Monday, February 18, 2008

STEPHEN CAMP - MAKAROV & MORE

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Makarov! Well Worth the Money!


By Stephen Camp


www.hipowersandhandguns.com

This is not a "range report" on the Makarov. I have a couple of those out there on www.pistolsmith.com and www.1911forum.com as well as other sites if interested. This concerns my observations of the little jewel after fair use over a bit more than a year.

With other than the 115 and 120-grain JHP loads, these pistols are normally dead-bang reliable and I was truly surprised at the pistol's mechanical or intrinsic accuracy, especially when using the cheap surplus ammo we all buy. At prices now ranging in the $150 - $200 range, you get one heck of a good pistol. Even with the two loads mentioned above, but a minute's careful attention to the bevel at the lower end of the feed ramp solves their reliability problem, at least in my guns.

I place high regard for things that work and the Makarovs work! For a defensive arm, I'm not as partial to 9x18mm Makarov as other calibers, but I'd much rather have a Makarov that I could count on than a larger caliber handgun that usually was dependable.

For those who may not be familiar with the Mak, what you get is a conventional DA/SA single-stack automatic in the ". 380 +" power range. Its magazine release is at the butt rather than behind the trigger guard and the fixed sights are miniscule. I find them hard to pick up at speed. The magazine holds 8 rounds for a total payload of 9 shots before having to reload. The DA trigger pull on my Bulgarian is smooth, but heavier than on my E. German. Both are very usable "as they come", but could be made better with some work at home if you're into such things or by a gunsmith if you're not. I highly recommend dropping by www.makarov.com if you're a fan of these little gems or think you might be. One thing I do like about them is that even though they have the slide-mounted, single-side thumb safety, down is for fire and up is for safe, just the opposite of most autos having the safety on the slide. Because the pistol is not large, it is easily manipulated with the thumb for those wanting to carry the pistol with the safety engaged. The thumb safety also acts as a decocker. The pistol weighs 1.7 lbs. and has a barrel length just under 4."

This is an E. German Makarov that is stock. It has not been altered in the least, but does have one of the "CCW magazines" from www.makarov.com in it. They work great and are inexpensive with high quality.

Here's some chronograph data on the 9x18mm fired from the Makarov. The figures listed are based on ten-shot averages about 10' from the chronograph.

9x18mm Makarov Ammunition Average Velocity (ft/sec)

LVE 115-grain JHP 1025

Sellier & Bellot 95-grain FMJ 924

Barnaul 95-grain FMJ 1058

Fiocchi 95-grain FMJ 1020

Corbon 95-grain JHP 1100

Hornady 95-grain XTP 984

Not in the same league as the 1911 with regard to aftermarket parts, they do exist and the Makarov lends itself quite nicely to some upgrades, but I find that some folks simply will not do this even if it's financially feasible for them!

I believe that the pistol is plenty good enough to sink the cost of the gun in upgrades! Let me explain why.

At my age, I have trouble seeing small, military-type fixed sights and the Mak certainly has those. While the plastic grips that come standard on the pistol are fine for concealed carry, I personally like the Pearce rubber ones better as I have large hands. Many will add the grips, but just "get along" with the sights, which while fine in slow, deliberate fire are hard to pick up at speed or see in less than good lighting…at least for me! Some have problems with the DA pull, but rationalize it with something like, "It's OK for the money."

Really? I don't think so. IF the pistol is to be used for self-defense, there's a good chance that the thing will have to be fired double-action for the first shot and with its lesser ballistic payload, placement becomes even more critical than with say a .357 SIG. While I would not have any springs lightened or bent for this effect, I would get as smooth a DA pull on my protection Makarov as I could. While my Bulgarian Makarov has a pretty good DA pull, it's not as smooth as my E. German, but were either just too rough or heavy, I'd gladly invest in my own chances for survival in a lethal force scenario. While it was not necessary on my pistols, better sights were and I went ahead and bought a Wolff conventional 19-lb. recoil spring as I have shot and intend to keep shooting the pistol quite a bit. (These can be found at www.gunsprings.com and work fine with all the ammo I've tried.)

Shortly after I bought my new Bulgarian, I noticed an ad for what was called the "Beast Conversion Slide" over at the Makarov site mentioned previously. For $150, I'd get a new Bulgarian slide that was fitted with Novak high-visibility fixed sights with the familiar 3-dot arrangement. Even though this cost as much as the pistol, I feel it was well worth it. The pistol has very close POA vs. POI and the slide is nicely finished in a black matte of some sort. While the conversion is no longer available, one can send their slide to the good folks at www.makarov.com (You CAN trust them) to have the Novak sights added for about the same price. Assuming a fellow did this and then had a gunsmith do a trigger job and perhaps added Pearce grips, I'd reckon, he'd cough up about $250 to $275, well over what he paid for the gun.

