9x18mm Makarov
The surplus-pistol staple — Makarovs are famously reliable, though the once-cheap imported ammo has gotten pricier as import politics shift.
Family
Handgun
Introduced
1951
Origin
B.V. Semin, Soviet Union
Military
9mm PM (Soviet/Warsaw Pact service pistol cartridge)
History
Developed in the late 1940s by B.V. Semin and adopted with the Makarov PM pistol in 1951, the 9x18mm was the Soviet bloc's standard sidearm cartridge for the entire Cold War. It was sized as the most powerful round practical in a simple blowback pistol. Waves of surplus Makarovs, CZ-82s, and P-64s made it a familiar sight on American ranges.
What it's used for
Iconic platforms
Makarov PM, CZ-82, Polish P-64 and P-83, and the East German and Bulgarian Makarov clones.
Common load types
FMJ, much of it imported steel-case, plus a modest selection of hollow points.
Reference only — not loading data, not ballistics advice, and KitID links to no ammunition sellers. Know your local law before you buy anything that goes bang.