A .44 Nagant?

[Emdawg]

Just recently, I acquired a Model 1893 Brazilian Nagant Revolver in .44 Nagant (.44 Brazilian) from an awesome Calgunner.

From my research these were the only large-frame Nagants ever made. They were contracted by Brazil and Argentina (.440 Argentine). They two different cartridges, but they are identical and the 44 S&W (not 44 Special) can be interchangeable.

Anyways, not much known about these pistols. All of the ones I have seen have been refinished as is mine. These pistols were retired and surplused in the late 30's, so they hit the collector's market in South America. Explains why most collectors in the US haven't seen or had them. This one is all-matching, except for after-market ejector rod and the grips. Still has lanyard ring.

There were two makers: Nagant and it's sub-contractor, Simpson & Suhl in Germany.

Here is mine. It has been refinished and was made by Nagant.

The shiny wet look is from me cleaning it.






Here is an up close, but the lighting makes it hard to see the proof marks.













Here it is next to an M1895 Soviet Nagant.

The picture angle makes the 1895 look about the same size, but the Brazilian is quite larger.

[pitfighter]

Interesting revolver - thank you for posting.

[Mike A]

Great find!

I suspect that the "interchangeable" ctg. would really be the .44 Russian, available from Black Hills. I have a Spanish almost-copy of an S&W 1881 breaktop DA by Orbea that is supposedly chambered for the .442/11mm Spanish round, but accepts and fires .44 Russian perfectly. The Russian ctg. was widely used, but often under other names.

[CSACANNONEER]

Can I ask what you paid for it? I've been casually looking for one for the last few years. I have an 1887 Swedish Nagant in 7.5 and just made an offer on a second one. I believe they made a .45LC Nagant as well but, I'm not positive about that. Congrats on your score.

For those who don't know, the 1895 is the only one that has a cylinder advance to seal the gases.

[VegasND]

Congratulations. That is a very cool revolver. I didn't know these existed but now I'd love to find one. Are you going to shoot it?

Just recently, I acquired a Model 1893 Brazilian Nagant Revolver in .44 Nagant (.44 Brazilian) from an awesome Calgunner.
...

[Emdawg]

Great find!

I suspect that the "interchangeable" ctg. would really be the .44 Russian, available from Black Hills. I have a Spanish almost-copy of an S&W 1881 breaktop DA by Orbea that is supposedly chambered for the .442/11mm Spanish round, but accepts and fires .44 Russian perfectly. The Russian ctg. was widely used, but often under other names.

From what I have seen in my quest, the .44 Russian casing is slightly too long for the cylinder.

Now if a smith was to ream out the cylinder to angle the holes, then the cartridge would fit.


What I meant by .44 S&W was their centerfire copy of the .44 Henry Rimfire.

They made two cartridges that went by that name, the .44 S&W American and the .44 S&W Special.

[Emdawg]

Congratulations. That is a very cool revolver. I didn't know these existed but now I'd love to find one. Are you going to shoot it?

I might next time I am able to go to the range.


As for finding one, have fun.

I have found only one auction for one and it was on Gun Auctions. That was for one in worse shape than mine without a lanyard ring and a worn-out refinish for about $400 in 2008.

Can I ask what you paid for it? I've been casually looking for one for the last few years. I have an 1887 Swedish Nagant in 7.5 and just made an offer on a second one. I believe they made a .45LC Nagant as well but, I'm not positive about that. Congrats on your score.

For those who don't know, the 1895 is the only one that has a cylinder advance to seal the gases.

I have been looking for a Nagant or Husqvarna 1887 Nagant too.

As for one in 45LC, it must be a custom job, because the 1893 Brazilian in .44 was the biggest one they made.

There is another that some people consider to be a "large-frame", the 1878 in a 9.4mm cartridge, but it really isn't.

[mievil]

I was going to ask about the cylinder movement, but that was hit. Very interesting piece that I've never heard of.

[Flyin Brian]

Emdawg, I'm no expert on Nagants but I think you have a mistake in your posting. Brevet (there is no Brevent that I am aware of) is simply "Patent" and I believe it means that Nagant licensed other companies to make copies of his revolvers but part of the licensing agreement is that they had to stamp them with "Brevet Nagant" meaning "Nagant has the patent on this pistol design".

I know there were a bunch of them made in Liege, Belgium (obviously, since Nagant was Belgian) and also in Husqvarna, Sweden, that is why some of the older ones have "Nagant Brevet Liege" stamped in an oval shape with Liege being in the center, meaning that particular pistol was a Nagant Patent that was manufactured in Liege, Belgium.

[Emdawg]

Emdawg, I'm no expert on Nagants but I think you have a mistake in your posting. Brevet (there is no Brevent that I am aware of) is simply "Patent" and I believe it means that Nagant licensed other companies to make copies of his revolvers but part of the licensing agreement is that they had to stamp them with "Brevet Nagant" meaning "Nagant has the patent on this pistol design".

I know there were a bunch of them made in Liege, Belgium (obviously, since Nagant was Belgian) and also in Husqvarna, Sweden, that is why some of the older ones have "Nagant Brevet Liege" stamped in an oval shape with Liege being in the center, meaning that particular pistol was a Nagant Patent that was manufactured in Liege, Belgium.

Oops, you're right. I always thought that it was a location, foundry or company. I always thought it said "Brevent". My bad eyes.

It has all the Liege proofhouse marks. On this pistol they are located on the cylinder, while the Brazilian military stamped their proofs on the outside on the frame.

Now that makes a lot of sense. Liege is where the proofhouse was, as well as the Nagant factory.

[CSACANNONEER]

I've been PMing Emdawg about the possibility of a Nagant (not Mosin-Nagant) shoot sometime in the future. It would be awesome to see some of the rarer 1895s like target models and single action models as well as non 1895 Nagants.