the powder brand or charge is.

I don't know of any .364 reloading bullets heavier than 95gr or I'd sure like to work up a load for them.
That's one reason I was fooling around with the 38/.357 bullets, to test about a 110gr SP/JHP bullet load.

I also only use Wolf 21 pound springs so I can use the lightest to heaviest loads.

I don't conceal carry the Makarov because I like my Kimbers but I wouldn't feel under gunned carrying the Mak.
I usually have one or two of them in the cars.

 

[Guest]

I worked up what might be called a +P load using the 95gr Hornady and Speer JHP doing 1125/50fps.
Since it's an "overload" I wouldn't say what the powder brand or charge is.

Are you using Makarov brass, trimmed 9mm Luger brass or 9mm Luger brass that's just been fire-formed? Do your fired primers show signs of excess pressure?

BTW, I have a wide variety of suitable powders on hand that I could use... I have a slight preference for AA#5 (AA#2 may be a little too fast).

 

[m2carbine]

Check your messages Catbird.
I sent some info you might be able to use.

 

[Guest]

Return PM sent.

 

[jaylynnredd69]

The question comes up from time to time,
What would happen if I accidentally fire a full load 9mm in my Makarov?

Because the 9mm will chamber in the Makarov this is a possibility.

Full length 9mm are too long to fit in a Mak magazine, except the top round.
A magazine loaded with a 9mm as the top round will not fit in the Makarov.

So just mixing up your Makarov (9x18) and your 9mm (9x19) doesn't mean you are going to accidentally load and fire the more powerful load in your Makarov.

To "accidentally" fire the 9mm in your Makarov you will have to hand load a round into the chamber.
Or you have to have some very short (hand loaded) 9mm ammo.

So us Makarov owners can pretty much dismiss the possibility of accidentally firing a 9mm in our Makarovs.


BUT, the question still remains.
What will happen if a full load 9mm is fired in the Makarov?


I've torture tested a new Makarov in many ways trying to get it to malfunction.
Put it in mud, water, froze it, fulled it with "pocket lint", limp wristed it, etc, etc.

In just under 1,000 rounds I had 3 malfunctions.
Two, I found were a bad magazine and the third was when mud blocked the hammer (DA) from hitting the firing pin but the the Mak fired on the second (DA) trigger pull.


Anyhow, the last test was firing 9mm in the Makarov.

So how do you think the Makarov handled the 9mm?

I've had my first one since 1994 I have put over 15000 rounds through it with now one malfunction. And I've put it through the hell you did.