Up here factory 9x18 ammo is quite uncommon as very few pistols chambered for it were sold. As a result reloading for it is pretty much a necessity. Buying bullets of the correct diameter is also close to impossible here so cast bullets are a must. The modified 9x19mm cases work surprisingly well, you might want to give those a try if you decide to start reloading the round.

Yes, it is in excellent condition.

Those steel frame Makarov pistols are a lot more pleasant to shoot than the alloy frame PA-63. I've been buying factory ammo when it's been available, but there is no much of that around.

I was shaving at the time the video was done, but at the moment I still have my winter beard going.

That's certainly an easier to source round than the Makarov one and far easier to get proper size bullets for reloading.

Yeah it was from some time ago.

I find the recoil to be fairly "snappy" with factory loads.

@@314299 same. If I remember correctly they have an aluminum frame.

@@314299 Those blow-back types all feel snappier than my nines. I run 2.3 grains of HP-38 under a 95 grain Berry's in a Bersa Thunder 380, and it still feels way snappy.

@@guaporeturns9472 Yes, they are aluminum frame and as a result light weight.

@@isserfiq I suspect the slide velocity of blowbacks is much higher than the speed of locked breach guns and this gives the harsher recoil.

The fired cases look fine, a little more bulged looking than ones fired in a 9x19 chamber. I have not reloaded any of the converted cases more than twice so far so I dont know what sort of case life to expect. With an almost unlimited supply of 9x19 brass that I can just pick up off the ground at the range I'm not terribly concerned with case life.

The cases are a bit of a pain for me to make as I do the trimming on a hand cranked Lyman trimmer, I need to get a Lee trimmer pilot so I can use a drill to speed things up. I have W231, I might give that a try. What sort of charge weight were you using?

@@314299 Lyman makes a power assist trimmer to replace the hand crank on the Lyman, thats what I used to trim the once fired 9 mm cases and I also use it for final trimming of .308 Win. brass I converted to 300 Sav. after I use my chop saw to get it close. I had good results with 3.5 grs. of W231.

Proper 9mm Mak brass is tough to find up here as there were so few guns sold in the caliber. Accuracy was reasonably good as I recall, no leading either. Unfortunately the footage of the target was lost somehow, but I figured the velocity measurements were worth preserving. I shot the bullets unsized and coated with Lee liquid Alox, normally I prefer conventional lube but I do not have a proper size die for my Lyman machine.

I can see them being a decent choice as they are fairly light and compact.

Thanks for watching the video and for commenting.

Yeah it's a two cavity mold. I checked and Lee does not list this one in a six cavity. I don't shoot that much 9x19 so the two cavity ought to be all I need.

Thanks.