It must be noted that many Soviet commercial aircraft crews of the time were armed with pistols. This specialised ammunition was developed in 1980 to be used on board aircraft. Other loads include some specialized rounds, such as the frangible SP-8. The steel insert is of mushroom-like shape which does not help penetration when compared to similar bullets with pure lead cores.
The standard Soviet military / police load used a round-nosed jacketed bullet with a composite core, made partly of lead and partly of mild steel (as a less expensive alternative to pure lead). It has a straight, rimless case usually made of lacquered steel (military issue) or brass (some commercial loads). It was not actually designed by Makarov, but by the designer Syomin. The 9×18 cartridge is generally known as ‘9mm Makarov’ or ‘9mm PM’ after the popular Makarov ( Пистолет Макарова – PM) pistol that originally used it. During the early 90’s, the Russian Army tried to extend the effectiveness of this round with the introduction of the ‘Improved’ or ‘high impulse’ PMM loading, with a more powerful propellant charge and lighter bullet, but this was never adopted for safety reasons. The Army and police continued to use standard issue jacketed ammunition. These included expanding and frangible bullets, as well as improved penetration loads. Just prior to the Moscow Olympic Games of 1980, Soviet ammunition factories developed several specialized loads at the request of the KGB. Ammunition is still manufactured in Russia, as well as in the USA (for commercial use). Pistols for this cartridge were manufactured in the USSR and in Russia, as well as in Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), Hungary, and Poland. So far the 9×18 PM remains in active military and police service in most ex-USSR republics, including Russia.
Officially adopted in 1951, this cartridge was also imposed upon Warsaw Pact countries during the 60’s and 70’s in an attempt at standardization. Soviet tactical doctrine at the time had no use for submachine guns, which usually require a more powerful pistol-type cartridge to be of any military use. While this round was only marginally powerful by Western standards, it proved to be adequate for personal defence weapons. Soon after the end of WW2, the Soviet army seriously re-considered the role of the military pistol, and selected the improved 9×18 round as the future standard military cartridge. Apparently this work began in the USSR just prior to start of the Great Patriotic War (WW2). A few pistols were tested, but with the outbreak of war development came to a halt. The 9×18 Makarov PM cartridge was the result of the development of a caliber suitable for smaller, blowback-operated pistols.
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