In search of an air gun for entertainment in the markets of our country, potential buyers very often have to hear recommendations about acquiring a classic that has no equal among competitors in terms of price and quality. By classic weapons connoisseurs mean a copy of the famous military weapon in pneumatic design - MP-654K. This article will figure out how this model attracted its customers and whether it is worth giving preference to it when buying.
Weapons permit
The future owner should not worry about permissions, because the Russian law “On Arms” requires the registration of pneumatics with a shot power of more than 7 Joules, which the PM does not have pneumatic. MP-654K has a factory-made shot energy of no more than 2 Joules. The caliber of the bullet also does not need to worry - 4.5 millimeters fall under resolution, and you can purchase this pneumatic weapon without any reference.
The restriction applies only to the age of the buyer and owner - 18 years. In the store, airguns are definitely not sold to a minor. But in the process of exploitation, when the fact of using a weapon by a child is revealed, his parents are threatened with administrative punishment. And the gun is very specific, its similarity to the original, judging by the numerous reviews of the owners, more than once caused trouble due to operation in public places.
From the history course
The Makarov combat pistol, thanks to the history of which the MP-654K pneumatic pistol was born, was developed back in 1948. Let the envious amuse themselves with the thought that this weapon was a complete copy of the German Walter pistol. However, in fact only the appearance was copied, but the principle of operation and the internal mechanisms of the two pistols are very different.
Strange as it may seem, the pistol owed the Great Patriotic War, which depleted the state’s resources very much, and urgently needed arming the internal troops with inexpensive but very effective weapons. The Nagan system revolver and Tokarev pistol, which stood at that time, were very bulky and powerful, which made them ineffective in emergency situations.
Rich equipment
The Russian arms factory has always had positive marks for a decent set of pneumatic weapons. But with the MP-654K pistol, he exceeded all expectations. Apparently, the manufacturer, in addition to export modifications of the famous Makarov pistol, suggested that there are a lot of foreign buyers on the domestic market.
In the standard set, consisting of a box, packaging, the gun itself with a passport and maintenance instructions, the new owner will find many interesting little things. A dozen o-rings of different diameters and sizes will enable the user to further repair the weapon at no cost. But a screwdriver and an adapter for a cylinder for Eurostandard is a very nice gift for any owner. An additional bonus is the package of bullets and a fully refilled carbon dioxide cylinder.
The performance characteristics
Taking the pneumatic gun MP-654K in hand, you can find its striking resemblance to the original. Even the weight of 720 grams is identical to the combat PM. This is not strange, because the pneumatics case and some components were borrowed from the stock of military weapons. The gun barrel is made of steel and is rifled, and the source of energy in the weapon is compressed carbon dioxide, which is supplied to the pneumatic system using a twelve-gram spray can. One such cylinder is enough for 54 shots, after which the carbon dioxide pressure decreases and accuracy can be forgotten.
The capacity of the store is 13 bullets, which are made in the form of steel balls. The initial bullet speed declared by the manufacturer is 120 meters per second, which is a good indicator for recreational shooting. The maximum rate of fire, like that of a combat brother, is one shot per second.
About modifications
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the manufacturer has produced many modifications that have been modernized from year to year. In the end, the manufacturer stopped at the closest version to the combat PM. Pneumatic MP-654K 32 became the very, ideal copy of the legendary firearms. However, there are still many early pneumatic guns on the market that have minor visual differences from the latest version and, of course, a lower price.
In addition to the Russian arms concern, there are many Makarov pneumatic pistols produced by foreigners on the market. Seeing such popularity of PM, gunsmiths from all over the world want to capitalize on this. Only they can do it poorly. Trying to save on production, the Chinese and Americans produce lightweight models of weapons with a modified design of the trigger mechanism, which scare away their products from a Russian person who knows the history of his country.
Operating principle
Having installed the cylinder and magazine with bullets in the MP-654K pneumatic gun, the user needs to put the weapon to the platoon. This is done in the same way as on a combat specimen, by withdrawing the bolt frame all the way back. The trigger pulled back by the bolt is locked in place with a sear. At the time of the shot, the pull of the trigger acts on the mount of the sear, which releases the trigger. As in a combat pistol, a spring-loaded trigger strikes the firing pin with a slight difference - instead of hitting the capsule, the firing pin only opens the valve, which pits the necessary dosage of carbon dioxide needed for firing.
About the disadvantages
There is a lot of controversy in the media around the flaws of the pneumatic MP-654K. Its price on the Russian market is unrivaled (it is unlikely that it will be possible to find something like that worth up to 10 thousand rubles), so it makes no sense to find fault with this wonderful weapon. The only thing for which there are many questions is the barrel of the weapon. Trying to get closer to the original, the designers installed a rifled barrel in the gun, which is recommended to be used only with long bullets that work according to the laws of ballistics. A round steel ball when flying out of a rifled barrel behaves quite differently in a collision with air. Spinning and tumbling in flight, he always changes the initial trajectory, because of this, and even professionals have problems with accuracy when shooting.
Weapon upgrade
Oddly enough, for the pneumatic pistol MP-654K, tuning does not consist in improving the performance characteristics. After all, even increasing the power of the weapon will not make the round bullet fly exactly after exiting the rifled barrel. Modernization affects the economic aspect more. Judging by the numerous reviews of specialists in the media, after the experiments, it was found that the usual elimination of gas leaks in the bypass system can save about 20-25% of the capacity of one cylinder. For fans of shooting, this is a pretty decent amount, if translated into a monetary equivalent.
For modernization, you will need to disassemble the gun and walk through all the contact pads that are associated with the carbon dioxide bypass system in the gun. All barbs and irregularities need to be cut, but the gaps will have to be closed with home-made gaskets, which experts recommend cutting out of fluoroplastic and gluing them to silicone wear-resistant sealants.
Entertainment Tuning
The appearance of the air gun is so impeccable that its modification is out of the question among the owners. And if we are talking about the latest modification of the MP-654K 32, tuning is done only for the barrel, which, according to the classics of the genre, simply has to be a muffler. Naturally, it must be removable for ease of transportation and in no way affect the tactical and technical characteristics of the weapon. Fortunately, the latest modifications have a "beard" over the muzzle. It is these five millimeters that are enough to cut a shallow but very deep thread and mount the appropriate moderator.
But lovers of laser and optical sights were clearly unlucky: weapons are not intended for their installation at all. If there is a desire to improve the aiming system, then it is better to look in the direction of special stickers that can accumulate light and glow very brightly. They are glued on the rear sight and front sight, and it is desirable that they be of different colors. These stickers are supplied with all foreign-made air rifles, so you can pick up the necessary kit in any weapons store.
Finally
As can be seen from the review, the Makarov air gun has more historical value for buyers. Its performance characteristics are so low that it makes no sense to compare it with similar devices. However, the gun bribes future owners with other advantages. First of all, this is the price. It is the lowest for a pneumatic gun in the domestic market. Simplicity and ease of use, as well as rich equipment will attract the attention of any person who values his time and money.
If you need to purchase a pneumatic gun, the appearance of which is as close as possible to the original, then it is better not to find a better modification of the MP-654K 32. Although the price is slightly higher than that of the old versions, it will still be within ten thousand rubles, that is, affordable for any Russian who knows and appreciates the history of his state.