When fired in the Nagant revolver, the crimp expands into the forcing cone, completing the gas seal and ostensibly increasing muzzle velocity by approximately 23 m/s (75 ft/s).

However, the original military ball cartridges fired bullets in the 6.5 g (100 grains) range at up to 330 m/s (1,100 ft/s), making them close to the .32-20 Winchester and .32 H&R Magnum in power.

One advantage of the round, if proper brass can be found, is that it leaves the chambers totally clean, and there is no need to scrape lead and powder residue out.

32-20 Winchester brass cases are inexpensive, readily available, and can be reformed and used safely in guns chambered for 7.62×38R, but the resulting cartridges are too short to achieve the gas seal.

[citation needed] Three other cartridges, the .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, and .32 H&R Magnum, will also generally chamber and fire in the revolver, but will not achieve the gas seal.