Gun Toter
02-09-2002, 03:40 PM
In the past, the word has always been that on Makarov holsters, the black ones were Bulgarian, the brown rounded flaps were East German and the brown squared flap were Russian. I have never subscribed to that theory and now I have proof that it may not be correct.
When I got my first Makarov, an EG one, in 1991, it came with a brand new black rounded flap leather holster with MdI stamped under the flap. I believe this stands for Ministerie der Interior, or something like that. Since then I have bought several of the brown rounded flap versions, with the MdI and I think one with NVA stamp. The Police would be under the MdI and NVA is army, National Volks Armee. So I believe the rounded flap black Makarov holsters, leather of course, ARE East German, if it has the MdI or NVA stamp. Not Bulgarian.
Yesterday I picked up my brand new Bulgarian Makarov rig from layaway. It has a brand new brown leather squared flap holster which have been stated to be Russian. The rig has a new Bulgarian double circle 10 marked pistol, 2 mags numbered to the gun with -1 and -2 on the mags, a cleaning rod on the holster front, lanyard and the described holster. I figured it was just a Russian holster the importer used to make up a rig. Well, when I looked at the underside of the flap, guess what I saw? A double circle 10 ink stamp. So obviously this holster is Bulgarian.
In my opinion, the rounded flap holsters, whether brown OR black are East German, if ink stamped MdI or NVA. I also believe the squared flap holsters are Bulgarian, unless there are markings to indicate something else. Maybe the Russian holsters are the same as the Bulgarians, I dont really know as I havent seen one.
When I got my first Makarov, an EG one, in 1991, it came with a brand new black rounded flap leather holster with MdI stamped under the flap. I believe this stands for Ministerie der Interior, or something like that. Since then I have bought several of the brown rounded flap versions, with the MdI and I think one with NVA stamp. The Police would be under the MdI and NVA is army, National Volks Armee. So I believe the rounded flap black Makarov holsters, leather of course, ARE East German, if it has the MdI or NVA stamp. Not Bulgarian.
Yesterday I picked up my brand new Bulgarian Makarov rig from layaway. It has a brand new brown leather squared flap holster which have been stated to be Russian. The rig has a new Bulgarian double circle 10 marked pistol, 2 mags numbered to the gun with -1 and -2 on the mags, a cleaning rod on the holster front, lanyard and the described holster. I figured it was just a Russian holster the importer used to make up a rig. Well, when I looked at the underside of the flap, guess what I saw? A double circle 10 ink stamp. So obviously this holster is Bulgarian.
In my opinion, the rounded flap holsters, whether brown OR black are East German, if ink stamped MdI or NVA. I also believe the squared flap holsters are Bulgarian, unless there are markings to indicate something else. Maybe the Russian holsters are the same as the Bulgarians, I dont really know as I havent seen one.