Nagant
M1895 Revolver
Система
Нагана
Revolver
System Nagant Model 1895
Револьвер
Системы
Нагана
образца 1895
года
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Nomenclature
Designers
Basic Function
History & Development
Arsenal Marks
Serialization
Safety & Standards
Disassembly
Procedures
Quirks & Modifications
Surplus & Commercial Ammunition
Value Considerations
Availability & Sales
Reference Data Used In This Treatise
Internet Resources
Conclusion
Most of what we know about this historic handgun is usually straightforward in spite of the fact that a few armchair historians (mostly American) have once again managed to confuse many of the facts. No problem! I'm fluent in the Russian language so I'm able to sift through the enormous Russian/Cyrillic resources and give you something closer to reality.
Fundamentally, the Nagant Model 1895 gas seal revolver is an ill-designed little handgun. It's a developmental dead end and a looser from a mechanical & military standpoint! In fact, the M1895 was an inferior design long before the Nagant brothers coerced the Imperial Russian authorities into buy it, and it remained as such until the Soviet Union made their last pitiful copy in 1945 (some say until 1950). It replaced the vastly superior Smith & Wesson Model #3 Revolver (in .44 Russian caliber) perhaps because this older revolver was designed to use black powder...but so was the original design of the M1895. I believe the primary reason for acceptance was that the Nagant brothers greased the palms of the appropriate Russian authorities (something they were famous for). It may have also been adopted because a multitude of other European & South American countries were then using the basic Nagant revolver (but without the M1895s unique gas seal properties). Another reason may have been that the Russians wanted to standardize both their rifles and revolvers in a common caliber. Whatever the misguided reasons, the Nagant M1895 revolver replaced a superior S&W weapon that was certainly capable of digesting updated cartridges with modern smokeless powder. Alas, the Nagant M1895 gas seal revolver was a substandard and poorly designed military firearm long before the Imperial Russian government was bamboozled into buying it. Why it stayed in production for so long defies logic. Nevertheless, the M1895 gas seal revolver is a unique piece of history that belongs in every serious collector's display case.
I'm probably the only person you'll read this from . . . I've spoken with an ex-Soviet pilot who carried this firearm during the Great Patriotic War (WWII). Although most English language articles about this revolver make a point to say that the M1895 revolver was well liked by those who carried it, my acquaintance clearly rejects this notion. He stated that it was universally disliked because it was under powered and was slow to reload. It seems that everyone during that era preferred to have the Tokarev (TT33) automatic pistol rather than this little popper. He also mentioned that they had a slogan for the M1895. Translated, it says that this 7-shot gun is good for 8 times . . . seven quick shots then throw the gun and run!
In spite of its obvious detractors, the Nagant Model 1895 revolver is a unique historical firearm that served Russians & Soviets (and others) for many years. Clearly, it didn't serve them well. Nevertheless, it did serve them. It is reported that this firearm is still serving with the Russian railroad and with some Russian police units (although I seriously doubt this and I've not seen any documented proof). Fundamentally, you shouldn't shoot this gun due to its inherent flaws and idiosyncrasies. However, if you're looking for an inexpensive collectable/novelty revolver that looks intriguing in a display case, then the Nagant Model 1895 gas seal revolver is your ugly baby.
Russians affectionately refer to this revolver as the Система Нагана or just the Наган (System Nagan or just Nagan [without the "t" in Nagant]). As noted above in the title, the full name is Револьвер Системы Нагана образца 1895 года (Revolver System Nagant Model 1895). In America, this revolver is known as Nagant M1895, M1895 Nagant, Nagant M95 gas seal revolver, etc. It was spun-off from the basic Nagant-type revolver (which was developed in the 1870s - 1890s) by Leon Nagant. However, this particular Russian model incorporates the unique gas seal properties first developed by (and stolen from) fellow-Belgian Henri Pieper. The Nagant brothers also produced an identical commercial model (without Russian acceptance markings) in 1899. How they officially referred to their commercial revolver is unknown. Additionally, the Polish government acquired tooling from the Nagant brothers' heirs in the late 1920s and produced an exact copy at their military arms factory at Radom from 1930 until 1936...they called it the Ng30.
The Nagant M1895 revolver was primarily designed by Leon Nagant (1833-1900). However, it appears that his brother, Emile Nagant (1830-1902) also played a key role with perhaps other unnamed factory employees. It should be noted that Emile Nagant co-developed the Russian M1891 rifle along with Sergei Mosin. Indeed, the Nagant brothers were prolific gun developers & salesmen who owned Fabrique d'armes Emile et Leon Nagant in Liege, Belgium. They were well know at that time throughout the world and especially in Czarist Russia. It must also be noted that Leon Nagant seems to have "borrowed" some very detailed information from a fellow Belgian inventor named Henri Pieper. Pieper is clearly responsible for inventing the cumbersome (and almost useless) gas seal system that the Russians adopted in their particular Nagant revolver. It has also been reported that the Russians mandated a few specifications of their own. The Nagant brothers began work on their basic revolver in the 1870s. Eventually, they sold various models of similar designs to the militaries of Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Serbia, and Sweden (not counting many commercial models destined for the North American market). By 1886, it appears that Imperial Russia was actively working with Leon Nagant for the development of the future M1895. In 1894 or 1895, it seems that the final model was agreed upon whereby Fabrique d'armes Emile et Leon Nagant was contracted to produce the first 20,000 revolvers. Although pattern revolvers were probably made there from 1895-1897, mass production commenced at the Nagant factory in Liege, Belgium in 1898. By the end of that year, the Nagant brothers had fulfilled their contract with the Russians. However, they continued to manufacture this identical weapon (at least through 1899) for the commercial market. Hence, many 1899-dated revolvers have turned up without the Imperial Russian acceptance marks. By 1899, the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia was in full production of this revolver. In 1930, the heirs of the Nagant brother's sold the rights (which they no longer owned) and machinery for the Russian Nagant M1895 model to Russia's perceived enemy, Poland. Here, it was made from 1930 to 1936 at Radom. The Russians (and later, Soviets) continued to manufacture this revolver, almost-unchanged, at Tula Weapon Factory (and much later at the Izhevsk Weapon Factory) until 1945 (some say until 1950). Except for slightly different front sight blades, grips, cylinder latch, and lanyard rings, the Nagant Model 1895 revolver stayed remarkably the same for six decades. So much so that there never was a different model or sub-model designation.
The Nagant M1895 revolver uses a unique gas seal function whereby the cylinder is moved forward and the cartridge case mouth is inserted into the barrel breech. This forms a gas seal (but only when high pressure loads are used) when fired that prevents escaping gasses between the cylinder and barrel. This also helps to silence the firearm and pushes the projectile about 75 feet per second faster. In reality, all that is gained is negated by a complicated, part-laden, hard-trigger-pulling, underpowered, weakened, and often dangerous firearm. The gun functions as a revolver with 7 rounds held in the cylinder. Just before each cylinder reaches battery, it moves forward and the "Firing Pin-Hole Block" also moves forward in order to support the base of the cartridge when fired. The firing pin is therefore overly long and subject to breakage. The firing pin-hole block is also subject to wear which, in time, fails to properly support the base of the cartridge. Both single-action (known in Russia as the "private's model") and double-action (known as "officer's model") revolvers were made simultaneously by the Russians and then the Soviets. However, it is suspected by some that most single-action models (which were originally the most produced) were later converted by the Soviets to fire double-action. The sighting system uses a notched rear sight (milled into the frame) and a movable front sight blade to compensate for left-right drift correction (in a dovetail slot on the barrel). Ammunition is referred to as 7.62 Nagant or 7.62x38R. The 98 gr. - 100 gr. lead or copper-jacketed bullet never travels more than 1100 feet per second (and usually 550 fps - 750 fps for most loads). Pathetic indeed! Bore/groove diameters seem to run at .312" ±.001" from the factory. The bore consists of 4 grooves, right/hand twist. More safety & standards information is listed below. Recharging the cylinder is a long and tedious task that involves: 1). Opening the cylinder latch, 2). Disengaging & extending the ejector rod assembly on the barrel, 3). Rotating the cylinder until it clicks...then rotate slightly further for proper alignment 4). Punch (eject) each of the 7 spent cartridge cases in this manner, one at a time with the spring-less ejector rod (note: all spent cases must be removed otherwise the system will jam if cycled on a chamber with a spent case), 5). Turning the cylinder and loading a separate cartridge one at a time, 6). Closing the cylinder latch, 7), Rotating the ejector system and securing the ejector rod, and 8). Ensuring the cylinder is synchronized properly before firing. By this time, the enemy has either killed you or he's in the next oblast killing more of your ill-equipped buddies. To add one more insult, when you've fired all 7 rounds and you try to throw the damn thing at the enemy, the lanyard loop makes the silly thing spring back...you can't even throw the silly thing away without causing problems. Being Russian myself, I suppose I'm one of the few writers who can slander this particular revolver and get away with it (smile). In reality, the M1895 was so underpowered that the shooter was likely to antagonize the enemy more than do any real damage. Now that they've become older and well worn, they're best suited for the display case. In my opinion, they should not be fired (see Safety & Standards below).
In this chapter, I'll attempt to recall important situations and developments of the M1895 in a yearly format. For a complete listing by year of manufacture with the appropriate arsenal mark, click here.
1870s: Emile and Leon Nagant start designing firearms and eventually form their own business as Fabrique d'armes Emile et Leon Nagant at Liege, Belgium.
1880s: The Nagant brothers design and market their basic revolver to several countries (with minor variations for each country). They also enter into a joint partnership with Remington to make rolling-block rifles for European consumption. Also, smokeless powder is invented in France in the mid-1880s and causes gun makers the world over to redesign their firearms. However, the Nagant brothers stick with their same basic design.
