Need help with .30 bullet selection

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by CptCurl

Back to my loading, there's one point that was on my mind and I should mention. Obviously I changed not just one, but two variables. I brought the OAL to 29mm, thus changing the load, but I also substituted two magazines for the one I used before.

I cannot say whether the several malfunctions I experienced before would be attributable to the magazine or to the load.

The one thing I can say is this load with OAL of 29mm performed flawlessly in my DWM 1923 (or 1920) Commercial when using an original DWM Commercial magazine and also when using a WW2 magazine.

I'll report more as developments occur.

Curl

P.S. That reminds me I promised to post photos of my nice DWM Commercial with two original magazines and "half a box". I haven't forgotten. I'll do so as time permits the photography. I'll also post photos of my DWM Commercial "shooter" which is a really nice example too (save for one issue to be revealed).

Curl,

Hope all is well there in Virginia. Lousia County Va. was the center of it all, as it was reported up here in NYC. Strangely, I spent quite a few Summer weekends in Louisa in the early to mid 1970s, as a friend's family owned a large farm there.

Well, back to the Luger shooting adventure.

Your earlier malfunctions were caused by improper cartridge O.A.L. for the magazine you were shooting. With original, in spec. magazines, you now have the proper cartridge O.A.L. to function your pistol flawlessly.

If you want an in spec., good quality, trustworthy, aftermarket magazine, buy yourself a few Mec-Gar magazines. These are made in Italy, and are the best quality commercially available at this time. For a really great magazine, have our own G.T. tune a Mec-Gar up for you with one of his in spec. magazine springs. You won't be sorry you spent the money!!

Here is how to find your accuracy load for your 7.65mm. Start very low. Load up one cartridge, each, for these low loads until your load just activates the hold open device. This is the bottom end of the "relative range". It's important to know your bottom end charge; the one that will just activate the hold open. Contrary to popular belief, Lugers, generally, do not shoot best with "hot" charges. If you keep increasing your charge, you will come to a point where your charge "out runs" your springs and you will again experience the exact same "Luger Jam".

With that established, now start advancing your charges 1/10th of a grain, but you must load a full magazine with the same charge. Fire all eight, note your function and accuracy, move up 1/10th and load another eight, fire all eight again and note your function and accuracy. Repeat this procedure until your groups start to tighten up. You will know when to stop, as your groups will start to widen again.

For accuracy, shoot from over a sandbag rest. This will give you a good, solid platform for repeatability.

I'd start at about 4.8 grs of SR 4756 and move up to the mid to high 5's.

Hope this helps!!

Sieger