Radom Polish P-64

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45fanatic
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by 45fanatic »

I just won an online auction for a "new" - never issued, 1975 model P64 with 2 mags $175.00, is this gun worth the price? Anyone have experience with this model? At first I thought I was bidding on a Makarov 9x18 but now understand this is not a mak, in fact mak owners have lots of negative on the Polish offering (horrible double action trigger,etc), I am interested in actual user experience; Phil
p64
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by p64 »

Hi Phil and Welcome.

Yes, We do like our P-64's. They're accurate, sturdy, easy to conceal and reliable. The DA first pull is horrendous but there are work arounds listed on the forum.
One of my other guns is a higher end 1911, it's in the shop but my P-64 is still at my side, how's that for faith?
The price for being brand new is fantastic.
Go for it.

Geo
abwehr
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by abwehr »

45fanatic,

WELCOME to the P-64 Forum!

Yea, even us P-64 lovers don't like the P-64 being called a Makarov. This pistol is totally differnt than the Mak except for the caliber.

When the P-64 started selling, most folks were posting on the Mak Forums. There were Mak lovers that had many bad things to say about the P-64. Then, our Forum owner, "dickfunk" started this Forum for the guys that do like the P-64. There was no call for the Mak guys to put the P-64 down as it is a fine pistol in it's own right. The only thing about the P-64 that is not liked is the HEAVY DA trigger pull, but the Poles did this for a reason. The ammo they were using had hard primers for submachinegun use. The heavy DA pull would ignite the cartridges. Today, we don't need this feature and there is a fix: use a lighter spring and the pistol is a pleasure to shoot in DA. Personally, I shoot SA so I didn't care about the DA pull. The P-64 is probably more accurate than the Mak too.

Take some time and read all the past posting and you will gather all the know information about the pisto. Come back to the Forum often and ask questions. All the guys here are great and very helpful! Also, there is a free manual on the Forum too so you can print it out for reference.
space
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by space »

You done good. I paid about 190 each for the two P64's I have.

The DA trigger pull is bad at first but eases after use. ( I have over 1000 rounds through mine) Before changing the trigger, give it some time to break in and make sure all the cosmoline is cleaned out of it.

If you have problems with it feeding, jamming or if you want fixes for the trigger, you can find fixes to ALL of these potential problems by looking on this board. It's a great pistol. All metal and built like a tank.
devlinfaust
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by devlinfaust »

45fanatic,

I think you'll find that in the long run you'll be very happy with your purchase. Most P-64's have a lousy DA pull and the recoil tends to sting the hand. That said, however, I have had misfeeds with only one kind of cartridge (Hornady JHP's), and the accuracy of this gun never fails to amaze my friends when we take it out and shoot it. I'd stack it up against my Beretta NEOS .22 target gun at ranges of less than 20 yards. The P-64 is rugged, concealable, reliable, accurate and shoots a pretty potent cartridge of its size. Hard to argue with those attributes.

Congrats on your purchase and there's a ton of information in these postings. I'd suggest you browse some of the posted messages for more information and accessories (if you want any accessories).
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papabear
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by papabear »

45fanatic,

Welcome to our P-64 forum, here you will find a bunch of friendly information and great suggestions on a variety of subjects. I am probably in the minority when I say I prefer the DA pull on P-64, but my reasons are simple, I like to leave things original, and I don't have a problem pulling the DA on any of my (4) P-64's (68', 69' 72', 76') , however, to each his own. We still get some bad press from time to time from the Makarov clan, I own two of them myself and find them to also be a fine weapon but for different reasons than the P-64. I am reading more positive things now from the other boards than negative things about the this little pistol and it's becoming more popular day by day, and in a big part because of this forum. Congrats on your purchase and finding this forum.

PapaBear
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bzinggg
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by bzinggg »

45fanatic,

Here's a link to my intro post, with a quote that may encourage you:

http://p64.proboards67.com/index.cgi?bo ... 1149017901

Welcome. 8-)
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by 45fanatic »

My thanks to all, I am now eager to get my P64, the seller offered me a second one (1974, unissued) for the same price which, after reading through many posts here, is quite tempting. Thanks again, I will post after I recieve my weapon & go to the range; Phil
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by abwehr »

45fanatic,

From my perspective, I like to shoot and collect fine handguns. The first P-64 I bought was actually for my collection of military pistols, but after shooting the pistol, I fell in love with it. The first one I bought at my local gun shop was $149 OTD. After finding this Forum as it had just gotten started, the information began to flow and I learned a lot about it's history and use during the Cold War. I found that there are actually three (3) different vaiations of the pistol, so I had to get one of each at a minimum. The second one cost me $165 OTD at a gun show. After looking and looking, I found the last vaiation I needed and in a gun shop and the price was $229; too much to me at the time so I kept looking. I fianlly found the third vaiation at another gun show, but this time the price was $185 OTD. I bought that one!

As it appears, beside being a great pistol for protection and just shooting, they may have some collectability and the price seems to be going up. The major distributors now seem to have sold out and only the gun dealers have them. The price is continually rising. My feeling is that they will level out in the $250. For investing, they won't make you a "ton" of money, but you have a pistol to enjoy and will hold its value. The fun side of the pistol is priceless.
kempin
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Radom Polish P-64

Post by kempin »

Welcome, 45fanatic,

Ditto to what many of the guys have said. The p-64 started out with a lot of negative chatter mostly--I think--because they were purchased by people who thought they were getting a Makarov. No one likes the feeling of a "bait and switch," and so it was first evaluated on the ways in which it was "not a Makarov."

Fair enough.

If you can get past that, though, and actually look at the pistol for its own sake, I think you will conclude that it is a great quality pistol for the money, with a fairly unique and interesting history, and is very practical and useable as well. It carries well, shoots very well, and any of the main objections can be dealt with if you are serious. (Double action can be reduced with a spring change, and using a slightly lighter load can reduce the recoil "bite" that some find unpleasant.)

Personally, I bought mine as a collector piece because I happen to be Polish, and for the price at the time ($139 plus shipping and fees), I thought I could afford to have an "obsolete" pistol to show my grandkids. I even went so far as to buy a Mak for more "serious" shooting, based on what I had read on the web. Much to my surprise, however, I found that the p-64 shot very well. After tinkering with loads, the p-64 ranks right up there with my favorite shooting guns. (Plus I carry it.)

At any rate, approach it with an open mind. If you don't like it, you can always move on to something else. You may find, though, as many on this board have, that the little p-64 will grow on you.

God bless and straight shooting,

-Kempin
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