1886: Leon Nagant forms the proper government contacts in St. Petersburg, Russia (then, the capitol of Imperial Russia). The Russians are wanting to replace their older Smith & Wesson Model #3 revolvers with something more modern. Leon Nagant takes advantage of this situation by offering to design & sell a modified Nagant revolver incorporating Pieper's gas seal properties. It is now widely believed that Leon Nagant gave generous kickback to certain Russian officials in order to secure development & production rights. Although the Russians would almost certainly needed to have had a designer's competition, I cannot find any mention of this. It appears that the Russians simply bought what the Nagant brothers hawked.
1886 - 1894 or 1895: During these years, the Nagant brothers developed and fine-tuned the future Nagant M1895 revolver under Imperial Russian influence.
1895: Nagant's Model 1895 gas seal revolver is adopted by Imperial Russia as the Revolver System Nagant Model 1895. The original gun had a slightly smaller lanyard loop and a semi-round front sight leaf (and a few other minor changes). During the decades of production, other slight variations were made. These include a long-barrel/shoulder stock carbine model, a longer-barrel target revolver with adjustable rear sights, chamberings for 7.62 Tokarev, .38 special and .22 LR, a short barreled model known as the GRU, and a silencer (that would fit all models) known as the Bramit Device. Presumably in 1895, the Nagant brothers' Belgian factory was contracted to produce 20,000 revolvers (which they finally did in 1898) but only pattern revolvers were made from 1895 - 1897. I know of no pattern revolvers that have survived.
1898: Fabrique d'armes Emile et Leon Nagant was now in full production and complete their contract by the end of this year. All Russian-contract military revolvers made in Belgium were made in 1898 (except for perhaps a few earlier patterns). Only pattern revolvers were made before this year.
1899: The Nagant brothers continued to make this identical handgun for commercial sales. It is doubtful that they had the right to do this but these two brothers never did care much about contract agreements, patents, property rights, and the like. Indeed, many Belgian-made M1895s have surfaced bearing 1899 dates. These commercial models; although exactly like the Russian models, exhibit no Russian acceptance marks. The Tula Weapon Factory is the first Russian factory to start military production of this weapon in 1899 (although some questionable sources say they first started production in 1898). The Izhevsk Weapon Factory only produced this model from 1942-1945 (see later entry). The Tula factory was always considered by the Russians/Soviets to be the primary manufacturer of this revolver.
1917 - appx. 1924: These are the years of the Russian Civil War (or, Russian Revolution). Soon, the Bolsheviks consolidate power. Most Nagant M1895 revolvers that were marked with Czarist wording were eventually stamped-over or rubbed-out by the new communist government. Revolvers with Czarist wording intact are worth much more! Also during this era, the Finns achieved independence. Many of the Nagant M1895 revolvers were captured by Finnish soldiers and a few are known to have the Finnish [SA] markings. These are quite rare! The Soviet Union continued to make this revolver but with new Soviet RSFSR & USSR markings.
1918: Due to the abdication of Czar Nicholas II in late 1917, the Provisional Russian Government assumed control over all Russian arms factories in early 1918. This provisional government seems to have let things function at the Tula plant as before, and arsenal markings did not change during this brief period from late 1917 into 1919.
1919: Bolshevik (also known as Soviet or Red Russian) forces overrun the Tula area and assume control over the huge Tula Weapon Factory during this year. Various arsenal marks and revisions are noted during this timeframe (see Arsenal Marks below).
1930: The heirs to the Nagant Brothers (now deceased) sell the rights and machinery to manufacture the M1895 to Russia's enemy, Poland. The Poles call it the Ng30 ("Ng" for Nagant and "30" for the first year of production) and made it thru 1936 at Radom, Poland. Also during this year, the soviets produced their first automatic pistol called the TT30. Even though this new pistol was prone to jamming (at first) it was easier to produce and was far superior to the M1895 in terms of ballistics and ease of manufacture.
1933: The Soviets start production of an improved TT30 Tokarev semi-automatic pistol, now called the TT33. Although this new handgun was designed to replace the M1895, it didn't. It boggles my imagination to think that the Soviets continued to make the inferior M1895 when they were making superior Tokarev pistols at the same time.
1934 - 1938: 1938 marks a huge milestone in regards to the Soviet modernization of the Tula Weapon Factory (and presumably the Izhevsk plant as well). While modern tooling & machinery had been taken for granted in the West for several prior decades, Soviet factories were still using outdated machinery and laborious procedures. In 1934, the Tula factory started to perfect & copy the innovative Bridgeport Milling Machine. By 1938, this modern piece of machinery (and other modern lathes, etc.) had replaced their ancient machines. This facilitated a better product at increased numbers...just in time for the looming worldwide conflagration.
1941 - 1945: The Soviet Union was embroiled in the Great Patriotic War (WWII) with Germany and it's "Axis" allies during these years. Early in 1941 (before the war began), the Tula factory started to assist the Izhevsk factory in tooling up for the M1895. Until this time, only Tula had manufactured this gun. However, it took Izhevsk another year and a half before they were ready to start producing this handgun (and by that time, the war had already started). Tula, being only 193 km South of Moscow (now the Soviet capitol of the USSR), was in a precarious situation during the early stages of the war due to the rapid advances of the Axis powers. The Soviets had centralized their industries into huge mega-factories. By 1941, the Tula Weapon Factory was a gigantic complex that employed 60,000 workers and manufactured everything from bicycles to aircraft machine guns. Once the war started, the Soviets realized that they needed to decentralize certain wartime industries in order to mitigate any problems associated with bombing and capture. By September, 1941, the Soviets also realized that the Tula industrial complex was in grave danger of being captured by the Nazis. By October, 1941, the Axis scourge was knocking at the door. This prompted the Soviet authorities to begin dismantling much of the Tula complex and to evacuate the equipment, tooling, facilities, and personnel to other locations throughout the Soviet Union. The Soviets did this by keeping specific operations together, such as relocating the sub-factory for a particular machine gun to one city or moving everything having to do with the manufacture of a particular mortar to another city. I've recently uncovered some old Soviet documents that make note of what industry was moved to where and for how long. Even so, these documents are not as specific as I would like them to be. From these documents, I've been able to ascertain that some of the Tula complex was never relocated while many of its sub-factories were moved to the cities of Zlatoust, Saratov, Kuibyshev, Chelatinsk, and Izhevsk. This all happened during late 1941 after the Soviet Evacuation Order in October. There may have been additional relocation sites but I'm not aware of them. Additionally, some of the sources that I've seen were specific about what operation was moved and when it moved back to Tula...but some listings were vague and incomplete. The Nagant Model 1895 revolver falls into this black hole although there are inferences that cause me to believe certain things about this particular firearm and its manufacture. It is my belief that many unfinished M1895 components were sent to Izhevsk for completion in late 1941. This becomes clear because revolvers marked with the Tula arsenal mark appear with the Izhevsk dating system (1942 and 1943-dated revolvers with the "г"). I also strongly suspect that the entire Tula M1895 sub-factory was temporarily moved to Izhevsk where they operated semi-independently from Izhevsk's M1895 operations. One thing is almost certain; the Tula M1895 sub-factory evacuated from the original Tula site during late 1941. What is even more certain is that no Tula M1895s were made in 1942 (although hybridized guns using Tula components were completed at Izhevsk). It's clear by my research that (presumably all) relocated Tula sub-factories moved back to Tula during 1945 (mostly after the end of hostilities). I must therefore assume that this was also the case with the M1895 operations. All of these questions seem to make sense when we see the various Tula arsenal marks during the war. Basically, early 1941Tula guns were marked as they had been since 1929. Unfinished Tula guns (with a slight variation of the same arsenal mark) show up with add-on 1942г & 1943г dates signifying that they had been completed at Izhevsk...so-called "hybrids". In 1943, the Tula arsenal mark was changed (to a small hammer within a star). Again in 1944, the Tula arsenal mark was changed to a large hammer within a star. And then again, in 1945 the arsenal mark was changed to a "T" inside a star. It is my belief that the 1943 & 1944 Tula handguns were made at the relocated factory at Izhevsk, and the 1945 Tula revolver was made at both the Izhevsk location and back at the original Tula plant site. The Izhevsk Weapon Factory never had to endure these relocation hardships. From late 1942 through 1945, Izhevsk made revolvers at the same location. However, it is my strong belief that the relocated Tula sub-factory (at Izhevsk from 1942 thru 1945) assisted Izhevsk in the production of their M1895s. I've seen many original-condition Izhevsk revolvers during that era that use Tula-stamped (with a star) gun parts. I also have a 1944-dated Tula-marked revolver with both the Tula star and Izhevsk triangle (arsenal marks) on the cylinder face. These same guns have not been rebuilt and the parts appear original. Indeed, I also have a new-condition 1944г-dated Izhevsk revolver with all Tula sub-parts (with no "rebuild mark" and the trigger guard is not serialized). On the other hand, I've seen a few new-condition Tula-marked handguns from that period with only Tula gun parts. To me, this says that the relocated Tula plant was producing excess parts that they generously supplied to the nearby Izhevsk operation (and the opposite may also have been the case). Even with all this swapping going on, it appears that these two factories operated semi-independently and used their own distinct arsenal mark (with the exception of the Hybrid guns as noted above). In any regard, we are not likely to ever know the entire story regarding this unique chapter in history.
1945, 1947, 1948, or 1950: Differing sources say these are the years that the last Nagant M1895 revolver was made at the Tula factory (presumably, Izhevsk stopped manufacture in 1945). As a note, I've seen 1945 models but nothing after that date...not even a photo. Various Russian sources claim to have seen Tula examples manufactured in 1947 and 1950. I seriously doubt this because no one has presented an actual photograph proving this. Although some American sources claim to know the exact number of revolvers made at each factory by date, this appears to be balderdash. I've not seen any official data and I firmly believe this information has either been lost or has not yet been released by the current Russian government. For now, we have little to go on except for observation...and I have not seen any concrete evidence the the M1895 was made after 1945.
