The 9mm Makarov, or 9×18mm Makarov, is a Soviet pistol cartridge popular not only for its history but oddity compared to other 9mms.
Basic Facts Of The 9mm Makarov:
- The 9mm Makarov was used in the Makarov and Stechkin auto pistols.
- The cartridge was adopted shortly after the end of World War II.
- It is intermediate in size and power between the .380 Automatic and the 9mm Luger.
- A solid self-defense cartridge, though a little underpowered.
9mm Makarov Historical Notes
The 9mm Makarov is the current Russian military cartridge used in the Makarov and Stechkin auto pistols. It was adopted shortly after the end of World War II, and its design may have been inspired by an experimental German cartridge called the 9mm Ultra. Other countries from the former Warsaw Pact also used or continue to use the round, as well as China.
General Comments
The Soviet 9mm pistol cartridge is intermediate in size and power between the .380 Automatic and the 9mm Luger. Technically, 9mm Makarov can be described as a 9x18mm, although it differs dimensionally from the 9×18 Ultra and isn’t interchangeable with that cartridge. It’s a well-designed cartridge for its purpose, although a little underpowered by Western standards.
It’s satisfactory for small game, when loaded with hunting-type bullets, which are now available. Loading data and components are available from various manufacturers. The Makarov pistol is of medium size and is similar to the German Walther. The Stechkin is a selective-fire type that can be used with the holster stock as a submachine gun. Both pistols are well made. Cases are easily formed by passing 9mm Luger cases over an expander ball and then trimming to length.
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from Cartridges of the World.
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“A solid self-defense cartridge, though a little underpowered” ; I am not comfortable with a statement like that for such a weak cartridge. It could be used for self defense, of course, like a .25 or .380 ACP, but solid … very far from that it is.
Those countries that issue such pip-sqweek calibers for law enforcement are more concerned with economical questions and probably more certainly, if ever their law enforcement members are invloved in some kind of contestation against the government they are sure their pip-sqweek calibers will be inferior to those used by their own army. Maybe it was a “mouthful” that you’re not comfortable with either, but sometime I wonder among those “gun writers” how many have really been involved in self defense scenarios or at least have witnessed some. More often than not it is better to refrain from such statement, among readers some “have been there and done that”.
CZ-82 runs mak-9, holding 12+1. P-64 is smaller, holding 6+1, I think. Both are available as C&R.