Mosin Nagant 1895 pistol

[Beekeeper]

Anyone own one?
Have checked as much data as I can find and was wanting an opinion on them before trying to buy one!

Jim

[akajun]

They are ok. The Double action trigger is pretty stout. The Single action, not much better. Neither can really be improved very much. There is another varioation of them built for international target shooting that is single action only, with a heavy barrel, target sights, and one handed stocks. Ammo is not very expensive, around $22/50. You can load 32-30 brass with the lee die kit. I have not tried the actually reloading dies for the nagant cases as they are too expensive. They are very accurate, and are the only revolver that can be suppressed.

Aimsurplus has them for $99 right now.

[Trey45]

I don't mean to be a stickler here, but there is no such thing as a Mosin Nagant 1895 pistol. It's a Nagant 1895 pistol. Sorry, but this is one of those things that just drives me up a wall. No offense intended at all. Just a correction.

The 2 Belgian Nagant brothers, Leon and Emile worked on firearms in their own factory, The Mosin nagant rifle owes its magazine and interrupter system to Emile, while Leon is responsible for the Nagant 1895 revolver. Sergei Mosin (Colonel) had no hand in the design, or development of the Nagant revolver.

[Beekeeper]

sorry Trey45,
Never had one and someone I know was talking about them.
Called it a Mosin Nagant so I did too.
Do you think they are worth the money?
Not a collector of pistols so know very little about them.
Not sure I even want another pistol but am always looking.


Jim

[Trey45]

For the novelty and oddity level alone they are worth the $99. It's a very interesting revolver with a lot of hard earned history. For a shooter, well, they're a little less than desirable, with what seems to be a 20 pound double action trigger with so much stack up you wonder if it's ever going to break. The single action isn't much better. From a purely historical standpoint, and as a one of a kind handgun oddity, it's worth it, in my opinion.

[WRideout]

I got one for Christmas last year, which really means that I did all the paperwork and bought it at the store while my wife put it in a box with a bow. When I saw how cheap they were, for a real center fire pistol, I just had to have one. It's kind of so ugly it's cute, kind of thing. Mine is arsenal refinished, which kind of ruins the collector value, but I only wanted it for a shooter, anyway.

The trigger pull is undeniably really stiff, however, for some reason I can't figure out, it actually doesn't bother me too much. It has the effect of a military double-takeup trigger, where you have to take out the slack before it starts to let off the sear. The cartridge itself is a baby; no noticeable recoil. If you like a reloading challenge it could be reasonably cheap to shoot.

In the glorious commonwealth where I live, the game comission has taken the stance that people will be good, when they do not have the means to be bad. Therefore, no autoloading pistols are allowed for hunting. That means that I could actually use my Nagant for squirrel and rabbit hunting, although I could be hungry for a while if that is the means for dinner. Hope this helps.

WRideout

[TCLouis]

I bought one new many years ago. It came with 7 rounds of ammo a holster and cleaning rod for 59 bucks.

I still have 6 rounds of ammo, lost one.

I bought it because it is one of 3 of the ugliest revolvers ever made.

Double action trigger pull on mine is probably not a bit over 25 pounds.

Single action really is not bad. If I stumble across some 32-20 brass, I will likely load some ammo and shoot it . . . . Just to say I did.

[wills]

You can get factory ammo for them, so you dont have to re form 32-20 brass.

[oksmle]

I'm sitting here looking at three targets dated 25 June 1998. First is 94 gr WW, Scott mold WC, Rem 5 1/5 primers with 3.5 grs Bullseye in .32-20 cases. MV: 925 fps. 7 shot group with two hand hold from bench measures about 3" at 25 yds. With 6 o'clock hold it prints about 4" high.
Two & Three: Lyman #313492, WW, 87.0 grs. Rem 5 1/2 primers with 3.5 grs Unique in .32-20 cases. MV: 875 fps. #2's group from bench with a two hand hold is about the same as the Bullseye load except it shoots to point of aim at 25 yds. #3's target is fired from the bullseye position at 25 yds & I feel fortunate to have kept all seven rounds in the 6" black.

