7.62x38mmR
Encyclopedia
7.62×38mmR is a unique ammunition cartridge
designed for use in the Russian Nagant M1895
revolver
.
A small number of experimental submachine guns (See Tokarev 1927
), designed by Fedor Tokarev
, were also produced in a 7.62 mm Nagant chambering. None, however, were accepted into Soviet service.
The 7.62 mm calibre was chosen, in part, to simplify the tooling used in barrel making and manufacture of projectiles—the Russian service rifle of the time—the Mosin Nagant M91/30
featured an identical bore diameter, being chambered for the 7.62×54R rifle cartridge.
Commercially manufactured and loaded 7.62×38R cartridges are no longer difficult to find. Fiocchi of Italy manufactures cartridges in this chambering; they fire 6.4 g (98 gr) FMJ
bullets at about 260 m/s (850 ft/s), which works out to an energy of 213 J (157 ft·lbf)—comparable to a .32 ACP
semi-automatic. Prvi Partizan
, a Serbian company, also produces a 7.62×38R load similar to Fiocchi's under the "HotShot" brand. Prvi Partizan also sells 7.62×38 mmR ammunition branded under their own name now.
Most commercially loaded ammunition for the Nagant, including Fiocchi and the "СССР"-marked yellow box imports, are target ammunition, and do not have great stopping power
. The low power of these rounds has given the Nagant a reputation as an underpowered sidearm. However, the original military ball cartridges fired bullets in the 6.5 g (100 grains) range at up to 330 m/s (1,100 ft/s), making them close to the .32-20 Winchester
and .32 H&R Magnum
in power. These original military ball rounds are very hard to find and are considered collector's items.
One advantage of the round, if proper brass can be found, is that it leaves the chambers totally clean, and there is no need to scrape lead and powder residue out.
Many users of this calibre handload their own ammunition, though the proper brass cases are also expensive and difficult to come by. However, Starline has been developing and perfecting brass for the cartridge, and handloaders have had success using dies for the .32-20 and .30 Carbine
to handload the rounds. 32-20 brass cases are inexpensive, readily available, and can be reformed and used safely in guns chambered for 7.62×38R, but the resulting cartridges are too short to achieve the gas seal. Cut down 223 brass reformed in 30 carbine dies can be utilized to load for the Nagant also. These will achieve the gas seal, but case rims will be undersized.
Three other cartridges—.32 S&W
, .32 S&W Long
, and .32 H&R Magnum
—will also generally chamber and fire in the revolver, but will not achieve the gas seal. The case head of the .32 S&W/H&R is about the same size as the case diameter of the Nagant cartridge, so the case head will sometimes actually end up moving into the chamber, thus preventing an adequate primer strike. Due to the dimensional differences between these cartridges and the original 7.62×38R cartridge, this practice is done at the shooter's own risk. The .32 H&R Magnum in particular develops much higher pressures than the 7.62 Nagant or either of the .32 S&W cartridges, which are all 19th century developments. The most common anomaly when firing these cartridges is bulged cases.
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
designed for use in the Russian Nagant M1895
Nagant M1895
The Nagant M1895 Revolver is a seven-shot, gas-seal revolver designed and produced by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant for the Russian Empire. The Nagant M1895 was chambered for a proprietary cartridge, 7.62x38R, and featured an unusual "gas-seal" system in which the cylinder moved forward when...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
.
A small number of experimental submachine guns (See Tokarev 1927
Tokarev 1927
The Tokarev Model 1927 submachine gun was an experimental firearm first developed in the Soviet Union under the leadership of Fedor Vasilievich Tokarev. The design was limited by its 7.62 x 38mm Nagant chambering which was necessary to utilize large stockpiles of the cartridge and provide...
), designed by Fedor Tokarev
Fedor Tokarev
Fedor Vasilievich Tokarev was a Russian weapons designer and deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1941 to 1950. Outside the former Soviet Union he is best known as the designer of the Tokarev TT-30 and TT-33 self-loading pistol and the Tokarev SVT-38 and SVT-40 self-loading rifle, both...
, were also produced in a 7.62 mm Nagant chambering. None, however, were accepted into Soviet service.
