{ "apiVersion": 1, "kind": "work-order", "purpose": "Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification.", "firearm": { "slug": "makarov-pm", "name": "Makarov PM", "manufacturer": { "id": "izhevsk", "name": "Izhevsk Mechanical Plant" }, "category": "pistol", "action": "blowback", "calibers": [ "9x18mm Makarov" ], "alsoKnownAs": [ "Pistolet Makarova", "PM", "Bulgarian/East German Makarov" ], "coversAlso": [ "Bulgarian, East German, Russian, and Chinese Type 59 Makarov variants", "Baikal IJ-70 commercial Makarovs" ], "page": "firearms/makarov-pm.html", "bundle": "api/v1/firearms/makarov-pm.json", "lastUpdated": "2026-10-29" }, "notices": [ "This work order is written for the Makarov PM. It is reported to cover Bulgarian, East German, Russian, and Chinese Type 59 Makarov variants; Baikal IJ-70 commercial Makarovs — if the firearm on the bench is one of those, check the torque notes: values do not always carry over.", "No torque values are recorded for this firearm. Get them from the manufacturer or a gunsmith; do not estimate." ], "disclaimer": { "headline": "Read this before you use anything here.", "points": [ "This is a guide, not an authority. Entries are compiled from manufacturer manuals, technical manuals, published references, and community knowledge. Some of it comes from sources that are not authoritative, and some of it may simply be wrong.", "Always consult the manufacturer's manual for your specific firearm and serial-number range. Manufacturers change designs mid-production without renaming the model. The manual that shipped with your firearm outranks anything on this site.", "Consult a licensed gunsmith for anything beyond routine field stripping and cleaning, for any firearm you are unsure about, and for any procedure marked as gunsmith-recommended here.", "Treat every firearm as loaded. Verify it is unloaded, with the magazine removed and the chamber physically and visually checked, before any procedure in this database. Point it in a safe direction the entire time.", "Disassembly can damage a firearm or injure you. Springs are under tension, parts can launch, and reassembling a firearm incorrectly can make it unsafe to fire in a way that is not obvious from the outside. If a reassembled firearm does not pass a function check, stop and see a gunsmith.", "Torque values are shown in two groups. Values from the manufacturer or the issuing military are shown as such, with the document they came from. Values reported by anyone else — parts makers, gunsmithing publishers, articles, forums — are shown separately with who said them, how reliable that source is, and their exact words. Those are not specifications. Confirm any torque value with the manufacturer or a licensed gunsmith before relying on it.", "Nothing here is legal advice. Firearms law varies by country, state, and city, and some modifications or configurations are regulated or prohibited. You are responsible for knowing and following the law where you are.", "No warranty of any kind. Contributors and maintainers accept no liability for damage, injury, or loss arising from use of this material." ], "page": "disclaimer.html", "legal": { "summary": "Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.", "page": "legal.html", "notice": "https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown/blob/main/LEGAL.md" } }, "sourcing": { "confidence": "medium", "verification": "community-reviewed" }, "manufacturerDisassembly": { "status": "not-recorded", "limit": null, "statement": null, "source": null }, "recalls": [], "shopTier": { "tier": 2, "group": "pistol", "rating": "Pew-Takedown editorial rating (1 easy – 3 hardest), not the manufacturer's", "reason": "Only 27 parts with no special tools, but the trigger guard spring and plunger have to be compressed while the dumbbell pin is driven (a vise or helper), the disconnector has to be coaxed onto the sear by gravity after the hammer and sear are in, and the slide safety detent takes considerable force and marks the slide.", "confidence": "medium", "partCount": { "value": 27, "kind": "pieces", "covers": "Pistol without magazine. The site's labelled exploded view (makarov_exploded.jpg) has keys 1-30 with key 3 used twice; keys 27-30 are the magazine, which gives the same 27.", "basis": "publication-diagram", "source": { "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "Fortunately, the Makarov has only 27 parts." } }, "painPoints": [ { "issue": "Refitting the trigger guard means holding its strong spring and plunger compressed with the guard