30 Cal Luger DWM / First Time Range Report
 

I went to the range today for the first time with my DWM 1925 30 Cal Luger. She worked like a champ!. No failures in 30 rds. 10rds of different reloads to try and a new Mec Gar Mag. She locked back on the last load and shot great! My first load was 4.8 gr of Unique, the second was 5.2 of SR4756 and the third was 5.4 of SR4756 with all a 90 gr. LRN bullet. The last load I believe shot the best and I was getting used to the pistol. It's been a couple years since I've been out! It was nice to shoot the browning 9mm, Les Bear 45 and the Luger was a Kick in the Ass!!!!! All the old shooters loved the pistol. My OAL was 1.173 per the forum member.....worked perfect!!!! The 5.4 of SR4756 felt good also on the shooting and working of the action. Once I get back to shooting almost everyweek like I use too this pistol will be a very accurate shooter. It's in very fine condition but I am going to shoot it anyways. If anyone knows where to find brass or bullets preferably LRN please let me know. I picked up a hundred of WW Brass and found the last 1000 bullets of .309+ LRN. I believe on the 4.8 of Unique I had two tumblers. I would love to find some .3105 or .311 LRN Bullets!!!!!! Thanks to all for the great info that got me started on this forum!!!!!!:jumper:

Hi Patrick,

Excellent... Glad you had a good time. The Luger is a particularly fine pistol to fire.

On 9mm LRN that I cast I also had a couple of tumblers. I was using pure tire weight lead, and think it was a bit hard for a pistol, so am going to blend in some pure lead next time. I was using 4.0gn of Titegroup behind a 130gn LRN. Perhaps adding a bit more - 4.2 - will make it more accurate.

What were you using for bullets? The .30 Carbine LRN?

Marc
The mid 1920s DWM commercial Lugers

Midway (www.midwayusa.com) has Winchester .30 Luger brass (currently in stock, product #1390108721) at $31.99 per 100.
Gardner's (http://www.gardnerscache.com/cast_pistol_bullets.html) lists the 84 grn cast LRN bullet sized to .311 at $35 per 500.

Gerhard

Hi:

The original DWM Factory Specs for the 7.65 groove was 7.9mm or .311.

I shoot .312s in my 1920 with no leading of any kind.

The site you gave above has a 100 gr. SWC .32 I'd sure like to try out.

Sieger

Hi:

Your 5.4 gr. load of SR4756 sounds fine to me. This load has been quoted as an accuracy load by one of our members.

After you get a bit more aquainted with shooting your Luger, I'd try 5.2 through 5.6 or so and check for best accuracy, as when handloaded properly, the Luger is extremely accurate.

Also, lead bullets of up to .312 shoot just fine in my Luger, as the original DWM spec. for the barrel groove was 7.9mm or .311. Bullets up to 100 grains should also be just fine.

Sieger

90 gr LRN from a top of the line bullet maker. .309+ Bullet is made for the luger or any 30 Cal pistol.

Web site says .309.....where do you see the .311??????? I found it the Mauser .311. So that bullet will work fine in the luger??? I thought the Mauser was a little different but must shoot the same bullet. Also may try the 32 100gr myself!!!! Thanks to all for all the input!!!!

My barrel slugged at .3095 so I think up to .312 would work good. I will definetly want to get some of those .311's. The .309 + does good but I like at least .001 over in lead cast up to .002.

I've been toying with a fisherman's net (minnow net?) for catching ejecting brass. I had a modified Xmas tree stand for the base, set it on the bench next to me (I tend to shoot alone), and try to set myself so the brass lands in the net. Doesn't work too bad for side ejectors, but Mauser & Luger brass tend to hit me in the forehead...haven't figured that one out yet... :D

ptrickamp222:

Both the "Luger" and "Mauser" 84 grain bullets on the www.gardnerscache.com site come from the same Lyman mold # 31324. The slight difference in diameter is solely from the sizing. Since you are looking for a .311 bullet, you would need to order the "Mauser" version.

Gerhard

Postino,

LOL, my brass always ends up on top of the ceiling board of the shooting point (indoor range). Other remarkable collecting areas were the light fixture, behind my glasses while wearing them and in the neck of my shirt.

I wonder if a basket mounted on top of a hat would make a good brass collector :)

You can tweak the travelling distance by playing with the strength of the extractor spring. I had a VoPo that would spit the brass in my face, usually right in the middle of the forehead. After I replaced the spring, the brass would end up at the regular place, on top of the ceiling.

Marc:

Actually, hard bullets are usually better shooters in a Luger.

Here, it looks like your charge is a bit too high, as Lyman's latest Cast Bullet Handbook gives a maximum charge of 3.8 grs. of Tight Group with a 124 gr. bullet and that at 1,103 fps.

You might try backing down to 3.4 grs. or so, and working up, or better yet, changing your powder to a medium buring one like Alliant's Power Pistol or IMR's SR 4756.

Sieger

Vlim:

I have no such problem while shooting my Parabellums but do have the same problem you describe when shooting my T-14 Nambus!!

Yes, I think a hat with a basket mounted on top would be a great idea. Just think of all of the comments one would get while walking down the street! Ha!!

Sieger

30 Cal Luger Bullets
 

Found a site that sells .311 / 84gr. LRN bullets. They will be taking orders in a week! Can't wait. I've been shooting 5.5 gr of SR4756 with the 90gr. LRN at .3095 and that is what the barrel slugged at. Still hits with great accuaracy, can't wait to see how she shoots with the .311's should be a tack driver like my 45's. Except the luger has the smallest sites ever made. Then again it was not designed to take your time and aim and shoot I believe. More like point and pull the trigger till your subject hit the ground. Thanks to all for the great info on my luger from this site. Got alot of great info that saved me alot of time!!!:thumbup:

Sieger,

Thanks for the thoughts on powder charge. I'll try lightening things more.

I'm using 124gn Lee molds, and the lead is coming out weighing 130gn after resizing.

I'll try lightening things up. The 4.2gn number I had was documentation for JRN bullets in a couple of the reloading books.

I finally got a chronograph and was measuring these loads and the 4.0gn JRN loads. There was a considerable variance in my loads (25fps std deviation) and they averaged 1165fps so these are definitely hot.

Off to the casting furnace for more.

Hi:

A nice one holer load for me is:

WW Brass, Rem 1 1/2 Primers, 124 or 125 gr. lead round nose at an OAL of 1.173 (or 29.8mm), Bullseye powder at 3.7 grs.

This is not a hot rod load, if anthing, just he opposite, but it is a very accurate load.

Load down until the action will just function with hold open. This is where I've always found my most accurate loads with fast powders.

Let me know how you are doing!


Sieger

Are you still looking for .30 Luger brass?I have some Fiocchi once fired brass at $25 per 100 plus
shipping.
Bob