9mm Makarov and 9x18 ultra auto....
What is the difference in these two cartridges?
I tried the search feature to no avail.
I tried the search feature to no avail.
0
-
The 9 X 18 West German police Ultra ammo from the 70's, is just the .380 on steroids. Same diameter bullet just loaded hotter.
The Makarov bullet is actually 9.3 mm which works out to approximately .366 diameter. This is about .010 larger then the Ultra. Being the velocity is about the same with comparable bullet weights. Not much more effective as a self defense cartridge.
The Ultra ammo is obsolete, and the Walther and Sig pistols chambered for it are collectors items.0 -
Rufe has it.
Both of these are small 9mm-like rounds designed primarily for small/pocket blowback action pistols. Both of them are loaded about as hot as you can go safely in this type of action.
9x18 "ultra" ("police") is fairly obscure. As far as I know nobody is making guns for it anymore.
The 9mm Makarov is still widely used in Eastern Europe and its growing in popularity in the USA as well, because of both the large number of Makarov and other Cold-war relic pistols on the surplus market, as well as current scarcity of .380ACP.
IIRC, 9mm Makarov is a little hotter than .380 ACP. Its not just that the bullets are larger in diameter, but also that they go a little faster. As Rufe said, the 9mm "ultra" and Makarov are probably on a par ballitically.
Good ballistic summary between 380, Makarov, and .38 special here:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Comparisonof9x18mmMakarovetc.htm0 -
The 9mm Ultra was designed as a police only cartridge. If you lived in a country that the police used them, and stole one(or otherwise obtained the pistol), you would not have been able to buy useable ammo for it.
All of the ammo I have seen for these have a pointed bullet. The mags are made so that you can't put a round nose cartridge into it.
It is available seasonally, Fiochi makes a run of it occasionally.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
3 comments