while a dumbbell pin is driven in.", "during": "reassembly", "source": { "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "This can be difficult because the spring is relatively strong. A padded vise or a helper might help with this portion." } }, { "issue": "The site calls the trigger-guard refit one of the trickiest steps of the rebuild.", "during": "reassembly", "source": { "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "This is perhaps one of the trickiest procedures of Makarov reassembly." } }, { "issue": "The disconnector end of the trigger bar dangles and cannot be held up while hammer and sear go in; it has to be worked into place afterwards with the pistol inverted.", "during": "reassembly", "source": { "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "You will eventually have to move it such that it's pointing up, but it is nearly impossible to keep it that way while installing the hammer and sear." } }, { "issue": "The slide-mounted safety rides a strong detent; getting it back to 'safe' takes force and usually marks the slide.", "during": "both", "source": { "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "Considerable force might be required to get the safety rotated back into place and the detent spring will most likely mar the slide slightly." } } ], "minutes": { "strip": 20, "rebuild": 35, "basis": "estimated", "note": "Grip, mainspring, sear spring, sear, slide release, hammer, trigger bar, trigger, trigger guard; slide safety, firing pin, extractor, rear sight. Rebuild longer for the trigger guard spring and disconnector.", "source": null }, "stripScope": [ { "assembly": "Slide", "removes": [ "safety (detent)", "firing pin", "extractor, plunger and spring", "rear sight" ], "tools": [ "non-marring punch" ] }, { "assembly": "Frame", "removes": [ "grip and screw", "mainspring and retention clip", "sear and sear spring", "slide release", "hammer", "trigger bar/disconnector", "trigger", "trigger guard, pin, plunger and spring", "recoil spring" ], "tools": [ "cleaning rod claw / needle-nose pliers", "padded vise" ] } ], "hardware": { "pins": 3, "springs": 6, "detents": 2, "basis": "other: identified on the unlabelled makarov.com exploded view (keys 3 x2 and 5 as pins; 1, 8, 13, 18, 24, 28 as springs; 9 and 23 as plungers)" }, "specialTools": [ { "tool": "padded vise or a helper", "usedFor": "Compressing the trigger guard spring while the pin is driven" }, { "tool": "Makarov cleaning rod (claw end) or needle-nose pliers", "usedFor": "Unhooking and re-hooking the sear spring over the slide release" }, { "tool": "non-marring punch", "usedFor": "Dovetail rear sight" } ], "fitOnRebuild": [ { "check": "Disconnector engaged on the sear", "why": "If the disconnector is left hanging the pistol will not fire or reset", "source": { "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "The disconnector end of the trigger bar should be positioned as shown against the right side of the sear." } }, { "check": "Function check: trigger reset, sear/striker engagement, safeties", "why": "Standard post-reassembly check on any pistol whose fire-control parts were removed; a mis-seated spring shows up here, not on the bench", "source": null } ], "assessed": "2026-10-29" }, "videos": [], "configurations": [], "tools": [], "phases": [ { "id": "clear", "title": "Clear and make safe", "steps": [ { "n": 1, "instruction": "Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger." }, { "n": 2, "instruction": "Press the heel magazine release at the bottom rear of the grip and remove the magazine.", "tip": "This is a heel release, not a button behind the trigger guard. It takes a deliberate press.", "partsFreed": [ "Magazine" ] }, { "n": 3, "instruction": "Retract the slide fully to eject any chambered round and lock it open on the slide stop." }, { "n": 4, "instruction": "Inspect the chamber with a light and physically confirm it is empty." }, { "n": 5, "instruction": "Remove all live ammunition from the work area." } ], "videos": [] }, { "id": "disassemble", "title": "Disassemble", "videos": [], "procedures": [ { "procedure": "field-strip", "title": "Field Strip", "level": "field-strip", "configuration": false, "steps": [ { "n": 1, "instruction": "Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and let the slide return forward." }, { "n": 2, "instruction": "Pull the front of the trigger guard straight down and offset it to one side so it rests against the frame." }, { "n": 3, "instruction": "Pull the slide fully to the rear, past its normal travel." }, { "n": 