This is my Bulgarian Makarov fitted with the Novak sights. It makes sight acquisition at speed much easier.

"I would never be able to get my money back out of the gun with that kind of money in it."

So what? If you're not planning on selling the pistol, you won't anyway, but consider this: With Makarovs getting harder and harder to find, prices continue to rise. Who can say that in a few years, another shooter might not be willing to pay your price if you decided to sell? A collector wouldn't, but a shooter just might.

I personally would do it even if I knew I could never get my money back out of it as I do not intend to part with my Makarovs. They're built like tanks and should last through many thousands of rounds and you can afford to feed them with the inexpensive ammo we can now get. In centerfires, 9x19mm and 9x18mm Makarov are probably the least expensive calibers available in many loadings. In a gun that I intend to shoot lots, I want it to suit me and the Mak is worth shooting in my opinion.

"For that kind of money, I could get a CZ-83 and a couple of spare magazines and maybe some .380 ammo."

That's true and you'd be getting a very fine pistol and one that's capable of cocked and locked carry, if desired. It would have the magazine release behind the trigger guard and would have at least a 10-round magazine, but it is a larger pistol and .380 ACP costs more on average than 9x18mm Mak. Either is a fine choice in the larger pistols for these calibers and you might just be able to find one of the CZ's in 9x18mm Mak, but if you really like the feel of the Makarov pistol and it won't be too hard financially, I'd get it fixed up to suit me and allow more effective use of the gun. Spare parts and extra magazines will be much less costly than for any other centerfire pistol…including the CZ.

The fact that the Makarov is initially inexpensive does not mean that it doesn't make a fine "base gun" upon which to do some specific refining. It's a good gun as it comes, but can be a great gun with a minor investment in money and time.

These things beg to be shot, so why not have yours where you can really squeeze out its potential and maybe enjoy it even more? It might also be very good in the event that you are in "the dark place" and need to be able to get the hits.

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MAGPUL ACCESSORIES




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TASERS

The St. Paul Police Department is requesting 230 Tasers to outfit the all of the department's officers with the electroshock weapon, Fox 9 News reports. The SPPD will purchase the Tasers with $210,000 collected from drug raids. The St. Paul City Council will have to approve the purchase.

The purchase is expected to arrive in St. Paul just in time for the Republican National Convention prompting media speculation that the weapons are being purchased specifically for the convention. When asked by Fox 9 News whether the police will use the weapon at the convention particularly against protesters, police spokester Tom Walsh said, "Our hope is that no one will have to use any degree of force. If it becomes necessary, will that be one of the tools available to them? I suppose that's safe to say."

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WND Exclusive
ELECTION 2008
Sleaze charge: 'I took drugs, had homo sex with Obama'
Minnesota man takes his case to court, YouTube, $100,000 polygraph challenge

Posted: February 17, 2008
4:45 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

Editor's note: The accompanying YouTube video contains sexual language that some will consider offensive. The article itself contains material that is inappropriate for children.


Larry Sinclair accuses Barack Obama of homosexual acts and drug use in video posted on YouTube

WASHINGTON – The electrifying presidential campaign of Barack Obama faces a new challenge – a Minnesota man who claims he took cocaine in 1999 with the then-Illinois legislator and participated in homosexual acts with him.

When his story was ignored by the news media, Larry Sinclair made his case last month in a YouTube video, which has now been viewed more than a quarter-million times. And when it was still ignored by the media, Sinclair filed a suit in Minnesota District Court, alleging threats and intimidation by Obama's staff.

Sinclair, who says he is willing to submit to a polygraph test to validate his claims, will now get his chance – thanks to a website offering $10,000 for the right to record it and $100,000 to Sinclair if he passes.

"My motivation for making this public is my desire for a presidential candidate to be honest," Sinclair told WND by telephone. "I didn't want the sex thing to come out. But I think it is important for the candidate to be honest about his drug use as late as 1999."

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Remington Buys Marlin



Remington Arms of Madison, North Carolina has acquired another of America's longest-operating firearms companies, Marlin Firearms of North Haven, Connecticut.

With that acquisition, Remington acquires the manufacturer of two of the longest-manufactured firearms in the world. Marlin first produced their models 1891 and 1893, as quality firearms for the period. They had no reason to imagine they would become the oldest shoulder arm designs in the world. Today, they live as the Models 39 and 336 in the Marlin line.

