Home page » Handgun(s) manufacturers » Other handguns » Makarov hand gun

Makarov hand gun

Since military thought of the Soviet Union came to the idea that the main means of warfare would be tans armadas the necessity of the development of new handguns (pistols) paled into insignificance.

The main efforts were concentrated on the development of other models of weapons which could be a passport to success of the war. The huge part of the budget in the Soviet Union was spent on the development of new tanks and rockets. As a result in the inventory of the Russian army was the same gun – Makarov gun.

But not only Russians have got the same old gun. Americans still use Colt put into service before the First World War. The British buy new 9-mm handguns Sig-Sauer only for SAS and other special subdivisions. The rest of British use "Browning high power ", created before the Second World War.

Equal among equals

In the Soviet Army Makarov handgun was intended for the armament of officers beginning with platoon commander, combat crew. However, when the shortened the Kalashnikov gun with cartridges 5,45 , and7,62 mm was developed the Russians received not bad submachine gun. The first samples of it found their way to the West through Afghanistan. There it was used by car crews who preferred more weighty argument for mujahads than a small gun. Makarov gun became the hand gun "on emergence".

Nowadays despite shortened need in such a gun in the army Makarov gun is still produced. It is as reliable as it was earlier. It is a distinctive feature of Russian small arm. During the Second World War Red Army used ancient revolver gun of Belgian Nagan and Tokarev gun — ТТ-33. However, the last has small magazine capacity and very light cartridge. After the war the Soviet Union started to search a replacement of the main gun with universal 9- mm gun. However, in the Soviet Union there was developed a new 9-mm cartridge. It was not as powerful as 9-mm cartridge "parabellum ", but it was possible to develop a handgun with a blowback bolt (free slide). The initial flying speed of 6,1-u (93) cartridge was equal to 320—340 m/s (1130-1225 km/h).