The differences between the Czech Makarov and the Russian Makarov are mostly cosmetic.  The Czech Mak holds 12+1 and the Russian Mak holds 8+1.  The Czech Mak uses a spur hammer and M1911 type safety (for either right or left hands) while the Russian Mak uses a burr hammer and has hammer drop safety similar to the Walther PP or PPK pistols.

 

The Czechs built these guns for commercial/police/miliary sales.  The 9.2x18 Makarov pistol round is midway in power between the .380 ACP (9x17 Browning) and the 9x19 NATO (9mm Luger/Para) cartridges.  First Makarovs brought into the U.S. were only available with G.I. ball or FMJ (full metal jacket) ammunition.  Bullet weight is 95 grains.  Today, the Makarov cartridge has a selection of JHP (jacketed hollow point) rounds like the Corbon 70 gran JHP and the Hornaday 95 grain JHP.  I would recommend the Czech gun to you.

 

If you get the Czech Makarov pistol, make sure you get a total of four magazines for it: one to go in the pistol, two for loaded spare magazines, and one to rotate with the other three magazines when they are kept loaded. 

Basic load really means several things:

 

1.  How many rounds of JHP you have for "social purposes".

2.  How many rounds of FMJ to have for practice.

3.  How many rounds you stockpile.

 

Starting with Item 3 first, that depends on the size of your wallet and your particular situation.  With very few exceptions, I have at least one or several cases of the calibers that I shoot stockpiled.

 

For Item 2, it depends on how many rounds you shoot when you go to the range and how often.  That's the nice thing about a stockpile, you can borrow from it if your trips to the range increase or the expenditure of ammo does.  However, you will have to restock.  The good thing about ammo is that, when stored in a cool, dry, airtight container, it lasts for years and years.

 

For Item 3, you'll have to buy a box or two of the various kinds of JHP defense rounds and try them through the Makarov.  Your Mak may have a preference for a certain kind or it may not, but shooting is the only way to find out.  After that, I'd stock about two boxes of the JHP brand your Mak likes.

 

The rationale I have outlined for the Makarov (9.2x18 or .380) can apply to most pistol or rifle calibers.  Shotgun gets pretty expensive unless you get friendly with a shotgunner that reloads.  Then you can stockpile your own shotgun ammot at more reasonable prices -- it still will not be cheap, but cheaper than factory ammo.  In all cases you'll have to balance what you'd like to have against what you can afford (it's not a perfect world).  However, opportunties to pickup ammo at reasonable prices do happen and that's when you add to the stockpile.