LUGER AMMO

MY STOEGER LUGER LITERALLY CHOKES ON ANY 115 GRAIN 9MM AMMO. i HAVE EJECTION PROBLEMS-FEED PROBLEMS. MY LUGER WILL NOT EAT THE CHEAPER 115 GRAIN 9MM STUFF NO MATTER HOW CLEAN MY GUN IS. I FIND WITH 124 OR EVEN 147 GRAIN I GET GOOD FEED (ALMOST) PERFECT RELIABILITY AND BETTER ACCURACY AT ALL DISTANCES. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS BUT DONT TELL ME TO MIX HEAVIER AND LIGHT AMMO AS THE LUGER RELIABLY CHOKES UPON CHAMBERING THE 115 GRAIN STUFF. HISTORICALLY WASNT THE LUGER 9MM 124 GRAIN ANYWAY?

[renaissance]

They were "Heavy", "Hot" and sometimes "steel jacketed.

also

I believe that the original bullets were of a slightly diffferent shape than modern manufacture.

More "Pointy"

[Patrick]

Yes it was. Your Stoeger seems to know best. Patrick

Bob, yes you are right. The Luger was originally geared for 124 grain. Like you, I find 124 somewhat hard to come by in Northern VA and expensive. Locally, 115 goes for $6 to $8 a box while 124 costs $13. You might want to try some of the internet ammo sites. Cheaper than Dirt usually has 124 grain in a number of different brands at good prices. You might find 147 grain a little too Hot for steady use, particularly if you have one of the older DMW/WWI Lugers. But before you give on 115, you might want to try some different brands. Sometimes that can make a real difference in of itself. My Luger seems to prefer Megatech over Winchester and PMC.

[Mark M.]

Gruss Gott,Bob!

I have a Stoeger "Navy" and it seems

to like PMP 115gr (South African) just

fine.It won't digest any other 115 I've tried.Not reliably,anyway.

The only consistent source for this ammo that I've found is:

Dillon Precision Products,Inc.

8009 E. Dillon's Way

Scottsdale,AZ,85260-9865


Phone# for orders/tech. advice:

800-223-4570

I hope this might be of some help.The price listed in their current catolog is $7.15/50 rd. box.The stock# is A42-15001.

I hope this may be of some help.


Tschuss! Mark M.

[Steve]

I have a question about the S African ammo. Is the bullet a straighter taper than most? My SS likes Winchester which I have looked at and noticed a straighter taper than the other brands which do not feed. I am trying to get an idea if that is a defining factor to look for. On the Winchester ammo, it is subtle but a side by side comparison shows a definite difference is bullet shape. The round nose is also smaller in diameter.

[Artsi]

I've shot 1911 based pistol competetively for some years. I've gotten somewhat familiar with all kindsa reasons why a firearm will jam.

I'm new to P08, but I reckon a pistol is a pistol, no matter what make it is. Many reasons for jams are common for all.


One basic thing to check up is ammo fit to chamber. Strip barrel out of gun, and feed ammo into chamber. Does it go all the way in easily, or does it snag just before seating?

I have had a ammo chamber machined to such depth that it worked fine on one brand of brass, and jammed totally with another brand. On a closer look it turned out that this other brass brand had more generous manufacturing tolerances as it came to brass lenght. All what was needed was a slight attention of handheld chambering tool to lenghten my barrel chamber and all problems were gone.


Ammo not seating easily all the way in can for example be caused by bullet shape. Less 'pointy' bullet may contact 'cone' inside barrel, thus jamming the gun.

One way to have some idea how 'crammed' or close to chamber end your 'cone' is, is to make one 0.1" longer cartridge on your reloading press and see how well that will chamber.

On my 1911 based pistol I can load my ammo 0.2" longer and it still chambers without any problems.

Another very common reason on selfloaded ammo jamming is to have a bulge on the side of a case (near extractor groove). Sometimes you cannot get rid of these even if everything is set up correctly on a loading press. Surprisingly enough, switching to another brand of re-sizing die can help to cure the problem.

(I have engineered some parts on my reloading press further, and had my gunsmith to do some machining on them. Now I can load a case with a bulge on the side, and it will come out of press bulge removed - as good as factory made ammo).


Depending on a case, it may jam only occasionally. In such cases what I do (and many other fellow PRACTICAL shooters) is to collect all these problematic ammo in my pocket when shooting. At home I'll give a closer inspection on this jamming ammo, and compare them to ones that work.

If a mere visible inspection will not result to anything, try colouring one cartridge all over with a felt tip pen, chamber it, inspect if colour is brushed off someplace.


In my time I've seen so worrying presentations of self loaded ammo. Such ammo what I'm talking about never has had even a chance to get a firearm to work. Even more saddening fact is that most of these selfloaders curse their guns for not working.

Regardless of how challenging it is to learn to become a good selfloader, I think pros will outweigh cons by a large margin. Since you are making the ammo it gives you possibility to customise the ammunition for your own needs. This becomes ever so handy when loading ammo for P08. It's just so easy to tailor powder charge to be just right, not too little or you get feeding problems, and not too much or something may well break on the old gun.


- Artsi

[Hugh]

For realy realible feeding of handloaded Luger ammo, use the cast lead "cone shaped' bullets!