1895 Nagant: Worth It?

Fun once, something my brother in law didn't already own. Never tied to sell it or ammo, gave it away.

blindhari

for under $175, I think they were pretty cool. I have one, but I haven't shot it in years. It's kinda fun, but there are much better .32 revolvers out there. For historic collection, sure. However, I think the inflated prices they go for these days are too much, for me.

$450 for Nagant? There was a time not 5 years ago I would have grabbed mine as a beater woods gun that I wouldn't cry over if I lost it in the creek. Now? At those prices? I don't think I'll get mine out until I sell it for something I like better

I wish you had not posted those prices. You made me feel really old. Those sold for $12 dollars in new condition back in the 1960s. I think they are very unique firearms. I ran .32-20 brass through a FL Nagant die. It was not long enough to seal but it worked.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...3B5B55A035319992B5BA3B5B55A03531999&FORM=VIRE

Cooldill said:

... To those who own or have shot Nagant revolvers, would you pay $400-$500 for one these days if you didn't have yours when you got it cheap? ...

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Ab-so-lute-ly not.

Three years ago I bought one (LN condition) from SOG for ~$125 ... and , yes, the DA reeeeeeally sucks on these things.

I recall that about a dozen years prior to that the M1895s had popped up on many of the dealer websites for $90-$100 ... but they fired odd & weak & (relatively) expensive ammunition (with chlorate primers) so many of us eschewed the opportunity to buy one.

I went looking for one in 2013 when I decided that it might be fun to reload for the beast ... but then I got sidetracked by the .32-20 Bug and haven't yet returned to the 7.62x38r.

GB your summation concerning the Nagant as an efficient firearm is correct. But there is a small population of shooters that like to visit and shoot arms of the past. I must confess to being one of those. The problem with the Nagant is it has become a collector's choice and it is priced above the experimenters budget.

That my Amigo is a question only you can answer. The members here have shared their thoughts and concerns. Now, it is the end game, your choice. I am sure you will make the correct decision. Good luck.

They are fun to shoot, especially for recoil-sensitive folks ...

... but, 400+ bucks?

A Russian Nagant? Of the sorts I have handled?

When they were selling for around $80 not too many years ago I bought one, planning to buy a total of five because "how can you go wrong with an $80 gun?"

I changed that plan once I had one.

It is nowhere near as good as a Makarov or even a Tokarev.

Looks like it has made the "demographic transition" going from surplus to collectable.
At one time CAS tenderfeet were looking for the noncom's model (single action) or just pulling the double action strut out of the more common officer's model. Gave them a cheap 19th century single action with light recoil.

Worst ergonomics and DA trigger pull I have ever felt. I bought one for $99 in like new condition about 6 years ago. And then bought a .32 ACP cylinder for it. I hated shooting it. I put it up for sale on GB about 1 1/2 years ago and got over $200 for it and was thrilled.

I'd pass at the price. It is an interesting and historically important design, but not much of a shooter: horrific double action pull, slow and awkward reload, no ammo at Walmart, ever.

Cooldill said:

...not very good. ..

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This is akin to saying that a .308 pistol is not very quiet. In my experience the double action trigger on the average Nagant isn't even a little bit good. It lacks goodness altogether. It doesn't have anything that could be mistaken for goodness, even in a bad light. Actually, I'm not even sure it would be correct to say it was bad, because when most people say a trigger is "bad" they mean it is rough or heavy.

In my experience the average Nagant DA trigger pull is something between 20+ lbs and "pull any harder and it might break." It is clearly a DA trigger in that the cylinder advances and the hammer cocks, but actually firing it double action may or may not be possible. I have tried several that I personally wouldn't fire DA because the pull was high enough that i figured trying would cause permanent harm.

Single action trigger pull is supposed to be 13lbs but the ones I've tried sure felt higher than that.

Accuracy seemed OK all told.

Ed Ames said:

...the double action trigger on the average Nagant isn't even a little bit good. It lacks goodness altogether. It doesn't have anything that could be mistaken for goodness, even in a bad light.

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Oh, my. That is very well said!

Cooldill said:

Yes, so it seems. I have a tremendous liking for the Russian guns. I LOVE my Makarovs, have three of them that I got for great prices. I also have a Romanian Tokarev that I got for something like $180 in like-new condition a few months ago. That is a fun gun for sure.

I love the looks and history of the Nagant. Are they worth the price? This is why I am asking my friends on THR.

I have learned that the double-action trigger pull on these is not very good. I wonder, though, how is that single-action pull? Are these guns accurate when fired in single action with good ammo? Can they hit the target?

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If the target is the back of a deserter or 'enemy of the Party' at 1-2 feet, yes. That was it's usual use.

I wouldn't pay that much for one ($400 & up), but I won't tell you you shouldn't if you really want one. I kept telling myself for years I could replace the 2 1/2" Python I sold for a little bit more than I sold it for.....now I won't be able to unless I win the lottery. (Dang you Rick Grimes!)
They are fun to shoot, recoil is nil, can be handloaded using .32-20 brass-word of advice-don't use it for a DA shooter, the DA is horrible! One member here gave one to his wife for a HD gun, figuring if it went off, she really must have needed to shoot!

The Russian Nagant Double Action was the Officers Model. The Single Action Nagant was the Soldiers Model. The DA Nagant must have been considered a better handgun?
http://russianrevolvers.com/ImperialVariations.html

I shot one a lot a few years ago. Was actually planning to buy it but that thought quickly changed. I had bought the ammo though so I plugged away with it. As others mentioned, the DA trigger is an absolute abomination. The SA trigger was certainly nothing to brag about, but compared to DA it was wonderful. Compared to anything other than itself it was a heavy, gritty, POS that wouldn't die. The atrocity in trigger was a perfect match for the odd grip and those two items came together to produce some of the worst shot groups of my life.