Reload the 7.62x38r Nagant?

[tjtM38]

God help me I am actually thinking about trying it. Scarce components, small selection of tools, lack of published loading data? Am I crazy? I think I have been watching too much YouTube stuff. Why should I do this when I have over 1500 rounds of Russian surplus and 250 rounds of Fiocchi commercial ammo? I guess just because it is a challenge and a goal. This little cartridge has a weird taper, bullet seat and crimp. The process looks very tedious and time consuming. If anyone has any experience with a similar effort, I would like to hear about it.

[Lotema]

I've got the dies, brass, primers, powder and the odd little bullets. I'm all ready to go but so far I've balked at actually doing it. Getting everything just perfect in seating depth, putting the "crimp" on the mouth etc, like you said, tedious, time consuming and knowing me, I'll just royally jack it up. I looked for some videos about doing it but haven't really come across any that helped make me feel confident enough to approach it. Heck, I still have some issues reloading 7.62x25! I wind up crushing at least 3 or 4 cases before I get the dies setup well enough to crank out 50 rounds.

If you get to the point where you're successful at it, I totally encourage you to make a video on it. I know it would be very helpful for me!

[TulaTom]

I think (?) Logcabinlooms did a vid or two on reloading for these. You might try a search on YouTube with his username.

[bunkysdad]

I don't have one of these revolvers, and even though I love reloading, this might be the one I would never reload for. The surplus is available enough, that given how little I would probably shoot the gun in the first place I would have a lifetime supply with half as much ammo as you currently have.

[Lotema]

I don't have one of these revolvers, and even though I love reloading, this might be the one I would never reload for. The surplus is available enough, that given how little I would probably shoot the gun in the first place I would have a lifetime supply with half as much ammo as you currently have.

For me, I don't have any surplus for mine and on top of that, mine hates the surplus! It all goes bang and has good accuracy but 3/4 of the cases get stuck and I darn near have to hammer them out. The PPU that I've been shooting hasn't had a single case get stuck. I was hoping that the same would be true with the reloads.

I'll have to lookup the video that TulaTom is mentioning. If I got a good video to work from, I feel I'll be less likely to blow myself up

[tjtM38]

I also have some chronic troubles with extraction of the military surplus ammo cases. I find if I just let the gun cool off, it gets easier. These weapons were not meant to shoot the military ammo 50 rounds at a time. I am sure that the revolver was utilized in a way that they didn't have to reload often.

This is one of the better videos I have seen on reloading the cartridge. This guy uses Trail Boss powder and a 7.62x39 neck size for the final crimp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUsfJJDyM-o

[Lotema]

I also have some chronic troubles with extraction of the military surplus ammo cases. I find if I just let the gun cool off, it gets easier. These weapons were not meant to shoot the military ammo 50 rounds at a time. I am sure that the revolver was utilized in a way that they didn't have to reload often.

This is one of the better videos I have seen on reloading the cartridge. This guy uses Trail Boss powder and a 7.62x39 neck size for the final crimp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUsfJJDyM-o

I might have to give that a try this weekend. I'm currently down to just 14 rounds of surplus!

[bunkysdad]

That sounds right. The new cases, and your reloads would have considerably softer brass to ease in extraction. I wonder how many lost their lives to these guns pointed point blank at the back of their head?

[tjtM38]

I might have to give that a try this weekend. I'm currently down to just 14 rounds of surplus!

I have a ton of this stuff (military surplus) about 1500 rounds including one spam can of 1092 as yet unopened. Graf and Sons has the 14 round boxes of surplus currently on sale and they have a flat rate shipping price. Just sayin...

[tjtM38]

That sounds right. The new cases, and your reloads would have considerably softer brass to ease in extraction. I wonder how many lost their lives to these guns pointed point blank at the back of their head?

I'm thinking Fiocchi or PPU once fired brass is the best. I have both. You are right; these were used by political officers and NVD secret police for up close and personal hits. The secret police used a suppressed version with threaded barrel. I really don't think it was a serious combat weapon in WWII, but you know the Russians; they kept everything and refurbished all the arms after the conflict. No one would be without a weapon in the post-war future, or at least that was the theory.

[bunkysdad]

That's a policy I adhere to myself as much as possible.

[Lotema]

I loaded up 21 rounds for it today, mostly following what was shown in the video tjtM38 posted above. Overall fairly successful, at least with the reload. I screwed up two cases while I was setting up and trying to figure things out but I was using some brass from the throw away pile for testing. Overall it wasn't too bad. Going to have to see next weekend how well those rounds will do. I did a few different bullets, Hornady 90gr HPs, 98 gr TCJ DEWC from grafs and some 85gr HPs.

Question now is how far away is Titanium Hammer going to be when I start shooting these. For some odd reason he doesn't seem to trust my reloads...

[Longcolt44]

I traded an 1898 Krag sporter for the attached 1944/MO51 revolver, holster, 7.62X38 dies almost 300 rounds of ammo and a 32 S&W cylinder. I sold the dies and cylinder to members here and am still shooting the ammo. The guy I got all this from told me how to cut down .223 brass to make 7.62X38 brass but as I was never going to do it I don't remember how.

Nagant Package.jpg

[hudson29]

I have been working on this too. I started with the DEWC but couldn't see any way to duplicate the factory taper crimp with them. Now I'm looking into using Berry's M-1 Carbine bullets which should allow a gradual taper like the military rounds. Any ideas for a crimp die that will apply a loooooong gentle taper?

This project is purely for fun, I have plenty of milsurp in a sealed can.

Vintage Paul

[AGooseOnTheLoose]

I have been working on this too. I started with the DEWC but couldn't see any way to duplicate the factory taper crimp with them. Now I'm looking into using Berry's M-1 Carbine bullets which should allow a gradual taper like the military rounds. Any ideas for a crimp die that will apply a loooooong gentle taper?

This project is purely for fun, I have plenty of milsurp in a sealed can.

Vintage Paul

Not sure if you're still active here, but any chance you've made progress on this? I'm looking to start reloading for the 7.62 Nagant as well, and I could use all the help I can get!