Six of us in the gun club ordered them at the same time & paid $49.95 each with holster & cleaning rod. After working up loads we actually ran a Bullseye match dedicated to the Nagants. One time was enough. If OKC ever has a "200.00 per gun turn in program" this is the one that gets the axe.

[Artful]

Well I like mine - using the imported ammo for now - have not started reloading for it yet but I find owing one of the few revolver designs you can suppress to be a hoot.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7932/dsc06046k.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6046/1895nagantrevolverbarrezr7.jpg

Custom kydex holster as the original just won't work with the muffler on the end of the barrel.

easy gun to disassemble and work on - just thin the main spring in the handle using a file to stroke long ways makes a world of difference on the trigger pull (don't file across as you'll make a weak spot and break the spring and not easy to find a replacement locally)

[9.3X62AL]

Now, c'mon folks--they're not THAT bad.

Well, maybe not. Their double-action trigger is impossible, but the single-action stroke on mine is manageable. I didn't say "good". I was able to keep most hits on a 35-yard dinger plate at Angeles Shooting Ranges last time I fired the piece. It does need a jackrabbit or ground squirrel hunt for form's sake. It might be jack-capable to 50 yards.......assuming the quarry was having a REALLY bad day or I was having a very good one.

Ammunition is kind of a strange adaptation of technology that wasn't all that new at the time of this system's adoption. The ones I feel worst for is the poor Russian NCOs and officers that had to turn in their very fine and capable top-break S&W 44s for these mid-caliber contraptions. Even my sometimes benighted former organization didn't pull a stunt that egregiously stupid. Close a few times--but not quite.

[wills]

Apparently some of them are collectible. There is a letter to the editor in the June issue of Man At Arms magazine referring to a previously published article about how to spot a fake “soldiers model” and a photograph showing the difference.

I have also heard there is a heavy barrel version that goes for about $300.

[mooman76]

Do a search here and some have instructions on how to help that trigger out some. I have the heavy barrel model. Never heard it's worth $300 but ok if you say so. I couldn't get it or another one to shoot well but I'm still trying. There's another company that makes ammo for it now at closer to a reasonable price. Like 20 or 22 $. My heavy barrel modle had a sweet trigger pull when I bought it but it didn't have enough power to set off the rounds every time. I put in a new spring and it's back to heavy pull. It would be a sweet shooting gun if I get it to shoot and get the trigger pull worked some.

[wills]

Do a search here and some have instructions on how to help that trigger out some. I have the heavy barrel model. Never heard it's worth $300 but ok if you say so. I couldn't get it or another one to shoot well but I'm still trying. There's another company that makes ammo for it now at closer to a reasonable price. Like 20 or 22 $. My heavy barrel modle had a sweet trigger pull when I bought it but it didn't have enough power to set off the rounds every time. I put in a new spring and it's back to heavy pull. It would be a sweet shooting gun if I get it to shoot and get the trigger pull worked some.

Just reporting what i was told.

[mooman76]

Just reporting what i was told.

I wasn't trying to sound sarcastic. I hope you'r right but I don't see any real difference except for the heavy barrel and single action and grips but some collectors want what they want. When I got the new spring I went ahead and got the parts to make in a double action. I thing these are kind of hit and miss. some seem to shoot good without much trouble and some make you work for it. I'm still working.

[broomhandle]

Hi Guys,

The revolvers that have been rebuilt have not been hand fitted at all.
You can see the grind marks on all the lockwork parts!

You can make the trigger pull much better just by polishing some of the mateing parts. A good gunsmith can thin the mainspring. Resulting in a much nicer trigger pull from it.
Two of mine had a ton of OLD dried up grease in the lockworks.
Once cleaned it was much better. With the work done above they are a true pleasure to shoot.
A Nagant will never have a smooth & light S&W trigger, but it can be a HECK of a lot BETTER than it is from the box!

Best, broomhandle

[9.3X62AL]

Broomer--

I see a winter tabletop project in the future.

