The Makarov pistol was a Russian self-loading 9-mm handgun. It was designed in 1948 by Nikolay Makarov as a replacement for the T-33 Tokarev. After intense field firing tests, it entered service with the Soviet Army in 1951. It was also the standard issue handgun of the KGB during the Cold War. Although it was replaced by the Stechkin and GSh-18 pistols, it is still being used by police forces in Russia and Eastern European countries. This reliable handgun has been used in major armed conflicts of the 20th centuries, such as the Vietnam War, the Six Day War, Angolan Civil War, and the Yugoslav Civil War.
Technical Characteristics
The pistolet Makarova, as it is known in Russia, is a semiautomatic handgun which features a blowback system of operation for the ejection of the cartridge casing and the self-loading of a new round into the breech. It fires 9x18mm Makarov full metal jacket ‘ball’. Its parts are made of steel and its field-stripping procedure is very similar to the German PP Walther pistol. The safety lever of the Makarov pistol is located on the left side of the gun and its magazine release/lock button is situated on the bottom it the grip; this way, accidental dropping and losing of magazines in the field is avoided.
Specifications
Weight: 0.730 kg
Barrel Length: 9.35 cm
Full Length: 16.1 cm
Muzzle Velocity: 315 m/s
Feeding System: 8-round detachable magazine
Below, the left side view of the Makarov Pistol. You can see the safety lever.
Below, the right side view of the handgun. You can see the ejection port.
Location of the safety lever
The 9x18mm round cutaway
