Makarov K100

[cruzans]

My lgs has a mint Makarov East German K100 - if memory serves me he said the import was century - but before they were called century, can't remember the name, along with 2 original mags and 300 rounds of ammo. Wants $399. Is this one of the better Makarovs? I think the price is probably average, but with 300 rounds sounds decent. At this point I told him to let me know if they will go down a bit - it is on consignment so a bit at the mercy of the owner.....
Has black grips, wish they were the burnt red Bakelite's.
Has a used mint Nano too I almost walked out with for $235 but it was so close to my Sig 290 I passed - although the trigger is much better than the Sig's.

[raxar]

My lgs has a mint Makarov East German K100 - if memory serves me he said the import was century - but before they were called century, can't remember the name, along with 2 original mags and 300 rounds of ammo. Wants $399. Is this one of the better Makarovs? I think the price is probably average, but with 300 rounds sounds decent. At this point I told him to let me know if they will go down a bit - it is on consignment so a bit at the mercy of the owner.....
Has black grips, wish they were the burnt red Bakelite's.
Has a used mint Nano too I almost walked out with for $235 but it was so close to my Sig 290 I passed - although the trigger is much better than the Sig's.

East germans are one of the more desirable variants, usually sell for around $400 so with 300 rounds of ammo that isn't a bad deal. The black grips are what are supposed to be on it, the east germans didn't use the red ones.

[39flathead]

Sounds like a very fair deal.

The only thing I would add is to make sure it is actually east German and not just marked as such by the importer.
Even so, with 300 rnds any mak would still be a fair price at that IMO.

[Noah_Zark]

I'd be all over that. At a conservative $10 a box for ammo, that's $60 worth of ammo which makes the EG (DDR, or Deutsche Demokratishe Republik) Mak effectively $240, and I see Bulgarian and commercial Russian (Imez, Baikal) Maks priced there and higher. Why'd you leave without it?

The DDR Makarov is widely considered to be the "best" example of the genre, even including the Soviet-made PM (Pistolet Makarova). The trigger pulls are generally significantly lighter, smoother, and shorter than Bulgarian, Soviet, or Chinese Makarovs, the only other countries which manufactured the true Makarov pistol. Those of Hungarian, Polish, or Romanian manufacture are NOT true Makarovs; they are largely copies of the Walther PP and are merely chambered for the 9x18 Makarov cartridge.

As Rax mentioned, the black plastic finely checkered grips are correct for an DDR Makarov. Two type of DDR grips are seen, one with a tiny hole in the backstrap above the mounting screw, and one type without. The hole is for a round braided lanyard cord, dark green in color, which has a snap hook on one end. The other end is inserted into the grip hole and then knotted, and the grip installed on the pistol.

Some DDR PMs were imported wearing a rust-colored glossy plastic grip with a thumb rest for the right hand thumb. These are NOT (repeat: NOT) DDR issue. Those red thumb rest grips are actually ChiCom manufacture and were purchased by an importer and fitted to DDR PMs they had imported with somewhat ratty black DDR grips. The red thumb hole grips "spiffed up" the DDR PMs and allowed for a higher price to be asked. The ratty used DDR black grips were released on the collector market as accessories, as were the cord lanyards.

One additional note: The correct designation for the DDR Makarov is "PM" -- Pistole Makarov, auf deutsch. The "K100" is known not to be a model designator, but is thought to be either: 1) a QC stamp of some meaning, or 2) the ID of a using government or police organization. No one knows definitively, but in Dieter Marschall's book on DDR pistols he mentions the QC thing, so I"m of that thought.

Below appears a photo of the left side of a typical DDR PM:



Note "62" the year of manufacture (last two digits) under the safety/hammer, and above a "y" surrounded by prick marks (gotta look close). Later DDR PMs are seen with an "S" surrounded by the prick marks, sorta looks like an "S" in the center of a dial clock. DDR PMs are found dated from 1959 to 1965, with '59 and '65 pretty tough to find. Finally, another giveaway for a DDR PM is a circle inscribed in a square diamond -- Dieter Marschall says that this cartouche is definitively a QC/acceptance stamp.

DDR PMs were made at the Ernst Thaelmann factory (memorially named after the leader of the German Communist Party during pre-Nazi days, and a state "hero" following the formation of the DDR following WWII.) in Suhl, Germany, then in the DDR. Some DDR PMs are marked "Ernst Thaelmann" by the importer, others not. The most famous (infamous) DDR PM importer marking is the so-called "Ruko Billboard", a photo of which appears below:



Better getcher azz over to that LGS for the opening bell tomorrow; you will almost never find a DDR Makarov at a lower price -- I see them at $350 - $375 at the low end, and as much as $500 - $550 at the high end, although not many sell at the high end.

Should you buy the DDR PM (as if after all this you wouldn't -- LOL! You should be nice and wet by now . . . ) I have extra rust red PM grips, both with and without the thumb rest should you decide you wish yours to wear what you prefer, and keep the DDR black grip in protected storage. Shoot me a PM.

HTH,

Noah

[JW1914]

Get it!!!! Ive been looking for a nice mak.

[Zet70]

Buy that mak.

Wish I wasn't so far or I'd be all over that nano. Damn my busy schedule!

Coming to cabelas anytime soon?

[cruzans]

Damn you all - especially Noah for getting me wet - lol. Just emailed and told them to put everything aside for me.

[cruzans]

Buy that mak.

Wish I wasn't so far or I'd be all over that nano. Damn my busy schedule!

Coming to cabelas anytime soon?

Driving to New England next month to see family - will be coming back past there Tuesday the 14th or Wednesday the 15th in the afternoon

[MT1]

Which shop? I'll stop by and make sure they have a hold on it for you.

[cruzans]

Which shop? I'll stop by and make sure they have a hold on it for you.

LOL. The one I am looking at looks like the one Noah posted only in even better condition and doesn't have all the bill boarding on the right side. I had just bought a S&W 3953, and was debating a like new Nano for $235 and then there was the Makarov. Too much going on I guess and I passed.