The Makarov PM Pistol: History and Design

The Makarov PM is a Soviet service pistol designed by Nikolay F. Makarov after the Second World War and adopted in 1951 to replace the 7.62 mm Tokarev TT pistol. It is best understood as a compact, semiautomatic military pistol built around simplicity: blowback operation, a double action trigger mechanism, an eight round magazine, and the separate 9x18mm Makarov cartridge.

For collectors and history readers, “Makarov” can mean more than one national context. Soviet PM pistols and East German Pistole M pistols belong to the broader Makarov story, while museum records also place the PM in use in several other countries.

Postwar Soviet origins

The Tula State Museum of Weapons explains that Soviet review of wartime experience led to a 1945 tender for a new pistol to replace the 7.62 mm Tokarev TT. Nikolay F. Makarov, a designer from Tula, won that competition, and the pistol entered service in 1951.

That date matters because the PM was not simply a late wartime pistol. It was a postwar standardization project. The Soviet requirement sought a new sidearm, and the design that emerged was tied closely to a new cartridge rather than being a direct continuation of the TT pistol and its 7.62 mm round.

The Tula State Museum of Weapons credits the associated cartridge to B.V. Semin and N.M. Elizarov at TsNIITOCHMASH in Klimovsk, Moscow region. The museum describes the 9x18 PM cartridge as less powerful than the TT cartridge, but with a larger caliber.

A Russian arms reference identifies the pistol as the 9 mm Makarov PM pistol Model 1951, states that it entered inventory in 1951, and says production at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant began in 1953. The Tula State Museum of Weapons also states that production was established at Izhevsk Mechanical Plant and that more than five million PM pistols were produced there.

The basic PM layout

BICC’s Small Arms and Light Weapons Guide classifies the PM as a blowback operated, double action self loading pistol.

In a blowback pistol, the design is associated with mechanical simplicity compared with more complex locked breech pistol systems.

The Tula State Museum of Weapons lists a PM display pistol with these figures:

Caliber: 9.0 mm

Overall length: 16.0 cm

Barrel length: 9.3 cm

Loaded weight: 810 g

Muzzle velocity: 315 m/s

Magazine capacity: 8 cartridges

A Russian arms reference gives closely similar figures: 9x18 PM cartridge, 0.73 kg unloaded weight, 161 mm overall length, 93.5 mm barrel, 315 m/sec muzzle velocity, 50 m sighting range, and an eight round magazine.

The Tula State Museum of Weapons also notes that the pistol completely disassembles into 32 parts and uses a lever safety with fire and safe positions. Those points help explain why the PM is often discussed as a simple service design, though they should not be read as disassembly instructions.

The 9x18mm Makarov cartridge

The PM’s cartridge is central to its identity. BICC lists the PM cartridge as 9mm Makarov, also described as 9.2 x 18mm. C.I.P. identifies the standardized cartridge as 9 mm Makarov, with country of origin listed as SU.

“9 mm” does not mean every 9 mm pistol cartridge is the same.

SAAMI’s cartridge name document treats 380 Automatic, 9mm Luger, and 9x18 Makarov as separate entries. In that document.380 ACP appears under 380 Automatic, 9x19mm appears under 9mm Luger, and 9mm Makarov appears under 9x18 Makarov.

The practical safety point is simple: do not treat 9x18 Makarov as interchangeable with 9mm Luger or .380 ACP. SAAMI warns that firearms should be used only with the ammunition designated by the firearm manufacturer, and that firing ammunition that does not match the firearm markings can be dangerous. SAAMI also warns that a cartridge fitting into a chamber, barrel, or action does not necessarily mean it is safe to use in that firearm.

Soviet production and international use

The Tula State Museum of Weapons states that more than five million PM pistols were produced at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. The museum also states that the PM was used in more than 30 countries, including China, Indonesia, Iraq, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Cuba.

That broad distribution is a major reason the Makarov PM became a familiar Cold War sidearm. It was not only a Soviet pistol. It became a standard pattern across parts of the Soviet sphere and in other states that used Soviet aligned arms.

Collector context: Soviet, East German, Bulgarian, and Chinese examples

Collection context still matters when discussing Makarov pistols. The Tula State Museum of Weapons identifies the Soviet PM as an Izhevsk produced pistol that entered service in 1951.

A Berlin police history collection states that the Makarov was produced under license in East Germany at VEB Suhl from 1958. The same collection says the Makarov was standard armament in East Germany for military forces, police, intelligence services, and later factory combat groups.

Bulgarian and Chinese contexts also appear in the wider distribution history because the Tula State Museum of Weapons lists Bulgaria and China among the countries where the PM was used.

These records are collector context, not buying advice. They show why the word “Makarov” can refer to a Soviet PM or to related service histories in other states.

Why the PM remained historically important

The Makarov PM represents a specific postwar design choice: a service pistol that favored simplicity, compact dimensions, and a blowback operating system. Its adoption in 1951, large scale Izhevsk production, and use in more than 30 countries made it one of the best known Soviet pattern pistols of the Cold War era.

Its technical identity is also unusually tied to cartridge identity. A PM is not simply a “9 mm pistol” in the broad sense. It is a pistol built for 9x18mm Makarov, a cartridge that SAAMI treats as separate from 9mm Luger and 380 Automatic.

For readers studying a particular pistol, check the firearm’s markings, the cartridge designation, and current manufacturer or standards body safety guidance. For historical classification, compare markings and variant details with museum collections.