[Catbird]

The 380 (17mm)and 9x18 (18mm) are straight wall cases.

The 9mm is a tapered case.

The 9mm and Makarov case have the same size base.

So reloaders can trim the 9mm case back to 18mm and reload it as a 9x18 Mak.

I did that a lot. When I first got into Makarovs the ammo was hard to get and expensive.

I recall from several years ago that somehow one round of my 9mm Luger (9x19) accidentally got mixed in with my 9x18 Mak ammo and fired just fine from my Bulgarian Makarov.

 

[medgasrep]

Seeing that the shell casing is slightly larger than the .380 you are probably getting extra spring tension from the extractor on the rim of the shell casing as it tries to slide up into the breach face. Also being larger the shell casings could be hitting the sharp edge at the bottom of the extractor. A little polishing of the bottom edge of the extractor where it meets the rim of the round may help the round chamber a little easier. Just a thought.

 

[-JCN-]

My first thought is why would anyone want to use that caliber when the ammunition selection is so much less than standard .380 ? Also there are many nice Surplus Makarov pistols made for that caliber on the market one could spend his money on

And what was your second thought after actually reading the threads and posts? Or have you not gotten that far?

I'll help you out. Hint: This isn't so much a Makarov pistol or cartridge thread as much as it is a G42 thread.

I might send mine back to Lone Wolf (after I receive it today, lol) and have them open up the throat a little bit. For a defensive pistol, I would take a looser throat and the ability to eat all types of ammo over tighter tolerances and finicky feeding.

 

[walnut1704]

Guys, most people who do this probably...

A. Already have a Glock 42 for other reasons. They didn't buy one just to convert it.
B. Already have other 9mm Maks.
C. Quite possibly already reload for one or the other, or both.
D. For $160 you get another 9x18, arguably of better quality than any surplus gun which would likely cost you more. Surplus MAKs aren't as cheap as they used to be.

I've got a couple of .380's, but not a 42. I've got one 9x18. One of these would fit right in and give me sort of a buy-one-get-one-half-price.

 

[Bret]

I'm interested in this conversion because I'd like to have a tiny Glock, already have several pistols in 9x18Mak, have plenty of 9x18Mak ammo, reload 9x18Mak, don't have any 380ACP pistols or ammo, and don't want to add on another cartridge. It's disappointing that LoneWolf let these out without fully testing them.

 

[medgasrep]

As far as the original post and trying to figure out the failure to feed. As I mentioned before the extractor is worth looking at. I have a Kahr CW380 that had the same feeding problems so I slightly radiused the bottom edge where the extractor makes contact with the round and polished. I have never had a failure to feed since. As the diameter of the 9X18 round is slightly larger than the .380 the extractor will have an effect on feeding. I am hoping that will eliminate your problems as it did mine.

 

[GLOCKisgood17]

Looks like you have a perfectly good paperweight now. Why would you do something like that instead of buying a Mak for a bit more money. I understand the multi caliber aspect, but why else? Maks can be had cheaply if you look around...

 

[rowdy115]

Looks like you have a perfectly good paperweight now. Why would you do something like that instead of buying a Mak for a bit more money. I understand the multi caliber aspect, but why else? Maks can be had cheaply if you look around...

It's not your money any of us are spending. I'm happy with my purchase still. That's all that matters

 

[-JCN-]

As far as the original post and trying to figure out the failure to feed. As I mentioned before the extractor is worth looking at. I have a Kahr CW380 that had the same feeding problems so I slightly radiused the bottom edge where the extractor makes contact with the round and polished. I have never had a failure to feed since. As the diameter of the 9X18 round is slightly larger than the .380 the extractor will have an effect on feeding. I am hoping that will eliminate your problems as it did mine.

When I first got my G42 and was having ammo sensitivity problems with light bullets (the PolyCase 65gr Inceptors), I filed the extractor claw edge down a little and also the magazine feed lips.

With the Mak bullets being larger, it makes sense about the extractor binding. I ordered a spare extractor and will probably give it a serious filing.

Why go through all the trouble? Why make a perfectly good G42 into a freakish Frankenstein?

It's a fun hobby and I enjoy the process. The G42 isn't my primary (or secondary, or tertiary) carry gun. It might be for my wife down the road, but I'm hoping she'll opt for one of our small 9mm.

It's mainly because I'm curious and I enjoy learning about different firearms, components and cartridges.

If over the next few months of tinkering and playing, I can get a system in the G42 frame that is able to ballistically beat the Underwood +P 90gr 380 XTP with 100% reliability in torture tests, I'll be happy.

My first test will be seeing the difference between the Underwood 90gr 380 +P XTP and the Underwood 95gr Mak +P XTP. If the ballistics are pretty similar I won't work very hard to make the system work. If they're much better... then I will. But I'm not fooling myself into thinking it'll be better ballistically than any of my small 9mms that I usually carry. It's just for fun and education.

Looks like you have a perfectly good paperweight now. Why would you do something like that instead of buying a Mak for a bit more money. I understand the multi caliber aspect, but why else? Maks can be had cheaply if you look around...

Do you even read, brah?

Again:

I'll help you out. Hint: This isn't so much a Makarov pistol or cartridge thread as much as it is a G42 thread.

 

[GLOCKisgood17]

It's not your money any of us are spending. I'm happy with my purchase still. That's all that matters

Good for you then.

 

[-JCN-]

It's seriously like people post just to hear their own voices.

It's one thing to be ignorant.

It's another thing to expend energy to continue to be ignorant.

 

[rjr573]

I will have to try the few Maks I have...

I recall from several years ago that somehow one round of my 9mm Luger (9x19) accidentally got mixed in with my 9x18 Mak ammo and fired just fine from my Bulgarian Makarov.

