Nagant wz. 30

Lore & Background

After Poland regained independence in 1918, the Polish Army inherited captured Nagant M1895 revolvers and pressed them into service as the rewolwer wz. 1895 Nagant. Following the Polish-Bolshevik War, the army shifted focus to the 7.92 mm calibre and withdrew the Nagant revolvers from active service. The revolvers remained in use with the State Police, which also employed a wide variety of other sidearms including the Modèle 1892 revolver, Rast & Gasser M1898, and numerous pistols. In September 1927, the Police Headquarters polled officers to determine a standard sidearm; the Nagant system was chosen for its durability and simplicity. Because the number of Russian ex-military weapons was limited, the Fabryka Broni works in Radom developed a slightly modified variant in 1930, designated Nagant wz. 30. Compared to Russian or Belgian models, the Polish model was slightly lighter and had a slightly shorter barrel. In 1932 the design was further modified by relocating the sight, resulting in the Rewolwer wz. 32 designation. Between 1929 and 1935, the Radom works produced 7,166 revolvers of both variants.

Reader's Guide

The Nagant wz. 30 and its successor, the wz. 32, served as the standard police weapon for the Polish State Police and Postal Guards throughout the 1930s. Their adoption followed a deliberate selection process that highlighted the Nagant system's durability and simplicity over a diverse array of competing sidearms. Although the original M1895 Nagant and its clones remained in service, they were gradually replaced by more modern designs such as the Beretta M1934 and Walther PPK. The revolvers saw extensive use by mobilised policemen during the German and Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939. The production of 7,166 units between 1929 and 1935 reflects a limited but significant manufacturing effort by the Radom works. The wz. 30's legacy lies in its role as a domestically produced adaptation of a proven foreign design, tailored to the needs of Polish law enforcement during a period of national consolidation and eventual wartime crisis.

Did You Know?

• The Nagant wz. 30 was developed because the number of Russian ex-military Nagant revolvers was limited.
• The wz. 30 was slightly lighter and had a slightly shorter barrel than Russian or Belgian models.
• The Nagant system was chosen as the standard police sidearm after a 1927 poll among police officers.