A 7.62-mm 1895 Nagant revolver, USSR.

A 7.62-mm 1895 Nagant revolver, USSR.

The 7.62-mm 1895 Nagant revolver was one of the most widespread hand arms in the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War — that weapon proved itself during decades of reliable service. Created by the Belgian weapon designer Léon Nagant back in the late 1880s, it had excellent combat and operational characteristics, as well as high reliability. Up until 1917, Tula Arms Plant had produced the Nagant revolver in both single-action and double-action models, for soldiers and officers, respectively. Only the double-action version was adopted for service in the Red Army. The revolver was modernized in 1930, and its sighting system was modified, while the manufacturing method was simplified.

During the Great Patriotic War, Nagant revolvers were mostly used by officers and non-commissioned officers, mainly in infantry and artillery.

In 1932–1945, the Red Army received over 1.07 million 1895 Nagant revolvers from Soviet manufacturing enterprises.

Characteristics:
Caliber, mm — 7.62
Weight, unloaded, kg — 0.795
Weight, loaded, kg — 0.834
Total length, mm — 230
Barrel length, mm — 11
Muzzle velocity, m/s — 272
Effective firing range, m — 50