![]() ![]() The slide has 10 grasping grooves on the left side and 17 on the right. The barrel has four grooves with a right-hand twist. The barrel is chrome-lined, which protects the bore somewhat from the effects of corrosively primed ammunition. It is believed that these parts have a brownish coloration due to finish being applied after they were hardened. Most have a brown-to-plum-colored safety, hammer and extractor, although some have a mottled finish. The “AY” lettercode on the slide dates this pistol’s manufacture to 1961. The “K100” mark is found on all East German Makarovs and is an inspection acceptance mark. The manufacturing issues apparently were worked out and production continued through 1965, making for a relatively brief production run. It appears that very few of the pistols made in 19 have survived based on the limited numbers seen. It has been reported that plant officials were actually imprisoned for the problems related to the faulty manufacturing methods. The early pistols were manufactured using some die cast parts that exhibited breakage, therefore the factory reverted back to using machined parts fairly early in the production run. It is unclear exactly when production began, but it appears that prototypes were made starting in 1958. #Bulgarian makarov markings licenseOne source indicates that the East German Model PM was built under license at the Ernst Thalmann manufacturing plant in Suhl, Germany. ![]() ![]() For example, East Germany made its own variants of the AKM and SKS rifles, as well as the Makarov. Most Communist Bloc/Warsaw Pact countries manufactured and used arms similar to that of the Soviet Union, and East Germany was no exception. However, the extent to which these earlier Walther designs impacted the development of the Makarov pistol and its cartridge has not been documented. There has been speculation that the pistol and the 9 mm Makarov cartridge were strongly influenced by the Walther PP pistol and the experimental 9 mm Ultra cartridge given that the Russians had access to the Walther factory at the end of World War II. Samples made in 1958-1959 are the most difficult for collectors to find. The PM was the Soviet service pistol from the time it was adopted in 1951 until about 1991.Įast German production of the Makarov pistol began in the late 1950s and continued until 1965-a relatively brief production run. Ultimately, the Makarov was picked as the design that best met the specifications, and it was officially designated the PM (Pistol Makarov). Several different designs were submitted for evaluation including ones by Makarov, Korovin, Rakov, Simonov, Sevryugin, Voyevodin and Baryshev. After World War II, the Soviets started the process of selecting a new service pistol to replace the TT-33 (Tula Tokarev 33). The Makarov was originally designed by Nikolay Fyedorovich Makarov, a prominent young Soviet arms designer. The story of the East German Makarov begins, of course, with the Soviet Makarov. The East German variant was considered a rarity in the past, but after the collapse of the erstwhile nation in 1990, many of these pistols were imported into the United States where they found their way into the hands of shooters and collectors as military surplus. While the Makarov pistol was originally designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union, it was also produced by other communist countries including China, Bulgaria and, most relevant here, East Germany. The East German Makarov, also known as the Pistol M, or PM, is a fascinating relic of the Cold War era. To subscribe to the magazine, visit the NRA membership page here and select American Rifleman as your member magazine. This article, "The East German Makarov: A Cold War Classic," appeared originally in the August 2015 issue of American Rifleman. ![]()
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