762 Nagant to .32 H&R Mag..need feedback please

[Nose Dive]

Ok guys. Just got my 1945 Nagant with new cylinder reamed out to 32 H&R Mag. Bought the 32 ACP cylinder, got a PACIFIC TOOL reamer, pricy but quality. What is thay you say? You have to pay for quality? OK, in this case I agree. Anyway, reamed all 7 holes, shells drop right in. Borrowed a buddies dies and reloaded a few and she shoots great. Now, back to business. I like the 100 grainers or 98's also. Who has a FLAT NOSE mold for a 32? Have plenty of Linotype so stock is no issue. Just got my WAAGE melt pot and she cooks just fine. Yes. I am a Dipper. Anyway, am looking for a Flat nose at around 100 grains. Gas Check if at all possible, and, OK, if there is a holler point would like that too.

Old gun is a hoot to shoot. Yep. 15 Lb trigger pull and all. What do you expect out of an old gun that is older than I am? I might drop it in my hunit bag and pull out the ole .41 Mag. The .41 is just like my belly, getting a littel too big to haul around.

Anyway, am looking for a good mold, and maybe 'special reciepe' if some one has one. Thanks guys. Appreciate all you input!!



"Whiskey if for drinking, water is for fighting over" ****Mark Twain*****

[Ricochet]

Wouldn't be right to ream out the cylinder to .32 H&R Mag. That's a skinnier cartridge than the 7.62x38R. Many people use the .32 H&R in the original cylinders, and they have issues with swelling of the cases.

[mtnman31]

As ricochet mentioned, case diameter of 32 H&R is smaller and not to mention the pressure differences between the two cartridges. While many have claimed to shot lots of 32Mag through their Nagants without a hitch, I value my hands/eyes and play it safe. I'm sure the Nagants are a stout piece since they are a military arm but the metallurgy back then wasn't what is is nowadays. Also, if the Nagant was made to handle those pressures, they likely would have used a more powerful cartridge in the pistol. Remember this thing was designed at the end of the blackpowder era.

I have shot mine plenty using converted 32-20 brass and kept the pressures in the lower end of 32-20 data. Never had any problems and I don't have to worry about it blowing up in my hand. The Nagant is a hoot to shoot but it is not much of a "hand-cannon". If I need something to take care of a problem I'll reach for my .357 and leave the Nagant in the safe. Stay safe.

[Leftoverdj]

Folks, he bought the aftermarket .32 cylinder to rechamber. Diameter is not an issue.

[Ricochet]

OK, I didn't understand it was the .32 ACP chamber being reamed out. :D

[Wayne Smith]

We did a .32 Keith group buy a while back. It's a 98gr + lube. Somebody may have an extra, you can't have mine!

[Bret4207]

The discontinued Lyman 311316 is about the best 32 mould around, but it's a GC. The still in production 311008 is a PB that's similar. I think NOE is doing a GB on a 316 copy now, or about to. I'd check the GB section.

[Leftoverdj]

Nose, you might take a look at Lee C309-113-RF. Unless you got very lucky, you'd have lap or beagle it, but it's only about $20 and very close to what you want. Mine is a six cavity from a group buy we specced fat and casts .313, but the production moulds are likely to run .310 or .311.

[jdgabbard]

If nothing else check out mountain molds. You can order what you want to spec as long as the program will let you design it.

[O.S.O.K.]

Interesting answer to the rediculously priced standard ammo.

What I did is mill the recoil block down (bought a standard replacement to have if I ever wanted to bring it back to issue) so that I could simply use 32-20 brass.

Lee makes a dies set for the purpose and that's what I have.

Works great.

[Dale53]

The RCBS bullet mould for the .32 H&R Mag should work fine for you:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=128149

I have used this bullet in several of my .32 H&R Mags and it is a dandy. Since I got the 100 gr Keith group buy, THAT is now the bullet I use. The ONLY downside on the RCBS 98 gr SWC is that it only comes in a two cavity mould.

Dale53

[Nose Dive]

OK thanks for the input guys! Buddy at a deer lease mentioned the 311316. would like to have one of dem and send to Mountain and get a hollow point arrangement set up. All the 'data' I fished off the net says 'No lead bullets in a Nagant". Oh well too bad...that is what I am going to feed the baby. Bouth two more, and two more cyclinders to set up for my sons. $90 hand select pistols and another $80 bucks for the 32 acp cyclinders..here we go!