[Bullshop]

Two things besides cleaning I did to one to end up with a very nice single action pull.
By filing both sides of the trigger sear that drops into the hammer notch and reducing its width to about 1/3 of its original width, and by reshaping the main spring.
The spring was annealed, reshaped, the re hardened.
One thing that can be done to help the double action pull is to take one coil off the cylinder return spring. This spring must be over come with the double action pull.
I had no concern for the double pull as I treat my gun as a single action.
I also had to put a wider front sight on mine because I could not see the original. A front sight from a Desert Eagle with red ramp fit very well.
My Nagant now shoots as good or better than my Smith J frame 32 mag.
My big gripe about the Nagant is the small grip. I have as of yet not been able to do anything about that.

[Beekeeper]

Bullshop,
I see them offered for $99 sometimes.
Do you think it is worth taking the gamble?


Jim

[Gee_Wizz01]

I bought mine about 17 years ago, for about $85. I also bought 10 boxes of Russian target ammo. Mine is very accurate, but as everyone has stated the trigger pull is HEAVY in DA. The SA pull is about 6 or 7 lbs. My best group at indoor 50ft range was 7rds in a group under 1". That was back when my eyes were good, and before the arthritis. I also bought the Lee Nagant die set and Starline 32-20 brass and latter I bought some Graffs 7.62 Nagant brass. I did some reloading with a 100 gr RN and Hornady 95 gr HBWC's. I used Bullseye and 231 and got some decent groups that chrono at about 725 fps. If I had to do it over again I buy another one.

G

[Bullshop]

Beekeeper
No gamble really you know exactly what you are going to get for your $100.00
I think they make a lot of sense for a lot of situations, like a trap line gun or a cabin gun that wouldn't hurt too bad if they got lost.
With a little tuning that wont cost anything but time you will have a trail gun that even though ugly will serve admirably.
I carry mine proudly even in its original holster.

[eric_2902]

Bullshop,
I see them offered for $99 sometimes.
Do you think it is worth taking the gamble?


Jim

JG Sales has them again now for $99. I have one and have been bouncing site to site looking at the many different ways folks are reloading them. Anybody want to take a crack at your process? Really curious about seating the bullet in proper sized brass (not 32-20) so I can get the gas seal. I have seen some folks online say they use a lee 30 carbine sizer die and do some mods to it to seat the bullet but my 30 carbine dies are RCBS, not the same. Thoughts?

Thanks all

Eric

[mooman76]

Do a search here on it. It has been discused abit. I have a Lee sizer but it was basically a 32-30 die modified. I had to modify it a bit more but it still isn't perfect.

[9.3X62AL]

I use a 30 Carbine sizer die (RCBS) to resize full-length 7.62 x 38R casings. 32-20 expander and seater dies adjusted for the casings' length do the rest of the job. To "crimp" the fully-seated bullets, I remove the decapping assembly from a 32 S&W Long sizer die, and run the cartridge in to a depth that meets the point the boolit's from drive band lies at within the case.

[eric_2902]

Anyone have the old Lee TL-314-85-WC mold? If so are you willing to make me 7 to test with? I'm working up some loads and this mold looks like it might be the best bet...since its no longer in production I don't want to spend a bunch of time hunting it down if i don't like how it shoots. Anyway, if someone is willing to help me out here I would gladly put some postage in the mail...thanks much

Eric

[preparehandbook]

I have a terrible habit of adding to old threads, but I am what I am.

I bought a $100 nagant revolver and used it for a winter project. I went through the whole gun with very fine sandpaper (1,000-2,000 grit) and some fine stones. I didn't mess with the sear face. I even took off the sharp edges on the external parts.

The result was a smooth gun, shooting a neat little cartridge with great penetration (used it for putting down hogs). Also a ton of fun with gluelits and wax slugs.

It was my "beekeeping gun" that I kept in my toolbox while at the beeyards. When I sold my bee business the nagant went with, as my apprentice had fallen in love with it.

My advice to anyone considering a nagant is to buy it, play with it, and if you get bored, sell it.