The Polish P-64 for Concealed Carry

Last year, I mentioned the Polish P-64 in "Defensive Firearms for Tight Budgets".  The P-64 is an attractive,  compact pistol in 9mm Makarov caliber that can be acquired at a bargain price (sometimes less than $200).  Resembling a Walther PPK and occasionally mistaken for a Makarov, perhaps due to its chambering, the P-64 is a double action, blowback pistol with a design that is distinct from both.   Accurate and reliable, with good fit and finish, an overall length of 6.3 inches, and a weight of 22 ounces, the P-64 is attractive for concealed carry.

However, like many surplus handguns, the P-64 is not perfect for this task and its characteristics should be considered before it is selected for concealed carry.  Starting with the trigger, the single action pull is quite acceptable but the double action  pull is horrible at over twenty pounds.  The excessively heavy double action trigger was deliberately incorporated into the design of the P-64 to ensure reliable detonation of hard, military primers.  Fortunately, spring kits are available to ameliorate this.

The sights are typical of this genre of pistol: a narrow blade front and are fairly wide, square notch rear that can be drifted for windage.  While serviceable and superior to the microscopic sights of some pocket pistols, they are not great eithers.  The front sight has a tendency to vanish in bright light, especially if it has a bit of holster wear on it.  

The P-64 does not have a slide release.  The slide locks open when the magazine is empty and it can be released by pulling the slide back after either the empty magazine is removed or a loaded magazine is seated.  Current training standards recommend releasing the slide in this manner during combat since the loss of fine motor skills accompanies the elevated heart rate common in high stress situations.  Thus, the lack of a slide release is not necessarily a detriment but it can be an impediment to safe handling, especially for an inexperienced shooter.

While the 9mm Makarov is not a stoutly recoiling cartridge, it is snappish in a 22 ounce pistol and this is exacerbated by the angle of the backstrap and the short beavertail of the P-64.  The end result is that the P-64 slams the web of the hand during recoil in a fashion reminiscent of the Mauser HSc.  While not exactly brutal to shoot, it is not overly pleasant to plink with.  

The P-64 has an European style magazine release located at the heel of the grip.  This style of release ensures that the magazine remains seated and retained under adverse conditions but it provides for a slower, more awkward reload than frame mounted magazine releases found on many American pistols.  This is exacerbated by the plastic grips of the P-64 which extend below the magazine well, enveloping the magazine release in a manner that makes it difficult to access, especially with large fingers.

With the exception of the awful double action trigger, the aforementioned characteristics of the P-64 are shared by many European "pocket pistols" that were used for military and police service during the Twentieth Century.  With practice, they can be overcome and the P-64 is a good little pistol for the money; however it is not the best choice for shooters with limited experience.  The Makarov, FEG PA-63, and CZ 83 are also periodically available at attractive prices and though a bit larger, they provide more user friendly platforms for the 9mm Makarov cartridge.