Just in case anyone thinks my vacation blogging has gone too far off topic.  Click it for the bigger version.

UPDATE:  This photo was taken several months ago when I was thinking about writing up a long post about Makarov ammo.  It was because it seems that every time I go to the range I  hear complaints from other Mak owners that the only thing they don't like about it is how hard it is to get ammo.

Ammo is easy to get.  It can be ordered from several places online and it's very affordable.  Some people claim that they refuse to shoot Silver Bear or whatever other color Bear, they even refuse to shoot Wolf ammo.  Well, Makarovs were made to shoot that stuff.  "But it has corrosive primers!!!!!!!!"  Pfft.  After a shooting session, clean it.

I am fairly fortunate in that our area monthly gun show always has ammo vendors with Makarov ammo.  As pictured above, I usually splurge and get the slightly more expensive Sellier & Bellot ammo (I also get S&B ammo for my CZ-52, by the way), but I have shot all that cheaper stuff and never had a problem with it.

The Hornady XTP ammo on the left is the only Makarov ammo I know of that is a specifically designed personal defense cartridge.  It's much more expensive.  A couple of months ago it was selling at the gun show for $13 per box of 25.  On the rare occasions that I carry my Mak, the Hornady XTP is what it is loaded with.

The loading tool in the picture is available from makarov.com.  The grips are Pearce.  The thumbrest grips that come on Makarovs are useless for a left-hander.