Failure %

[Dwight Gruber]

9mm:
1936 S/42 virtually no failures in hundreds of rounds
estimated <0.1%

1917 LP-08 virtually no failures in hundreds of rounds
estimated <0.1%

commercial parts gun virtually no failures in hundreds of rounds
estimated <0.5%

1942 byf no failures when shot
estimated 0%

At the height of activity this represented several hundred rounds per month, circumstances have cut back my shooting.

Magazines used are almost all Mec Gar. I have used extruded Haenel mags without failure, and Triple-K work well but I don't like the reduced capacity. When I started shooting I did a series of magazine tests and virtually all of my original, crimped-steel magazines caused failures.

Winchester white box, S&B, Federal American Eagle, and CCL Blazer are consistently reliable without failure (115gr FMJ).

Remington UMC has consistent operational failures, nearly every round with any combination of gun and magazine. Speer Lawman has a high operational failure rate. All commercial handloads have a high operational failure rate. (115gr. FMJ)

.30 Luger
1900 American Eagle no failures when shot
estimated 0%

Alphabet Commercial many failures to fully cycle when shot
estimated >30%

1941 byf custom 10" rebarrel many failures to fully cycle when shot
estimated >30%

I shoot .30 very seldom (no longer have the Alphabet Commercial and byf). Mec Gar magazines exclusively. The only ammunition reliably available here is Fiocci, and it seems consistently underpowered to operate a modern Luger. It works my shooting-quality 1900AE just fine, but this gun has a relatively weaker flat recoil spring.

It is interesting to note that during my shooting session with the .30 long-barrel byf I opened a new box of Fiocci .30 and suddenly every shot functioned. I have to wonder if they have increased the performance of their cartridges?

--Dwight