imfdb.org  

Go Back   imfdb.org > The Forum > Just Guns

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-20-2013, 08:35 AM
2wingo 2wingo is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Coeur d'Alene, ID, USA
Posts: 56
Default Improved 9x18mm Makarov ammo

I read somewhere that the newer 9x18 Makarov cartridge designed for use in the PMM is equal, perhaps even superior to, the stopping power of the 9mm Luger. Is there any truth to this?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-20-2013, 04:13 PM
funkychinaman's Avatar
funkychinaman funkychinaman is offline
IMFDB & Forum Admin
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 2,621
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2wingo View Post
I read somewhere that the newer 9x18 Makarov cartridge designed for use in the PMM is equal, perhaps even superior to, the stopping power of the 9mm Luger. Is there any truth to this?
The original 9x18 Makarov round was supposed to be the most powerful round straight blowback could handle.
__________________
"Me fail English? That's unpossible!"
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-20-2013, 07:30 PM
commando552 commando552 is offline
IMFDB Admin
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: England
Posts: 547
Default

There will be some loadings of the 9x19mm that are less powerful than the 9x18mm PMM, but generally no, the 9x19mm more powerful than the 9x18mm PMM. Although the case capacities of the two cartridges are similar (Parabellum is very slightly larger) the overall length of the Makarov is significantly less, meaning that if you want the same weight bullet it needs to be set back into the case farther and hence less capacity for powder. The more powerful 57-N-181SM round designed for the PMM is still constrained by this so is still weaker than a typical 9x19mm.

The 9x18mm is more comparable to the .380 ACP. In fact i think there are +P loadings of the .380 ACP that are more powerful than the 9x18mm PMM loadings, so there is no way it beats a 9x19mm. If you have read otherwise, I think you may be getting confused with the special Russian overpressure 9x19mm Parabellum loadings that are used in certain weapons like the Grach and GSh-18 pistols, and the PP-90M1 and PP-2000 SMGs.

Also, I think this special PMM loading was kind of a failure. Not only did you have the normal problems of introducing a new cartridge, but you had the additional risk of it being able to be chambered in older weapons, which would (and did) blow up whan used with it. The Makarov is a simple blowback design, so for the PMM what they did was to put spiral grooves on the inside of the chamber, which in effect acted like rifling on the expanding case and slowed its extraction. Due to the 57-N-181SM cartridge never being widely adopted, I think most PMMs were modified back to a standard PM style barrel without the grooves.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-24-2013, 05:27 AM
Mazryonh Mazryonh is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 290
Default

Why would the Russians waste their time making +P+ loadings of the 9x18mm cartridge, when they've already developed armour-piercing overpressure variants of the 9x19mm cartridge? Is it to give their non-SWAT-type police units more of a credible pistol round with a greater effective range using older 9x18mm weaponry? I don't recall Russian forces being big on 9x18mm SMGs either.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
9mm, makarov, pmm

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 03:41 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.