I don't want to spend alot of money on dies for my Nagant pistol, but I hear Lee dies are hard to work with and RCBS are the best, but cost $$$$$.
Also the brass can be made from 32-20 or .30 carbine brass. Any info on this?
Then we get down to the bullet. What to go with, .308 or .32?
Any information will be very helpful.

Mauser k98

quote:

but I hear Lee dies are hard to work with and RCBS are the best, but cost $$$$$.

I don't know where you got your information! I have several sets of Lee dies. They are serviceable, they work, and they are no more difficult to use than any other make. Nor are RCBS dies the best, nor the most expensive, either. There are several brands that may even shade the RCBS dies as far as quality goes, for example, Redding and Forster both.

However, dies for the 7.62mm Nagant revolver cartridge may be expensive, since they are not in huge demand. Bullet diameter is .295", rather than the .308"-.311" usually expected in "7.62mm" cartridges. According to COTW, cases CAN be made from .32/20 WIN. brass.

The M1895 Nagant revolver is no more difficult to load than any other, I load for it on a progressive with a set of Lee dies. Contrary to what you've read or heard groove dia.s run .310 to .313", slug your barrel. I load Starline brass with correct head stamp(52.00/250) and R-P 32-20 brass-14.00/100, cast bullets both from lee molds, .311/100/2R which falls from the mold at .312 ran thru a .313 sizer die to lube and TL/314-85-WC tumble lubed with LLA. With the Starline brass bullets are seated flush with the case mouth and the 32-20 brass is loaded to an overall length of 1.505", one lot of 32-20 brass I bought had rims that were a little too thick and caused the cylinder to drag, another lot was fine. I've used W231,AA#2,Unique,SR4756,SR7625,Herco and WSF, I like AA#2 and W231 best. Accuracy seems best at 7-800 fps with both bullets. If you want a starting load for one of these powders and bullets send me a pm. If you have shot this revolver I'm sure you know the trigger pull is terrible, but in single action it can be shot accurately enough for fun plinking, DA is pretty much out of the question.

Thanks El Deguello and SWHEELER.
El Deguello, didn't mean to put down Lee dies. Half my dies are Lee and the other half are RCBS. On the Nagant dies Lee dies are around $27.00 and RCBS are close to $100.00. I'm going with Lee.
Mauser k98

Normal .30 and .32 bullets work fine. My two 1895s slug .310" groove diameter. I shoot Lee C309-113-F "Soup Can" bullets, just because I already have a custom 6-cavity mould for that handy. I size to .311". I don't use gas checks. I use .32-20 revolver or Cowboy Action load data. I have the Lee die set and use Starline .32-20 brass. Lube them well and size them in two steps initially, stopping when the press handle meets moderate resistance and relubing. (Don't want cases stuck in the sizing die.) Seat the bullets to 1.5" OAL, same as the proper cartridges. Won't seal the cylinder gap, and there is a lot of leakage. For that reason, the faster burning powders work best.