Present: The Nagant M1895 revolver is reported to be used currently by some Russian policemen and railroad security employees. However, I seriously doubt this. I honestly can't understand why they would use such an outdated weapon but I'm just reporting what I read. Currently, imports of Nagant M1895 revolvers are plentiful and inexpensive.
There are several basic arsenal-identifying markings (and revisions thereof) stamped on the M1895. I've identified (what I believe to be) all known arsenal marks below in chronological order. For a complete listing by year of manufacture with the appropriate arsenal mark, click here. It should also be understood that there may be slight variations of an established arsenal mark (like slightly different sizes & shapes). Property marks, production numbers, acceptance numbers, inspector's marks, etc. are covered at the end of this chapter. I've done my best to reproduce these arsenal marks on my computer. They are identified as ARSENAL - Common Name, and appear chronologically by date of manufacture.
PATTERN: Obviously there had to have been Pattern models produced by the
Nagant brothers otherwise Imperial Russia would not have been able to evaluate
and approve the M1895 revolver. However, I've never seen a Pattern firearm nor
have I ever seen a photo of one. This is simply a place marker until that moment
of epiphany arrives.
NAGANT - Military (with Russian acceptance marks): Made by Fabrique
d'armes Emile et Leon Nagant at Liege, Belgium in 1898 only. This
constitutes the original (and only) Imperial Russian acquisition of 20,000
revolvers from the Nagant factory. All of these handguns exhibit official Imperial Russian acceptance
marks (and/or other Russian markings).
NAGANT - Commercial (without Russian acceptance marks): Made by Fabrique
d'armes Emile et Leon Nagant at Liege, Belgium in 1899. This is a follow-on production by the Nagant
plant for commercial
sales. These revolvers were never purchased by Imperial Russia, never made their
way to Russia, and do not bear
any Imperial Russian markings. However, the arsenal mark is exactly
the same (except for the date) as the mark depicted above. I only know of
1899-dated revolvers but there could be other dates as well.
TULA - Imperial intact: Made by Tula Weapon
Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia from 1899 thru early 1912. The
translated arsenal mark says: "Imperial, Tula, Weapon Factory",
followed by the date. All 4 lines are visible and none have been obliterated or
removed.
TULA - Imperial obliterated: Made by Tula Weapon
Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia from 1899 thru early 1912. The
translated arsenal mark says: "Imperial, Tula, Weapon Factory",
followed by the date. However, on this revised arsenal mark, the original first line
("Imperial") has been stamped-over or lined-out by the succeeding
Soviet government after it had been originally stamped.
TULA - Imperial removed: Made by Tula Weapon
Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia from 1899 thru early 1912. The
translated arsenal mark says: "Tula, Weapon Factory", followed by the
date. On this revised arsenal mark, the original first line ("Imperial")
has been removed by the succeeding Soviet government after it had been
originally stamped.
SANITIZED - except (probably) for the date: This is not an arsenal mark. Instead, it
is the absence of one! Sometimes, the Soviets removed the entire arsenal
mark (except usually for the date). This seems to have been done exclusively to
Czarist-era revolvers although captured Polish Radom Ng30 revolvers would
probably have been a prime candidate as well. Most of this sort of sanitization
seems to have occurred in the 1950s when these revolvers were rebuilt. Some
of the rubbing-out was so perfect that one would never realize there had ever
been a previous mark. In other cases (which is more common), the process left
faint reminders due to scratch marks and/or barely-visible wording. If the date
was left intact (which seems to be common), then we can often ascertain
the arsenal that originally produced this weapon. Also, miscellaneous marks on the inside of the frame
may also help to identify the arsenal.
SANITIZED - except (probably) for the date, then remarked: Sanitized & remarked revolvers are
rare. The only ones I've seen were remarked with the "M.O." property
mark (owned by the Soviet Ministry of Defense). In this case, they also
(usually) added an additional date to signify either the date of acquisition or
arsenal rebuilding date. Other sanitized & remarked examples could also be
out there. As above, the only sanitized revolvers I've seen were Czarist-era
(although the Radom Ng30 and perhaps others may be encountered). It
seems that when the "M.O." property mark was used on Soviet-era
revolvers, they left the original soviet arsenal mark intact and stamped the
"M.O." elsewhere (in much smaller letters). Clearly, the Soviets
didn't appreciate the Imperial Russian or Polish markings on their firearms. It should be
understood that "M.O." is not an arsenal mark! In the depicted case,
it's simply an oversized property
mark that was added at a later date. Most "M.O." markings w/dates are
from 1949 thru 1954 (although I've seen one dated 1942).
TULA - Peter The Great intact: Made by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia
(and Provisional Russia) from 1912 thru 1919. The translated arsenal mark says: "Tula, era of Peter the Great,
Weapon Factory", followed by the date. On this basic arsenal mark, all 4 lines
are visible and have not been stamped-over, lined-out, rubbed-out,
removed, or missing. To add a history footnote here, Imperial Russia lasted
until October 1917 when Czar Nicholas II abdicated. At that time it was replaced
by a Provisional Russian government which lasted until 1919. However, the
Russian Civil War raged from 1918 through 1924. During this period of upheaval,
the Bolsheviks (later known as the Soviets) gradually consolidated power. By
1919, they had assumed control over the Tula factory and established the first
Soviet government. In 1919, this first Soviet government started calling itself
the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (RSFSR), although this was not
official until a little later. However, by 1919, RSFSR started to
appear on Tula-made rifles and on Tula-made revolvers in 1921. As consolidation
continued, the Soviets created their second government in December 1923 known as
the USSR. Further consolidation occurred even after 1923 into Poland and other
neighboring countries.
TULA - Peter The Great obliterated: Made by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia
(and later Provisional Russia) from 1912 thru 1919. The translated arsenal mark says: "Tula, era of Peter the Great,
Weapon Factory", followed by the date. On this revised arsenal mark, the 2nd
line (era of Peter the Great) has been stamped-over or lined-out by the
succeeding
Soviet government after it had been originally stamped.
TULA - Peter The Great removed: Made by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, Imperial Russia
(and later Provisional Russia) from 1912 thru 1919. The translated arsenal mark says: "Tula, Weapon
Factory", followed by the date. On this revised arsenal mark, the 2nd line (era of Peter the Great)
has been rubbed-out or otherwise removed by the subsequent Soviet government
after it had been originally stamped.
TULA - Peter The Great omitted: Made by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula,
RSFSR in 1919 and 1920. The
translated arsenal mark says: "Tula, Weapon Factory", followed by the
date. On this
revised arsenal mark, the 2nd line (era of Peter the Great) has been omitted from the stamp (even before being marked) by
the RSFSR government.
TULA - RSFSR: Made by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, RSFSR from 1921 thru early 1924.
The translated arsenal mark says: "RSFSR, Initial Tula Weapon
Factory", followed by the date. This was the first Soviet government known as the
Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. Please note that 1924-dated
revolvers with this arsenal mark are rare. This is because the government
changed their name from RSFSR to USSR in December 1923 (but ratified in early
1924).
TULA - USSR: Made by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, USSR from
early 1924 thru 1928. The translated arsenal mark says: "USSR, Initial Weapon
Factory, at Tula", followed by the date. This was the final Soviet
government known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
RADOM - Ng30: Made by the Polish government factory at Radom, Poland from 1930 thru
1936.
This arsenal mark reads: "F.B., RADOM, Ng30". The equipment for this
revolver was purchased from the heirs of the Nagant brothers in the late 1920s.
It's the exact same revolver as the Russian Nagant M1895 but with Polish
markings. The date is stamped on the left side of the frame & forward of the
cylinder (where the serial # appears on Russian & Belgian models). The
serial number on Ng30s is stamped on the right side of the frame & forward
of the cylinder.
TULA - Arrow in Star: Made
by the Tula Weapon Factory at Tula, USSR from 1929 (some say from 1928
but this has not been observed) thru September 1941. There is a slight variation of this basic mark
that shows up on Hybrid revolvers (see below), and are dated 1942г
& 1943г. Basically, this late variation is a little smaller in size. The arsenal mark
depicted here in this photo appears as an Arrow within a 5-Pointed Star followed by the
date. The Tula factory made no firearms from September or October 1941 thru the
entire year of 1942 due to approaching Nazis and plant relocation. By 1943, the
Tula machinery & workers for this particular handgun had been relocated
(almost certainly to Izhevsk). Some of their unfinished weapons & parts were
sent to the Izhevsk facilities for completion (see Hybrid below).
IZHEVSK - Arrow in Triangle in Circle: Made by the Izhevsk Weapon Factory at Izhevsk, USSR from
very late 1942г (rare) thru 1945г. The arsenal mark appears as an Arrow within a Triangle within a
Circle followed by the date. Please note that the "г"
letter (following the date) is a Russian/Cyrillic abbreviation for "Year of God" and only appears on
Izhevsk-made M1895 revolvers!
