1895 Nagant

[ntstk250x]

Im new to the site and am looking for some information on the 1895 Nagant Revolver. I dont know alot about it other than the ammo is extremely expensive. I was just curious if anyone has sucessfully put a new cylinder in the gun to shoot a cheaper round, or if there is another round that is safe to shoot using the original cylinder that isnt the expensive 7.62x38R Nagant round.

Thanks

 

[WardenWolf]

There's .32 ACP cylinders available. The original cylinder also usually works with .32 Shorts and .32 H&R Magnums and these are perfectly safe to shoot (and indeed well within the pressure rating of the original round). Occasionally you'll find one where the cylinder width is too wide for the rim at the rear and the brass falls through, but they usually work just fine. There's some newer Nagant ammo being made now by PRVI Partizan. It's a little expensive, but not horrible.

 

[Z71]

I own three Nagants and shoot .32S&W longs and .32 mags out of them fine.

I also own a .32acp cylinder..but it will only fit and function in one of the Nagants.

The only functional issues with shooting .32S&W, .32 mags and 7.62 Nagant ammo out of the guns is shooting the shorter ammo..then switching to the longer ammo...

The shorter .32S&W longs will leave crud in the cylinder..then if you shoot the longer .32 Mags or the Nagant ammo..might stick a case or two..bad enough to have to drive it out with a cleaning rod.

Of course..the .32S&W, and the .32 mags bulge the cases fired in a Nagant..but I've never had any split.

Accuracy is good with the make-shift ammo..except one of my Nagants doesn't like the magnums for some reason or other.

 

[cougar1717]

The 1895 is a classic, but as such, there are caveats. You can use .32 S&W or .32 H&R mag and many have shot these from an 1895 with no issues. However, the cases will bulge and it's probably not a good idea to try to reload those "substitute" calibers. I bought a .32 acp cylinder for it to get away from having to buy nagant ammo, but I did have throw some money to my gunsmith to get it fitted.
To be brutally honest, the 1895 is an inexpensive gun that the majority of the shooting public really doesn't want to own. It is an arcane, quirky, engineering masterpiece that is a mix between a single and double action revolver. The trigger is heavy in single action and you will need a gorilla grip to fire it in double action. The extraction of fired brass is more tedious than "cowboy guns" since you have to unscrew the extraction rod, swivel it into position, and poke the used brass out (the rod isn't spring loaded, so you have to push on it both ways). The barrel is made to use the nagant ammo, so it starts about .338" and tapers to about .309". It was made for the nagant ammo where the recessed bullet pushes out the brass "flaps" above it to get that "unique gas seal." All in all, it is a unique piece, but by today's standards and expectations, it's an off the wall gun. OP, if you are just getting into shooting, the 1895 isn't the one you should be looking at, but if you want a interesting piece of history as a collector and occasional shooter, the 1895 is definitely an inexpensive piece of Russian history.

 

[potmetal]

This gun has alot of history in it and I think that gives it a big "cool factor". I found a shop that had .32H&R, not magnum, ammo. It worked pretty good in it. I think it was a Federal loading.
It would be interesting to know all the places they've seen, and owners those old guns have had.

 

[hardworker]

I've never heard of non-magnum 32 H&R. I may be wrong but I think 32 mag and 32 H&R are one in the same

 

[BBroadside]

I think you are right, hardworker. It's just that 32 H&R Magnum isn't "magnum" by the standards of 327 Magnum.
I think the 32 H&R is dimensionally the same as 32 S&W Long except for length, so it is technically a magnum in any case. The new 327 may confuse matters since I think it sells better than any rimmed 32, but I'm only guessing.

 

[zoom6zoom]

The correct ammo is no longer hard to find or all that expensive. You can usually find it around $22/box (with reloadable brass), which isn't that much higher than a lot of other pistol calibers, and I guarantee you that you're not going to be shooting hundreds of rounds from this revolver, either.

The conversion cylinders for them go for more than I paid for my revolvers.

http://www.southernohiogun.com/ammunition-1/762-nagant-ammo-50rd-box-new-production.html

 

[ntstk250x]

Thanks for all the info everyone