Traumatic pistols MP-79 and MP-80: review and comparison (+ video review)

The Makarov pistol is undoubtedly the most popular pistol in the post-Soviet space - modifications of it are still in service and are in the personal possession of shooters. The same popularity surrounds traumatic versions of the PM, and today we will talk about some of the most widespread and accessible modifications - MP-79TM and MP-80-13T.

Options and modifications[ | ]

MR-79-9TM

• IZH-79-9T "Makarych"
  - "gas pistol with the ability to fire a rubber bullet" chambered for 9 mm PA cartridge The first model, production started in February 2004[3][4] Currently not produced.
• IZH-79-9TM
  is a traumatic pistol chambered for 9 mm PA cartridge, magazine capacity is 8 rounds. Produced since 2006, instead of the IZH-79-9T model. Currently not produced.
• IZH-79-9TM-10
  is a traumatic pistol chambered for 9 mm PA. It differs from the IZH-79-9TM model in a double-row magazine with a capacity of 10 (13) rounds. Currently not produced.
• MP-79-9TM
  is a traumatic pistol chambered for 9 mm PA. It is produced instead of the IZH-79-9T model since September 2007[5]. Magazine capacity - 8 rounds.
• MP-79-9TM-10
  - traumatic pistol chambered for 9 mm PA; It differs from the MP-79-9TM model in a double-row magazine with a capacity of 10 (13) rounds. Produced instead of the IZH-79-9TM-10 model.
• MP-80-13T
  is a traumatic pistol chambered for .45 Rubber. Magazine capacity - 6 rounds[6][7]
• MP-471
  is a service traumatic pistol chambered for 10x23 mm T, developed in 2004[8], produced since 2005 for employees of private security structures[9].

During production, changes were made to the design of the pistol[2], so IZH pistols of the first years of production (designed for the use of cartridges with a power of 35-50 J)[10] are not designed for the use of cartridges of increased power, certified in subsequent years.

Design

The traumatic versions are slightly different in design from their progenitor, the PM pistol: apart from the difference in the barrel and the modified chamber, there are no other significant changes. The automatic operation of the pistol operates on the basis of the recoil of the free bolt; the return spring is attached around a fixed barrel - exactly like a combat PM.

Assembly and disassembly is identical to PM and is familiar, perhaps, to most men in our country:

1. We remove the magazine and check for the presence of a cartridge in the chamber;
2. We move the trigger safety guard down and to the side;
3. We move the bolt back and up, and then remove it from the barrel guide;
4. We remove the spring and, on some specimens, the barrel bushing;
5. We carry out the assembly in the reverse order.

The pistol barrel has crushed teeth - obstacles for firing a solid bullet. They are the weakest element of the design - there are often cases when, when firing reinforced or pre-reform ammunition, the barrel blew or vomited in these places. The same problems occur during active training or recreational shooting. Therefore, it makes sense to use low-power cartridges with a reduced amount of gunpowder for regular shooting, while for self-defense it is worth using the most powerful ones.

Advantages[ | ]

Since the Makarov pistol (PM) is quite well known throughout the post-Soviet space, its traumatic variants are popular and consistently in high demand among owners of civilian self-defense weapons, weapon lovers and other categories of citizens. The advantages of Makarov traumatic pistols include:

• external resemblance to the PM combat pistol;
• structural similarity with the PM pistol (which simplifies the handling of the pistol for those who have experience in handling the PM pistol);
• availability and relatively low price of spare parts and accessories;
• relatively low price (except for the MP-80-13T model).
• Reliability of all components and mechanisms, with the exception of barrel designs of different versions[11].

According to police colonel I. Shutov, “Makarych” can be “quite easily and quickly converted into a combat pistol”[12].

Mechanisms of the MP80 13T pistol

The appearance is very similar to the combat PM.
This is especially noticeable in the width of the bolt, which in this traumatic version has become wider due to the increase in the caliber of ammunition used in the magazine to 45. The main mechanisms remained from previous generations of Makarych. The experts provided brief instructions on how to make the operation of this weapon smooth, so that all mechanisms worked smoothly and did not require any effort during firing. The best idea is to completely disassemble the pistol, polish all rubbing parts and lubricate them. This must be done very carefully, as is the case with the barrel. The results will be excellent and you will feel that the gun is running as smoothly as possible.

Another debugging option is regular shooting. This will also help you get used to the pistol grip with its unique heel. This method allows the mechanisms to get used to each other. But it has a significant disadvantage - this will not happen soon, and by the time the gun operates smoothly, all the mechanisms will already be loose, so a logical question arises about the effectiveness of this method.

Disadvantages[ | ]

• Controversial ergonomics inherited from developments 60 years ago[2].
• The latch magazine fixation system imposes significant restrictions on the speed and convenience of reloading (with the exception of the IZH79-9TM-10 and MP-79-9TM-10 models, which use a push-button fixation system)
• Low and unstable quality of production at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant[2].
• Large and abundant obstacles in the barrel, compared to other models of traumatic weapons.
• Small magazine capacity (model MP-80-13T)
• Low reliability of the barrel design of different versions[11]

Ammunition for traumatic pistols

The correct choice of cartridges for traumatic weapons is the basis for its long-term operation. A huge number of pistols were completely damaged by their owners due to the use of bullets in cartridges that were harder than specified in the manual. For the Makarych MP-79 modification, such a charge is the certain “death” of the barrel. The thing is that the manufacturer made special indentations in its channel in order to prevent the possibility of firing bullets made of hard material. Soft rubber bullets pass through such protection freely, but hard ones can tear, which leads to a piece of rubber getting stuck. As a result, the next shot can have very disastrous consequences both for the weapon and for the shooter himself.

