Reloading for original Luger

[.22-10-45]

I am thinking of reloading for original 9mm Luger pistol. Have read in past of better feeding/lower pressure loads if original mainspring is switched out with a Wolfe aftermarket mainspring kit. Has anyone had experience with this kit? Is it really necessary? I am mainly thinking about avoiding wear and tear on gun. How about reloading dies? Is one brand better suited for loading cast? Any and all comments welcome.

[Outpost75]

Standard RCBS carbide die set. H&G #7 123-grain truncated cone or RCBS clone, wheelweight alloy, sized .3575-.3580, 3.5 grains of Bullseye, OAL 1.10" min.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I am thinking of reloading for original 9mm Luger pistol. Have read in past of better feeding/lower pressure loads if original mainspring is switched out with a Wolfe aftermarket mainspring kit. Has anyone had experience with this kit? Is it really necessary? I am mainly thinking about avoiding wear and tear on gun. How about reloading dies? Is one brand better suited for loading cast? Any and all comments welcome.

That mainspring kit sounds a better way than shortening a standard mainspring, which is a more complex situation than it sounds. The shorter the spring, the more force it takes to deflect it a given amount. But shortening reduces the preload imposed by the space into which it fits when at rest. So it can give way with low tension at first, and then run into drastically escalating tension by the standards of reduced loads.

[Char-Gar]

I see no need to change out springs. My Luger functioned 100% with a 120 grain TC cast bullet going 1,100 fps.

[JWT]

I am in the middle of trying the same experiment. I have loaded up 10 rounds, 5 solid, 5 hollow point. I will be trying them out Thursday afternoon or Friday at OCSC.

After letting this Luger sit in the safe unused, I have decided to put it to use as a cast bullet shooter.

The Gun:
Manufactured by Mauser in 1941 for the German SS. All serial numbers match except for the toggle pin. Bore is about new.

I slugged the barrel. Six groove with bore=0.3484" and groove=0.3573".

The Bullet:
The mold is an MP 35-125 HP. The alloy is air cooled 2.22%Sn, 2.21%Sb, 0.18%As, and 95.38%Pb. The lube is Lyman Super Moly.

The flat point weighs in at 135.6gr lubed and the penta hollow point at 128.5gr lubed.

The bullets drop consistently at 0.3600". I built a dummy round to test feeding and chamber fit using an unsized boolit. An OAL of 1.108" seemed to work well even with a bullet diameter of 0.3600". I would like to size to 0.359" but I don't have a die in that size so I am using 0.358" instead.

Test:
I am using 4.3gr of Unique. That just about fills the case and should deliver about 1050fps. I know the Luger requires a fairly stiff load to cycle properly.

181916181917

[Harry O]

There was a guy back in the 1980's that had several magazine articles about his custom made Lugers. He made a few .45ACP Lugers, some .380ACP, all sized correctly. He also made a bunch of 9mm ones in several configurations. He was the Luger master. What the magazine testers always marveled about was that they were all so reliable.

What I remember reading from him is that Lugers did NOT work with reduced power springs. They needed stiff loads and full power springs to function correctly. He used Red Dot for powder (fast burning). Good luck with your experiments.

[Moleman-]

John Martz. I remember drooling over one of his luger presentation carbines back in the 80's.

[GONRA]

GONRAs experience is that one has to be careful to choose primers that won't puncture
with the small diameter strikers Lugers use. Check yer fired cases!

[Outpost75]

I always used Federal 200s when I had one.

[rintinglen]

I have used CCI primers in my 9mm Luger loads, I have used Bullseye, Unique and will be trying Power Pistol in the future.

[Merick]

124 gr truncated cone was the original ammo, and 115 winchester white box was generally considered luger ok on the luger forum.

One reloading tip was to put a thin strip of masking tape on the hump where the toggle hits under recoil, and then work up to a load that functions but does not cut the tape, as an indicator you are not pushing anything harder than necessary.

[375RUGER]

In my 1940'sumpin Luger I shoot 4.4g 700-X, 124g RN boolit, Rem 1 1/2 igniter, no problems.
Lee 358-125-RF is much more accurate, but it wouldn't feed. I wonder if I just need a new spring.

[375RUGER]

OH Yeah, the dies. I use RCBS, but if I'd known I would be loading 9mm again for myself I'd have bought the Dillon dies to go on my 550B.

[Reverend Al]

I've been shooting a WW I vintage DWM Luger for about 20 years now and it definitely doesn't like light loads ... it functions at it's best with very "brisk" ammo. When I could still find it and buy it as surplus ammo WW II Canadian issue 9mm Sten gun loads worked perfectly in the Luger. They were pretty hot stuff designed to reliably function the open bolt action of a Sten gun with a 1 1/3 pound bolt!

[RG1911]

What others have said about leaving the spring alone and shooting stiff loads. To get my 1923 Luger (.30 Luger) to finally function, not only did I have to exceed the listed top load, but I then had to use a magnum primer. And, no, there are no pressure signs.

No problems with my newer 9mm Luger. I think the 121-gr truncated cone cast bullet is about the best you can put through a Luger. My previous preferred powder was Alcan-7 which, naturally, is no longer made. Red Dot is my current choice, although I'm looking at alternatives.

Cheers,
Richard

[Dutchman]

I've been shooting a WW I vintage DWM Luger for about 20 years now and it definitely doesn't like light loads ... it functions at it's best with very "brisk" ammo. When I could still find it and buy it as surplus ammo WW II Canadian issue 9mm Sten gun loads worked perfectly in the Luger. They were pretty hot stuff designed to reliably function the open bolt action of a Sten gun with a 1 1/3 pound bolt!

I bought some Finland submachinegun ammo and put it through my 1936 Mauser Luger. Ate them like it was candy. The Luger mechanism is a wondrous thing. Only problem is magazine capacity is too small.

Dutch

[dubber123]

I bought some Finland submachinegun ammo and put it through my 1936 Mauser Luger. Ate them like it was candy. The Luger mechanism is a wondrous thing. Only problem is magazine capacity is too small.

Dutch

"Snail drum" :)