Shooter caliber choice
 

Is there any difference in general between function reliability between the 9mm and the 30?

Are the Fiocci 30 Luger pretty easy to find?

Which is more desirable to a collector as well?

Depends on the model and condition; 9mm are more
popular, especially for shooting.

Welcome!

I enjoy shooting the .30 Luger over 9mm. But I am a handloader. My preference is based on the fact that it was the originally designed caliber for the Luger, and the fact that its a light-recoiling, fun cartridge to load and shoot. My personal belief is that bottleneck calibers function better in autoloaders; but, that is not based on scientific, provable fact. Bill

I also reload and tend to tune my loads to the handgun. At least, I did when powder was available. Now that it's not, I average my loads among several 30 Luger handguns.

I have Luger, Star BM, Colt Gov't Model, Lahti. Nambu, and a couple other 30 Luger chambered handguns. As mentioned, the 30 Luger/7.65mm Parabellum has less recoil, was the cartridge the Luger was designed for, and does seem to feed more reliably than 9mm.

The 30 Luger [the pistol] also seems to have a generally lesser price than the 9mm. :)

For a while in the last 2 years, Fiocchi 30 luger ammo was hard to find......as was 9mm, but not as bad. As far as I can tell now, Fiocchi is available for purchase, along with Finnish military surplus, but is more expensive than the normal range quality 9mm. I am a handloader, and I own a number of handguns in 30 Luger caliber. I enjoy shooting this round a lot.

The cost of shooting 9mm is lower. I saw Winchester White Box 9mm 100 rounds now selling $25 in Walmart. That's considerably higher than a few years ago. But still lower than Fiocchi .30 Luger -- $25 probably can buy one box of 50 rounds .30 Luger cartridges. If you shoot a lot, that money counts. If only shooting 10 or 20 rounds here and there occasionally, then, cost difference is not that big.

For collecting, then, caliber is not major concern. Rarity and condition are. There are rare 7.65mm Luger variations expensive, early ones. The volume of those .30 Luger made in 1920s are more commonly seen so they are dirt cheap nowadays. Even lower than post WWII Mauser. Hard to believe.