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PhilOhio · 08-28-2009, 11:09 AM

Jan-Erik,

I also had a lot of trouble with stove-pipes, while I was trying to develop lead bullet handloads for my S/42 Luger early this year. Almost all of the stove-pipes, with the empty case pointing strangely backward, were because the loads were too hot and the powder was burning too fast.

I tried many, many load variations over several months, and I completely solved the problem. The gun is now totally reliable.

My best bullet weighs from 125 to 133 grains, has exactly the ogive of the German jacketed bullet of WW-II, and is cast from a Lee #356-125-2R two-cavity mold. Seat it close to the maximum 1.171" over all; I use 1.165".

Several powders worked well, but the best has been 3.8 grains of Winchester 231. That's a fairly mild load, but not weak.

Italian Mec-Gar magazines are extremely reliable, but I have adjusted/corrected an original military magazine to function perfectly also.

In working with the Luger, it is interesting to see that there is a rather narrow range of recoil impulse which the mechanism will tolerate in order to be reliable. It must have been difficult for wartime ammunition manufacturers to maintain quality control standards assuring that the guns would work, in the field.

08-28-2009, 11:09 AM	#15
PhilOhio User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 145 Thanks: 5 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Jan-Erik, I also had a lot of trouble with stove-pipes, while I was trying to develop lead bullet handloads for my S/42 Luger early this year. Almost all of the stove-pipes, with the empty case pointing strangely backward, were because the loads were too hot and the powder was burning too fast. I tried many, many load variations over several months, and I completely solved the problem. The gun is now totally reliable. My best bullet weighs from 125 to 133 grains, has exactly the ogive of the German jacketed bullet of WW-II, and is cast from a Lee #356-125-2R two-cavity mold. Seat it close to the maximum 1.171" over all; I use 1.165". Several powders worked well, but the best has been 3.8 grains of Winchester 231. That's a fairly mild load, but not weak. Italian Mec-Gar magazines are extremely reliable, but I have adjusted/corrected an original military magazine to function perfectly also. In working with the Luger, it is interesting to see that there is a rather narrow range of recoil impulse which the mechanism will tolerate in order to be reliable. It must have been difficult for wartime ammunition manufacturers to maintain quality control standards assuring that the guns would work, in the field.