Reliable 9mm Load for the Luger
 

I've been using the following load in my Lugers for quite awhile now. It has proven to be reliable and accurate.

Berry's 115 grain plated .356" flat nose, flat base bullet. This bullet is very close to the original German truncated cone bullet used in the Luger until 1916 when the Allies claimed that the design was "inhumane".

5.6 grains of Hodgdon CFE Pistol powder. Normal primer.

Bullet seated for an OAL of 1.100 inches.

Bullet and loaded cartridge are on the far right in the picture.

https://i.imgur.com/5B4BVqf.jpg

I have had good luck in my Lugers with:

Remington 115gr FMJ

Unique 5.5gr

OAL of 1.161- 1.164

.356 124gr Los LRN-Copper-Plated
4,5gr. VV N340
OAL. 28,5mm

for over 50 years i have been using 4.5 grs. red dot powder and hard cast lead 125 gr. RN lee bullets lubed with lee alox - never a problem + no leading -

"5.6 grains of Hodgdon CFE Pistol powder."

CFE-P is a nice hot powder for full-power reloads. It's my favorite for many calibers. It meters great in small amounts.

Hi,

What fps reading do you get with this load please?

Sieger

While I haven't put my load over a chronograph, the load data provided by Hodgdon for the 115 grain Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point bullet shows 1059 fps using 5.3 grains of CFE Pistol powder. From that, I estimate + or - 1100 fps for my load.

It's a very pleasant load to shoot and brass isn't thrown very far. Primers are still well rounded and I see no signs of pressure.

Even on my shooters I just want a mild load that cycles. I am not that concerned about velocity. I don't have my files handy, but I am pretty sure when I use CFE P I use 115RN, 5.0 grn at 1.150.

I have had good luck with:

Rem. 115 gr. FMJ
Fed. case, Win SP primer
8.5 grn. AA#7
COL: 1.155"
Perfect functioning in my 4 PO8s when using good magazines. This load considered middle of the road in Speer manual #15. AA#7 is an Israeli powder specifically formulated for 9mm Luger. I have founfd it meters well and is VERY clean burning.

Hi,

Please see Handloader #326, June 2020, page 20, for a fascinating article on this powder now being marketed by Shooters World Powders as its "Major Pistol" powder. Formerly it was called "Accurate No. 7" (as imported through approximately 2008). Currently it is manufactured by the CZ firm Explosia and is distributed in Europe under the Lovex brand as "D037.1".

This powder is a very fine 9mm Carbine powder quite similar to Vihtavuori 3N37.

Per load data given in the article, for a 4.5 inch pistol barrel, 7 grains yeilds a velocity of 1,029 fps. with a 124 grain bullet.

Please note that this 9mm carbine powder would probably be an excellent powder for the LP-08, as is 3N37

How do you define "middle of the road" please (at what feet per second)? Please remember that the original DWM and German Army load was 123 grain bullet at 1,076 fps from a 100 mm (4 inch) barrel.

Respectfully,

Sieger

In past years I used AA #7 extensively in 9mm and .30 Luger as well as .30 Mauser. I found it to be very good and meter through a measure with great consistency. While I currently use Hodgdon CFE Pistol powder, I'll put Shooter's World "Major Pistol" on my list when I place my next order. I've used various SW powders in rifles and it has all worked quire well.

I apologize for missing your post but I don't shoot 5.6 gr. of CFE-P in my Lugers.

My most accurate loads for 9x19 are:
115 PRIVI HP with 5.3 gr. of CFE-P
124 Berry's Plated HP with 5.0 of Unique

I shoot mainly for accuracy so don't usually chronograph my loads.

Hi,

I shoot .30 Mauser and 7.62TT frequently, and would appreciate hearing your pet load, with this powder, for them.

Many thanks!


Sieger

It's been a very long time since I've used AA #7 in my Mauser and Tokarev.... or anything else for that matter. I've looked but can't find my data. Sorry.

However, I did check the newest edition of the Sierra loading manual and they list the 85 grain bullet with a starting load of 8.5 grains of AA #7 for 1250 fps from a Vz-52 Czech pistol. The max load was 10.0 grains for 1500 fps.

I personally would NOT start with 8.5 grains for a Broomhandle. I'd try 7.0 grains first and work up if need be. The Vz-52 is a stronger action as I'm sure you know.

FWIW, I use Unique a lot. It doesn't meter very well and is dirty but gives good groups.

.30 Luger load = 85 PPU / 5.2 grains Unique

.30 Mauser loads for my Broomhandle = 85/86 R.N. / 4.7 grains of Bullseye
90 Hornady XTP / 6.6 grains Unique

I don't shoot a Tokarov so the .30 Mauser loads are light for it.

Hi Sieger: the Speer manual #15 lists, for AA#7 with a 115 gr. bullet a load range of 8.6 gr to 9.6 gr. (compressed load). Loads are test fired from a S&W 5906 pistol (about a 3.4" bbl, as I recall) The 8.6 grain load offered 1158 fps and the 9.6 grain load offered 1220 fps. I load 8.5 gr and 9.0 gr loads. With COLs of between 1.155 and 1.160, function is perfect. I prefer the 8.5s, as they are gentle on my PO8s. I use the 9.0s in my Star BM and Browning HP.

Hi,

At that OAL, do you shoot full 8 round magazines with no jamming?

Both your OALs and powder charges seem well of to me.


Respectfully,


Sieger

Note that my OAL for the flat nose bullet is 1.100" and also note how far out the ogive is. It works well at that OAL in my Lugers and a couple of other 9mm pistols that I have.

However, that load will jam in other, newer 9mm pistols - my Sig P6, for example - that have different chambers so I have to seat the bullet deeper for them to chamber properly. In effect, each gun is different.

I think Grantman is using round nose bullets which can be seated out farther because the ogive is farther back. The OAL limit will be set by what will feed through the magazine or chamber in the gun and still function properly.

Doubs,

Thank you for your post.

I was discussing Lugers here, not pistols of other, newer designs.

My CZ75 and my Browning High Power are not inhibited in function by their OALs; nor, to a much greater extent than the Luger, are they limited in proper function by their powder charges.


Respectfully,


Sieger

Hi Sieger:

These work well with good (Mec-gar) mags. No jamming. This is especially true with the 9.0gr. loads. Snappy function, primers slightly less round after firing, compared to the 8.5 grainers. I have found in my PO8s that they are more sensitive to COL variations and magazine quality than to how hot the load is. I start to get more feed jams when the COL hits the 1.165" range, which is close to spec for WW whitebox. Feeding was much better with Magtech ammo which is nominally 1.155" in their 115 FMJ offering. So I started loading to 1.155" I like the AA#7 because a double charge would overflow the case, thus being easier to detect in a progressive loader.