Operating countries[ | ]

• Russia - certified as a civilian self-defense weapon, used by private security officers[13][14]. Sold under a license for the acquisition, storage and carrying of self-defense weapons of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• Kazakhstan - after the purchase of traumatic weapons was allowed in the country on January 1, 2008, a number of Makarych traumatic pistols of various modifications were sold. On April 2, 2014, the Parliament of Kazakhstan established a ban on the possession and use of traumatic weapons by civilians[15]. On October 29, 2014, a decision was made to buy back previously sold traumatic weapons from owners (including models MP-79-9TM and MP-80-13T)[16], however, traumatic weapons are still allowed as service weapons of private security forces structures[17]

Tips for caring for your pistol

This generation of Makarych does not need any extra care; all advice for caring for him is no different from advice for caring for other injuries. First of all, you must remember that it must be protected from increased moisture. Nothing will happen to the weapon if it gets caught in the rain, but if it falls into the water, it needs to be disassembled, dried well and all parts re-lubricated.

After each use, do not forget to clean the carbon layer, as it can destroy the walls of the barrel. Of course, we can say that there is much less carbon deposits in traumatic weapons than in the same combat PM, but cleaning after each shooting will not be superfluous.

After the purchase, it may seem that the store is performing very poorly. The main problem is that the feed spring is too tight. You must remember that it cannot be trimmed, since the already small magazine charge of 6 rounds can be reduced to 1-2. The rest will not reach their destination due to a short spring. Rest assured that soon the stiffness of the magazine spring will wear off and it will operate more smoothly. The best option can also be considered replacing the magazine spring with a tighter one. If this is not possible, you just need to wait until the magazine spring develops after several firings.

Notes[ | ]

1. MR-79-9 Archived copy dated May 14, 2009 on the Wayback Machine on the website of JSC TsSZ "Kolchuga"
2. ↑ 1234
   M.R. Popenker. Makarych MR-79-9
3. YES. Koretsky, E.V. Solonitskaya. Weapons and their illegal trafficking. St. Petersburg, publishing house “Legal” The first-born on the domestic market of traumatic pistols in 2004 was “Makarych” - IZH-79-9T
   ” Mikhail Degtyarev. “Makarych” accelerated // “Kalashnikov. Weapons, ammunition, equipment" No. 2, 2008, pp. 78-79
4. MP-79-9TM / website “Weapons of self-defense”
5. Mikhail Degtyarev. Forty-fifth. Traumatic "Makarych" .45 caliber // "Kalashnikov. Weapons, ammunition, equipment" No. 7, 2009, pp. 44-45
6. Fire pistol of limited destruction MP-80-13T Archived copy dated April 8, 2014 on the Wayback Machine / description on the manufacturer’s website
7. Service pistol MP-471. Passport 471.776325.023 PS
8. S. Drachev, M. Dragunov. Service trauma. // “Kalashnikov. Weapons, ammunition, equipment" No. 1, 2006, pp. 24-25
9. Firearm of limited destruction MP-79-9TM Archived copy dated February 9, 2009 on the Wayback Machine / description on the manufacturer’s website
10. ↑ 12
    Report card “Makarych” / TV program “Arms Race” from 06/15/2009 (RUSSIA.RU)
11. Igor Shutov: we are not in danger of returning to the criminal 1990s - Articles - Information portal JustMedia.ru (unspecified)
    (inaccessible link). Retrieved November 30, 2020. Archived December 8, 2020.
12. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 179 of April 4, 2005
13. “ May 25, in Kaluga from 03:00 to 03:45.
    night, unidentified criminals entered the premises of the Kalugaenergo building, located on Grabtsevskoye Shosse street... the robbers took a traumatic pistol "Makarych" from a security guard "In Kaluga, criminals disarmed a security guard and stole more than 3 million rubles from an ATM // REGNUM news agency dated May 26, 2012
14. The Parliament of Kazakhstan banned traumatic weapons // LENTA.RU dated April 2, 2014
15. Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 1145 dated October 29, 2014 “On approval of the Rules for the voluntary surrender of firearms without barrels and gas weapons with the possibility of firing traumatic cartridges by individuals who have the appropriate permission from the internal affairs bodies to store and carry weapons, as well as the transfer of technically serviceable and suitable for further use, voluntarily surrendered barrelless and gas weapons with the ability to fire traumatic cartridges to law enforcement agencies"
16. Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 85-II of October 19, 2000 “On Security Activities”

Links[ | ]

• https://www.makarych.ru/
• Reviews of the Makarych pistol and cases of use
• About the quality of "Makarychi"
• Description on the website with application statistics
• Pistols of the Makarych family
• Video: Shooting from Makarych
• Video: Shooting from Makarych at a car