P-83 safety difficult to operate

[Pilot]

Hi. New here, and new to the P-83. I have wanted a P-83 since I got into Makarovs (PM's) in the earky 90's, and always wanted to add one or two to my collection. Well since Wideners has them, I bought one, and it is now one of my primary carry guns. I like it so much, and Wideners has such a great deal, I bought another.

The second P-83 while in very good condition overall has a very stiff safety which is difficult to operate either way. It looks to be in fine condition, and I have let M-Pro 7 gun oil soak in, and around the safety lever which has helped a bit, but not much. The safety lever is not bent, and looks the same as my other P-83.

In doing some reading here, and elsewhere it sounds like the P-83 is a bit more complex than the Mak especially where the safety, and firing pin removal is concerned.

Any tips, or instruction on getting the safety to operate more easily? Will I need to remove the safety lever? Thanks!

[Curly1]

You may have to remove the safety to check for any burrs.

Or if Wideners will do an exchange w/o any cost to you I would go that route.

[Pilot]

You may have to remove the safety to check for any burrs.

Or if Wideners will do an exchange w/o any cost to you I would go that route.

Thanks for the reply. I lubed the internal working parts of the safety in the slide, and that seemed to help the ease of movement of the safety lever. It is still a bit hard to decock though. I don't look forward to taking it apart, but I may have to. I really don't see the need to return it at this point, but we'll see if I can get the decocker to work more easily. I will put some rounds downrange with it tomorrow, and see if working the safety and decocker helps.

I like the P-83 as much as my Makarovs, but they do seem a bit more complex.

[Curly1]

It just may need to be broken in.

[Pilot]

It just may need to be broken in.

That's what I am thinking. I have already made some progress, so maybe some continued use will get the safety, and decocker smoothed out.

[gemini1]

Yup you may have to operate the safety for several times to smoothen the pointed tip of the detent. If it doesn't do it, then yes, you may have to dis-assemble and file that detent to make it a bit rounded. You may also file, at an angle, the slot where the detent locks in and out.

[Pilot]

Yup you may have to operate the safety for several times to smoothen the pointed tip of the detent. If it doesn't do it, then yes, you may have to dis-assemble and file that detent to make it a bit rounded. You may also file, at an angle, the slot where the detent locks in and out.

Thanks. It does seem to be breaking in as I had it to the range today, and it functioned flawlessly, and the safety seems to be operating more easily. It is a bit hard to decock still, but that should ease with use I am thinking.