HYBRID - Tula mark & Izhevsk date: The lineage of this unique arsenal
mark can be a little confusing. The only two examples I've seen (which are in my
private collection) are dated 1942г and 1943г. I believe that these revolvers were assembled at the Izhevsk Weapon Factory using partially-completed
"leftover" frames & components supplied from the evacuating Tula Weapon Factory
(that was in the process of relocation from late 1941 thru all of 1942). The
complete arsenal mark bears unique
characteristics of both arsenals, and the guns usually contain mixed-original parts. In October
1941, some of the Tula factory was relocated. See History &
Development above (under 1941-1945) for more details. Many unfinished Tula guns, components, and parts (including
some machinery, tooling, etc.) were presumably sent to the Izhevsk factory at
that time for completion. In fact, the entire Tula sub-factory for the M1895 may have
been moved to Izhevsk (this is my educated guess). Prior to this, Izhevsk had not been producing M1895
revolvers but they had been preparing to do so since early 1941. This particular hybrid depicts
the Tula arsenal mark as TULA - Arrow in Star . Sometime between late 1941
and early 1942, this standard arsenal mark was slightly reduced in size (smaller
star and much shorter arrow)...although they are so similar that most collectors
make no distinction between the early and late varieties. The first three numbers
of the date (on my 1943г revolver) were stamped by the Tula factory (as "194_") on a
partially-completed revolver frame. After the Izhevsk factory received &
completed it, they stamped the last
number of the date (in a different size & style) and also used the "г"
letter (meaning "Year of God")...only Izhevsk used this form of
dating! On my 1942г hybrid, the entire date seems to have been stamped
(again with the "г") at the same time. These particular hybrids also
seemed to have used a mixture of parts from both
arsenals.
RELOCATED TULA - Small Hammer Head in Star: Made on relocated Tula equipment & tooling at
(I believe) a temporary site at Izhevsk. It should be noted that no Tula
M1895s were made from late 1941 thru the entire year of 1942. This particular arsenal mark appears as a
Shortened Hammer Head (with a narrower handle) within a 5-Pointed Star followed by 1943.
Some misguided American observers have dubbed this as a Scepter (instead of a
Shortened Hammer Head). However, when examined under a jeweler's loupe, it's definitely
a shortened hammer head (also, Russian sources laugh at the idea of this being a
scepter).
RELOCATED TULA - Large Hammer in Star: Made on relocated Tula equipment & tooling
in 1944. This particular arsenal mark appears as a
Larger-elongated Hammer Head (with thicker handle) within a 5-Pointed Star followed by
1944.
TULA - T in Star: Made
at the (presumably) returning Tula Weapon Factory in 1945 (or possibly made during
early 1945 when the Tula sub-factory was still located in Izhevsk...or both).
It appears that reoccupation of the original Tula site occurred sometime in 1945 (probably after the war
had ended). This arsenal mark appears as a
Capital T inside a 5-Pointed Star
followed by the date. This is the last known arsenal mark. It should be noted
that the Western Allies started cutting production long before the end of the
war. However, the Soviet Union, in many cases, continued to produce weapons long
after the end of hostilities. Therefore, it is not known if firearms made in
1945 were made before or after the war. I suspect both.
Additional Markings: There are other
(smaller) markings that frequently appear on the M1895 in great abundance. There are some
individuals who claim to know the meaning for all of these. Rubbish! Admittedly,
some are known (or highly speculated) but the majority are still a mystery. They
also seem to have evolved during the 6 decades of production. In general, the
vast majority of superfluous marks were stamped during the 1950s when these
handguns were rebuilt. I've poured over the
Russian/Cyrillic sites and can find no definitive source that explains them all.
In fact. Russians aren't nearly as concerned about these as most Americans are.
I strongly suspect that many American collectors have been repeating false
information for so long that some of it has become accepted fact. Since I'm
fluent in Russian/Cyrillic (and I'm able to sift through the Russian sources), I
simply don't believe much of the information (as it pertains to markings) from
English-language sources. Anyway, I'll try to explain them as best I can:
Accuracy Standards: Marks
such as a K, И, or Ч, both inside a circle and on their own (and a host of other
Cyrillic letters & numbers), are believed
by some American writers to show that the particular revolver met a minimum accuracy
standard. Balderdash! This is only hearsay and I seriously doubt this
interpretation.
Acceptance Marks:
Marks such as an П inside a Square (or on its own) are believed by some to be a Soviet government acceptance mark.
I've not seen any definitive proof from Russian sources of this. This particular
mark may indeed be an acceptance mark or they may be something else
such as an individual's inspection mark. In many cases, this mark is absent
(especially from the most recent revolvers). Having said all of this, it is my
strong suspicion that this is indeed an acceptance or proof mark.
Rebuild Marks: Many believe (as I do) that the "split square
mark" (a square divided by a vertical line) signifies that the revolver
underwent an arsenal rehabilitation of some sort. I prefer to call this a Mechanical
Reconditioning Mark since some refinished-only revolvers don't have this
mark. It appears to me that a simple square (without the vertical dividing line)
is an arsenal mark signifying that a particular gun did not undergo a complete
reconditioning. Rather, it was only refinished (I have two examples like this).
All of this refinishing and reconditioning probably occurred in the mid-1950s to
early 1960s at
the Tula factory. I've heard about (and seen photographs of) other such square-type
markings but I strongly believe these represent something other than
reconditioning or refinishing. Indeed, the small X within a square is not a
rebuild mark but probably just an inspector's mark (and it certainly isn't a
rejection mark).
Numbers stamped near
the Muzzle: Who knows for sure? I believe these are simply inspector's marks
or production marks. However, they could also be a standard's mark.
Individual's / Inspector's
Marks: It is my belief that the vast majority of markings on the M1895 are
Inspector's Marks, and that they were placed there during reconditioning and
refinishing during the 1950s. Older marks (that have been mostly-removed during
the 1950s) are still sometimes visible. These too are mostly Inspector's Marks.
Small Sub-Assembly
Arsenal Marks: Many small parts were marked by the arsenal with a small
mark. The original Nagant factory used a stylized lion. Tula used a T or a Hammer
(supposedly pre-1928/30) and a Star (supposedly post-1929). Izhevsk used an Arrow within a
Triangle, an Arrow within a Triangle within a Circle, a Triangle, and a Triangle
within a Circle. The exact dates of usage are up for speculation. These small
arsenal marks sometimes appear on the Trigger, Trigger Guard, Hammer, Frame (not
to be confused with the main arsenal mark), Muzzle, Cylinder Latch, Double
Action Release Lever, firing pin, and the Cylinder Bushing Retaining Pin. I've never seen
these marks on the inside of the frame nor have I seen these on the Handle Grip
Cap. Often
during reconditioning & refinishing,, parts from another factory (or era) were swapped.
They were sometimes serialized (or re-serialized) (and
some re-serialized).
MO Property Marks: These
are believed to be property marks used primarily in the 1950s by the Soviet Ministry of
Defense. Most seem to be dated from 1949 into the mid 1950s but early 1940s
are also encountered. Dates are always added to these property marks such as MO 52 or MO
53/54. In some rare situations, the original arsenal mark has been sanitized and
then a large "M.O." was stamped where it had been. In this case, the
original date was usually left intact and then an additional date was added (
such as "1901/53"). However, in most situations, this property
mark is rather small and placed near the original arsenal mark. Whew!
Importer's Marks: I
wish these were not required because they deface the firearm. I can understand
placing a new serial number on these imports because most of you non-Ruskies
can't read Russian/Cyrillic. However, the huge & ugly importer's marks are
the scourge of collectors! A good way to minimize this ugly effect is to blue
them with a bottle of cold bluing liquid (but first, wash them with soapy water,
lightly rub with steel wool, and then re-blue).
Serialization Marks:
Serialization marks appear on a few primary parts such as the cylinder, trigger
guard, main trigger spring, grips, and left frame handle. In such
cases, the full serial number may not always be stamped. More about this below.
It appears that most original (non-reconditioned) revolvers did not have these
sub-parts serialized (except for the cylinder).
Production or Control Numbers:
It's difficult to discern between an individuals mark (or an inspector's
mark) and a production/control number. We'll probably never know for sure.
Other Country Marks: The typical [SA] Finnish Property Mark appears on
some revolvers. However the Finns didn't like this revolver so it's rare to see
this mark on an M1895 handgun. True, the Finns would have acquired many of these
revolvers either through capture or independence but they didn't have much use
for them. I've been told that the M1895 shows up in many private collections in
Finland but these usually originated when a Finnish soldier simply picked them
up off a WWI battlefield and carried them home (without turning them in). I've
also become aware that certain other countries (like East Germany) were supplied
these revolvers from their Soviet buddies after WWII...in these cases, it's
probable that property marks from other countries will be noted on some
revolvers that have been acquired from non-USSR sources.
Serialization
Serial numbers are stamped vertically on the Belgian, Russian, and Soviet Nagant M1895s in front of the cylinder on the left side of the frame (on the right side of the frame for Polish models). The serial number also (usually) appears on the major sub-assemblies (sometimes full numbers or a partial number) along with various proof marks, arsenal marks, production numbers, property marks, rebuild marks, etc. However, original guns don't seem to have their trigger guards, grips, and main springs serialized (this seems to have been a rebuild process). The cylinder is ALWAYS matched to the particular frame with the full serial number (including any Cyrillic letter) being stamped one digit at a time between cylinder bores on the front of the cylinder. At one time, it appears that the cylinders were serialized between one of the cutouts on the outside of the cylinder...I've seen a lined-out number in this fashion on a rebuilt gun but the new serial number was stamped between the cylinder chamber face. If you ever encounter a cylinder that doesn't match the frame, don't shoot this firearm under any circumstances due to timing and headspace issues. Basically, an unmatched cylinder means that an untrained individual has been fooling with this gun. All M1895s I've seen have been matched by the arsenal before being imported into the USA. Unlike the M1891 Mosin-Nagant rifles/carbines, the arsenal took great measures to insure that the same (matching) parts went back on the same revolver after rebuilding. Serial numbers start over each year (the year of manufacture is always included below the arsenal mark) and two Russian/Cyrillic letters were also used as a prefix during high-production years (which started in 1938). Serial numbers during these years appear as such: ЖФ792. However, in very high production years (such as noted in the 1942 Hybrid models) two letters + 4 numbers were used. In most situations, the Soviets matched (or re-matched) all serial numbered parts when they reconditioned these revolvers in the 1950s. Regardless, frame and cylinder numbers always match.
