Serbian ammunition company Prvi Partizan has manufactured ammo for more than 80 years. This is the load I have chosen as my 9×18 Makarov self-defense ammunition as I believe it offers the best combination of penetration and expansion from a standard pressure load. FTX stands for “Flex Tip eXpanding.”Īccording to Hornady, these loads make 1,000 fps at the muzzle and adhere to the SAAMI specifications for pressure. In other calibers, these rounds have shown very consistent expansion in ballistic gel. Part of the company’s very popular Critical Defense line, it uses the popular Hornady FTX bullet.įTX bullets are polymer tipped hollowpoints that are designed to improve expansion as compared to conventional hollow point designs. Hornady introduced the 9×18 Makarov Critical Defense load in late 2010, and it has become a popular choice with many people carrying Makarov and CZ 82 handguns. Buffalo Bore provides a velocity of 1,000 fps. Using a hardcast lead projectile, the round is also rated as +P. The company also loads a 115-grain flat nose bullet for the 9×18 Mak round. The Ammo Test channel on YouTube ran several 9×18 Makarov ammo loads across a chronograph, one of which was the Buffalo Bore JHP load. As you can see in the video below, the Buffalo Bore averaged 1234 fps on four shots from a CZ 82 pistol. This is well above the 1125 fps published by Buffalo Bore. The company’s own testing with a CZ 82 showed a velocity of 1192 fps.Īssuming your pistol can handle the increased pressure, this should be a very effective load. You have to use your own judgment on running a high-pressure load in your Makarov pistol. Some surplus guns may have weaknesses in them that could cause problems when shot with high-pressure ammo. I urge caution when shooting this ammunition from a surplus gun. This means that the pressure could be slightly higher than published standards or significantly higher. However, no +P specification exists for Makarov 9×18 ammunition. SAAMI does specify pressure limits for some +P loads like the. For the 9×18 Makarov, SAAMI identifies 24,100 PSI as the maximum average pressure. SAAMI, or Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute, is an industry organization that adopts standards such as the dimensions of a cartridge. Manufacturers typically use +P to identify loads that have increased pressures that exceed the industry standards for a cartridge as published by SAAMI. This Buffalo Bore load is one of two in this list that is rated as +P. Also, if you find any that I have missed, please let us know in the comments section below. As new options become available, I will update this section. The following loads are being made currently for the 9×18 Makarov load. These non-expanding bullets are normally around 95 grains and have velocities of about 1000 – 1050 fps. They will not expand or produce a wide wound cavity, but they are more likely to penetrate deeply and exit the target.Įxcept for one, all of the following loads use conventional hollow point bullets. Some attempt to overcome the expansion problem with increased velocity, while at least one load uses a premium bullet design. It is up to you to determine what will work best for your needs. Since bullet expansion is an iffy proposition with 9×18 Makarov ammunition, some people prefer to carry an FMJ, or ball, round. Some guns may be well made and cared for, while others may have been poorly made and never maintained. So, many manufacturers are cautious about loading 9mm Makarov ammo too hot.īullet design can go a long way to improving the expansion of a bullet at lower velocity, but considering the Makarov cartridge makes up a relatively small portion of the self-defense market, most top end bullet designs never make their way to the 9×18 hollow point ammo lines. There are a few things to keep in mind about the 9×18 Makarov cartridge when talking about ammo for personal protection. Many of the pistols chambered for the 9×18 Makarov cartridge are surplus guns, are of unknown quality and are simple blowback designs. Finding good self-defense ammo for them has been difficult at times, but there are several good loads worthy of consideration. The following is a list of personal protection loads that are currently available. I hope this article makes it easier.Īs an owner of an East German Makarov pistol, I enjoy shooting and studying these pistols. Finding the best 9×18 self-defense ammo is still possible. That does not mean there are no good choices for Makarov self-defense ammo – just fewer choices when compared to more popular cartridges.
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