CZ82 vs. Makarov
- Thread starter publius
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predecessor
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CZ 82
I wanted to like the Mak better but the 82 fits my hand better and it just feels stronger and I shoot it more accurately. A little like my first lever action: I wanted to like the Winchester 94 more but I came home with the better Marlin 336
I wanted to like the Mak better but the 82 fits my hand better and it just feels stronger and I shoot it more accurately. A little like my first lever action: I wanted to like the Winchester 94 more but I came home with the better Marlin 336
I have both in my collection along with P64 and PA63 and IMHO the CZ is the winner - 12+1 rounds, superior trigger, button magazine release, fit in my hand , very accurate and made in Czechoslovakia with real tools 
... mak is on the other hand is 8+1 with gritty DA trigger but has a little less recoil, less complicated mechanism, build like tank and have conventional riffling
... mak is on the other hand is 8+1 with gritty DA trigger but has a little less recoil, less complicated mechanism, build like tank and have conventional rifflingm.p.driver
New member
I have Chinese,Russian,Bulgarian,and East.German Maks.Got on the kick when they were dirt cheap.I've also bought two 82's,one which i put night sights on and has replaced my Glock as a daily carry.The only Mak that could come close to the 82's trigger pull is the E.G.Throw in the 12 round mag and theres no choice.
Between the two, I liked the Makarov better. It didn't break, (one of my CZ82s did), it didn't give me hammer bite, like the 82 did, and I couldn't tell a difference in accuracy. The CZ has better sights, but the Mak pointed better for me. My German Mak seemed to be higher quality overall too. With a Pearce grip the Mak felt better in my hand than the CZ with it's plastic grips.
I'd rather have a Makarov.
I'd rather have a Makarov.
bdb benzino
New member
I'm with PSP, the Makarov is a sweet pistol for carry and is reliable, accurate, and rugged. It also is almost as slim as my Kahr's, and even though its steel it carries well IWB. I'm not too hung up on capacity so I'll take the slimer profile over more capacity. They point extremely well for me also!
christcorp
New member
I have had both and I like the CZ-82 much better. Don't get me wrong; the makarov is an excellent gun. I just think the CZ-82 shoots better, more accurate, less recoil, and just a better feel. Having said that, I'm probably going to be picking up another East German Makarov this week. But 70% of my CCW time is with the CZ-82. 20% with my Sig p220 45acp. 10% with my Walther PPK or FEG 32acp. But for the original question, the nod has to go to the CZ-82.
I'd take the Makarov for two reasons.
First, I believe that it's the better pistol, service-wise. I think it's one of the most reliably functioning, common sense designs ever. The CZ is a very good pistol itself, I admit, but the Makarov PM is like the Babe Ruth of utility pistols.
For me, the CZ 82 is too big to carry and, for home, I want a heavier, more powerful gun. 9X19 is kind of my bottom limit when the gun's size is no issue.
First, I believe that it's the better pistol, service-wise. I think it's one of the most reliably functioning, common sense designs ever. The CZ is a very good pistol itself, I admit, but the Makarov PM is like the Babe Ruth of utility pistols.
For me, the CZ 82 is too big to carry and, for home, I want a heavier, more powerful gun. 9X19 is kind of my bottom limit when the gun's size is no issue.
carguychris
New member
Makarov Plus:
- Far less mechanically complex, especially for disassembly beyond simple field-stripping
- Slimmer
- Lighter
- Less snag-prone design
- Decocker/safety with a positive firing pin block (but consequently cannot be carried cocked-and-locked; see below)
- Higher capacity
- Really accurate
- Generally crisper SA trigger
- Can be carried cocked-and-locked (but consequently lacks a foolproof decocker feature; see above)
- Has a positive firing pin return spring; Makarovs lack this feature and could potentially slam-fire if firing pin recess gets extremely dirty, but some experts downplay this concern as extremely unlikely
- Slide can be manually operated with safety on
- Steeper grip angle feels more natural to most shooters accustomed to Western-designed automatic pistols
- Conventional Western-style thumb-button mag releases rather than P38-style sliding lever on butt
christcorp
New member
Wow. One of the main reasons I picked up a CZ-82 (I already have an E. german Makarov), is because I LIKE the way it conceals. Then again, I have converted to ONLY using CrossBreed Holsters. And my CZ-82 is my #1 carry gun. I carry it about 70% of the time. My SigSauer P220 45acp about 20% of the time. And either my Walther PPK or FEG 32acp's the other 10% of the time. I love the Makarov, but I like the CZ-82 more. ESPECIALLY for carrying. And the couple of extra parts doesn't make the CZ-82 any less reliable or dependable. Except for a couple of guns, almost ALL of my pistols and rifles are military guns. Mainly because of the quality demanded of a military firearm.
