.30 Luger Ammo

unspellable · 09-27-2002, 08:21 AM

I have recently bought Winchester 30 Luger brass on eBay at a very reasonable price. There seemed to be quite a few listings for it. I bought 2600 pieces.

I have been picking up Winchester, Fiocchi, Remington, and Peters ammo at various gunshows in the area for various prices. Sometimes as low as $10. Mostly I use this ammo for testing in the course of my 30 Luger ammo project.

For loading, first slug the barrel and find out what you have. Nominal barrel size is 0.311 inch. You will want bullets sized to match the barrel.

Second, check your recoil spring. I have been opening up Lugers and finding everything from A to Z in them for recoil springs. Thor reports the same. You must have the recoil spring matched to the load.

If you have a factory spec recoil spring you will probably find the Fiocchi ammo too wimpy to reliably cycle the action. Winchester is a bit better. (Still not up to par though.) I haven't run any Remington/Peters over the chronograph yet but I suspect it is closest to the proper load. Too bad Remington stopped making the stuff.

There are a lot of non-standard recoil springs in circulation. Most of them cut down or otherwise below par. These will require reduced loads like the Fiocchi.

Bottom line: If you really want proper ammo you'll have to roll your own, the factory stuff is crap. Under sized bullets, below par ballistics, often not hot enough to properly cycle the action.

I will have a good deal more to say about the proper diet for the 30 Luger in the future. I have an ongoing research project on this. So far it has been a real eye opener.

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09-27-2002, 08:21 AM	#5
unspellable User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 769 Thanks: 0 Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts	I have recently bought Winchester 30 Luger brass on eBay at a very reasonable price. There seemed to be quite a few listings for it. I bought 2600 pieces. I have been picking up Winchester, Fiocchi, Remington, and Peters ammo at various gunshows in the area for various prices. Sometimes as low as $10. Mostly I use this ammo for testing in the course of my 30 Luger ammo project. For loading, first slug the barrel and find out what you have. Nominal barrel size is 0.311 inch. You will want bullets sized to match the barrel. Second, check your recoil spring. I have been opening up Lugers and finding everything from A to Z in them for recoil springs. Thor reports the same. You must have the recoil spring matched to the load. If you have a factory spec recoil spring you will probably find the Fiocchi ammo too wimpy to reliably cycle the action. Winchester is a bit better. (Still not up to par though.) I haven't run any Remington/Peters over the chronograph yet but I suspect it is closest to the proper load. Too bad Remington stopped making the stuff. There are a lot of non-standard recoil springs in circulation. Most of them cut down or otherwise below par. These will require reduced loads like the Fiocchi. Bottom line: If you really want proper ammo you'll have to roll your own, the factory stuff is crap. Under sized bullets, below par ballistics, often not hot enough to properly cycle the action. I will have a good deal more to say about the proper diet for the 30 Luger in the future. I have an ongoing research project on this. So far it has been a real eye opener.