MCM pistol

History

Mikhail Vladimirovich Margolin designed the pistol while blind, having lost his vision in April 1924 at age 18 from a head injury received while fighting bandits after the Russian Civil War. Production began in 1948, and the pistol debuted internationally at the 36th World Shooting Championships in 1954 in Caracas, Venezuela. The design was accurate, reliable, and economically priced with a functional and simple layout.

Criticism of its elevated sight plane is sometimes attributed to the designer's blindness, but the raised sights were a deliberate feature that increased accuracy. The high line of sight, shared with the AK-47, allows the shooter to hold the pistol lower and align the barrel with the shoulder, improving control during rapid fire. The barrel can be fitted with an under barrel weight for added steadiness.

Variants

Variants include the MTs-1 (МЦ-1), the MCM Standard Small-bore Pistol (Пистолет малокалиберный стандартный МЦМ) from 1955, and the MTsU (МЦУ) from 1955. The Baikal "Margo" (МЦМ-К «Марго») has a 98 mm barrel and simplified sights for less formal use and self-defence. The MP-449 is a .25 ACP variant, and the IZh-77 (ИЖ-77) is a non-lethal gas pistol. A limited quantity was made by Norinco in China as the "PS-01", with a fully adjustable rear sight, non-adjustable front sight blade, and threaded muzzle.