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Thread: Baikal Makarov MP-654K sought after but which one ?

  1. #1
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    Baikal Makarov MP-654K sought after but which one ?

    I know there are several gens & watched YouTube reviews but still bewildered, one shows 1999 Vs 2009 the earlier being clearly better in every way, some say gen 5 is best, others gen 4, seriously looking & don’t mind waiting plus pay more for rarer & right one to enjoy & use, 1999 ? any advice on which model please ?

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by pr-pdi View Post
    I know there are several gens & watched YouTube reviews but still bewildered, one shows 1999 Vs 2009 the earlier being clearly better in every way, some say gen 5 is best, others gen 4, seriously looking & don’t mind waiting plus pay more for rarer & right one to enjoy & use, 1999 ? any advice on which model please ?
    I'm currently preparing a short series for Airgun World on this very subject.

    The quality of these pistols needs to be seen/handled to be believed. They are all made from firearms grade materials and built to last, just like Webley air pistols used to be. There are quite a few variations available and my personal preference is for the brown Bakelite gripped model, if you can find one. I've done just that and am picking a boxed version up over the weekend.

    Thanks to a very helpful member on here, I was also able to acquire a very nice 1999 pistol in its original case and with a full complement of accessories for £120 last weekend.

    One thing I have found is not everyone agrees on what constitutes a particular generation and bearing in mind the factory has never used 'generations' to classify models, I'm not surprised there is confusion.

    In short, they are all made very well and one is not going to be enough if you have the collecting gene!

    John M

  3. #3
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    Mp 654

    Thank you John, very informative and look forward to reading your article as I would like to learn more about them. It sounds the two you have found are the ones, I wouldn’t hesitate if fortunate enough to find

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    Airgun World Upcoming Info On Baikal Makarov

    I am very much looking forward to seeing Johns article on this fantastic and varied pistol and hey John what a bargain 1999 version with all accessories etc for £120 have to say !!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by sutherland2829 View Post
    I am very much looking forward to seeing Johns article on this fantastic and varied pistol and hey John what a bargain 1999 version with all accessories etc for £120 have to say !!
    It was indeed a bargain - a member of this forum 'found' it for me at his local gun shop, for which I am very grateful - thank you Gingernut . The pistol is in exceptional condition and hits hard after I replaced all the seals.

    One thing I can say about Makarovs generally is they are all very well made, irrespective of when they were made. All are made from firearms grade steel and should last for some time. The currently available brown plastic gripped PM can be upgraded cosmetically through the addition of an original set of 30mm wide brown Bakelite grips. I've done just that with one of mine and it improves the look and feel considerably.

    One thing that came up during my research was that sanctions against Russia are preventing more new models being directly imported into the West. I have not been able to substantiate this but was told by a UK gun shop that the UK importer had told them of this situation. A German company has also said the same. Maybe now is the time to pick up a new Mak' while you still can!

    John

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    I do hope sanctions don't impact any future models, If I had a wish though It would be that Baikal started making a version of the Tokarev however manufactured it from parts and not modified real versions of the Mp656K that so sadly are section 5 items in this country, Can you imagine if they started making a Tokarev withe the same build quality and grade of materials they use in the Makarov's !!!! I emailed Baikal in Russia through the contacts section a few years back sadly never got a reply ....no harm in dreaming eh !!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by sutherland2829 View Post
    I do hope sanctions don't impact any future models, If I had a wish though It would be that Baikal started making a version of the Tokarev however manufactured it from parts and not modified real versions of the Mp656K that so sadly are section 5 items in this country, Can you imagine if they started making a Tokarev withe the same build quality and grade of materials they use in the Makarov's !!!! I emailed Baikal in Russia through the contacts section a few years back sadly never got a reply ....no harm in dreaming eh !!
    I've had no response to my requests for information from either Baikal or Russian media sources as I wanted to use a picture of two female bodyguards using Makarovs in training that are a lot more pleasing to the eye than I am in my review! Sadly without consent, I can't.