Perhaps the most important reason for serializing all sub-assemblies (and a few other individual parts) is function. The M1895 is not an "interchangeable parts" handgun! Every sub-assembly (and many parts) must be hand-fitted. Basically, you just can't throw a bunch of parts in a pan and expect them to fit together. In fact, the tolerances are so poor that almost nothing will fit. Parts were numbered to prevent swapping. Even when these revolvers went through rehab. in the 1950s, the rebuilders were very careful to use the same old parts as far as they could.
I know you don't want to hear this again, but it's my view that all Nagant M1895 gas seal revolvers are unsafe and should not be fired! Most gunsmiths will tell you this even before they look at your particular specimen. To most of them, this gun looks like junk and functions like junk . . . so it's junk! Harsh words, especially when you consider that the Soviets went to such extreme lengths to recondition all M1895s in the 1950s. In all respect to the military genius of the old Soviet Union, there are some major safety concerns regarding this dangerous little revolver that go beyond a nice looking blue job. Here are a few reasons why these guns should not be fired:
Russian Roulette: The cylinder of the M1895 can be rotated
clockwise even when the hammer is down, the cylinder reloading latch is up, and the trigger isn't being pulled. This
particular gun probably gave rise to the term "Russian Roulette"
because you can spin the cylinder until you go crazy (and/or shoot yourself over a
bottle of vodka). This means that even the simple act of removing an M1895 from
its holster may cause the cylinder to inadvertently rotate. This is not likely
to cause jamming or misalignment but you never know what's in each cylinder. This is such
a terribly unsafe design flaw that for this reason alone, this gun should be kept
in a display case.
Drop Test:
I'm not aware of any government official doing a "drop test" with
this revolver. To my untrained eye, it looks like this particular revolver just
might pass this test but I wouldn't bet my life on it seeing how the U.S.
government did drop tests on all available revolvers a couple of decades ago and
just about everything failed. There seems to be a heavy duty block that drops
down between the hammer and frame when the gun is uncocked, but there also seems
to be a rather flimsy parts mechanism on the hammer that could malfunction
without warning. A half century ago, most revolver shooters would always
carry their firearm with an empty chamber (at battery) because all older revolvers
were notoriously dangerous due to the hammer/drop test situation. However, even these older revolvers prevented the
cylinder from being rotated at will. With the M1895, an empty chamber aligned
with the barrel may not always remain as such. Even with good intentions, an
M1895 dropped on a supposedly-empty chamber may still go off if the cylinder has
accidentally rotated.
Designed for Black
Powder: The basic Nagant revolver was designed in the mid-1870s when modern
smokeless gunpowder had yet to be invented. The Nagant brothers did nothing to change their
basic design (from black powder) in order to strengthen it for the more powerful smokeless powder.
The gas seal modification that they incorporated in the 1890s specifically for
the Russians further weakened the M1895. While it may be true that many
firearms of that era successfully transitioned from using black powder to
smokeless powder, the basic design of the Nagant revolvers was flimsy and weak
to begin with.
Firing Pin-Hole Block:
In order for the cylinder to move forward and seal the gasses between the
cylinder and the barrel breach, it is also necessary for the base of the
cartridge to be supported due to this increased last-minute lengthening
headspace. The Nagant brothers stole Henri Pieper's design which compensated for
this problem by moving a small block of steel forward supporting the cartridge base.
Incidentally, the firing pin extends through a hole in this block in order to
strike the primer. Only the cartridge being fired is supported in this way. As
this block of steel (and its housing) wears down through normal usage, the
cartridge head is supported less and less causing excessive headspace. Also, the mechanism
making this block move forward may break or malfunction. In both these
situation, the cartridge may be fired when it's not fully seated within the cylinder
causing hot gasses and flying metal debris to spew from the rear/side of the
cartridge.
Timing &
Alignment: This is the same nemesis that plagues all revolvers. As a
revolver gets older and things start to wear down, the issue of timing &
alignment will always get worse. The M1895 is an old revolver! Even though it
has been through a Soviet reconditioning process in the 1950s, it's still an
old & worn gun in many cases. The Soviets made it look good with a new blue job
but underneath, it's still the same junky/ill-designed weapon. Almost
without exception, the M1895 revolvers I've looked at are sloppy when it comes
to final alignment. To make things even worse, many revolvers are grossly out of
alignment vertically. This is a situation that is not tolerated by other
revolver manufacturers...not even by a thousandth of an inch...but the Russians
& Soviets seem to have churned out thousands of revolvers who's cylinders
were bored off center vertically (as well as horizontally).
Cartridge Slamming:
Due to the unique forward-moving cylinder properties, all cartridges in the
cylinder (except the one being fired) are subject to being slammed back against the rear of the
frame each time the gun in fired due to recoil. This length is a full 1/16th of an inch
(actually, it's a little longer at .065"). While all revolvers experience
some backlash, it's nowhere near the slop of the M1895. Basically, this is
simply a terrible design that allows 6 other cartridges to be slammed back and
forth for an intolerable distance. I'm not sure what problems this could cause
but the idea of a loaded cartridge slamming back and forth doesn't set well with
me.
Substitution Ammunition: Some shooters are now using ammunition that was never intended to be fired in the M1895. After exhaustive testing (by my husband), I cannot recommend any substitute ammunition for this revolver. For safety concerns, you must stick with the original ammunition (or don't fire the silly gun at all).
Poor Cartridge Design: This cartridge always has the bullet seated within the case due to the gas seal design. To the untrained eye, this may look like blank ammunition...it's the real stuff, folks! Additionally, the opening of the case is subject to bending and denting since the bullet doesn't support it. This may cause the cartridge lip to become so out-of-round that it can't be inserted into the cylinder. Another serious design flaw with this ammunition is that the mouth of the spent cartridge case will sometimes become lop-sided & crimped within the gas seal expansion chamber of the barrel. At the most, this will jam the entire revolver from firing another shot...at the least, this will make it very difficult to punch-out (extract) the case from the cylinder. The new brass cases coming from StarLine takes this habitual problem into consideration by reducing the overall length of their cases.
Bullet Not Matched To The Barrel: In all other weapons that I'm aware of, the bullet diameter is closely matched to the bore/groove diameter to facilitate optimum accuracy. Not so with the M1895! In fact, the bullet diameter must be reduced significantly because of a restriction in each cylinder bore. Basically, the groove diameter is about .312" while the bullet diameter must remain below .309" (or as low as .307") in order for it to traverse this restriction. What the heck were the Nagant brothers thinking of when they designed this beast? Purists (who use "correct" 7.62 Nagant ammunition) must use undersized bullets because the thickness of the full-length case makes it nearly impossible for .312" bullets to traverse this restricted area (without blowing up the cylinder). No problem...current factory ammunition figured this out a long time ago and uses undersized, lead, and/or underpowered bullets. The only problem is that the M1895 can never live up to its full accuracy potential by using grossly undersized bullets. You must always use the correct ammunition for this handgun and never substitute ammunition such as .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, or .32 H&R Magnum because of the likelihood of ruptured cases in the Nagant's oversized cylinder.
More Case Distortion Problems: Most loaded ammunition for this caliber incorporates a severe crimp over the top of the bullet. Once fired, the bullet passes through this crimped area and expands the case against the cylinder wall and the face of the barrel expansion area at its breech. This makes the case nearly non reloadable because the lip will sometimes split the next time. However, that's not as serious as what I'm about to explain. Once a case has been fired (and it remains in the cylinder), it may not be able to be rechambered "at battery" because the expanded case will usually jam on the barrel breech as the cylinder moves forward. If you've just fired a light load, then the expanded lip of the case will sometimes be pushed back (causing no problems). However, a moderate load will cause the case to stick in the cylinder, and the case won't be pushed back...the gun will jam! Let us assume that you fire a shot or two from your 7-shot revolver and re-holster your gun. Let us also assume that your cylinder inadvertently rotates during this process (or you simply loose count). In a non-gas seal revolver, you may inadvertently place a fired case at battery...when nothing goes off you simply pull the trigger until something does. In a gas seal revolver, the gun will jam when this happens. This is clearly a dangerous situation for a soldier in the heat of battle. It also presents a problem for the modern shooter because you would now be forced to un-jam an action that may have other live rounds in the cylinder. Clearly, the gas seal properties of this revolver make it terribly unsafe!
Parts Breakage & Repair: The M1895 is so complicated and ill-designed that certain parts such as the firing pin and ejector rod are frequently breaking or bending. Additionally, the M1895 is a hand-assembled firearm and few parts can be swapped between firearms. As a matter of psychology, the more things go wrong, the more we sometimes try to force the situation. This flimsy & complicated little revolver doesn't lend itself well to this sort of treatment. This is one gun that should be left to a competent gunsmith to repair and re-tune (and there are only a handful in the world that know the idiosyncrasies of this beast). If you shoot or dry fire your old clunker, sooner or later it will break. Make sure you get it fixed properly by someone who is thoroughly familiar with this little beast before you try pulling the trigger again. If you forget to reinstall one little part, you'll blow yourself up.
Gas Seal Problems: Using the current commercial ammunition, there isn't enough pressure to completely seal the case inside the barrel breech. So I ask, what advantage is there to shoot proper 7.62 Nagant ammunition if you can't achieve a complete gas seal? The reason it doesn't achieve a gas seal is because the European agency that tests this handgun & ammo (CIP) has recently downgraded their pressure recommendations so that the ammunition does not generate enough pressure to seal the chamber. The original military load for the Russians and Soviet Union was powerful enough to do so but the new commercial ammunition (like Fiocchi & Hotshot) does not.
