Nagant M1895
A seven-shot gas-seal revolver designed for the Russian Empire.
The Nagant M1895 is a revolver that holds seven rounds and uses a gas-seal system. It was created by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant for the Russian Empire. When the hammer is cocked, the cylinder shifts forward to close the gap between it and the barrel. This seal boosts the bullet's speed and makes the weapon compatible with a sound suppressor. The design later influenced the Pieper M1893 carbine and the Steyr 1893 revolver.
Léon Nagant designed the revolver; his brother Émile had also worked on the Mosin–Nagant rifle. The M1895 became the standard sidearm for the Imperial Russian Army and police, replacing earlier Smith & Wesson models like the Model 3. Production started in Liège, Belgium, but in 1898 the Russian Empire bought the manufacturing rights and moved production to the Tula Arsenal in Russia, where output soon reached 20,000 units per year.
Two versions were made: a double-action model for officers and a cheaper single-action model for lower ranks. After the Russian Revolution, only the double-action version remained in production. From 1923, the revolver was used for sport shooting in the USSR. The first USSR championship in sport shooting, held in September 1923 in Novogireyevo, Moscow oblast, included a competition using standard army revolvers at 50-meter targets. Later, several sporting variants were created, including the 5.6mm Nagant Model 1926, Nagant Model 1953, MTs-4, TOZ-36, and TOZ-49.
Nagant revolvers served with the NKVD and Red Army until the end of World War II, with about 2,000,000 produced. The Tokarev semi-automatic pistol began replacing it in 1933, and the Makarov formally replaced it in 1952, though Nagants saw limited use in the Korean War and Vietnam War.
The revolver's mechanism, as the hammer is cocked, rotates the cylinder and then pushes it forward to close the barrel-cylinder gap. The unique cartridge is key to the gas seal: the bullet sits deep inside the case, and the case mouth is slightly narrowed. The barrel has a short conical section at its rear that accepts the cartridge mouth, completing the seal. This increases bullet velocity by 15 to 45 m/s (50 to 150 ft/s) and prevents injury from escaping gas, which could harm a finger held near the gap. The sealed system also allowed effective use of a sound suppressor, sometimes fitted to the gun.
A downside is that reloading is slow and laborious.
Quick Facts
- Designer
- Léon Nagant
- Number
- ~2,000,000
- Length
- 10.5 in (235 mm)
- Action
- Double action, Single-action
- Origin
- Belgium and Russia
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Design Date
- 1886
- Manufacturer
- Nagant, Soviet Arsenals (Tula & Izhevsk), Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów
- Production Date
- 1895–1945
- Weight
- 1.8 lb (0.8 kg), unloaded
- Part Length
- 4.5 in (114 mm)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Nagant M1895 was designed by Léon Nagant, whose brother Émile had also taken part in designing the Mosin–Nagant rifle. It was adopted as the standard issue sidearm for the Imperial Russian Army and police officers, replacing earlier Smith & Wesson models such as the Model 3. Production began in Liège, Belgium, but the Russian Empire purchased the manufacturing rights in 1898 and moved production to the Tula Arsenal in Russia, soon producing 20,000 examples per year. It was produced in two versions: a double-action version for officers and a cheaper single-action version for lower ranks. After the Russian Revolution, only the double-action version was made.
The M1895's mechanism, as the hammer is cocked, first turns the cylinder and then moves it forward, closing the gap between the cylinder and the barrel. The cartridge, also unique, plays an important part in sealing the gun to prevent the escape of propellant gases. The bullet is deeply seated within the cartridge case, and the case is slightly reduced in diameter at its mouth. The barrel features a short conical section at its rear that accepts the mouth of the cartridge, completing the gas seal. By sealing the gap, the velocity of the bullet is increased by 15 to 45 m/s. This feature also eliminates the possibility of injury from gases escaping through the gap. The Nagant's sealed firing system meant that, unlike most other revolvers, it made effective use of a sound suppressor, and suppressors were sometimes fitted to it.
The disadvantage of this design is that Nagant revolvers were laborious and time-consuming to reload, with the need to manually eject each used cartridge and reload one cartridge at a time through a loading gate. At the time the revolver was designed, this system was obsolete. However, the Nagant design did have the advantage of requiring less machining than more modern formats. The Nagant M1895 has a heavy trigger pull (about 12 lbs for single and 20 lbs for double).
Reader's Guide
The Nagant M1895's significance lies in its unique gas-seal system, which increased muzzle velocity and enabled effective use of a sound suppressor—a rare feature for revolvers. Its design inspired the Pieper M1893 carbine and Steyr 1893 revolver. The revolver saw extensive use by the NKVD and Red Army units until the end of World War II, with a total of 2,000,000 produced. It began to be replaced by the Tokarev semi-automatic pistol in 1933 and was formally replaced by the Makarov in 1952, though it continued to see limited use in the Korean War and Vietnam War. Since 1923, the revolver had been a weapon for sport shooting in the USSR, and several sports versions were created. The Nagant's legacy includes its use by multiple nations, including Finland, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Norway, and Luxembourg, with various chamberings and configurations. Despite its outdated reloading mechanism, the Nagant remained in service for decades and is remembered for its distinctive gas-seal design and long service life.
Did You Know?
- The Nagant M1895's gas-seal system increases muzzle velocity by 15 to 45 m/s.
- A suppressed version known as the 'BRAMIT device' was produced since 1931 for Soviet reconnaissance troops.
- Aftermarket cylinders for .32-caliber can be installed, allowing the Nagant to safely fire .32 H&R Magnum or .32 ACP.
- The Nagant M1895 was produced in both double-action and single-action versions, with the single-action version for lower ranks.
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