Hello. The Makarov was deliberately designed for steel cased/steel jacket ammunition. I have never heard of or seen a worn out Makarov barrel. (Squib loads and things generally classed as "Bubbafication" are an entirely different matter.) The sparking issue, I believe, is more related to powder residue that could alight if a spark results. You have a good question and I'm curious to learn whether anyone else in Makarov Land has ever seen a worn out barrel. Regards, ABTOMAT

 

You have a good question and I'm curious to learn whether anyone else in Makarov Land has ever seen a worn out barrel.

Bimetal refers to the bullet -- iron and copper, but mainly iron. The iron hitting the backstop is what causes the sparking that the range doesn't allow.

I have fired many rounds of bimetal bullets in my Maks, but when I read the following, it really made me wonder.
http://uspsa.org/front-sight-magazine-article.php?Should-I-Buy-BiMetal-Ammo-8

 

If this ammo was a problem then my "scratch and dent special" bulgie that I got from Dan's back when would have been thru several barrels by now, this gun has had many, many thousand of these rounds thru it and still the most accurate mak I've ever owned. Like AB said I've never seen or heard of a wore out Mak barrel.

 

TENN,

Assume you have spare NOS barrels. Any way you can measure the inside diameter of your 'scratch and dent' and compare to a NOS barrel? Not saying you would find anything wrong, I'm merely curious.

 

I can, best way is to slug the barrels but I'll need to find some appropriate lead balls.

 

A little humor about Geco ammunition. During the mid 60's Geco 25acp, 32acp and 9mm Para/Luger full metal case ammunition bullets were covered with a mild steel jacket. Also during this time frame, they were Berdan primed. The bullet jacket was so polished one would believe it was nickel plated. Then along came the "Cop Killer," armor piercing government mode. So Geco applied a very thin copper wash to bullets and continued to import their ammunition as before. I still have a 25 round box of Geco in 32acp with the "Lone Ranger" bullets.

 

A little humor about Geco ammunition.

I see Geco Mak ammo for sale at AimSurplus, but it's not as cheap as the Prvi Partizan or Sellier & Bellot that I can buy at Sportsmans Guide. I know those are not bimetal -- don't know about the Geco.

 

Did anyone decide if using iron/steel bullets with a thin copper wash do damage to the barrels of our Maks, P-64s, etc.?

 

From what I understand the negative effect is negligible.

 

You should be more concerned with the type of powder. Some powders will cause more erosion than others.

 

I have no control over the type of powder, but when that web page shows that the copper wash is so thin that there's steel on steel contact as the bullet goes down the barrel, it sure make me wonder.

 

Sure but the steel of the jacket is thin and soft compared to the barrel.

You do have control of the powder - you buy the rounds! I bet all of the brands of cartridges don't use the same powder in this caliber. I suppose some of the ammunition experts in the collectors section could provide some information on propellant types if you are really concerned about the barrel wear. Maybe erosion in pistol calibers is not as much of a concern as in rifles? Not sure.

 

Sure but the steel of the jacket is thin and soft compared to the barrel.

Based on the on that web page (http://uspsa.org/front-sight-magazine-article.php?Should-I-Buy-BiMetal-Ammo-8), I'm not sure how thin that steel is. Anyway, thanks for the response. I can't use that sparking, bimetal ammo at the range, but I have been curious since reading that analysis.

 

The guy who wrote the article should have done a little more research on the barrel wear portion. I found it strange that he went to the extremes of measurement in the thickness of the cooper but then just assumed that it was bad for the barrel.

Anyway, there was at least one study back in the 40's by the US military that showed that steel jacketed bullets did not cause accelerated wear in 30-06 as compared to cooper jacketed bullets.