DWM 1920's commercial (i think)

rhuff · 10-09-2013, 05:30 PM

You have the bullets, so you can try them and see. Make up 4-5 dummy rounds(no powder or primer) and try cycling them through your Luger. Measure the OAL before and after, and see if there is significant set back.

Hornady produces(occasionally) their XTP .309 bullet. Natchez Shooting did have some for sale. I purchased 100 of them, and have them loaded up, but have not been to the range yet.

To try and help correct the potential setback on the Hornady and Sierra 85gr JSP bullets, I have added a cannalure to them and used a Lee FCD (collet type) to secure them. Do NOT try to use a hard crimp on the .308 bullets, as you will defeat your purpose. A hard crimp will put a depression on the bullet where it is applied, and the brass case mouth will spring back giving you less help on setback. It is all done with neck tension and getting everything set up correctly.

The 30 Luger round can be a bit frustrating, as can the 357Sig round. They are not like the good old 45ACP, 9mm, 38 Special, etc. Just go slow and check you work closely.....above all be SAFE!!

K.Wilhelm · 10-09-2013, 07:00 PM

I don't know which I am in this instance, but in any case I've been loading the .30 Luger without issue with Lee dies for several months. I am using the .308 86 grain .30 Mauser soft point bullets since I couldn't get .309 bullets. Anyway, maybe I wasn't intimidated since I have loaded several calibers of bottleneck pistol cartridges for a few years (.32-20; .38-40; and .44-40). Really the only one that has caused me much of a problem is the .44-40 because of the really thin case wall. I greatly enjoy shooting all of the bottleneck calibers, but have a special fondness for the .32-20 and .30 Luger. Bill

rhuff · 10-10-2013, 04:49 PM

Bill,

I am glad to hear that things are going great for you loading the 30 Luger. I purchased a Lee 3 die set for 30 Luger many years ago, and just could not get the sizer die to work for me at all. It would not size the neck down enough to let me get adequate neck tension. Also, the expander plug measured .308in. the same diameter as the Hornady bullet.....i.e., zero neck tension!! The inside of the sizer die looked like it had been finished with a rattail file. The only die from the Lee 3 die set that I could use was the seater. Obviously, a quality control issue with my die set.

I also load bottleneck pistol brass....30 Luger, 357Sig, 38-40, 44-40, but the 30 Luger has given me concern, most likely due to the dies. Now, I am confident that my rounds are safe, and not prone to setback on loading up the feed ramp.

I have other handguns(non-Luger) that I have rebarreled to 30 Luger caliber, and have to be sure that my handloads are good for them along with my Lugers.

K.Wilhelm · 10-10-2013, 10:23 PM

rhuff- do the Hornady bullets you mentioned have a cannelure? If so, I'm going to try some. The 30 Mauser SP bullets I'm using feed fine in my Commercial, but my new '70s Mauser Parabellum doesn't seem to like them as much. Bill

10-09-2013, 07:00 PM	#2
K.Wilhelm User Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Central Colorado Posts: 215 Thanks: 45 Thanked 110 Times in 66 Posts	Lucky or good I don't know which I am in this instance, but in any case I've been loading the .30 Luger without issue with Lee dies for several months. I am using the .308 86 grain .30 Mauser soft point bullets since I couldn't get .309 bullets. Anyway, maybe I wasn't intimidated since I have loaded several calibers of bottleneck pistol cartridges for a few years (.32-20; .38-40; and .44-40). Really the only one that has caused me much of a problem is the .44-40 because of the really thin case wall. I greatly enjoy shooting all of the bottleneck calibers, but have a special fondness for the .32-20 and .30 Luger. *Bill* __________________ NRA Endowment Life member Proud veteran of the Naval Security Group

10-10-2013, 10:23 PM	#4
K.Wilhelm User Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Central Colorado Posts: 215 Thanks: 45 Thanked 110 Times in 66 Posts	Hornady XP 30 Luger bullets rhuff- do the Hornady bullets you mentioned have a cannelure? If so, I'm going to try some. The 30 Mauser SP bullets I'm using feed fine in my Commercial, but my new '70s Mauser Parabellum doesn't seem to like them as much. *Bill* __________________ NRA Endowment Life member Proud veteran of the Naval Security Group

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10-09-2013, 05:30 PM	#1
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,314 Thanks: 2,746 Thanked 998 Times in 733 Posts	You have the bullets, so you can try them and see. Make up 4-5 dummy rounds(no powder or primer) and try cycling them through your Luger. Measure the OAL before and after, and see if there is significant set back. Hornady produces(occasionally) their XTP .309 bullet. Natchez Shooting did have some for sale. I purchased 100 of them, and have them loaded up, but have not been to the range yet. To try and help correct the potential setback on the Hornady and Sierra 85gr JSP bullets, I have added a cannalure to them and used a Lee FCD (collet type) to secure them. Do NOT try to use a hard crimp on the .308 bullets, as you will defeat your purpose. A hard crimp will put a depression on the bullet where it is applied, and the brass case mouth will spring back giving you less help on setback. It is all done with neck tension and getting everything set up correctly. The 30 Luger round can be a bit frustrating, as can the 357Sig round. They are not like the good old 45ACP, 9mm, 38 Special, etc. Just go slow and check you work closely.....above all be SAFE!!

10-10-2013, 04:49 PM	#3
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,314 Thanks: 2,746 Thanked 998 Times in 733 Posts	Bill, I am glad to hear that things are going great for you loading the 30 Luger. I purchased a Lee 3 die set for 30 Luger many years ago, and just could not get the sizer die to work for me at all. It would not size the neck down enough to let me get adequate neck tension. Also, the expander plug measured .308in. the same diameter as the Hornady bullet.....i.e., zero neck tension!! The inside of the sizer die looked like it had been finished with a rattail file. The only die from the Lee 3 die set that I could use was the seater. Obviously, a quality control issue with my die set. I also load bottleneck pistol brass....30 Luger, 357Sig, 38-40, 44-40, but the 30 Luger has given me concern, most likely due to the dies. Now, I am confident that my rounds are safe, and not prone to setback on loading up the feed ramp. I have other handguns(non-Luger) that I have rebarreled to 30 Luger caliber, and have to be sure that my handloads are good for them along with my Lugers.