Got it! With range update!

[Tony Min]

Originally Posted by mystical_tutor

When it comes to shooting Lugers I have some experience and I will offer some advice that you can promptly ignore if you like... LOL.

1) 90% of Luger jams are caused by bad mags. My suggestion would be to trade off the present mag to someone that wants it as a collectors piece or just retire it. Then find and buy one of the circa. 1975 Mauser mags--Unused if possible. There was a very practical reason that Germany issued a loading tool with every Luger. Because, if you can load a magazine without a loading tool you are a prime candidate for stovepipe jams.
Thus a question. Were you using a loading tool when you tried to load your mag? If not than 4 rounds is about right unless it is a mechanical problem with your mag that it won't take the rounds (i.e something inside it, wrong type spring, it is bent or some such)
2) You will do yourself a favor to save the wooden bottom mag in any case. The newer Mauser mags have plastic bottoms and will serve you quite well, at least mine do.
3) The well meaning advice that you need "stronger ammo" should be politely ignored. I have loaded and fired a few thousand rounds of 9mm and found that the standard handloading manual loads work quite fine (Unique powder seems to work best for me). I load hotter for my MP-40 but NEVER for my Lugers, P-38s or other handguns.
Please let me know how it goes. I love shooting my Luger (my "social piece" is an s/42).

Gary

I won't ignore advice ever.
I was not using a loading tool. But even with mechanical help I could not get the mag spring to depress further. I think it is bent and seems to expand when compressed and gets stuck.
I put in a P38 mag spring and it actually feels pretty good. It is still stiff but due to the different spring shape doesn't get stuck when compressed. It still takes mechanical help to load. My friend is also bringing one of his mags tomorrow. I would love to buy a mag. Haven't found anything decent yet. Any leads for the ones you mentioned?
For ammo I bought Winchester white box 115gr. I also shoot my P38 with it.
I spent about 10 hours detailing it last night and today. If they had done this it would have been 500 more. It soaked up the oil and looks fantastic.
I also sanded the edges of my grips more round as they were kind of sharp though they are decent repros. Then restained the edges with Walnut stain.
It is a different gun.
I am excited to shoot it tomorrow.