9x18 Ammo (Makarov)
The 9mm Makarov, or "mak" as it is often called on the Internet, is a pistol cartridge best described as the Russian counterpart to the 9mm Luger in military usage. It is a much younger cartridge than its Western cousin, having been introduced in the late 1940s to replace the 7.62 Tokarev.
9x18mm Makarov ammunition typically sits between the .380 ACP and the 9mm in power, firing a light 95 grain full metal jacket bullet at a muzzle velocity in the 1,000-1,100 feet per second range. Self-defense loads firing jacketed hollow points are produced by only a few manufacturers but deliver respectable performance in the Makarov PM, the handgun typically used with them.
Due to its Soviet origins, the 9mm Makarov is often found in cost-effective steel-cased varieties such as those from Wolf and Barnaul's Bear series. Reloaders may prefer slightly more expensive but brass-cased alternatives from Prvi Partizan, Sellier & Bellot, or Winchester.
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Hornady Critical Defense 9x18mm Makarov 95 Grain FTX - 25 Rounds
$28.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Hornady Condition New Bullet Weight 95 Grain Bullet Type Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Use Type home defense Casing Type Nickel-Plated Brass Quantity 25 Ammo Caliber 9mm Makarov (9x18mm) Manufacturer SKU 91000 Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 090255910001 Cost Per Round $1.15 per round These 9x18mm rounds from Hornady's Critical Defense line are the perfect modern compliment to any surplus Eastern Bloc pistol of choosing. These rounds use reloadable brass casings with nickel-plating which prevents corrosion from carry sweat and outdoor elements while also providing smoother feeding and extraction with any pistol. Each cartridge also uses a non-corrosive Boxer primer and clean-burning propellant which produces minimal muzzle flash, even with the short barrels of Makarovs, Hungarian PA-63s, and Polish P-64s.
Critical Defense brand ammo uses Hornady's FTX projectiles which are made with a hollow cavity filled by a flexible polymer tip. The tip serves as a windshield to reduce drag in flight and initiates a controlled rate of expansion on impact with a target. This method of construction more readily penetrates heavy clothing while promoting massive mushrooming for optimal threat-dropping cavitation.