Now all Santa has to do is get out in the shop and get the pistol cases made to house them in so the don't embarras Mrs. Claus Christmas morning.

Did I mention the quality of the Pacific Tool Reamer? As I say, could have gone cheaper from Midway I think, but, I didn't see a 32 H&R ream set in there website. But, didn't look to hard ether. Had already sent my $150 to Pacfic. Agan, thank you guys for all your feed back.


***Advanced skills are those employed while perfroming the basics when your leg is on fire.***

PS. the best seat in the house in a C-130 when it is making an abrupt stop is in the tail.

[Ricochet]

In the .32-20 cases converted in Midway's Lee dies to 7.62 Nagant, I've been using those Lee "Soupcan" boolits mentioned above, without gas checks. I seat them protruding slightly, to 1.5" OAL, about the OAL of the standard Nagant round with the boolit inside the case. (.32-20 cases are too short for the gas seal effect.) I've now got a mould for the Lee TL314-90-SWC and have a batch cast and lubed, but haven't yet gotten around to trying them in the Nagant.

[AbitNutz]

Which is a longer case? The 32-20 or the 327 Federal Magnum? I also have Nagent with the 32 ACP cylinder. Which would better to bore it to, 32-20 or 327 Magnum? I would imagine a full 327 would blow it up but if I load it down it should be good....no?

[Blackknight]

I use the RCBS 30 cal 115 grain bullet, hand lubed with black powder lube and installed with the round nose in the case. I fill the case with 3f black powder so the bullet compresses the powder, and finish with a light roll crimp put on with a .223 Redding die. The cavity between the roll crimp and the flat base is then filled with a dab of black powder lube. I have a section of bullet installed between the frame and main spring to lighten the trigger pull; it also eliminates the double action pull, and gives a much lighter trigger pull. As was said above, the gun was designed in the black powder days and works very well for that purpose. It will shoot 50 rounds without cleaning, which is pretty good for shooting black powder.

[AbitNutz]

I always thought that the Nagant was the most technically revolver ever produced. No, I'm saying it was the best revolver made but the idea of the gas seal was awesome. Its major. downfall is loading and unloading....it loads/unloads like an SA.

Imagine a gas seal revolver that was a break frame auto-eject like a Webley...now that would be cool. Really complicated but incredibly cool....

[Ricochet]

That would be cool. I'd like to have a .455 Webley as is. For that matter, I'd like to have a S&W .44 Russian, even a replica. I like top breaks.

[AbitNutz]

I have a 455 Webley in a little rough condition and a 38 Enfield tankers model that doesn't have a hammer spur. It can still be cocked SA though...just no spur.

A Webley break top with the Nagant gas seal just makes my mouth water...

[Nose Dive]

Man...I don't know that I would cut out a full blown .327 Mag out of the old 32 ACP cylinder. I would have to check the SAAMI numbers. The delta between the 32 ACP and 32 H&R Mag rounds if 500 CUPs. So, answer here is don't max load the H&R mag powder charge and rock on with it. I just got my new SPEER manual and will check to see if they included the .327 Mag. May be too new to have in the book. Plus, I don't know... a new 'modern- true' magnum caliber in an old 1945 vintage pistol. Kinda scares me. Have seen the 327 data show 200 fps in crease in speed versus H&R data. Impressive to say the least. But in a new Ruger..go for it!!


***One thing at at time is plenty fast***

[klcarroll]

@AbitNutz;

If you ever think about parting with that Webley, ....let me know!

Kent

[leftiye]

The 327 isn't any larger in diameter, just longer (you knew that). BUT the 327 operates at way higher pressures than even the 32 H&R mag. - not a wise move IMHO.

[AbitNutz]

I guess I should have made myself more clear. I have no intention of running 327 pressures in anything like a Nagant or the 32 acp cylinder I got with it. I expect if I did that I would be getting a new Nagant at the very least and a prosthetic hand at the most....neither choice appeals to me.
I'm looking for brass that would be the best fit for the Nagant gas seal to work. I didn't know how long 327 brass was compared to 32-20. I used this wonderful thing that Al Gore inveterate called the Inter-Net. (Don't laugh, I'm a computer engineer at a university and he did have more to do with pushing it forward than you would have believed.)
Anyway, since the 327 is actually shorter than 32-20 it's pretty much off the table for consideration.
Thanks for everyone's concern regarding blowing myself up...