I consider both the CZ-82 and the Makarov about as equal in terms of quality, dependability, reliability, and value as equal can be. The ONLY difference between them is personal preference. Debating which of the 2 guns is better is like arguing if a Lamborghini is better than a Ferrari. I consider the 9x18 round to be one of the best for self defense. (Not to be confused with HOME defense). I consider the CZ-82 and the Makarov to be 2 of the finest military pistols of all time. I rank them up there with the 1911A1 45acp, Sig P220, and a number of other Military Pistols. (Sorry, I don't rank the Glock high. They're ONLY popular because the company discounted heavily to police departments). But other than that, the CZ and the Mak are excellent pistols.
To the OP. If you like military weapons and want to collect some, then you HAVE to buy both; the CZ-82 and the Makarov. (Preferably E. German or Russian). If you're just looking for one because you want a good self defense weapon, that is inexpensive, and the ammo is very available and inexpensive, and you really can't appreciate the quality of these two guns; then buy whichever one you can get at a reasonable price. $200-$250. If you pay more than that, it's not worth it, unless you like to collect them.
I consider both the CZ-82 and the Makarov about as equal in terms of quality, dependability, reliability, and value as equal can be. The ONLY difference between them is personal preference. Debating which of the 2 guns is better is like arguing if a Lamborghini is better than a Ferrari. I consider the 9x18 round to be one of the best for self defense. (Not to be confused with HOME defense). I consider the CZ-82 and the Makarov to be 2 of the finest military pistols of all time. I rank them up there with the 1911A1 45acp, Sig P220, and a number of other Military Pistols. (Sorry, I don't rank the Glock high. They're ONLY popular because the company discounted heavily to police departments). But other than that, the CZ and the Mak are excellent pistols.
To the OP. If you like military weapons and want to collect some, then you HAVE to buy both; the CZ-82 and the Makarov. (Preferably E. German or Russian). If you're just looking for one because you want a good self defense weapon, that is inexpensive, and the ammo is very available and inexpensive, and you really can't appreciate the quality of these two guns; then buy whichever one you can get at a reasonable price. $200-$250. If you pay more than that, it's not worth it, unless you like to collect them.
A buddy offered me a Russian Makarov and I hated shooting it, alot of pain. Sharp edges, sharp recoil due to the blowback design.
Owned a CZ 82 for about a year before another buddy "took" it from me.
The CZ is bigger, but the grip felt better in my hands. It has more capacity, and mine was 100% reliable through several hundred rounds. Also shot very accurately.
Also had a nice double-action trigger pull and can be carried cocked-and-locked if you want, unlike the Makarov, though you have to manually lower the hammer to half-cock.
So far all 3 of my CZs (also a 75 and p-07) have been 100% reliable and extremely accurate.
I also didn't like the recoil on my CZ 82 initially, but got a recoil spring pack from Wolff Gunsprings, and found that one step up in power did the trick. That might have helped the Makarov I rejected also.
You can get VG condition CZ 82s cheap right now. I think it's a better choice than the Makarov, CZ improved the design in a number of ways that make it higher capacity and easier to shoot well.
Owned a CZ 82 for about a year before another buddy "took" it from me.
The CZ is bigger, but the grip felt better in my hands. It has more capacity, and mine was 100% reliable through several hundred rounds. Also shot very accurately.
Also had a nice double-action trigger pull and can be carried cocked-and-locked if you want, unlike the Makarov, though you have to manually lower the hammer to half-cock.
So far all 3 of my CZs (also a 75 and p-07) have been 100% reliable and extremely accurate.
I also didn't like the recoil on my CZ 82 initially, but got a recoil spring pack from Wolff Gunsprings, and found that one step up in power did the trick. That might have helped the Makarov I rejected also.
You can get VG condition CZ 82s cheap right now. I think it's a better choice than the Makarov, CZ improved the design in a number of ways that make it higher capacity and easier to shoot well.