9x19 should not fit in 9x18 chamber

 

[M2 Carbine]

I recall from several years ago that somehow one round of my 9mm Luger (9x19) accidentally got mixed in with my 9x18 Mak ammo and fired just fine from my Bulgarian Makarov.

Back in my early Makarov days I tried loading and firing a 9mm in the Makarov.
Worked fine.
Just tried it again this morning. Again no problem.

This isn't as crazy as it sounds.
Since the Makarov bullet is .364 diameter and the 9mm bullet is .355 there is a lot of blow by preventing the 9mm round to reach it's normal pressure.

Not that I recommend doing this though.
Be warned. If you chamber a 9x19 in a Makarov you can't eject it. You will HAVE to fire it out.

Oh, and all my Makarovs have 21 pound Wolf recoil springs.

 

[M2 Carbine]

9x19 sho

9x19 should not fit in 9x18 chamber

You are right, but it does.
But don't try it unless you want to fire it out.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Looks like you have a perfectly good paperweight now. Why would you do something like that instead of buying a Mak for a bit more money. I understand the multi caliber aspect, but why else? Maks can be had cheaply if you look around...

Why would I want another Makarov?
I have 17 or 18 now (even in .380 caliber), and several CZ82 and 83 and a PA-63 in 9x18.

If I can work out the bugs, I'll also have a 9x18 G42.



Why try to convert the G42 to 9x18?
For the best reason in the world..................
because I want to.

 

[M2 Carbine]

as

As far as the original post and trying to figure out the failure to feed. As I mentioned before the extractor is worth looking at. I have a Kahr CW380 that had the same feeding problems so I slightly radiused the bottom edge where the extractor makes contact with the round and polished. I have never had a failure to feed since. As the diameter of the 9X18 round is slightly larger than the .380 the extractor will have an effect on feeding. I am hoping that will eliminate your problems as it did mine.

So far as the extractor being the (current) problem.
Although I agree with you it may need some work before it's over to get completely reliable feeding, but that's not the problem yet.

Notice, the round is jamming before the case rim reaches the extractor.






.

 

[Timothy Courtney]

I had FTF issues with my Wolf barrel in my 42 until I polished the ramp and chamber and seated the bullets out as far as I could and still fit in the magazine. No issues now.

 

[-JCN-]

This is the reply I got from Lone Wolf:

Hello,
Some ammunition does tend to have feeding issues in the Alpha Wolf barrels due to the tighter chambers. The Alpha Wolf barrels do have tigher chambers over the already tighter Lone Wolf barrels. Most factory ammunition worked well during the testing process of the Alpha Wolf line. There are certain types that do have feeding issues in all of our barrels. Hornady, tends to have a larger “O-give” and this causes them to hang up during feeding. Reloading factoty ammunition that has only been fired from the Alpha Wolf barrel should be ok. Reloaded rounds that have been reloaded from rounds fired out of a barrel with chambers that are not quite as tight may have enough of a bulge that they may not fit in the tight AW barrels. With all of our barrels, we recommend 150+ rounds or so of a hotter +P or +P+ round to break in the barrel and help open the chamber up a bit with the ammunition being used. I had a similar issue when I installed an AW threaded barrel in my G23. Every round for the first few magazines jammed, then it was every other round. After 75 or so rounds it started feeding much better and would sporadically jamb. After about 150rds it really opened up and I started having no FTF or FTE and its running flawless even with the compensator. I recommend following the break in procedure of 150+ hot rounds to get it working a little smoother. This should really make a big difference.
If you would like to have it opened up for reloads, you can send us 4-5 dummy rounds with no powder or primer and we can ream it for $30 (return shipping back to you is incuded in this price) If you would like it opened up to more Glock style specs, we can do that as well but then the chamber will not have the tighter chamber support for the hotter loads.

So the question is whether I have it opened up to Glock specs or just monkey around with it myself...

 

[rowdy115]

This is the reply I got from Lone Wolf:

Hello,
Some ammunition does tend to have feeding issues in the Alpha Wolf barrels due to the tighter chambers. The Alpha Wolf barrels do have tigher chambers over the already tighter Lone Wolf barrels. Most factory ammunition worked well during the testing process of the Alpha Wolf line. There are certain types that do have feeding issues in all of our barrels. Hornady, tends to have a larger “O-give” and this causes them to hang up during feeding. Reloading factoty ammunition that has only been fired from the Alpha Wolf barrel should be ok. Reloaded rounds that have been reloaded from rounds fired out of a barrel with chambers that are not quite as tight may have enough of a bulge that they may not fit in the tight AW barrels. With all of our barrels, we recommend 150+ rounds or so of a hotter +P or +P+ round to break in the barrel and help open the chamber up a bit with the ammunition being used. I had a similar issue when I installed an AW threaded barrel in my G23. Every round for the first few magazines jammed, then it was every other round. After 75 or so rounds it started feeding much better and would sporadically jamb. After about 150rds it really opened up and I started having no FTF or FTE and its running flawless even with the compensator. I recommend following the break in procedure of 150+ hot rounds to get it working a little smoother. This should really make a big difference.
If you would like to have it opened up for reloads, you can send us 4-5 dummy rounds with no powder or primer and we can ream it for $30 (return shipping back to you is incuded in this price) If you would like it opened up to more Glock style specs, we can do that as well but then the chamber will not have the tighter chamber support for the hotter loads.

Thanks for sharing that! What is "O-give"? The Hornady Critical Defense are the only ones hanging up occasionally in mine still when I hand cycle it.

 

[Catbird]

Thanks for sharing that! What is "O-give"? The Hornady Critical Defense are the only ones hanging up occasionally in mine still when I hand cycle it.