Custom 1895 Russian Nagant Parts

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Gun Master

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Man, I really like both of my 1895 Russian Nagant wheelguns, but I wish the mainspring was not so stiff !
Does anybody know where I can find a customized main/trigger spring that would allow me to fire it double action ?
I've tried Wolff and Numrich, but no luck.
 
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Awwah, come on guys !
Doesn't anyone know somebody (gunsmith, manufacturer, machinist, et al) who can customize any gun part ?
I can't use my hands so well now.:(
 
It's not just the mainspring causing the stiffness. The action also has the added resistance of the mechanism that moves the cylinder to "seal" the cylinder gap.

For that reason Nagants have an unusually stiff DA pull
 
You can slick them up; like most combloc stuff, the factory machine work is a bit rough. But as silicosys said, most of the heavy pull is the result of the gas sealing design.
 
Video?

I believe that the nut is captured by the spring, frame and grip panel sideplate.

Excerpt from the linked OP:

"Place the nut as shown in the photos. You do not want the nut to shift position.

Try a few “test pulls” of the pistols trigger. If the triggers pull is too light or still too stiff, change to a different size nut. I use a common nut to allow the nuts flats to provide a good flat surface that will not roll out of position.
Where you place the nut will be a factor on how the spring arm flexes and the force needed for it to bend."

IIRC, I did not install nut on my 1895, but worked a little chunk of lead (started life as a fishing weight) into a shape that seemed to work for me.

It improved the DA trigger pull from OMG!!!!! to Whoa! :)

This fellow has not yet done the modification:

2v2JjqN3yxAW38L.jpg
 
GBExpat said:
Video?

I believe that the nut is captured by the spring, frame and grip panel sideplate.

Excerpt from the linked OP:

"Place the nut as shown in the photos. You do not want the nut to shift position.

Try a few “test pulls” of the pistols trigger. If the triggers pull is too light or still too stiff, change to a different size nut. I use a common nut to allow the nuts flats to provide a good flat surface that will not roll out of position.
Where you place the nut will be a factor on how the spring arm flexes and the force needed for it to bend."

IIRC, I did not install nut on my 1895, but worked a little chunk of lead (started life as a fishing weight) into a shape that seemed to work for me.

It improved the DA trigger pull from OMG!!!!! to Whoa! :)

This fellow has not yet done the modification:

View attachment 838127
Click to expand...

It looks like that fella was big enough to fire DA all day long !

But, about that lead fishing weight ( we call them fishing line sinkers here at the Wolf River Bottoms ), what size shot was that ?
Was it # 2, 1, 0, 00 buck, or about what size do you recall ?

I'm caught between a nut and a soft place (lead).
Thanks.:)
 
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Gun Master said:
But, about that lead fishing weight ( we call them fishing line sinkers here at the Wolf River Bottoms )
Click to expand...
'Round here, the terminology is interchangeable like car-BEEN and car-BYNE ... the lazier among us probably use fishing weight as the phrase is more economical. ;)

What size? <chuckle> Heck, it has been at least a dozen years since I performed that mod. Try what I did ... remove the sideplate and see what you think will be the best size to use. IIRC, I found an old "sinker" in an old-leftover-screw-parts box (some of the pieces had been in there for ~75 years) while I was eyeballing different nut sizes & shapes for the job and decided to give that a try.

Good Luck! :)
 
GBExpat said:
'Round here, the terminology is interchangeable like car-BEEN and car-BYNE ... the lazier among us probably use fishing weight as the phrase is more economical. ;)

What size? <chuckle> Heck, it has been at least a dozen years since I performed that mod. Try what I did ... remove the sideplate and see what you think will be the best size to use. IIRC, I found an old "sinker" in an old-leftover-screw-parts box (some of the pieces had been in there for ~75 years) while I was eyeballing different nut sizes & shapes for the job and decided to give that a try.

Good Luck! :)
Click to expand...

You are so right on all the above.
I'm not trying to be an intelligent donkey, if you know what I mean.
Just attempting a little fun as I walk The High Road, and reap major gun info at the same time.
I treasure your comments, and I am eager to try this out.
Have a good weekend, and keep posting on THR.:)
 
Sorry that didn't work for you, GM.

My first approach, six years ago, was to search for a spare spring, even a repro, so that I could attempt shaving it down to reduce that horrific DA pull. I could find no M1895 Nagant springs ... anywhere ... and at that time I had quite a collection of parts sites to check, some rather obscure. <sigh>

Come to think of it, I should probably add that to my ToDo list again. If I find a source for replacements I will be sure to let you know prior to telling the World. ;)
 
Gun Master said:
Thanks for the link, GBExpat, but in my case, it didn't work.
I used a nut for an 3/8" screw, which appeared to be the same size in the video. Still hard to fire DA.
Possibly I'll try to work in a larger screw. Doubt it will work, and don't want to break the spring.:(
Click to expand...

OOOOPS ! I have an addendum to the above (#17) posting.

I finally got the 3/8" screw nut to fire DA (with more ease). It was a 1941 Tula.:)

Then I tried the same size nut in my 1943 Izhevsk.
No go. It wouldn't go SA or DA at all.:(

I removed the nut from the Izhevsk. It worked normally SA and DA, although the latter did with difficulty as usual.
The Tula kept its addition.

I noticed some tiny differences in the gun parts, and attributed the answer to the nut works / doesn't work to differing dimensions from model changes or excessive buffing or tooling.
 
Gun Master said:
Man, I really like both of my 1895 Russian Nagant wheelguns, but I wish the mainspring was not so stiff !
Does anybody know where I can find a customized main/trigger spring that would allow me to fire it double action ?
I've tried Wolff and Numrich, but no luck.
Click to expand...

I think the strong main spring is part of the gas seal system. Personally I don't think I would mess with it.

Honestly, I have a Webley that has an even worse double action pull than even my 1895 Nagant. After a few DA cylinders through the Webley the Nagant feels like a S&W.
 
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