In the present research, Mo-V2C nanocomposite was synthesized via an in-situ self-explosive mechanochemical route. The characteristics of the Mo-V2C were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that V2O5–MoO3–Mg–C mixture was reduced to Mo-V2C-MgO through a mechanically induced self-sustaining reaction after 12min milling without any further heat-treatment. Mo-V2C nanoparticles were obtained with leaching of the powders with hydrochloric acid at 70°C. TEM micrographs revealed that Mo-V2C nanoparticles had spherical morphology with a size of about 40nm. Reaction mechanisms of formation path in the V2O5–MoO3–Mg–C quaternary reactive system have been discussed to synthesize molybdenum–vanadium carbide nanocomposites.