How to make the German Luger work with cast bullets

[bhp9]

One of the most finicky of all military pistols has to be the German Luger. Just getting it to work reliably with jacketed bullets is sometimes a challenge that drives a Saint to cuss a blue streak.

I tried many times to make my Luger work with cast bullets and tried all the standard tricks such as using the Lyman 402 conical 121 grain bullet and loading it to an OAL of 1.180 and using 4.5 grains of Unique powder. All of which worked with Jacketed bullets without jamming (for less than 50 rounds) but would not work at all with cast bullets as after about the 7th round fired the gun would start to jam up.

Eventually I traced the problem down to the 50/50 alox lube I was using as it was gumming up the very tightly fitted toggle action of the Luger. By using very hard Red Rooster rifle lube this solved the problem and the cast bullets were then as reliable as the jacketed loads were and I might add just as accurate.

[NuJudge]

I use 50/50 lube with a 147 grain Saeco bullet over Bullseye. Never a problem.

CDD

[bhp9]

quote:

I use 50/50 lube with a 147 grain Saeco bullet over Bullseye. Never a problem.


Reply:

The problem with Lugers is that many matching numbered guns were very tightly fitted. Some of the mismatched shooter grade guns had replacement parts that were not as tightly fitted and if they were properly fitted actually work more reliably that the collector grade matching numbered guns.

There were many makers of Lugers and some makers fitted there guns less tightly than others. I have seen many Erfurt guns with very loosely fitted parts even when they had matching numbers. On the other hand I have seen DWM guns and Mauser made guns that were so tight when new that you could barely cycle the toggle by hand.

[quasi]

say to the Luger, " You vill verk, and you vill like it"!

[leftiye]

Quasi, Ya gotta wave a hammer at the luger vile you say dat.

[TAWILDCATT]

american ammo is not made to german specs its much weaker.I loaded modern bond cast bullets in an artilery luger and worked fine.:-P

[armoredman]

I'd like to simply shoot a Luger! Wonderful pieces of history.

[jonk]

It is odd.... we tend to baby our old guns but here is one that should not be babied, but fed rather stiff charges- not HOT but not mild either- or it just won't work right.

Mine won't function with UMC ammo, actually does fine with Wolf... though ususally it gets handloads. Never had an issue with cast in it either with the Lee 125 gr mold or 105; I do want to try a 158 gr 38 sized down to 356 and with just enough powder to operate the toggle.

[cohutt]

zero 124g jhp loaded medium to warm work fine for me, as do lee 125tl round nose boollits, both loaded over 1.11.

matching number gun