This acquisition also adds H&R 1871, Inc. the Gardner, Massachusetts based manufacturer of single-shot rifles and L.C. Smith shotguns to the Remington line. Their single shots, marketed as Harrington & Richardson and New England Firearms make H&R 1871 is the largest manufacturer of single shot rifles and shotguns in the world. That company was acquired by Marlin in November of 2000.

Tommy Millner Remington's CEO, says, "I am pleased to announce that Marlin's well known brands with a long heritage of providing quality rifles and shotguns to hunters and shooters around the world will join the Remington family. The opportunity to combine two historic U.S. based companies with such storied and proud histories, is both challenging and exhilarating"

"We look forward to working with Bob Behn, a well respected member of our industry. He will remain as president of Marlin, charting a course of further growth and operational improvement," Millner continued.

With this acquisition, another longtime family-owned firearm company comes under a corporate umbrella. And that umbrella (Remington Arms) is part of a still larger umbrella, Cerberus Capital Partners. Today, Cerberus owns significant segments of the firearms market in every category except handguns.

Closing of the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions, including regulatory approvals. Credit Suisse acted as financial advisor to Remington with respect to this acquisition. Duff & Phelps Securities, LLC, a unit of Duff & Phelps Corporation (NYSE:DUF), initiated the transaction, assisted in the negotiations and acted as exclusive financial advisor to Marlin.

Frank Kenna III, Marlin's Chairman, said, "Marlin has been a family run business since 1924 and through a number of important steps, we have grown it into the company it is today. We knew it was time to find the right partner for Marlin to ensure our brands maintain their leadership positions and move into the next century."

Mr. Kenna III continued, "We believe Remington's commitment to the industry, shooters and hunters alike, combined with their resources from a manufacturing and sales and marketing position, will reinforce the confidence, hard work and dedication that our employees and management have put into our brands."

E. Scott Blackwell, Remington's President of Global Sales/Marketing and Product Development, said, "The history of our two companies in innovation and meeting the needs of hunters and shooters around the globe, combined with the opportunity to further develop the Remington, Marlin, H&R, NEF and LC Smith brands, is not only beneficial to the Company and our channel partners, but especially to our to the end customer. And it is these customers and our employees that have contributed to the success and longevity of these brands."

No actual financials are available for Marlin, but the family-owned company employs 575 and is estimated by Hoover's/D&B to have annual revenues of approximately $28.3 million. When added to Remington's sales, the combined companies will have revenues approaching a half-billion dollars. Additionally, the addition of Marlin/H&R 1871 will give Remington the distinction of being owner of the world's largest producer of single shot rifles and shotguns as well as the only manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products in the United States, and Cerberus Capital Partners ownership of the largest holding of firearms companies in the United States.

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WASHINGTON — Senator John McCain’s campaign advisers will ask the White House to deploy President Bush for major Republican fund-raising, but they do not want the president to appear too often at his side, top aides to Mr. McCain said Sunday.

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EXTREMISTS CURSE "OLMERT" WITH "PULSA DINURA" Right-wing extremists hold mythical Kabbalistic ‘death curse’ against prime minister, exactly one year after identical ritual against then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

Efrat Weiss

Published: 06.27.06, 22:08 / Israel News

Exactly one year after carrying out a “Pulsa Denura,” an ancient Kabbalistic death curse, against former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Right-wing extremists held a similar ritual targeting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Channel 10 reported Tuesday.

One of the participants related, “The ceremony took place exactly one year after the one for Ariel Sharon. If, God forbid, Olmert continues to hold his position, we will pay a heavy price.”

In the ritual curse against Sharon, some 20 extremists assembled at the old cemetery in Rosh Pina and chanted calls for the then-prime minister’s death. The organizers claimed to have received rabbinical approval to hold the ceremony.

On Sunday a group of Right-wing extremists arrived at the Har Herzl cemetery, and there by the grave of murdered Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi, carried out a Pulsa Denura ceremony against Olmert.

According to the organizers, two services were held, 24 hours apart. The first ritual service, held Saturday, was carried out at a different location.

One activist said that Olmert was “wicked." "We should have done the Pulsa Denura half a year ago, but it’s not something you can do every day,” he added.

The source of the Pulsa Denura (from the Aramaic for “bullets of fire”) is in religious Jewish legend, and the curse's powers are attributed to Kabbalists. It is believed to be capable of leading to the cursed figure’s death.

OLMERT NOW HAS "CANCER"


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