Background
The projectile is seated below the mouth of the cartridge, with the cartridge crimp sitting just above the bullet. When fired in the Nagant revolver, the crimp expands into the forcing cone, completing the gas-seal and ostensibly increasing muzzle velocity by approximately 23 m/s (75 ft/s).The 7.62 mm calibre was chosen, in part, to simplify the tooling used in barrel making and manufacture of projectiles—the Russian service rifle of the time—the Mosin Nagant M91/30
Mosin-Nagant
The Mosin–Nagant is a bolt-action, internal magazine-fed, military rifle invented under the government commission by Russian and Belgian inventors, and used by the armed forces of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and various other nations....
featured an identical bore diameter, being chambered for the 7.62×54R rifle cartridge.
Commercially manufactured and loaded 7.62×38R cartridges are no longer difficult to find. Fiocchi of Italy manufactures cartridges in this chambering; they fire 6.4 g (98 gr) FMJ
Full metal jacket bullet
A full metal jacket is a bullet consisting of a soft core encased in a shell of harder metal, such as gilding metal, cupronickel or less commonly a steel alloy. This shell can extend around all of the bullet, or often just the front and sides with the rear left as exposed lead...
bullets at about 260 m/s (850 ft/s), which works out to an energy of 213 J (157 ft·lbf)—comparable to a .32 ACP
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
semi-automatic. Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan is an ammunition manufacturer, located in Užice, Serbia. Founded in 1928 as FOMU - Fabrika Oružje Municija Užice. The company produces ammunition for civilian and military consumers in a variety of calibers in various loadings. Their products are available worldwide...
, a Serbian company, also produces a 7.62×38R load similar to Fiocchi's under the "HotShot" brand. Prvi Partizan also sells 7.62×38 mmR ammunition branded under their own name now.
Most commercially loaded ammunition for the Nagant, including Fiocchi and the "СССР"-marked yellow box imports, are target ammunition, and do not have great stopping power
Stopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
. The low power of these rounds has given the Nagant a reputation as an underpowered sidearm. However, the original military ball cartridges fired bullets in the 6.5 g (100 grains) range at up to 330 m/s (1,100 ft/s), making them close to the .32-20 Winchester
.32-20 Winchester
The .32-20 Winchester, also known as the .32 WCF , was the first small-game lever-action cartridge thatWinchester produced. It was initially introduced as a blackpowder cartridge in 1882 for small-game, varmint hunting, and deer. Colt produced a single-action pistol chambered for this cartridge a...
and .32 H&R Magnum
.32 H&R Magnum
The .32 H&R Magnum is a rimmed cartridge designed for use in revolvers. It was developed in 1984 as a joint venture between Harrington & Richardson and Federal Cartridge...
in power. These original military ball rounds are very hard to find and are considered collector's items.
One advantage of the round, if proper brass can be found, is that it leaves the chambers totally clean, and there is no need to scrape lead and powder residue out.
Handloading
.30 Carbine
The .30 Carbine is the cartridge used in the M1 Carbine introduced in the 1940s. It is an intermediate round designed to be fired from the M1 carbine's 18-inch barrel.-History:...
to handload the rounds. 32-20 brass cases are inexpensive, readily available, and can be reformed and used safely in guns chambered for 7.62×38R, but the resulting cartridges are too short to achieve the gas seal. Cut down 223 brass reformed in 30 carbine dies can be utilized to load for the Nagant also. These will achieve the gas seal, but case rims will be undersized.
Three other cartridges—.32 S&W
.32 S&W
The .32 S&W cartridge was introduced in 1878 for the Smith & Wesson model 1½ revolver. It was originally designed as a black powder cartridge.The .32 S&W was offered to the public as a light, defense cartridge, for "card table" distances....
, .32 S&W Long
.32 S&W Long
The .32 S&W Long is a straight-walled, centerfire, rimmed handgun cartridge, based on the earlier .32 S&W cartridge. It was introduced in 1896 for Smith & Wesson's first-model Hand Ejector revolver...
, and .32 H&R Magnum
.32 H&R Magnum
The .32 H&R Magnum is a rimmed cartridge designed for use in revolvers. It was developed in 1984 as a joint venture between Harrington & Richardson and Federal Cartridge...
—will also generally chamber and fire in the revolver, but will not achieve the gas seal. The case head of the .32 S&W/H&R is about the same size as the case diameter of the Nagant cartridge, so the case head will sometimes actually end up moving into the chamber, thus preventing an adequate primer strike. Due to the dimensional differences between these cartridges and the original 7.62×38R cartridge, this practice is done at the shooter's own risk. The .32 H&R Magnum in particular develops much higher pressures than the 7.62 Nagant or either of the .32 S&W cartridges, which are all 19th century developments. The most common anomaly when firing these cartridges is bulged cases.