Haenel-made German Police Revolver, single action Nagant pattern

[Story]

Pre-1898 Antique (1896 as near as I can place it) in some oddball 8mm Euro-rimmed caliber, but it appears to be rechambered in .32-20. 

$1,000 + USPS shipping.

.32-20 loading tool and reasonably fitting leather holster included.



I've had this for ten years and have only seen one or two others - note that Morphy's confirmed the antique status.

Fired .32-20 cases fit the chambers, but loaded do not.

8mm Lebel revolver muzzle test

[RoyceP]

Those revolvers are chambered for 7.62 Nagant ammo. It is close to 32 WCF but not quite the same. The Nagant bullets are specific to that revolver. Ammunition might be commercially available as it was a sort of popular round overseas.

Might be the stuff: https://www.sgammo.com/product/762x38r-ammo/50-round-box-762x38r-nagant-revolver-98-grain-fpj-prvi-partizan-ammo-ppr71-or-p

[Snake Oil]

Oh, I'm intrigued... looks similar to an swiss m1887 except for the lever on the left side... what are the markings?

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[Story]

Those revolvers are chambered for 7.62 Nagant ammo. It is close to 32 WCF but not quite the same. The Nagant bullets are specific to that revolver. Ammunition might be commercially available as it was a sort of popular round overseas.

Might be the stuff: https://www.sgammo.com/product/762x38r-ammo/50-round-box-762x38r-nagant-revolver-98-grain-fpj-prvi-partizan-ammo-ppr71-or-p

Would that you were correct, but I tried that and by the 8mm Lebel muzzle test the bore is clearly .32

[Story]

Oh, I'm intrigued... looks similar to an swiss m1887 except for the lever on the left side... what are the markings?

It is very similar, but is not chambered for 7.5mm Swiss Revolver (ask me how I know). 

Haenel production marking. Note that the cylinder is only 34mm long (meaning it's far too short for the 7.62x38R Nagant pistol round).


According to ze Gherman proof law of 1891, pistols and revolvers, respectively had to be marked with Crown/crown-over-U.

[RoyceP]

The Nagant design requires bullets that are seated inside the case. The cylinder moves forward a bit to make a perfect seal with the cartridge case against the barrel just prior to firing.

Could be your example is chambered for an oddball 8 MM Nagant cartridge. It's for sure not a 32 WCF.

[Story]

The Nagant design requires bullets that are seated inside the case. The cylinder moves forward a bit to make a perfect seal with the cartridge case against the barrel just prior to firing.

Could be your example is chambered for an oddball 8 MM Nagant cartridge. It's for sure not a 32 WCF.

The overall length of the 7.62 Nagant is 38mm and the bullet sits just below the end of the case.

A 38mm case is 4 mm too long for the cylinder.

And someone clearly ran a .32-20 reamer through the chambers, no matter what the original chambering was.... which was NOT a 7.62x38R Nagant.

[Story]

For those who asked

[RoyceP]

Looks to be a typical Swedish Nagant revolver chambered for 7.5MM ammo.

https://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/world-war-i-and-firearms-innovation/case-32-wwi-america-and-the-allies/swedish-nagant-revolver.aspx

[Professor Marvel]

Looks to be a typical Swedish Nagant revolver chambered for 7.5MM ammo.

https://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/world-war-i-and-firearms-innovation/case-32-wwi-america-and-the-allies/swedish-nagant-revolver.aspx

The Nagant Pattern revolver was copied by many differrent countries - sweden, germany, russia,

This one owned by Story is definetley German. Haenel is better known for making GEW88 rifles, and to a lesser
extent the Reichsrevolver . Somewhere along the line they too did a varied copy of the Nagant....

yhs
prof marbles

[Story]

Looks to be a typical Swedish Nagant revolver chambered for 7.5MM ammo.
 

Sorry but once again, not when it's clearly marked HAENEL (a German arms maker) and the bore is 8mm.

[Story]

The Nagant Pattern revolver was copied by many differrent countries - sweden, germany, russia,

This one owned by Story is definetley German. Haenel is better known for making GEW88 rifles, and to a lesser
extent the Reichsrevolver . Somewhere along the line they too did a varied copy of the Nagant....

yhs
prof marbles

Yup. Bottom line is that cartridges will have to be custom-made for this particular pistol (which is why I acquired the loading tool).

I was making 8mm Gasser revolver rounds from cut-and-filed .38 Special brass, FFFG and .36 Navy conicals when I was 17.

Boutique cartridges should NOT be a big deal for this crowd and I have a small quantity of .32-20 brass to sweeten the deal.