Reloading: M1895 Nagant (part 3/3)

WARNING

MY LOAD DATA - MY GUN - MY WORKING UP - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

Sooooo here we have it…


cartridges of the world, 16ed

Own research seems to confirm:
Milsurps ammo through a chrono, 100’ish gr milsurp round should be travelling at around 1000fps +/-50fps.

Using powder coated bullet, cast with: Lee 311-100-2R, that sat at around 102gr.
Powder: ADI AP70N

Charge (gr):

4.3 4.5
1055 avg 1111.857143 1153 avg 1146.133333
1105 median 1116.5 1159 median 1153
1124 max 1138 1180 max 1180
1131 min 1060 1177 min 1101
1087 ext. spread 78 1171 ext. spread 79
1060 1101
1117 1124
1116 1130
1108 1135
1098 1155
1138 1155
1129 1155
1127 1113
1135 1148
1091 1136

Both 4.3 and 4.5 grain charges have some authority to it. It went from 22-esque pissy little party popper to something fun. Felt recoil - yes! Both 4.3 and 4.5 grain charges feel similar. Controllable, but digs into hand quite a bit, tiny checkering on a tiny grip doesn’t help. 4.3 is mildly less snappy. I am not sure ‘snappy’ is the right word though, the gun is actually very well balanced and doesn’t jump… Rather rides back into my hand. I suppose this ideal ergonomics for shooting, just not for my skin lol

4.5 grain charge - no signs of pressure on the primer. Cases came out of the cylinders with minimal resistance, but did feel sticky so to speak. I used my hands, push from opposite side of the cylinder and then just pull the case out with my fingers, so not very sticky at all, but needed assistance. Anything over and this is where I think it would start getting messy. This is well over spec, so I guess it’s good to know, but won’t be doing this again. Just didn’t feel right in general.

4.3 grain charge - no signs of pressure on the primer and all but two case freely fell out of the cylinder chambers, either on their own or pushed (again, fingers) from the rear of the cylinder. The other 2 just needed an additional tap (still using fingers, not extraction rod)… No extraction rod or force used what so ever.

Was shooting through the chronograph at ‘A’ area on IPSC target, so not as tight as it could be, but held a respectable group for what it is.

Overshot it just a tad, so I think within bottom range of 4.2 grains is where it’s at :slight_smile: W00t! Time to bulk load and adjust sights.

Very happy.

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