What is Wolf doing with Makarov ammo?

beantole

I puchased some new production Wolf Makarov ammo today. It is for my Russian 9 X 18 mm pistol. The box says "Makarov 9mm" 100 grains.
This is new. The older Wolf ammo was produced in .380 AND 9X18mm and stated this on each box. The old 9 X 18 mm was also 109 grains, not the 100 grains I brought today. Are they trying to strike a middle ground that will work in both a .380 and a 9 X 18 caliber Makarov? Is this good, bad or of no effect? Thanks.

Bruce

Raoul

No, they are not the same. The 380 Auto is also known as the 9mm Kurz (short) in Europe. It's case is nominally 9x17mm, and its bullet measures .355" in diameter, like the 9mm Luger (Parabellum). The 9mm Makarov has a nominal case dimension of 9x18mm, but its bullet is wider at .365", so they aren't interchangeable.

I have a Russian 9mm Makarov, but I've never used Wolf ammo. Wolf is probably just loading the round with a different bullet than what you used before.

interstatepawnllc

You can shoot 9X17(.380) ammo in a 9X18(Makakrov)pistol but not the other way around. If you do shoot 9x17(.380) in a 9x18 Makarov pistol you will notice greatly diminished accuracy however due to the .380's smaller bullet diameter.

Don't "F" with kitty!!

lrarmsx

If, and I state "IF" you should ever choose to shoot .380 in you 9X18 Makarov, do so at your own risk. You will find the brass casing will bulge or split when fired. Powder may spit out at the chamber hitting the shooter. The bullet will bounce its way down the barrel and possibly cause damage due to its being undersized. And hence have terrible accuracy even at close range, not to mention gastly velocities compared to what they should be. If you pull a bullet from a .380, you can actually drop it through a 9X18 barrel without engaging the rifling.

Over the years I've heard many say that you can do it, but most don't tell the rest of the story about what might happen and/or go wrong if you do. If you are backed in a corner and about to be killed by someone or something, and your only option is to try using the wrong ammo in the wrong gun, it will either work (or work well enough) and you'll live, or it won't work and you'll die (either by being killed by the someone or the something). Go ahead, give it a shot. If it works and you live, great! If it blows up and kills you, no harm done, you were going to be dead anyway so whats the loss of a few extra seconds of life by doing it to yourself by trying?

My point is, I wish people would stop telling other people to use the wrong ammo in the wrong gun. It is a good way to get someone injured or killed, or at the very least destroy a perfectly good gun. As to not give anyone any other bad ideas to try, I won't even go into the other wrong cross-over calibers I've heard people tell other people they could do. Well If you've got a ______, you can use _____ ammo in it instead. Like I said, I could give several bad examples, but I don't want anyone actually trying them and getting hurt.

Let's just stick with giving good advice here and suggest using the right ammo in the right gun.

Back to the original question, Wolf is doing a variety of changes to their ammo. In some cases they are changing bullet weights, but in others they remain the same. They are striving to make an improved product. Getting rid of the lacquered casings is one of the big changes. They've had numerous problems with various calibers because of that. Problems users have had with Wolf ammo has given the company room for concern. They are trying to fix that by doing away with some of the problem causing factors. The bullet weight changes can be in an effort to improve accuracy and ballistics in certain calibers. Additionally, they may have found that the heavier, bigger bullets may have been causing problems with magazines and feeding. There were some heavier 9mm Parabellum ammo from Russia that was causing problems with some guns due to the ammo being slightly too long and causing the ammo to get stuck in some magazines.

If you look around, you might find someone with the older Wolf ammo with the heavier bullet.

LRARMSX

gotstolefrom

Ditto on the 'you can try it' advice. Things get un-imaginably confused.

Here is the same song, just a different verse.

I was on a trip with an old friend and a customer of his I did not know. We met up with a couple of the regular crowd, and bedded down. The next morning we were re-cautioning everyone on some bear sightings. 'Newbie' comments that he is prepared if he gets in a jam. I saw no gun so I ask 'are you really fast on your feet or just ready to meet your maker', ... he pulls out a 45LC, 2.5"bbl... I coughed. He further illuminates " Yeah , the shell is bigger than a 44mag, but is much easier to handle because this barrel is ported".

Gramps always said 'a little knowledge is dangerous', then always followed with ' given all you know, there is at least that much more you don't know'.

beantole

I just received my Cheaper Than Dirt catalogue today. They are selling Makarov 9 x 18 mm ammo that is 109 grains. It says that right on the box. Are they selling old Makarov ammo or what? I still can't figure this out since my new Makarov ammo only says it is 9mm and 100 grains on the box.

Bruce