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I have an unusual question. Does anyone know what type and caliber of pistols is normally carried by the Russian police? I don't have any contacts in that part of the world (yet) but I figure someone here might know.

I have a professor who will be going to Russia next summer and wants to be able to shoot better. She was asked out shooting with some of the police when she went last time and felt like she did not make herself look good. I want to find what they carry so I can get a pistol that is close to it to help her improve.

Otherwise, I will buy a 9mm and am leaning towards a Taurus 92 (Cabela's had one for under 500 the other day). That way she will have a chance with my Glock, my 1911, and a double action 9mm. This should cover the spectrum for styles and calibers she might encounter.

see here: http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg00-e.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Bing-Fu brought up this...

http://www.kommersant.com/p-13378/r_530 ... e_weapons/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Russian Interior Ministry has decided to give up the use of Kalashnikov machineguns and Makarov pistols, RIA Novosti reports, citing a statement by Deputy Interior Minister Police Lieut. Gen. Mikhail Sukhodolsky. The police official explained that the firearms will be replaced by PP-2000 submachine guns and Yarygina pistols.

More at the link (dated Oct 2008). Have no idea what a Yarygina pistol is.

more info here: http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2008 ... ov-pistol/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the help. The professor said the last time she went it was something like a 9mm but not really one, which had made me think it was a 9mm Makarov. The articles make it look like that was a correct guess. I also looks like the 92 might be a decent cross over, though the 917 might be closer. The specs say the Yarygin is a 4.43 inch barrel, double action, 9mm. Now I have to look around and see where I can find one of these fairly inexpensively. I don't have as much use for a 9mm, but it is an excuse to buy a new gun and the wife won't argue as much.

When I went to the link Beiruty provided and saw a picture of the Yarygin (or Yarygina) pistol, I thought, "Hmmm, I have seen something like that before." Took me awhile to remember.

Looks remarkably like the HK Mark 23:

http://www.hkpistols.com/item/64734_HK_ ... 2RD_H.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;