Why isn't Russian 7.62 Nagant revolver ammo imported?

O

Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
I recall seeing 40-round boxes of low-power wadcutters which were imported in the mid-1990s. Then the import was shut off and never re-started. Does anyone know why?
 
Perhaps it is simple market forces at work? (Either weak supply or weak demand...)

FWIW: I've seen Fiocchi factory ammo for the Nagant revolver. Georgia Arms has stocked it from time to time.
 
I know that Russia still produces gallery loads for Nagants. They export plenty of other calibers which bring smaller profits than this one would...they solf for about $7 per 40 rounds back in 1995 compared to $30-35 per 50 rounds of Fiocchi...even doubling the price would still let them undercut the competition by a lot.

A friend wanted to import 1,5 million rounds about a year ago but was told he'd never get it approved by US Customs (?) and nothing came of that idea...
 
Cool, I was thinking about getting one as a complement to my Mosin. Shotgun News has 'em for 90 bucks and I always thought the recessed bullet was unique....
 
Where to get it Tam, I will have my mom haul it up to me this summer :)

Thanks god I gots 1000 rounds of the Fiocchi stuff...

WildcanneverhavetoomuchnagantammoAlaska
 
"Thanks god I gots 1000 rounds of the Fiocchi stuff..."

Wild, have you ever thought of loading your own ammo? Oddball cartridges such as this are one of the best reasons to load your own. The savings is overwhelming, not to mention the fun!
 
Tamara, the Nagant revolver ammo is not difficult to load. The problem is finding the brass. Graf has it listed, but all is backordered. RCBS makes a rather expensive shell holder (required for the true Nagant shell), and CH4D makes a 4-die set, also expensive.

What I and many others are doing is running .32-20 brass through the Lee hybrid Nagant/.32-20 die set. This brass is too short to take advantage of the gas seal. But it shoots very nicely in the Nagant anyway. Lee's sizing die tapers the shell to proberly conform to the Nagant chamber walls. It takes the shoulder off a new .32-20 shell, and it simply resizes a used shell. Lee supplies a .32-20 shellholder with the kit, and other brands of .32-20 shellholder work as well.

I've read that others simply shoot .32 caliber revolver ammo as-is. I've not tried this, as I have very good results loading reshaped .32-20 brass.

Starline makes good .32-20 brass. Berry makes a fine 83 grain plated HBWC, and Honady makes a lead HBWC. These are both .314" bullets which are a good fit for the Nagant barrel. You seat these bullets flush or slighty out from the neck, and crimp them with the Lee seating/crimp die.

George Fisher at Makarov.com used to have a wonderful personal website on loading the Nagant revolver, but the link no longer works for me. He used to sell the Lee Nagant die set, and may still do. I suggest giving him a call.

One tip I learned the hard way: My Nagant doesn't like CCI-500 primers. I got several squibs in the barrel due to inadequate detonation. Geroge suggested I swich to Winchester WSP primers. I did that and have not had any hint of trouble since. This may be my particular gun, but I wanted to pass it on.

The gun is accurate, and the recoil can be very mild, depending on how you load. I've become very fond of my Nagant.

I have a Ruger SingleSix .32H&R magnum revolver which I also load for and enjoy shooting. The Nagant holds its own with the Ruger. Nagant's SA trigger is not as good, but the Ruger is 4 times the cost to buy. (Let's just not talk about the Nagant DA trigger pull, ok?)

To sum it up, loading your own Nagant ammo is a big part of the fun of owning one of these puppies.

Here's a web forum dedicated to the Nagant revolver with both loading and collecting info:

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=21
.
 
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I usually shoot 32 longs or 32 mags in mine, the brass bulges but does not split. The Fiocchi brass will often split at the neck, perhaps not properly annealed.
 
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I recall seeing 40-round boxes of low-power wadcutters which were imported in the mid-1990s.
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Low-power is a gross uderstatement. I bought ten boxes of it recently from SOG and although I don't have a chronograph I swear my Red Ryder BB gun has more velocity (and a lot better accuracy). :eek:
 
FWIW, the local gunshop got in an unopened case of Soviet Nagant ammo just a few weeks ago. By "case" I mean a big OD sardine can. The rounds were made in 1972 and were packed in yellow 40-round cardboard boxes labelled (in Russian) "sporting revolver cartridges." I don't know the dealer's source, but figure it's got to be out there somewhere ....
 
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