Well, now since this thread is still around, I'll mention the only Luger-for-self-defense I ever heard of. In the late 1980's I was working in a law office, and there came in an old man from the indian reservation as a witness in a criminal case. This guy was over 90 years old at the time, and he had lived on the brorder his whole life, and had apparently been a cowboy for a lot of that time.
I vaguely recall that there was some question in the case regarding a gun, and could he identify it if he saw it, and anyway this got on the subject as to whether or not he knew anything about guns. He said that he had owned a gun many years ago, and that it was a German Luger, and he was sure about that. He got it during the Mexican Revolution probably from a gun-runner, and he carried the gun in a pocket he sewed onto his leather chaps while he was out tending cattle. Why, I asked? Why, said he, for protection from the Priests.
It seems that the Mexican government since the time of Juarez (mid-late 19th century) was not always so kind to the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico, and the various contestants in the subsequent Mexican revolution continued the thought to a greater or lesser degree, often confiscating Church property for various reasons ranging from socialist reform to outright banditry.
All in all, things were rather tough for the church in the early 20th century, and so the priesthood undertook some revenue-enhancing measures, appparently including smuggling in general, and gun-running in particular. Now, gun-running was a popular sport here in Arizona at the time, and so there was some competition in the field, and this gave rise to the possibility of some less than friendly give and take as among the various gun-runners, in consequence of which gun-runners went about their business "well heeled", as it were, and apparently these Catholic priests were no exception. They were, it seems, disposed to deliver the souls of interlopers to Saint Peter directly if required, and they were known to be a bit quick on the trigger and not too awful darn careful as to most anyone they happened to meet. So, any fellow who made his living out and about around the border therefore needed to be ready to deal with these Holy lead-spitting jaspers, and hence... the Luger.
So, in response to your question: a Luger used for personal protection. Just sew a pocket on your chaps, and you're good to go. Didn't ask him about what kind of ammo he used.
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