Nagants?

[Shorty McSmidget]

I searched the forums for 'Nagant' and didn't find much. Here's my situation. I'm equipping for CAS, starting from nothing. I can't buy 2 revolvers, a lever-gun and a double shotgun all at once. I'm a Russian/Soviet gun nut, and have two soviet M1895 double action revolvers that are real shooters. Precisely two parts turn them into proper enlisted single action models. Even easier, I can just remove the double action hammer fly, but it's just barely visible externally. The SASS Shooter's Handbook disqualifies them for a number of technical reasons, but then on page ten is says, under 'OTHER APPROVED FIREARMS: Original or replica Nagant Single Action Revolver. I know of many revolvers made by the Nagant brothers for many nations, single and double action, some of which seem to fit the rules, others don't, but the fact is, 99% of people who have them are the Russian/Soviet ones.

 

My question is this: Is the exception statement meant to cover Russian single actions, which otherwise violate many technical rules? If so, do people care about the parts swap? I'm not trying to cheat the rules or the spirit of the game (if anything, I think they're disadvantaged), I just want to buy myself some time at a few matches until I can get some Ruger Vaqueros. I'd rather use a couple favorite guns (my Nagants) than borrow revolvers at a couple matches, if I can do that. Way more fun for me...

[Sedalia Dave]

Contact the Match Director at the club(s) you will shoot at and ask him/her.

[Waimea]

Don't see why there is even a question.

The rules specifically mention the Nagant SA as being legal.

 

Holster up and shoot away.

 

If someone asks about your weird looking gun show it to them with pride.

 

Next shooter.

 

 

Waimea

[Shorty McSmidget]

I'm an engineer. I get caught in the details in no time, but I'm glad fun is what seems to matter. I will shoot away.

[Kulshan 20262]

Just remove the double action fly, spring, and pivot screw. That's what my son did.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I have a pair of Nagants I like to use once a year or so.

 

Remove that one part, and the DA's are indistinguisable from the SA's

 

THat's what I did. No problem with doing it.

 

Have fun.

 

Question: Do you use "real" Nagant ammo, or the straightened out .32-20 stuff? I use the latter. Much easier to work with

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

They're definitely different. I had one, used it once at a match. I had made some BP reloads, using a .31 caliber round ball. I was afraid that little 40 grain ball would be very hard to hear on the off chance it actually did hit steel. Turns out, it had plenty of oomph for the spotters, and I shot clean with that pistol.

Reloads with my homemade BP or 777 FFg are quite a bit hotter than the factory rounds that I got the brass from.

 

Here's a link to the process I used to reload them:

 

 

And here's a link to a comparison test between factory, homemade, and 777:

 

[Tom Bullweed]

You do not need a double barrel shotgun to start.

Any single shot 12, 16 or 20 gage with at least an 18" barrel and conventional buttstock is SASS legal, even if it has an ejector.

A used H&R 12 gage can likely be found in a closet, safe or for about $100-$125. With practice, a good shooter can be middle of the pack on any given Saturday.

 

Going 'budget' on a rifle is always bad news. Ask your family and friends if they have a Marlin in a pistol caliber. These gune were made for decades and can be good guns. Other less expensive but viable rifles are Rossi 92s. It aint a '73 Uberti, but a lot of shooters do well with them.

 

A shooter can likely shoot a single pistol at local matches. The shooter would gave to unload five empties and load five more live rounds on the clock, but I have seen it done. This allows the shooter to get into and learn the game earlier. I bet that you get multiple offers to use their pistol as a second shortgun.

[Smokestack SASS#87384]

Keep in mind that the bullets must not be seated below the case mouth.

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

If memory serves, the bullet below the case mouth does not apply to Nagants. I can't quote or post a link, but the topic was discussed a few months ago, and I think the general consensus was the bullet rule did not apply to the Nagant cartridges. Hopefully someone with a better memory will come along and clear it up.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

If memory serves, the bullet below the case mouth does not apply to Nagants. I can't quote or post a link, but the topic was discussed a few months ago, and I think the general consensus was the bullet rule did not apply to the Nagant cartridges. Hopefully someone with a better memory will come along and clear it up.

 

You are correct.

 

Many years ago, I asked that question here on the wire. I admitted that I was confused. Basically I asked how could the revolver be legal and the ammo that it shoots be not allowed.

 

PWB very quickly posted that it was understood that Nagant Ammo shot in Nagant revolvers was an exception to this rule.

 

All of that being said, I use the Lee dies that convert .32-20 brass to a straight wall case that properly fits in the Nagant chambers. It does NOT extend out beyond the front of the cylinder the way original ammo does. I load it with a .312" Wadcutter over a charge of Trailboss. The Wadcutter just barely extends beyond the the end of the case, and I have found it be very accurate and pleasant to shoot. I do plan to someday get some real Nagant Ammo, and maybe even the dies to reload it, especially if the law that deregulates silencers goes through, but I am in no hurry to do so..