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The Makarov is a good gun. Mine has been very reliable. The recoil on it is mild and I find it a joy to shoot for such a small pistol, especially after I replaced the grips on it. The stock plastic grips with the star emblem are a bit cheap. It's almost small enough and light enough to pocket carry, but IMO there are more easy to pocket carry firearms. The sights on mine are a bit ho-hum and are a far cry from today's wide high contrast sights you find on most pistols. One thing to note is that the magazine release is at the base of the grip, aka. European Style; that can take some getting used to. The best way for me to describe the gun is that it's like the Soviet version of the Walter PPK and, from my limited experience, I found the Malarov more reliable than the PPK.

I got my Makarov in the 90's when they were still a lesser known commodity and were very cheap. There are quiet a few countries where they are manufactured and some manufactures are considered better than others. Makarov.com has good information regarding the pistol. The secret is out now so you won't found steals of a deal any more on them but you will find more accessories and ammo selections than in yesteryears.

The cartridge, 9x18mm Makarov, it uses can be a bit hard to find but it's becoming more available now. Ballistically it's not as powerful as a 9×19mm Parabellum, it's performance is closer to a .380 ACP. Last I remember plinking ammo was fairly cheap and I bulk bought a bunch a few years back I still haven't used up. It's one of the few guns I don't mind shooting the cheapest East European or Russian ammo I can find, it almost seems appropriate. You may have a hard time finding premium self defense loads for it, but from a quick search it seems Hornaday and Buffalo Bore now make premium 9mm Makarov self defense loadings.