    RUSS-Guns in Germany are currently listing a Tokarev that looks very similar in terms of build quality to the Makarov and I must admit I like the look of it. However it is very expensive - perhaps we'll see one here one day?

    John

  8. #8
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    Tokarev

    An interesting Tokarev was briefly available in the US around ten years ago. Not a replica, an actual TT33 converted to shoot BBs.

    More info here:

    https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2010...pistol-part-1/

    I doubt they were available here. To my eye, they would not have met U.K. deactivation standards. Actually, I suspect they shouldn’t have been allowed to be sold as airguns in the US either.

  9. #9
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    Geezer that's the one I am on about its the Baikal Mp656 and its a section 5 firearm in the Uk

  10. #10
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    Hi John had a look at Russ german website and I have seen the one I think your referring to,

    https://www.russ-guns-de.net/en/deta...x/sArticle/550

    If that link don't work its the TT33 Full Steel Model T656 Air Gun 4,5mm Steel BBs

    Wow it looks outstanding ok its just over £500 but closet one i have seen to the Baikal Version which is out of our reach ..

    Do you reckon that this version would be UK legal ?? any thoughts appreciated

    thanks

    Iain

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by sutherland2829 View Post
    Hi John had a look at Russ german website and I have seen the one I think your referring to,

    https://www.russ-guns-de.net/en/deta...x/sArticle/550

    If that link don't work its the TT33 Full Steel Model T656 Air Gun 4,5mm Steel BBs

    Wow it looks outstanding ok its just over £500 but closet one i have seen to the Baikal Version which is out of our reach ..

    Do you reckon that this version would be UK legal ?? any thoughts appreciated

    thanks

    Iain
    I don’t gamble. If i did, I’d bet a lot that that thing is Section 5 over here.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    I don’t gamble. If i did, I’d bet a lot that that thing is Section 5 over here.
    I would exercise caution too. The pistol seems similar in nature to the Makarov but I think I'd like to know for sure it was legal before even considering importing one. Don't think I could justify the cost either

    John

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Josie & John View Post
    I'm currently preparing a short series for Airgun World on this very subject.

    The quality of these pistols needs to be seen/handled to be believed. They are all made from firearms grade materials and built to last, just like Webley air pistols used to be. There are quite a few variations available and my personal preference is for the brown Bakelite gripped model, if you can find one. I've done just that and am picking a boxed version up over the weekend.

    Thanks to a very helpful member on here, I was also able to acquire a very nice 1999 pistol in its original case and with a full complement of accessories for £120 last weekend.

    One thing I have found is not everyone agrees on what constitutes a particular generation and bearing in mind the factory has never used 'generations' to classify models, I'm not surprised there is confusion.

    In short, they are all made very well and one is not going to be enough if you have the collecting gene!

    John M
    I’ve just bought one from here (thank you Clive) which I think is a late Series 1 or early Series 2 (manual dated April 2000).
    Did the above Airgun World article ever appear and is there a legitimate way of getting a copy?. I’ve replaced the seals and it’s working really well. Hard to find much detailed information on these although there are loads of YouTube reviews…
    Fantastically well made - but not very accurate I understand. Looking forward to trying properly at BFTO.
    I’m very impressed.
    Steve

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mobiasstrip View Post
    I’ve just bought one from here (thank you Clive) which I think is a late Series 1 or early Series 2 (manual dated April 2000).
    Did the above Airgun World article ever appear and is there a legitimate way of getting a copy?. I’ve replaced the seals and it’s working really well. Hard to find much detailed information on these although there are loads of YouTube reviews…
    Fantastically well made - but not very accurate I understand. Looking forward to trying properly at BFTO.
    I’m very impressed.
    Steve
    Yes, I ran a short 3-4 part series around 4 years ago. I believe there is an online subscription facility that offers back issues but I'm not a subscriber to this as I prefer paper copies.

    Yes, an excellent pistol and certainly good enough to pepper tin cans placed 10 yards away.

    John
    Currently looking for Baikal Makarov pistols with the following prefixes to the serial number: 98, T01, T09, T21, T22
    Prefer boxed or cased but will consider loose examples too.

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