June 26, 2017 0:00

// Pneumatic weapons

Continuation. Read the historical background, as well as the first acquaintance with the Makarov air pistol from the SAS company in the first part of our article.

Advantages and disadvantages of pneumatic PM

Evaluating the Makarov air pistol model from the buyer’s point of view, attention should be paid to the fact that many companies producing such weapons try to adhere to identical parameters and characteristics in their samples. Almost all PM models presented today on the market of pneumatic guns are weapons of well-known brands. The greatest interest among buyers is caused by products manufactured by SAS, KWC and Umarex. The presented PM models have almost the same advantages and are not devoid of the same disadvantages.

The main advantages of the Makarov 4.5 mm pneumatic pistol are:

• compact dimensions;
• ergonomics of the design;
• the main material of the structure is metal;
• soft and smooth descent;
• unification of most models under a single standard;
• good ballistic characteristics (accuracy, accuracy and range)

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The energy of the shot of the Makarov air pistol allows you to break a glass bottle from a distance of 15 m.

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The disadvantages of the model include the following aspects:

• insufficiently rigid fixation of the fuse;
• the presence of logos of the manufacturing companies on the body of the weapon;
• fasteners visible on the housing;
• during intensive operation, the paint coating on the gun body is often erased;
• in a number of models, the exhaust valve does not work tightly enough during firing.

PM pistols are used mainly for fire training exercises. Often weapons are purchased for the purpose of entertainment. The Makarov SAS pistol is very convenient to operate from the point of view of the identity of its combat counterpart, so this model is often used during the training of combat units.

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It is impractical to use a pneumatic PM for hunting due to the weak killing power and insufficient distance of an effective shot. However, do not forget about taking precautions when using weapons for educational purposes and during entertainment.

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Comparison of the PM version from “SAS” with replicas from KWC, Umarex and Izhmeh

Today, the most attractive is the training replica of a combat pistol produced under the SAS brand. The Taiwanese company has recently appeared on the market of pneumatic weapons and has already managed to gain a fairly strong position. The pneumatic version of the SAS Makarov is a compact and inexpensive product manufactured under the KM-44DHN index. Weapons of the German brand Umarex and Taiwanese KWC are in no less demand among consumers. 

All the listed companies presented Makarov pneumatic pistols with a gas cylinder mechanism. Each model has its pros and cons. The reason for some differences lies in the combat capability of the model and in some design details.

The Makarov SAS model and Umarex and KWS products have a body made of a metal alloy. Makarov’s Russian-made pistol is made entirely of metal.

For comparison, let’s consider some obvious disadvantages inherent in PM pneumatic pistols

The KWC pistol has quite noticeable connection points that clearly spoil the overall design of the weapon. It immediately catches the eye that the body of the pistol is assembled from two halves. For the Umarex trademark model, a characteristic disadvantage is backlash and weak trigger control in cocked trigger mode. The excessively attractive color of the weapon, which is unusual for combat models, causes obvious bewilderment.

The Russian MP-654K pistol has not gone far ahead. Having almost complete external compliance with the original, the Izhevsk gunsmiths’ air pistol does not have good functionality. An attempt to make a movable shutter that allows you to simulate a combat platoon of weapons will require a lot of effort from the shooter. A self-cocking shot and setting the weapon on the safety is also fraught with difficulties. The Russian model does not differ in the quality of fitting the main body parts.

Comparison of ballistic characteristics

The entire range of Makarov pistols, presented by the aforementioned manufacturers, has a caliber of 4.5 mm and are designed for firing steel BB balls. Almost all pistols have similar ballistic characteristics. The table shows data on the speed of the bullet, the muzzle energy and the volume of the magazine.

When shooting, it is important to note the following aspects:

• The Makarov pistol produced by KWC can be called the weakest.
• The SAS Makarov air pistol is clearly in the lead in terms of bullet flight speed. Slightly lower are the bullet flight speed indicators of the German Umarex product and the Izhevsk MP-654K pistol.

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The research was carried out on a stand where the average speed was measured at 8 shots at a distance of 1 m from the chronograph.

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In terms of shooting accuracy, all the listed models are approximately the same. The Izhevsk pistol has a decrease in accuracy of firing when conducting semi-automatic fire at a distance of more than 10 m .

Upgrade

Finally, we offer some technical tips on upgrading the warhead of PM air pistols:

– It is possible to eliminate gas leakage by treating problem areas with silicone oil. It can be a barrel or a socket into which a balloon is inserted.

– If such measures did not have the desired effect, it is necessary to check the valve inside the store. Sometimes, during assembly, chips get inside the valve, breaking the tightness of the connections. You can simply replace the gasket in the valve or turn the old gasket over with the other side.

– Sometimes the cylinder breaks the movable screw. Then you should replace the old screw with a canonical bolt, cutting a new thread for this.

– To improve the quality of shooting, you can touch up the front sight with nail polish, making it more contrasting against the background of the pistol body.

Conclusions

As a result of comparative tests, it can be concluded that Makarov is one of the best out of the entire model range of PM SAS air pistols. The weapon is distinguished not only by a favorable price and good performance, but also has excellent ballistics. Speaking generally, there is no clear leader among the presented models. Almost all pistols have an identical weight to a combat weapon. The capacity of the gas cylinder is enough for 80-90 shots. The last parameter is not critical for the test, since most air guns lose their killing power after using half of the gas cylinder.