Makarov PM
Izhevsk Mechanical Plant · Pistol · In Production · 1951
Also known as: Pistolet Makarova, PM, Pistole M, Type 59
Overview
The Makarov PM is a semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9x18mm Makarov, produced by Izhevsk Mechanical Plant since 1951. Featuring a 8-round magazine capacity, this pistol offers compact firepower for concealed carry applications.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 730 g (25.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 810 g (28.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 161 mm (6.34") |
| Barrel Length | 93.5 mm (3.68") |
| Height | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Width | 29 mm (1.14") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 315 m/s (1033 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 303 J (223 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 260 mm (10.24") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x18mm Makarov · primary — also known as 9mm Makarov, 9x18mm PM
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Decocker, Magazine Disconnect, Half Cock Notch
- Features: Free Blowback Design, Fixed Barrel, Chrome Lined Barrel, Double Action Single Action, Heel Magazine Release
Variants
- Makarov PMM — Modernized
- Makarov PB — Suppressed
- Baikal IJ-70 — Commercial Export
- Norinco Type 59 — License Production
- Pistole M (Ernst Thalmann) — License Production
- Arsenal P-M01 — License Production
- TKB-023 — Experimental
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Armed Forces · adopted 1951 · as PM
- Russian Armed Forces · adopted 1991 · as PM
- KGB / FSB · adopted 1951 · as PM / PB
- East German National People's Army · adopted 1959 · as Pistole M
- People's Liberation Army (China) · adopted 1959 · as Type 59
- Bulgarian Armed Forces · as P-M01
- Polish Armed Forces
- Afghan Armed Forces
- Albanian Armed Forces
- Algerian Armed Forces
- Angolan Armed Forces
- Armenian Armed Forces
- Azerbaijani Armed Forces
- Belarusian Armed Forces
- Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces
- Eritrean Defence Forces
- Ethiopian Armed Forces
- Georgian Armed Forces
- Indian Armed Forces
- Iraqi Armed Forces
- Kazakh Armed Forces
- Kyrgyz Armed Forces
- Lao People's Armed Forces
- Libyan Armed Forces
- Moldovan Armed Forces
- Mongolian Armed Forces
- Mozambican Armed Forces
- Nicaraguan Armed Forces
- North Korean Armed Forces
- North Macedonian Armed Forces
- Romanian Armed Forces
- Syrian Armed Forces
- Tajik Armed Forces
- Turkmen Armed Forces
- Ukrainian Armed Forces
- Uzbek Armed Forces
- Vietnamese People's Army
Conflicts
- Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
- Chechen Wars (1994-2009)
- Russo-Ukrainian War (2014-present)
Production
Production years: 1951-present
Millions produced across Soviet Union, East Germany, Bulgaria, China, and others. Exact total unknown but among the most produced military pistols in history.
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov
Notes
The Makarov replaced the Tokarev TT-33 as the standard Soviet sidearm. Its simple blowback design requires no locking mechanism because the 9x18mm Makarov cartridge operates at moderate pressure (160 MPa vs 235 MPa for 9x19mm Parabellum). Licensed production occurred in East Germany (Pistole M at the Ernst Thalmann plant in Suhl), Bulgaria (Arsenal P-M01), and China (Norinco Type 59). The PMM modernized variant, introduced in 1994, features a 12-round double-stack magazine and higher-pressure ammunition for increased muzzle velocity but never fully replaced the standard PM. The suppressed PB variant was developed for Spetsnaz and KGB special operations. The Baikal IJ-70 was a commercial export model marketed in the United States during the 1990s, available in both 9x18mm Makarov and .380 ACP. The fixed barrel contributes to good inherent accuracy for a compact service pistol. The heel-mounted magazine release is characteristic of European pistol design of its era.
Background
The Makarov's 9x18mm cartridge was specifically engineered by Boris Semin to be the most powerful round that could safely function in a simple blowback pistol without a locking breech, resulting in an elegantly simple and supremely reliable design. The PM served as the standard Soviet/Russian sidearm for over 50 years, becoming the most widely distributed military pistol of the Cold War era.