Another 30 Luger

[StarMetal]

Well I now have five pistols that shoot the 30 Luger. My recent addition is a Tokarev. I spent the past couple days making a barrel for it. Was just out test shooting it and it shot very well.

Back when I made a barrel for my 1911, which I used a Rem Model 700 30-06 barrel for a donor, I made two liners. The liner I just used to convert a Tokarev had been setting for a while and I decided to us it. The 30 Luger ran a 9.5 twist and the 30-06 barrel is a 10 which in my book is close enough. The shooting in both the 1911 and Tokarev proved this out. The 30 Luger also fits the Tokarev magazine good and feeding was flawless.

[9.3X62AL]

It would appear that I have created a monster. :)

The 30 Luger is a FUN caliber. For the benefit of the newer members here, Joe and I have discussed this caliber and the 30 Mauser/7.62 x 25 Tokarev at some length in the past. My own 30 Luger is a Ruger P-89X, a 9mm pistol that included a 30 Luger barrel and recoil spring assembly as part of the package in the mid-1990s.

I have been somewhat intrepid with the 30 Luger in this platform, since it includes a substantially stronger recoil spring for use with the 9mm barrel and cartridge. Being a Ruger (built like a tank) doesn't hurt, either. 85 and 90 grain J-words run to 1500 FPS in the smaller-bored barrel, and ejection stays within reasonable driving distance of the firing point with the 9mm recoil spring installed. Brass life is good, too--even after 5-7 firings, primer pockets remain quite snug and case stretch isn't excessive--about .002" per firing, not unlike that produced by factory-level loadings. AA-7 powder is your friend in 30 Luger and 30 MausTok.

FWIW, Winchester down-loads the 30 Luger just as it has the 9mm Luger, about 20% under European ballistics. Of course, no one that works for a living likely BUYS 30 Luger factory ammo any more, not unless you're watering your houseplants with Dom Perignon.

But I digress. The 30 Luger does fine work on varmints, and has the ranging ability to make hits on jackrabbits to 100 yards and leave a permanent impression at that distance. DRT. Every bit as effective as the 32 Magnum, and almost as accurate in the Ruger. LOTTA FUN.

[Piedmont]

The .30 Luger has long appealed to me, ever since I found a very few cases at a range. My gunsmith was questioned and told me the way to do it was a relining just like Starmetal did. I would do it on Hi Power, but the temptation hasn't gotten to the point where I instigated the project. Now if Barsto would make the barrel....(and I wrote them 2-3 years back--they weren't interested).

It seems to me that maybe a 1-10" twist might be too fast, just like it is with 9mm (though that stops few from using it). What think you guys?

[Thin Man]

Several years ago I was out shopping for whatever was new on the dealers shelves. One dealer stated she had just bought out the inventory of a small shop that had closed and I was welcome to prowl through them in their back room. She also mentioned that there was a Takarev that was "locked up". Hmmmmmmmm...... I found the Takerev and found the slide wouldn't move, so I stripped it off the frame. From under that slide I could see a glint of "yellow" at the rear of the barrel. Ever so gently and cautiously I moved the barrel forward and out popped a live 9mm round, from a 7.62 caliber barrel! Apparently some local genius could not read the caliber roll-marks on the firearm, if they even tried. I was grinning when I delivered that round and the story to the shop owner. She was so grateful she gave me a big kiss on the cheek. One potential disaster averted in her shop, one friendship secured.

[StarMetal]

Al is right, he created a monster. Thanks Al. That 30 Luger sure is addicting.

Piedmont,
Browning made 30 Lugers. If you look around and are patience you may find a barrel. That is what I did and lucked out as the barrel was brand new. Some will tell you that their are many differences between the 30 Luger and the 9mm on the Browning Hi Power. There are two. One of course the barrel. The other is the barrel bushing has a smaller hole for the 30 Luger. So what I did was made a sleeve to put over my 30 Luger barrel to fit the 9mm larger bushing in my slide. Other then that the rest was the same. Same magazine, same slide and recoil spring.

Al mentioned case life is good. Boy you're right about that Al. Al you remember how long ago it was you created FrankenMetal on the 30 Luger, well still using the same brass. I'm finding the primer pockets are wearing out before the rest of the case gives up the ghost.

Gee, if I could only find a 30 Luger barrel for my P 38 Walther, and they existed too.

[doubs43]

Piedmont, Browning made 30 Lugers. Some will tell you that their are many differences between the 30 Luger and the 9mm on the Browning Hi Power. There are two. One of course the barrel. The other is the barrel bushing has a smaller hole for the 30 Luger. So what I did was made a sleeve to put over my 30 Luger barrel to fit the 9mm larger bushing in my slide. Other then that the rest was the same. Same magazine, same slide and recoil spring.

Gee, if I could only find a 30 Luger barrel for my P 38 Walther, and they existed too.

The FN Browning Hi-Powers made in 30 Luger ARE different than the 9mm versions. The 30 Luger slides are scaled down in size. I can check next week but I don't think the slides will interchange, even if the bushing size weren't an issue. It's been years since I tried so I could be wrong about that. From your description it seems like you mated a 30 Luger barrel to a 9mm frame and slide by increasing the barrel diameter to work with the 9mm bushing. I take it you don't actually have a factory Browning Hi-Power in 30 Luger. I have one of the 500 imported by Ron Shirk in the mid-1980's.... still like new in the box with all papers. The two magazines are marked "7.65 Para.".

I also have a Walther P-38 in 30 Luger.... LN in the box with papers. I've owned 30 Lugers continuously since 1967 without a break. In addition to the Browning and Walther, I also have half a dozen others in 30 Luger. I even have a .30 Luger barrel for my 1927 Argentine .45. I had a Series 80 Colt slide in 9mm Luger fit to the frame of the Argentine which had the ejector replaced by one for 9mm size rims.

It's long been one of my favorite pistol cartridges and I've loaded for it using 100 grain Speer "Plinker" bullets, 93 grain Norma FMJ bullets, 85 & 90 grain HP bullets that I size down from .312" to .310" and a few cast bullets too. The first cases I reloaded were made from .223 brass and they worked fine but later I found factory cases.

While AA-7 meters well, the best powder I've ever used was Winchester 630 which is no longer available. Unique is an excellent powder too.

With the right bullet, the 30 Luger is devastating on small game and varmints. My brother once shot a groundhog using a cartridge I loaded with an 85 grain HP and it nearly torn it in half. The cartridge can also be extremely accurate and I've yet to shoot a pistol in 30 Luger that wasn't accurate.

Yep.... they can be addictive! :)

[9.3X62AL]

The aftermarket barrelmakers all act too busy to mess with 9mm-to-30 Luger drop-in barrels. I think if the option was offerred, it would sell pretty well. It is a very different market segment than the 454 Casull/475 Linebaugh/500 Magnum, and even the 327 Federal is having trouble getting accepted. And the 357 SIG--with its 40 S&W swap ability--hasn't set the world on fire, either. So what do I know?

I know I like the 30 Luger as a field caliber for small game and varmints. The End.

[Rodfac]

Here's mine...a 1920 commercial Luger, DWM. With good loads it'll do an inch and a half at 25 yds, in spite of the abominable trigger and sights. The best loads for this particular gun run just over 1100 fps. I found that .32 JHP's worked the best, tho slightly over size for the bore. But as a field caliber, it leaves a lot to be desired, unless you enjoy chasing your spent brass all over h-ll's half acre,,,,and that brass my friend is getting da--ned hard to find. Regards, Rodfac

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii64/Rodfac/Handguns/30LugerJPG.jpg