Russian 1895 Nagant 7.62R reloading REVISITED

[kraigwy]

I'm set up and shooting.

Got some 32-20 brass, stuck them in the lathe and cut .10 off the back of the rim, ran them through the sizing die and they work and shoot great.

Problem is I had to go to Gunbrokers and paid $60 per hundred.

Cheaper then dirt has the (reloadable) loaded rounds for $25.72 per box of 50.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/34155-5.html

I didn't plan that real well but I ordered the brass before I found the loaded stuff.

As mentioned I cast a 90 grn Lee bullet, and load with Lee dies, with 4.5 grns of Trailboss, Real nice accurate load.

Not real hot but it doesn't take much to punch a hole in paper.

If you don't have one, and want a good cheap fun gun to shoot with your 91/30 Mosin, you can't go wrong.

 

[dbldblu]

I guess I got lucky, I didn't have to do anything to 32-20 brass to get it to work. I have been loading Hornady 90 HBWC's over 2.5 of Red Dot; works great. I seat these out such that they just barely clear the barrel as the cylinder turns (before it moves forward).

 

[GunRotten]

Loading for the Nagant

I am very fond of the one I got last year from AIM, a beauty. I have been reloading it for a while now. The best load I have come up with so far is using 32-20 brass (starline) trimmed on the head as to not modify the gun. Is 3.0g Win 231 and the Hornady 90g HBWC, it is .314". There is no way that the factory ammo can be very accurate as the pill diameter is .308" and the bore on mine is .3125". I don't know if you can load the factory length brass with a larger bullet, but to get accuracy out of it you need it. You can get the XTP bullet in 85 grain at .312" also. You really should slug the bore on yours and I'll bet it is about what mine is. The Lee dies don't work that well for the 32-20 brass, (if you use a .308 pill they don't form it down enough to get any tension to hold the bullet. I use RCBS 32-20 and size them back to 32-20 spec. and crimp with a Lee factory crimp for 32-20. The guy at Magnus Bullets, sent me some .313" 100grain flat points, seat them as far as need be for cylinder clearance, and they are accurate too.

 

[kraigwy]

I don't know if you can load the factory length brass with a larger bullet,

The Lee 90 grn RN bullet I got for my M-1 Carbine is .312 before sizing. I don't resize it for my Nagant. I have no problem loading it in factory brass.

 

[Dave_n]

There is a kit sold by Lee that will resize 32-20 and then you can use the "head of your choice". However, I suggest that you try the individual pistol with a modified case first. My regular Nagant, no problem at all, but the target model jammed with a loaded round, and would not retract the sleeve that pushes the cylinder forward. Not fun!!

If you have this problem, need to find a friend with a lathe and mill about 0.5 mm off the top of the rim. Not the bottom as then you will alter the depth of the prmer pocket. Dave_n