4, "instruction": "Lift the rear of the slide up to clear the frame rails, then ease it forward off the barrel.", "warning": "Control the slide — the recoil spring around the barrel is compressed.", "partsFreed": [ "Slide" ] }, { "n": 5, "instruction": "Slide the recoil spring off the barrel.", "tip": "Note which end goes where — the spring has a tapered end that seats against the frame.", "partsFreed": [ "Recoil spring" ] }, { "n": 6, "instruction": "Return the trigger guard to its normal position." } ] } ] }, { "id": "refinish", "title": "Refinish", "components": [ { "name": "Slide", "procedure": "field-strip", "level": "field-strip", "step": 4 }, { "name": "Recoil spring", "procedure": "field-strip", "level": "field-strip", "step": 5 }, { "name": "Firing pin", "procedure": "clean-firing-pin", "level": "maintenance", "step": 2 } ], "manufacturerPartsList": null, "partsDiagrams": [], "materials": [], "note": "The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks \"factory fit\" should not be swapped or reworked." }, { "id": "reassemble", "title": "Reassemble", "videos": [], "procedures": [ { "procedure": "reassembly", "title": "Reassembly", "configuration": false, "steps": [ { "n": 1, "instruction": "Pull the trigger guard down and offset it against the frame." }, { "n": 2, "instruction": "Slide the recoil spring onto the barrel with the correct end forward." }, { "n": 3, "instruction": "Set the slide over the barrel and push it rearward, compressing the recoil spring." }, { "n": 4, "instruction": "With the slide fully rearward, press its rear down onto the frame rails until it seats.", "tip": "The hammer must be down. If the slide will not seat, check the hammer." }, { "n": 5, "instruction": "Ease the slide forward and snap the trigger guard back up into position.", "warning": "Confirm the trigger guard is fully seated before the pistol goes back into service." }, { "n": 6, "instruction": "Rack the slide several times and perform the function check." } ], "instruction": null } ] }, { "id": "torque", "title": "Torque", "coverage": "none-recorded", "manufacturer": [], "reported": [], "notes": "The official military manuals give no torque value. They say: \"6) Довернут ли винт рукоятки.\" [translation by this project: \"6) Is the grip screw screwed fully home?\"] (Наставления по стрелковому делу: Основы стрельбы из стрелкового оружия; 7,62-мм модернизированный автомат Калашникова (АКМ и АКМС); 7,62-мм ручной пулемет Калашникова (РПК и РПКС); 7,62-мм пулемет Калашникова (ПК, ПКС, ПКБ и ПКТ); 9-мм пистолет Макарова (ПМ), PDF p. 587 (inspection of the pistol))" }, { "id": "function-check", "title": "Function check", "checks": [ "Verify the pistol is unloaded with no magazine inserted before each check.", "Shake the slide and confirm the firing pin moves freely before reassembly.", "Rack the slide and confirm it returns fully into battery.", "Cock the hammer, rotate the safety up, and confirm the hammer drops safely and the trigger is disconnected.", "With the safety on, press the trigger. Nothing should happen.", "Return the safety to fire and press the trigger for a double-action hammer fall.", "Rack the slide and press the trigger for a single-action break.", "Confirm the slide locks open on an empty magazine and the heel release works." ], "videos": [] } ], "troubleshooting": [], "sources": [ { "n": 1, "id": null, "title": "9mm Makarov Pistol (PM) Operator's Manual", "publisher": "USSR Ministry of Defence", "reliability": "primary", "url": null, "accessed": null }, { "n": 2, "id": null, "title": "Small Arms Identification and Operation Guide — Eurasian Communist Countries", "publisher": "U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency", "reliability": "secondary", "url": null, "accessed": null }, { "n": 3, "id": "1987-scan-hosted-on-archive-org-14f8e4", "title": "Наставления по стрелковому делу: Основы стрельбы из стрелкового оружия; 7,62-мм модернизированный автомат Калашникова (АКМ и АКМС); 7,62-мм ручной пулемет Калашникова (РПК и РПКС); 7,62-мм пулемет Калашникова (ПК, ПКС, ПКБ и ПКТ); 9-мм пистолет Макарова (ПМ)", "publisher": "Министерство обороны СССР (Воениздат), 1987 — scan hosted on archive.org", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://archive.org/details/1987_20220823", "accessed": "2026-09-27" }, { "n": 4, "id": "tier-647eaae1", "title": "Detailed Disassembly and Reassembly of the Makarov Pistol", "publisher": "Makarov.com", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.makarov.com/tech/assembly.html", "accessed": "2026-10-29" } ] }