RK, 4.9 grains of Unique just won't cut it. My "standard" Unique load is 6.0 grains as written up by Maj. George Nonte many years ago. It works my Lugers to perfection. If that seems a bit heavy for you, try 5.5 grains and work up in .2 grain stages but don't exceed 6.0 grains. With a 124 or 125 grain bullet, use an over all cartridge length of 1.145 - 1.150".
If you have an expander die, flare the case mouth just enough that you can start a bullet without the case scraping the side as you seat it.
If you have a taper crimp die, seat your bullet to the proper depth FIRST without crimping. Then adjust your crimping die to just squeeze the case mouth against the bullet without swaging the bullet diameter. (If you have a combination seating and crimping die, be sure you back the seating stem out to compensate for adjusting the die further down to crimp. Otherwise, you'll seat the bullet deeper... an easy mistake to make if you're not careful.) Never roll crimp a Luger case as the headspace is set by the case mouth contacting the front of the chamber. A roll crimp die can be used if that's all you have but care must be taken not to take the case mouth to the point where it begins to roll inward against the bullet.
Another load to try is 5.3 grains of WW-231. It meters well and fills the case enough to prevent a double charge. It's worked well for me.
Hope this helps.
|