M1895 Nagant as low cost ccw revolver?

It's a gun. Would not be on most people's top 25 for either carry or SD, but they are economical. Are they worth the cash...maybe - it's just that for most people these are curio pieces or every once in a while range shooters. I would personally save up for something else, but I'm not in your shoes. I wouldn't worry about loading it, if anything SD related would happen, it's a "seven and run" gun.

I own a few Nagant revolvers, but don't use them for CCW or HD. The modern factory loads are hugely underpowered, and the full power surplus loads fall somewhere between a .32 and .380. None are offered in hollow point. If it is your only option, it is better than a knife, but if I were you I would keep looking. One of the design requirements was that the round would need to stop a horse from 30-50 ft, but they must have been some emaciated horses.

I think I'd look for a highpoint 9mm. It probably has a better trigger and definitely reloads faster.

FWIW, I have three M1895's in the safe. Interesting approach to making a revolver.

Clutch

I've used the Nagant for CCW during budget pinches in the past. They'll work, but I'd use the hotter Fiochi ammo not the CCCP target. I've shot .32's out of them but the accuracy is often poor and there's a lot of blowback crud. They really work best with the proper ammo.

You can also use it to hit someone. It's a really solid piece of work.

1895 Russian Nagant for CCW?

Cost is good now , even though price is higher, and they are being gobbled up quickly. I got a couple before the increase, and I like the old guns, but would not advise it as a good CCW. Moderately large size, stiff double action, plus slow and cumbersome load / reload, are negative factors. Also, relatively small cal. (.30), and FMJ (positive & negative factors). Revolvers are good for beginers, and well used by aces. Their dependability are legendary (the good ones). S&W are the best, but price is high. Good luck on your quest.

I think I posted some chrono numbers in a post similar to this before, but can't find it at the moment. The soviet target ammo will bounce off of strong paper, the current Fiocchi and Prvi ammo are only about 200fps faster than that, but the 70's and 80's surplus and the old school Fiocchi/Hot Shot gets down range a LOT faster.

If you just want a cheap gun to ccw, you can buy a brand new Taurus .380 for $199. I would imagine it would carry much better than the Nagant IMO. However if you really want a Russian revolver then by all means go for it and get a piece of history.

travisd said:

If you just want a cheap gun to ccw, you can buy a brand new Taurus .380 for $199. I would imagine it would carry much better than the Nagant IMO. However if you really want a Russian revolver then by all means go for it and get a piece of history.

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Yeah. The Russian revolver is a classic but has lots of downsides that make it a poor carry choice.

It is heavy, has a terrible DA trigger, has a relatively bad SA trigger, and it is fairly large. They're cool guns and are very affordable but as a CCW, there are better options in similar price ranges.

There have been hundreds of thousands of poor souls who have met their maker at the hand of this gun. I would say that more people have been killed with this gun than the total of US war dead from the Revolutionary war to the Afghanistan conflict. It is not to be discounted.

That said I own two of them. They are a part of the hideout guns stashed in my house. Not the first line of defense but not exactly last ditch. They are cheap and no big loss if they get taken as evidence in case I have to defend myself and my family. Not the best but not the worst either.

I'm in the camp with those who say that the terrible trigger and slow reloads would knock it out of the running for me.

For only about $50 more, you can have a used Keltec PF9 or similar. It would be worth saving the extra $50, even if it takes a few months.

If you do carry one, I would recommend carrying with an empty chamber under the hammer. Not exactly what you'd call drop-safe.

The Teacher said:

I think I posted some chrono numbers in a post similar to this before, but can't find it at the moment. The soviet target ammo will bounce off of strong paper, the current Fiocchi and Prvi ammo are only about 200fps faster than that, but the 70's and 80's surplus and the old school Fiocchi/Hot Shot gets down range a LOT faster.

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How do you know Russian target ammo from good surplus stuff? I don't speak or much less read Russki, as well as most of us. I'm serious. Some retailers might not be very truthful with their customers. Can you recommend reliable ammo sources? Thanks

Spend a bit more and go CZ82.

