[rally]

Hi all,

First off I love my Mak. Great gun my first one also! Even for a novice accurate as hell! (I was putting bullets through bullet holes!) NO jams or anything. Perfect. I had some early problems with the slide not locking back but I fixed it with a new slide release and new mag springs! (that works perfectly now) Anyhow I went to the range today and put some hollow points and regular ammo through. I just replaced the recoil spring with a new one from makarov.com (surplus original stock #17) However my casings are flying ALL over the place. A few landed 15 feet a away. Luckily nobody else was at the range! But the range supervisor commented on it. He said it was'nt a big deal but I should look into it. I said I thought it might need a better recoil spring. He mention a extractor and something else that I did'nt recognize the mak had (I've been through the diagram) Any suggestions? Could it be the extractor? I detail striped and cleaned this whole gun a while back. (including the extractor channel thingy!) In the past I have had a problem with the slide not locking back on the last round which is why I opted for the stock recoil spring! And if you ask I was shooting I believe brown/silver bear. (I think/wish I kept the box) Any suggestions? I think this gun is a keeper I almost sold it a while back! But it is soooo simple compared to other autos (I just inheritied a LLAMA 45 1911 replica)

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Dodging Bullets]

rally,

I'm trying to remember last time I went to the range. It seems like most com-bloc pistols are casing throwers. It sounds normal to me. I know my Tokarev brass assaulted some people down at the range a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure my makarov was throwing the casings back and to the right at least 10 to 12 feet with it's stock bulgarian recoil spring.
Hope that helps.

DB

 

[North Bender]

You only threw casings 15-feet? You should be throwing them over 20 feet. I'm suprised the range instructor thought it was unusual; he should have seen this before from a variety of firearms.

It's been reported that one way to lesson the distance your casings fly is to install a stiffer recoil spring. I switched from a 17# spring to a 19# spring in a Bulgarian Makarov and tested the distance each spring threw casings (here's an archieved post from May 15, 2005).

I set up a target and fired from a hand rest; 5-rounds each.

Distance (ft):

17# spring: 24, 16, 25, 29, 24 (avg 24-ft)
19# spring: 14, 30, 22, 22, 22.5 (avg 22-ft)

I could certainly tell the difference in racking the slide that the 19# spring took more effort, and that will reduce shock on the pistol, but it didn't seem to significantly reduce the distance casings are thrown.

 

[wrangler5]

I have 21# springs in my Maks and they still hurl brass (well, steel, mostly) into the next county. Maybe not quite as far into the next county as with lighter springs, but still a loooong way. The CZ-82 (in 9x18) that I just started shooting the other day is also a good long range flinger.

The only thing that I've found that shortens the ejection distance is lower powered loads - lower than anything I've seen available commercially. The low powered plinking loads that I make up move a 93g lead bullet at about 800fps, and only throw the cases about 10 feet (You can load even lower powered rounds, that will essentially drop the empties on your shoes, but reliability isn't 100%.)

 

[Parisite]

And I'll add; your extractor is working perfectly. If it wasn't, it wouldnt extract, right?

The Makarov is just a brass/casing thrower, period. It's just a characteristic of a direct blowback operated pistol.

Learn to love it.

 

[Timbo]

Heavier Springs...just as far!

I found the same thing N.B., some went as far as 30ft. After the change to a 19# spring... just as far, but I'm sure it is easier on the slide and wear with the heavier springs. The last time out to the public range, I was cleaning up steel casings better than (3) lanes down.
It is "the nature of the beast", someone here on the forum wrote. Also, don't stand within 10 feet on the right side of a Mak being fired, it can leave a little bump on the eyebrow just above the rim of your glasses.

 

[RickG]

I enjoy making people flinch. Try and keep a steady beat.

 

[Shermysan]

I have three Makarov's: an East German, an Arsenal Bulgarian and a military Bulgarian. They all throw cases pretty far, but no one ever complained about it. Shermysan

 

[criticalbass]

"Low earth orbit" is a phrase sometimes used to describe the Mak's tendency to throw cases into other jurisdictions. Seems to be characteristic. I usually warn other shooters on my right.

Could be worse. A young lady shooter got a 9x19 hull down her blouse recently at an OKC range, and managed to shoot herself (a graze, really) in the leg. The hull was from the gun she was shooting, and she was very adult about the whole thing.

My Kimber Pro TLE RL II would put every case that made it out of the gun between my eyes or into my forehead. It had to go back to the factory. Now, with custom shop massaging and Kimber's latest magazine improvement, it is reliable, and ejects cases the way .45s are supposed to.

Although I have a good many other pistols, the Makarov remains my first love. I am rather fond of its habit of throwing cases violently to the right. CB

 

[wmabesore]

All four of my Maks through the casings against the divider walls at the Bass Pro Range. They usually ricochet back behind me and hit the back wall as well. That's two 380s and two 9 X 18s. I have never had a malfunction with any of my Maks.