[Tubo]

First post
Joined the forum to buy from "Slim Tim's".
Would have joined any way, just needed the impetus. Have been Ghosting here fer a while.

Two days ago I took delivery of my 2nd ma-Kar-ev, an IJ-70 18A imported by Big Bear Arms, Dallas. Which is what prompted me to purchase this one. As I'm origionally from Dallas, and we had property bordered by Big Bear Creek. Good a reason as any to buy a pistol, Eh??

I did have some slight quams about buying, as the seller(Gun Trader deal) insisted it was a .380, even though I could see in the photos "9mm Makarov" on the slide. He had, "fired .380 rounds through it so obviously it was factory mismarked, besides 9mm rounds did not fit". Ahhh Yeahh!!
Though I do not believe the pistol was dammaged by firing some .380 rounds, this Russian has not impressed me with it's quality. My first Mak is a very nice EG. The Imez did came with Pierce grips(or are they hard rubber import grips??) that give the pistol a CZ82ish feel. Butt when waggling my hand while holding the pistol, the dang thing rattles. Not just the trigger & firing pin, it's the very loose slide that makes the noise, maybe 1/32-1/64 in play. Is this usual to the commercial Imez IJ-70's?? The pistol really isn't that bad, just not up to the standards of my slick EG Mak. A trip to the firing range will tell me more.
Second question: As I haven't found a site that tells the dates of the commercial Imez'es. How to decode the date of Mfgr?? This one is (crylic letter, translates to D, looks some what like an "A") followed by EO 02XX.

My 9x18 collection is; EG mak, IJ-70, and 3 CZ82's. Glad to be posting here

Tubo

 

[ABTOMAT in memoriam]

Hi. The Soviet military PM's, (Pistolet Makarova,) are very well finished. The commercial ones not so much. The real issue is good engineering and materials. In those respects your commercial piece is equal to all the others. In other words, it ought to work as well and the parts will interchange. As to dating it, fine and well if you have the original manual sn. to the gun. The only other way would be to ask all those folks out there in Makarov land if they have a commercial that can be dated in close proximity to your sn. range. I checked but I have nothing in that block. God Bless, Yours, etc., ABTOMAT

 

[Simson-Suhl]

Hello, we really need to obtain the information from our more knowledgeable collectors/members as I do not believe the parts from the military/police Makarovs are completely interchangeble with the Russian commercial models.

 

[Teakwood]

With the exception of the rear sights, the parts from the Russian commercial Makarovs are interchangeable with the milsurps.

The dating of Russian Commercial Makarovs can only be done when one has the original papers. In general, they were made in the early to mid-1990s.

As to the grips, the soft-rubber Pearce grips are American made. They are aftermarket and not standard. So, someone has tossed the original grips and replaced them with the Pearce grips.

Your description of condition is somewhat vague, but from what I can gather I would estimate the value of that used Makarov to be about $150.

Also, if this jackass has been pushing .380 through the pistol, I would just walk away and let him stew. There are other fish in the sea.

 

[GyMac]

I have a commercial Mak in .380, bought it because I could not find a 9mm one at the time. Mine does not "rattle", but the finish, even new, left much to be desired. The blue was very thin and there were a lot of machining marks. I decided to keep it because it shoots so well. I refinished it in Duracoat and it looks much better. Still, given a choice, I would choose a fixed-sight 9mm example.

 

[Tubo]

Well the issue is no longer ...should I buy it...I spent $220, and have it in my possesion. The importers tag has sufficent value to me for the purchase.
The condition of the gun itself is really very little used. My "quality" complaints are the workmanship differences in the EG Mak compared to the Ruski. Ruski being a very much cruder variation of the same pistol. Cocking the hammer of the EG Mak has a crisp mechanical movement, possibly because of being "broken in". The Imez is much tinnier, though possibly due to being too new yet.
I do admit to beng surprised at the thickness of the Pierce grips. The Imez Pierce gripped handle is actually thicker than a CZ82, despite the pistol being single stack. Use and familiarity may dispell that strangness.

 

[lee1959]

Well the issue is no longer ...should I buy it...I spent $220, and have it in my possesion. The importers tag has sufficent value to me for the purchase.
The condition of the gun itself is really very little used. My "quality" complaints are the workmanship differences in the EG Mak compared to the Ruski. Ruski being a very much cruder variation of the same pistol. Cocking the hammer of the EG Mak has a crisp mechanical movement, possibly because of being "broken in". The Imez is much tinnier, though possibly due to being too new yet.
I do admit to beng surprised at the thickness of the Pierce grips. The Imez Pierce gripped handle is actually thicker than a CZ82, despite the pistol being single stack. Use and familiarity may dispell that strangness.

First thing I did when I got my EG was to swap out the Pierce grip to the thin EG. Made a huge difference in carry thickness. And honestly the smallish 9x18 cartridge does not generate enough recoil pulse to warrant the use of a cushion grip, at least not in my hands, it is very comfortable to shoot with the EG grip. Some might think differently of course.

 

[GyMac]

Well the issue is no longer ...should I buy it...I spent $220, and have it in my possesion. The importers tag has sufficent value to me for the purchase.
The condition of the gun itself is really very little used. My "quality" complaints are the workmanship differences in the EG Mak compared to the Ruski. Ruski being a very much cruder variation of the same pistol. Cocking the hammer of the EG Mak has a crisp mechanical movement, possibly because of being "broken in". The Imez is much tinnier, though possibly due to being too new yet.
I do admit to beng surprised at the thickness of the Pierce grips. The Imez Pierce gripped handle is actually thicker than a CZ82, despite the pistol being single stack. Use and familiarity may dispell that strangness.

Congratulations. Let us know how it shoots. Despite my commercial Mak being cruder than my East German and Bulgarian, and having a heavier trigger, it will out-shoot both. And the adjustable sight has not been a problem for me.

 

[Tubo]

.......... the thin EG. Made a huge difference in carry thickness. And honestly the smallish 9x18 cartridge does not generate enough recoil pulse to warrant the use of a cushion grip, at least not in my hands, it is very comfortable to shoot with the EG grip.........

Yup, I completely concour. Thin grip works well for me too.

Missed my chance to go to the range today, Tomorrow we're headed out to Daytona, to watch the race. Guess Ya can't do everything.

Best
Tubo

 

[oppie]

I found my new IJ-70 to shoot lights-out as well. Perhaps a little less refined, but a nice carry.