Hot-Rodding 7.65 Para

[nukem556]

Sieg...I've reading your posts since I joined this great site a little while back, and I've found them cogent and informative. I too, have been loading and shooting lo these 3 decades or so. You are correct, there will usually be a sweet spot for bullet weight/velocity/ sectional density when loading for extreme accuracy in rifles. I've just begun my tinkering with .30 Luger (last project was .25-20 Win out of a Contender, to show you how weird I am!). However, the extremes of ballistic performance from a rifle don't neccesarliy correlate to pistol catridge performance. I've just finishing refurbishing my 1900 Parabellum and have fired some Win and Fiocchi ammo that's chronoing about 1180 fps....its grouping superbly. I'm given to understand DWM specs were around 1250 from the 4 3/4 bbl. I'm going to put together a 6in .30 on another Luger and I'm gonna strive for around 1400-1450 with it...I'll let ya know if it stays on paper

[G.T.]

OK guys.. I really find this thread interesting... But both of you are waaaayyyy beyound me.. I'm still trying to figure out how African swallows got coconuts from Africa to Britain... ... so for the both of you, If you were going to build the ultimate .30 / 7.65 Luger shooter... what twist and bore dia.... .308 or .311 ??? and what barrel length??...... best to all, til...lat'r...GT

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by nukem556

I've just finishing refurbishing my 1900 Parabellum and have fired some Win and Fiocchi ammo that's chronoing about 1180 fps....its grouping superbly. I'm given to understand DWM specs were around 1250 from the 4 3/4 bbl. I'm going to put together a 6in .30 on another Luger and I'm gonna strive for around 1400-1450 with it...I'll let ya know if it stays on paper

Hi:

I learned a long time ago not to argue with success, so feel free to try your hotter loads and see if you can get both accurate groups and good function from your pistol.

If it were me, I'd stick with medium slow powders like Power Pistol, HS-6, AA#5 and SR 4756. You may want to try the slower powders like AA#7 and Blue Dot as well, as there should be enough room in the case for these too.

The original DWM specs. for the 7.65 Parabellum were as follows:

Bullet: 92.6 grs. at a measured (by me) .307 diameter

Cartridge O.A.L. 1.173 inches (round nose bullet)

Powder Charge: Unknown DWM Powder at 5.4 grs.

Velocity from a 4.73 Inch Barrel: 1,150 fps. (350 meters per second)

With a Luger, the impluse created by the cartridge is more critical than, lets say, in a Browning design pistol, to make the pistol function properly. Too light of a load, no function. Too hot of a load, no function. Truly, the cartridge's performance is an integral and critical part of the proper function of this pistol design.

Sieger