Other Safety Concerns: Firearm handling and safety procedures are the same on this handgun as with any modern-day revolver. Since most M1895s encountered these days are double-action, extra precautions should be made because of the long/hard/grinding trigger pull. It's HELLATIOUS! With this particular revolver, single action is the safest way to shoot (if you're foolish enough to do it). If you do decide to shoot this gun, have it thoroughly checked out by a gunsmith. You should then become thoroughly familiar with the reloading procedures. Basically, this gun is a booger!
Bore/Groove Diameter Fluctuations: The bore/groove diameter standard seems to be 312" ± .001". I've slugged many M1895 revolvers with perfect or "as new" bores and these range from .31125" to .313" (the majority are right at .312"). However, you'll sometimes encounter groove diameters in well-used revolvers as large as .315". Czarist-era revolvers will usually run on the smaller side. Although some owners claim to have bore/groove diameters as small as .310"...they almost certainly measured wrong! Even so, most shooters report phenomenal accuracy with surplus ammunition.
General Notes: If you're still determined to fire your M1895, then at the very least have a competent gunsmith check out your baby before firing. Even if your gun checks out and you're brave enough to fire it, shooting glasses and gloves are called for (I also recommend full body armor and a 100' lanyard attached to the trigger). I would also shoot the mildest target loads specifically designed for this revolver to minimize any catastrophic failures and make sure the cylinder is properly aligned before each shot. Oh yes, and make sure your life insurance policy is paid up!
Here are
the basic specifications:
Official Name:
Револьвер
Системы
Нагана
образца 1895
года (Revolver System Nagant Model 1895).
Type: solid Frame, gas seal, seven-shot revolver.
Ammunition: 7.62mm
Nagant, also known as 7.62 Nagant, 7.62x38R, 7 62ММ,
and 7 62ММ
Револьверный.
Capacity: 7 cartridges.
Overall Length: 234 mm (about 9¼").
Barrel Length: 114 mm (about 4½"),
some rare models have shorter and longer barrels.
Action: Double-Action or Single-Action variations.
Unloaded Weight: 750 kg. to 795 kg. (about 1.65 lbs).
Cylinder Rotation:
Clockwise. Cylinder can be rotated clockwise even when the trigger is not being
pulled.
Rifling: 4 grooves,
r/h twist.
Bore/Groove Standard
Diameter: .312". I've never seen one smaller than
.31125" or larger than .315".
Ballistics: Depends
upon what you're firing. Original full-military loads are reported to have
exceeded 1100 fps.
Accuracy: Reported to be
very good up to 25 meters using surplus Soviet ammunition.
Number Produced:
Reported to be approximately 2 million, but I estimate 15 million due to
serial # ranges that I've seen.
Manufactured: in Belgium, Imperial (Czarist) Russia, The Soviet
Union (both РСФСР &
СССР), and Poland.
Designers: Leon Nagant (primary), Emile Nagant, Henri
Pieper (gas seal system), and supporting infrastructure.
Years of Manufacture
and by whom: Click here for a
detailed listing.
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You'll need to know how to partially disassemble your M1895 in order to properly clean and lubricate your revolver. Any extensive tinkering should be left to a trained gunsmith. In fact, this little handgun is so complicated that you're likely to loose a few parts or mess things up so badly that you'll never get it reassembled correctly if you start pulling the internal parts off this gun.
Field Stripping Procedures: 1). Make sure the Hammer is down and then open the Cylinder Reloading Latch and make sure each cylinder is unloaded. 2). Rotate the Ejector Rod counter-clockwise and pull it out as far as it will go. 3). Rotate the Ejector Rod Barrel-Sleeve until the two witness marks (on the barrel and the sleeve) match up. 4). Pull out (and remove from the gun) the Cylinder Retaining Pin. 5). Remove the Cylinder from the Frame (from the right side of the frame). 6). Depress the Cylinder Bushing (on the front of the Cylinder) and rotate (in either direction) until the notch on the Cylinder Bushing matches the indentation on the Cylinder. At this point, the Cylinder Bushing will pop out of the Cylinder along with the Cylinder Bushing Spring. 7). Close the Cylinder Reloading Latch. 8). Clean and lubricate your gun as necessary. 9). If you're going to Clean & Lubricate the internal parts, then proceed directly to the next procedure below. Otherwise, you may assemble the revolver at this point in the opposite order as above. However, the Cylinder Reloading Latch must be reopened in order to position the Cylinder back into the Frame. When reinserting the Cylinder, you'll need to depress the spring-loaded Cylinder Bushing against the front of the Frame in order to position everything correctly. Be gentle!
Internal Access via
the Left Side Plate: This next procedure is necessary to remove the Left
Side Plate/Grip Assembly and to Clean
& Lubricate the internal parts of your handgun. It's also the only way to
check & tighten certain parts that may need attention (especially the
Trigger Guard which often needs to have its screw tightened). This next
procedure follows the procedure above so always make sure the revolver is
unloaded and the Hammer is down. Here are the procedures: 1). Lay the
revolver on its left side (so that the Cylinder Reloading Latch is facing up). 2).
Notice the two screws on the frame next to the grips...one screw is on the
Frame (called the Main Frame Screw...this is the one you're looking for) and the
other screw attaches to the Cylinder Reloading Latch Spring (leave this one
alone). 3). Remove the larger screw from the gun (the Main Frame Screw as
described above). 4). Turn the gun over on its right side. The Left Side
Plate/Grip Assembly (which, at this point is still attached to the Left Grip) should
now come away from the Frame (if not, then giggle the gun a little and it will
fall away). 5). At this point, you can see two large screws holding each
Grip half. If you wish to remove the Right Grip from the Frame then you'll need
to slightly depress the Trigger Spring and remove it from the Frame (however,
there is usually no reason to do this). 6). DO NOT REMOVE ANY PARTS
UNLESS YOU'RE A TRAINED GUNSMITH!!!. This is a hand-built firearm and parts are
usually not interchangeable between guns. It is possible to pop the Hammer
Spring out by prying up the locating pin at the pointed end of the V...but the
spring often goes flying across the room and it will take a little bit of
strength & know-how to get it back in place (also, lots of little parts will
want to fall out at this point). Anyway, at this point, you may carefully Clean
& Lubricate the internal mechanism of your revolver. While you're here, it's
always a good idea to tighten the Trigger Guard Screw as this frequently works
its way loose. As a matter of curiosity, it's always interesting to check how
many parts are matched to the serial number of your gun. 7). Reassemble
the Left Side Plate/Grip Assembly in the opposite order as above. Wipe the outside of
your gun with oil and secure your handgun in a safe place.
Grips: Wooden grips were used on the earliest production revolvers until about 1940. All these seem to have been made from walnut. The checkering job on these early grips was quite fine and they wore down rapidly. Beginning in about 1940, the Soviets started making grips from Cellulose Acetate (CA). These grips are NOT made from traditional plastic (petroleum-based polymer). Neither are they made from Bakelite (as used on some older American firearms). Cellulose Acetate is a biopolymer made primarily from wood pulp & acetate, and has been known since 1865. CA is also used in yarn, frames for glasses, adhesives, knife handles, movie film, magnetic tape, tool handles, etc. Basically, it's what was used before modern petroleum-based polymers came into widespread usage. CA is still being used today! During WWII, the Germans also used Cellulose Acetate for the grips on their P38 pistols (under the German trade name of Trolit). The CA grips on the later-model 1895s can be easily worked (reshaped), resist scuffing & gun oils, and do not crack or chip as easily as Bakelite. During the rebuilding process in the 1950s, the Soviets discarded most of the old wooden grips but they apparently reused many Cellulose Acetate grips when found to be serviceable. They may have also used surplus stores of these CA grips. Apparently, the Soviets had more side grips than front/back grips since some imported M1895s exhibit CA side grips with birch front/back grips. However, when the supply of these CA grips ran out, they apparently didn't manufacture them again and switched entirely to birch. The reason for doing this is unclear since the CA grips are much more durable. The 1950s-era birch grips are very crude and the checkering is course...they are not original. Only the Cellulose Acetate grips on the most recent revolvers (appx. 1940 - 1945) and a few older walnut grips (that were found serviceable) can be considered original. Regardless of the material used, all grips on the M1895 must be hand fitted because no two revolvers are alike. The Soviets did a good job of fitting in most cases. They even numbered them to prevent swapping.
Aesthetics: In spite of the old European-style "plow handle" grips, most shooters (especially those with small hands) like the "feel" of the M1895 revolver. Large-handed men seem to have a difficult time holding on to this little gun but it feels great to us girls. I've learned to appreciate the overall aesthetics of the M1895 but many modern individuals believe that it looks darn right ugly. Perhaps there's beauty in looking weird?. Most will agree that this particular handgun is a natural pointer...not that you can hit anything with it, but it seems to know where it needs to be pointed. Regardless, the Nagant Model 1895 is a classic late-1800s European military-style revolver. Considering the absolute junk that the Belgians were turning out in the late 1800s, the Nagant brothers seem to have done a better-than-average job with the M1895.
Cylinder Latch, Front Sight Blade, Hammer Spur, and Lanyard Loop: These metal gun parts were slightly modified over the years. The older lanyard loop was a little smaller and the original front sight blade was a half-moon design (without the notch). The original cylinder latch came with a small cutout area at the underside/top and the hammer spur was machine-checkered slightly different. Other than these minor mostly-cosmetic changes, the M1895 stayed remarkably the same. During the rebuilding process in the 1950s, many of these older parts (when encountered on older revolvers) were replaced.