CZ82 alternative

I agree. One of the better choices for an auto loader. Reliable, mid-range power, 12 shot, but a little heavy with all that extra ammo. You have to decide if it's right for you.

A Polish P-64 is also a good choice, and fairly cheap. More reliable than a Bersa or Rugger LCP, and fires the 9x18 Makarov round, which is about 10% more powerful than .380. The only downside is the very heavy double-action rigger pull, which can be brought down to a manageable level with an 18-pound hammer spring. The trigger pull is heavy, but not too long, and you can very easily work through it unless you're very weak. The single action trigger is very light. The gun has very good intrinsic accuracy and is very easy to shoot well.

Ammo choices are surprisingly good. There's Silver Bear hollowpoints, which are pretty good and very reliable, and heavy Buffalo Bore loads which put it in the .38 Special range. Sellier & Bellot and Blazer also have FMJ loads. Hornady has 2 offerings in 9x18, but at least one of those will NOT feed in the P-64 (I can't remember which of them I tested). I've shot all the others except the Buffalo Bore, and I'd expect a more niche manufacturer like BB to properly test with all 4 commonly-available 9x18 pistols. I personally carry the Silver Bear hollowpoints right now, but if I could verify the other Hornady or Buffalo Bore loads worked, I'd switch to them.

Like the Tokarev, the Nagant revolvers are great guns to play with and in a pinch would work for self defense if nothing else was available.
That said, there are far better alternatives out there as a low cost serious ccw weapon.

Well, I'd disagree on the Tokarev. The Tokarev can be a downright evil defensive weapon if loaded with hollowpoints. The Wolf hollowpoints are nasty enough, but if you handload, Gold Dots are just plain evil. Brass Fetcher's slow-motion videos show a massive wound cavity and cyclonic rotation in the gel. We're talking damage equal to or slightly superior to a good 9mm or .45 bullet. If I had to choose one pistol round for causing a disgusting amount of damage, it would probably be a Tokarev hollowpoint.

Gun Master said:

How do you know Russian target ammo from good surplus stuff? I don't speak or much less read Russki, as well as most of us. I'm serious. Some retailers might not be very truthful with their customers. Can you recommend reliable ammo sources? Thanks

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Usually the target ammo comes in 40rd boxes which are bright yellow or white. The surplus comes in 1,092rd tins or the small 14rd boxes. I've attached some photos I found online of the Soviet B-1 target ammo and the surplus ammo. The target ammo is the yellow box, and the surplus is in the white/brown box and tin. If I'm reading the numbers correctly, I believe this surplus was made in 1988 with powder produced in 1985. I'm not sure about the age of the Soviet B-1 target ammo. If you have a Nagant target model like the MTs-4, the B-1 target ammo is insanely accurate, but not too peppy. Aim Surplus used to have a lot in stock and will probably be getting more:

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=A76238RFMJ&name=Russian+7.62x38R+FMJ+14rd+box&groupid=124

I think several other places have it in stock right now, like Grafs and Wideners.

Also, the revolver actually has a hammer block, so it is most likely safe to carry on a loaded chamber, as it is nearly impossible to fire without pulling the trigger (which is difficult enough), but I still wouldn't recommend it as a carry weapon

Not a super good choice,but any gun in the hand beats nothing. My 1895 is not a model of accuracy but it would do for me in a pinch.On the other hand a CZ82 in 9MM Makarov is a highly accurate pistol with a double stack mag and is a deadly accurate piece at roughly double the cost of an 1895 Nagant.:banghead:

As a HD gun, I bet I could make it work. Can't imagine carrying it all the time, and then's when I carry, all the time. I'd rather look around for a surplus Taurus 82 police trade-in. They're pretty easy to find and run at or below $200. Ammo is easier to find (usually) and available in more versatile loads.


That being said, the next time I run across one for that price, I'll probably pick it up just to have. I wanted a M/N rifle, but didn't get one in time before the price hikes, and I am a bit of a Russophile (I even have a Russian wife.)

I myself am looking for a nagant revolver, but I think you would be much happier with a Makarov. The high point C9 is also accurate and cheap but is a bit large; great for bedside weapon though.