If it came down to it, with good ammo, I WOULD trust my life to mine. Very reliable (with good ammo, of course). I've shot Russian, Chinese, and Polish (?) ammo through mine without a single jam or misfire. A lot of the surplus ammo is corrosive or just generally dirty, but I have yet to have a single hangup. But I have heard of some junk stuff out there. I believe there are some hollow point bullets made for the .30 Carbine that can be loaded into the 7.62x25 or .30 Mauser cases. But the only brass I've seen that isn't Berdan primed is the new production S&B and the high priced Starline stuff. The S&B ammo can be found for a decent price. Magsafe also makes their defensive ammo in this caliber.
I haven't picked up a Makarov (yet), but the CZ-52 is a very reliable gun. Just be careful not to let the barrel go flying when you disassemble for cleaning...
I really don't think they would be a great choice for stopping power being a small caliber, but I think they would be suitable as a backup weapon.
As far as penetration, I did a little comparison between the 7.62x25, 9mm and .45 ACP shooting at a cast aluminum skillet. The 9 and .45 holes looked like someone hammered a spike through the metal, the 7.62 left a perfectly round hole that looked like it was made with a power drill.
The gun is a real attention getter. Recoil, noise, and muzzle blast make my 9mm seem pretty tame. I've heard it fits somewhere between a .357 and .44 as far as recoil.
If the bullet is running 1500 fps, I wonder how fast the spent brass is going as it rockets out of there. It really spits it out! might be handy if you are confronting BGs in front AND to your right
Just a thought
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"...That is why, I pack my .25. Where nobody knows, right above my boot. It's the law, no one there to serve you. Why not be the hero? Why not be your own? Swear I'll kill you!.." Porno for Pyros - Packin' 25