Double Action vs. Single Action: It has been reported that most early guns were made in Single Action only. I've seen many reports that most of these guns were later altered to Double Action. When this was done and to the extent that it was done has not been confirmed. What is clear is that the vast majority of M1895s being imported into the USA are Double Action...and almost all of these have the parts (necessary for Double Action) originally stamped (and refinished) with the appropriate arsenal mark. It is my belief that the Russians have purposely exported Double Action revolvers to America because they believe this is what Americans prefer...and...that there are millions of Single Action revolvers still gathering moisture in Russia. At the present time, I'm not convinced that the Soviets embarked on a program to make ALL the old Single Action revolvers into Double Action. If they wanted to do this, then 100% of the revolvers imported today would be Double Action because the Soviet Union was very efficient at doing something if that was their goal. The fact that we see Single Action revolvers pop up is an indication that there are plenty more where they came from. In reality, the trigger pull is so difficult that it would be impossible for any shooter to achieve any degree of accuracy when used in the Double Action mode. This gun is strictly suited for Single Action usage (unless you just wanted to get off 7 quick shots and throw the damn thing at the enemy).
Holster, Lanyard, Cleaning Rod, and Screwdriver: These are the goodies that probably came with your M1895. They're not original. All the holsters seem to be dated from 1955 thru 1965 (most appear to be dated 1960) and they're made from imitation pigskin. I suspect the other accoutrements are from this same era. Original holsters were made from genuine pigskin (not cow leather because Russians seldom eat beef) and the earliest varieties (pre-1940) did not come with an attached cartridge box (it was a separate item). However, even the older holsters came with a cleaning rod, and the lanyard has always been a standard feature on the M1895. The new screwdrivers that came with your M1895 all seem to have the Tula "star" stamped on the removable blade. This suggests that the revolvers were reconditioned at Tula.
Total Manufactured: Some Internet sources mistakenly believe there were only 2 million M1895 revolvers made. I suspect that this is merely a situation where misinformation has been told & retold for so long that it has now become the accepted truth. Reality seems to tell a different story. I've never seen an official Russian/Soviet document that states exactly how many were made. Indeed, the Soviets purposely hide this sort of information...case-in-point; the AK-47. I own many of these revolvers and I've seen hundreds more. One of the first things I look at is serialization. I also know the Russian/Cyrillic alphabet. Of the 33 letters, only 25 seem to be used for serialization purposes. If you do the math, a serial number with 2 letters followed by 3 numbers would have 624,375 combinations. During WWII, this serialization often went to 2 letters followed by 4 numbers (6¼ million combinations) for each factory. Of course, these would be the maximum numbers produced and I seriously doubt this would happen. From looking at these numbers, I suspect that each arsenal during WWII produced from 1 - 3 million revolvers per year. This would equate to 7 - 21 million guns during that era. Add to this total the previous years (which were much lower except maybe from 1938-1940) and we can see there is a huge potential. However, I'll be the first to admit that the absolute highest number would probably be grossly inaccurate. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Therefore, it's my best guess that appx. 15 million of these revolvers were made from 1895 thru 1945. Where are they now? As with most military guns, many were probably lost, destroyed, captured, or decommissioned shortly after WWII. Others were given to Soviet allies immediately after the war while some found their way to police departments and the like. Still, there has got to be millions remaining. What we've seen coming out of Russia is just the tip of the iceberg in my learned opinion.
Surplus & Commercial Ammunition
This revolver is ill-designed and inherently unsafe. As such, it should not be fired. However, there are a few foolish individuals who enjoy cheating death on occasion (my husband is one of them) so this chapter is for all you daredevils.
Although the M1895 revolver was rechambered for a few non-standard cartridges by the Soviets, the vast majority were chambered for only one. This is usually known as the 7.62mm Nagant but it is also known as 7.62 Nagant, 7.62x38R, 7 62ММ, and 7 62ММ Револьверный. The other rare chamberings are for the 7.62x25 Tokarev, .38 Special, and .22LR (but these are so rare that you'll likely never see one...I've not). There are shooters who say that the standard M1895 can fire substitution cartridges like the .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, and .32 H&R Magnum. Yes, you can certainly stick these in the cylinder and let the hammer fall but I'm not guaranteeing what will happen next. In most situations, the cases will rupture due to the oversized cylinder borings of the Nagant's.
Commercial ammunition is available for this revolver but it's expensive. To my knowledge, only Fiocchi and Hotshot currently offer commercial ammunition at this time. However, neither is "correct". Fiocchi is the most expensive at $45 per box of 50. It fires a 97 gr. bullet at a slow 790 fps (as reported by other Internet sources). Even worse, it must use an undersized bullet diameter at .3075" due to the revolver's design. Hotshot brand ammunition (at $25 per box of 50) is made for this caliber in Serbia by Prvi Partizan (PPU) and imported exclusively by Century International Arms. However, Hotshot is not the best either because the bullets have obviously been swaged down to .306" diameter. A note should be made here that "correct" gas seal ammunition must use an undersized bullet because there's not enough space at the front of each cylinder bore to permit the bullet to freely pass through (while still within the case). Additional specifications on Hotshot (as measured by my husband) are as follows: Muzzle Velocity @ 5' = 670 fps, Kinetic Energy @ 5' = 100 ft. lbs., Maximum Deviation from Average = 38 fps, Extreme Velocity Spread = 56 fps. Basically, this is garbage ammunition! True, Hotshot & Fiocchi commercial loads produce negligible pressure and are certainly much safer to shoot. However, the accuracy of a .3075" or .306" bullet in a .312" barrel would be like throwing rocks down a stove pipe. Also, there's not enough pressure produced for the case to form a complete gas seal. It's clear why Fiocchi & Hotshot did this because they know this revolver is unsafe and they don't want anyone suing them....so they purposely produce the ammunition with a small bullet to prevent catastrophic failures due to high pressure loads. The down side to all of this is that you can't expect decent accuracy from either of these manufacturers! Wolf Performance Ammunition is due to manufacture & import their own ammunition for this revolver. According to their recent reply to my email message, this should be available in the U.S.A. within a year or so. However, I suspect they will contract this out to Prvi Partizan. If they do this, it will probably be the same ammunition as the Hotshot brand. Surplus military ammunition from the old USSR sometimes surfaces; the most common being the early 1970s yellow-box variety. This particular ammunition is for target use and is quite mild. It shoots a 100.5 gr. hollow (expanding) base lead/wadcutter bullet that measures .3115", but at a dismal 589 fps. Additional specifications on this "Yellow Box" ammunition (as measured by my husband) are: Muzzle Velocity @ 5' = 589 fps, Kinetic Energy @ 5' = 77 ft. lbs., Deviation from Average = 21 fps, Extreme Velocity Spread = 38 fps. The old Soviet government standard (ГОСТ) for this is # 5.574-70 and seems to be mild enough to fire in revolvers that have been given a green flag by a gunsmith. Individuals who've fired this Soviet surplus ammunition report good accuracy out to 25 meters. In any regard, treat all Russian/Soviet and all surplus ammunition as if it were corrosive (although I've heard that this particular "Yellow Box" ammunition isn't).
Be on the safe side and slug the bore of your M1895 revolver if you're ever tempted to fire it. Also, you must only use ammunition that was specifically designed for this revolver . . . DO NOT substitute ammunition!
Another really stupid option is to purchase a $60 .32 ACP cylinder and attempt to file & fit it to your M1895. This only serves to lessen the collector's value of the revolver while you try to blow yourself up. This is a really...really...really stupid idea!!!
As stated above, Wolf will start to import this ammunition fairly soon. I also highly suspect that it won't be too long before, Barnaul, Igman, Sellier & Bellot, Golden Tiger, and perhaps others will jump into the commercial ammunition market for this caliber. After all, these foreign ammunition manufacturers aren't subject to the same liability laws as here in America. When additional foreign ammunition starts coming in, the price for a box of cartridges will probably be split in half. The current available ammunition (both surplus and commercial) are mild and/or undersized-bullet loads because they obviously know something about the safety properties of this firearm that many Americans don't. I suspect we'll see more powerful hunting loads in the future. When this happens, be prepared for many catastrophic accidents and law suits. Just leave the silly thing in the display case!
Ammunition for this gun can be purchased from http://www.southernohiogun.com, http://www.jgsales.com, http://www.centuryarms.com, and possibly at http://www.gulfcoastammunition.com.
There are three basic types on individuals who would purchase the M1895...Shooters, Investors, and Collectors. If you've purchased this revolver thinking you can easily shoot this bugger or thinking you can turn a quick profit, you're mistaken. At the moment, this handgun sits solidly in the "collector" realm.
The Nagant M1895 was first seen (in any great number) in America around the mid-1990's. There was a dry spell at the turn of the millennium but now they're being imported like cheap Russian antifreeze-vodka. Prior to the 1990s, an M1895 easily sold for around $500. At that time, they were scarce and a novelty item (due to the gas seal properties). Currently, the importers can't give these cheap little buggers away. No one really knows how many M1895 revolvers were made (as stated above). Some misguided American Internet sources say as low as 2 million while I estimate the actual amount to be 15 million based upon the serial # ranges that I've seen. In fact, the wartime production alone would have easily surpassed 12 million. It's a little know secret that by the end of the Great Patriotic War (WWII), the Soviet Union was producing far more weapons than they needed. Perhaps they were anticipating a long war against Japan or just wanted to stock up. In any event, the USSR was awash in millions & millions of firearms and other assorted weaponry that they never used. Even if we account for a substantial number of M1895s being lost through normal attrition, there has got to be millions more still gathering moisture in those dark Russian warehouses. Until the supply dries up, they'll remain inexpensive. That could be next week (due to government regulations) or in a few decades. Who knows? Right now, they're plentiful and inexpensive. I expect this glut to continue for the foreseeable future.
One hundred dollars is what most of them are worth, but there are a few exceptions (see the following chapter below). What this means is that if you paid $250 at a local gun shop for a common specimen, it's still only worth $100! Alterations (like installing a .32 ACP cylinder) will reduce the value considerably.
So why aren't these inexpensive revolvers flying off the shelves? Basically, they're junk (from a mechanical aspect) and anyone with an ounce of "gun savvy" can easily see that! No matter how bright & shiny the blue job is...junk will always be junk! However, even junky collectables may eventually bring a tidy sum when the supply dries up (or the "collector's appeal" improves). To be sure, this little handgun is strange looking, underpowered, cumbersome, and dangerous. From a practical (and dangerous) standpoint, they're not good for much except shooting high-priced bullets through paper at close ranges. Anyone would be a fool to use one for hunting or self defense! Heck, you would be a fool to let the hammer drop on a loaded chamber! Still, I'm a huge fan of the M1895. Perhaps it's because I like old/unique/historical firearms or that I'm ethnic Russian. Whatever the reason, I love my trashy little popguns and I plan to collect dozens more. However, I don't try to fool myself by thinking the Nagant M1895 will be worth a bundle anytime soon. My honest guess is that they won't appreciate in value beyond the normal inflation rate for the next decade or two . . . unless the supply suddenly dries up. The likelihood of that happening seems rather slim at the moment. If you're an investor (instead of a collector), you've picked the wrong gun to turn a profit anytime soon...and if you're a shooter, you've simply picked the wrong gun altogether.
This revolver is plentiful, inexpensive, and available from several importers, wholesalers, and dealers throughout America. It's obvious the gun isn't terribly popular because it keeps getting cheaper & cheaper while the number of dealers become fewer & fewer. To be frank, many dealers have stopped buying & selling them because they're having a difficult time moving these weird little guns off their shelves. The good news is that you can still purchase your very own "suicide special" for about $75 + shipping ($100 total) . . . a little more if you're searching for a special date and a lot more if you're wishing to purchase a Belgian-made gun or a Radom Ng30 (the latter going for + $3000 these days). I recommend buying the oldest & best condition revolver available as these may go up in value a little faster than the latest Soviet handguns. As always, the Shotgun News is the best place to start your shopping spree. Century International Arms seems to be the major U.S. importer (if not, the only importer) of this particular weapon. I heartily recommend the following two wholesalers/dealers: http://www.jgsales.com and http://www.southernohiogun.com. I'm also aware of the following dealers who are known to currently stock the M1895: http://www.ioinc.us, http://www.aimsurplus.com, http://www.rguns.com, and http://www.centerfiresystems.com. GunBroker.com is a nice auction site that may also offer this revolver from various individuals but the price they want is often prohibitive. You'll need a C&R or FFL to purchase from the preceding sources (there's always a repeating article in The Shotgun News that will tell you how to do this).
Just so you're aware, if you read this treatise you'll know far more about this handgun that any of the above major dealers! In most situations, they simply don't know what they have, and about all they understand is a vague meaning of an arsenal mark and the date...and even in this situation, they don't know what a Hybrid arsenal mark is. Also, most don't know how to disassemble this handgun so they're unable to tell you about the bore condition on a particular gun. I've had a couple of rare gems shipped to me because the dealer didn't have a clue what he was selling. My good fortune!
Regular gun shops will burn you on this particular revolver but gun shows may be another affordable option. Realistically, there should be little difference on price between wholesale & retail. A hundred Yankee dollars is all anyone should spend on a garden variety Soviet model . . . $125 - $130 for a nice Imperial Russian specimen. I recently saw a retail price tag on a 1917 revolver for $595. Either the retailer was on drugs or he knows something about the IQ levels of his clientele that I don't. Yes, the Czarist-era guns will go for a little more than the Soviet-era revolvers, but only $20 or $30 more. However, a gun made by the Nagant brothers in Belgium (1898 or 1899) may be worth a few hundred dollars or more, and an Ng30 (as mentioned above) will make you scratch your head in amazement. Other than these few exceptions, they're all pretty much the same.
Another observation is that some dealers will advertise this firearm in "good" or "very good" condition while others will say their guns are better than anyone else's in at least "excellent" condition. Perhaps the importer is selling guns in superb condition to one dealer and in trashy condition to another? Indeed, they could have been sorted out at the import-level (Century Internal Arms; the only known US importer, advertises this way). It's obvious that some dealers always seem to have guns in better condition than other dealers. However, it seems curious that one dealer would purchase all clunkers while another dealer would receive the cream of the crop (however, I'm aware that Century International Arms offers discounts & favoritism to certain large wholesalers). Fundamentally, what we're seeing in most advertisements is marketing hype. Also, don't waste your time asking for a gun with an excellent bore. None of the dealers I've mentioned above will take the time to remove the cylinder so that they may gaze down the bore. In reality, they're all in decent shape...some with very good bores while most look excellent or perfect. Unlike the Mosin-Nagant M1891 rifles & carbines (which often have miserable bores), the Soviets seem to have discarded all M1895 revolvers with questionable bores. Indeed, I've never seen an M1895 with a bore less than good condition and with a groove diameter larger than .315". Having said that, I usually go ahead and pay the extra "hand select" fee from my favorite two dealers (see above) because I know these two businesses actually do sort through their inventory for me. Basically, I've established a reputation with them and they treat me right! Also, I collect dates & arsenal marks so that no two revolvers in my collection are the same. Paying an extra $5 per handgun is worth it to me.
Currently, there are few sources for gun parts for this revolver...and they're as high as uncle Boris after a 3-day vodka bender. Since it's likely you'll break a firing pin or bend the ejector rod someday, I suggest you buy a cheap & complete parts-gun so that you may cannibalize from it. Even so, remember that each handgun was/is hand fitted so you'll likely encounter some problems if you ever need to swap things around. The two known parts dealers for this revolver are http://www.buymilsurp.com and http://www.tngunparts.com . In the future, I suspect that the following gun parts dealers will also offer a few parts: http://www.ssporters.com, http://www.sarcoinc.com, http://www.midwayusa.com, http://www.e-gunparts.com, and http://www.thedealerwarehouse.com. Finding a gunsmith who is capable of changing parts on your precious baby is another story.
Reference Data Used In This Treatise
1. How to Headspace the
Nagant Model 1895 Gas Seal Revolver
2. How to Slug the
Bore of a Nagant Model 1895 Gas Seal Revolver
3. Nagant
Model 1895 Years of Manufacture with Arsenal Mark Identification
4. Corrosive Primer
Cleaning Tips
The following sources shouldn't be taken as entirely factual. In fact, some of this stuff is total misinformation. The Russian sources seem to be a little more factual but even they get things terribly wrong sometimes. Since you probably can't read Russian/Cyrillic, you'll need to trust my research judgment (smile).
English Internet Sources [En]: http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg102-e.htm, http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/4064/PersCollection/M1895page.html, http://www.sff.net/people/sanders/nagant.html, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_161_27/ai_95120541, http://www.a-human-right.com/nagant.html, http://www.buymilsurp.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=page&id=9&chapter=0, http://www.guns.connect.fi/gow/nagant.html, http://www.gunsworld.com/nagant/nagant_us.html, http://burnfan0.tripod.com/id16.html, http://www.smallarmsnet.org/database/database.php?catid=40&prodid=22, http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/nagrev.htm, http://www.texastradingpost.com/militaria/nagant.html, http://www.russianwarrior.com/STMMain.htm?1890weapon_nagant.htm&1, http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/PISTOLS2.htm,
Источники на русском языке [Ru]: http://handgun.kapyar.ru/page.php?pg=127, http://www.nagan.kiev.ua/shop/prodview.php?idProduct=11, http://slovari.yandex.ru/dict/guns/article/guns/guns-002.htm, http://www.gusa.ru/1914a.html, http://www.arms-expo.ru/site.xp/049051124050054051.html, http://svarog.sitecity.ru/lalbum_1212163415.phtml?p_ident=lalbum_1212163415.p_1212163951, http://gunmagazine.com.ua/arhiv/01-2001-05-20/nagan/nagan.shtml, http://www.arsenalnoe.ru/m/200/legendarnyy_nagan.html, http://soldiers.procentr.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=86, http://mobidic.ru/gpage26.html, http://rus.militaryantiqueshop.com/view.php?id=797, http://www.armymuseum.ru/shop_r.html, http://www.latek.com.ua/index.php?page=produkt.php&subcat=46, http://guns4.narod.ru/revolvers.htm, http://www.victory.mil.ru/tw/inf/body.html, http://gunsite.narod.ru/tula_hist.htm, http://www.militaria-centre.com/mmg/sssr/fire/sssrmmg_fire.htm, http://www.gusa.ru/1914a.html, http://www.vokrugsveta.ru/telegraph/technics/147/, http://www.shooting.by/links/interv/legends.html, http://tirspb.ru/content.php?nodeid=144, http://www.ww1.iatp.org.ua/Nagant.htm, http://www.weaponplace.ru/nagan.php, http://faq.guns.ru/ruspistols.html, http://www.kalibr.ru/blef.htm, http://www.izhmash.ru/rus/arc/050804.shtml, http://www.kickshop.ru/index.php?section=shop&subsect=trade&ID=4413, http://www.weltkrieg.ru/weapons/nagan/,
In spite of the fact that I call this particular revolver "junky" (and other uncomplimentary names), I still love them! Uniquely speaking, they're the only production revolver with gas seal properties. It's really fun to watch everything gyrate & move forward when you tug on that miserable trigger! Within each gun is a wealth of history. I love holding mine and wondering where they've been and what they've done. I also wonder how many soldiers threw the silly things at the enemy and then ran like hell in the opposite direction. Right now, they're not worth much as far as money goes but to a dedicated Russian/Soviet collector, they're worth a million rubles (which isn't worth much, either). Buy yourself a nice specimen and rub some oil on it every weekend. Heck, you might even be brave enough to shoot the silly thing after you get it checked out by a gunsmith! Perhaps in time, your precious little Nagant revolver will start speaking to you as mine have to me.
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