Right Ammo to the luger.

Vlim · 05-21-2008, 07:56 PM

Jan-Erik, I take it that Norway also used surplus WW2 German 9mm ammunition?

The steel cased 9mm never worked properly in the P08 and many German 9mm crates carried warning labels to inform that using the ammo increased the chance of feeding and ejection problems.

The solution is to make sure the pistol is up to specs when it comes to springs. 70 year old springs have lost quite a bit of their resiliance. Another part is to make sure the magazines are in a good condition, spring and feed lip wear again as well. The other bit is the ammunition, correct specs, OAL (overall average length should be relatively high for a 9mm), slower burning powder and a classic ogival or flat nose bullet.

The Americans prefer Winchester 9mm, the Europeans go for Sellier & Bellot 124 grain (147 Grain subsonics work quite good as well, but are relatively short when it comes to OAL).

To sum it up:
-Gun in good technical condition (tolerances).
-Good springs.
-Good magazines (for example: new MecGar magazines made in Italy).
-Good ammunition.

Things to avoid:
-Mixmasters (guns constructed from the parts bin without proper fitting).
-Worn springs.
-Battered magazines.
-Ammo that's too hot (+P, etc..)
-Ammo that's oddly shaped or too short.
-Steel cased ammo.

The shooting stance can also cause problems, however. Shoot a luger more like a revolver than like a service pistol. Never use your supporting hand to push up against the magazine from below. Good results are reached with a single handed pose, where the shooting arm is slightly bent.

05-21-2008, 07:56 PM	#3
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,991 Times in 1,205 Posts	Jan-Erik, I take it that Norway also used surplus WW2 German 9mm ammunition? The steel cased 9mm never worked properly in the P08 and many German 9mm crates carried warning labels to inform that using the ammo increased the chance of feeding and ejection problems. The solution is to make sure the pistol is up to specs when it comes to springs. 70 year old springs have lost quite a bit of their resiliance. Another part is to make sure the magazines are in a good condition, spring and feed lip wear again as well. The other bit is the ammunition, correct specs, OAL (overall average length should be relatively high for a 9mm), slower burning powder and a classic ogival or flat nose bullet. The Americans prefer Winchester 9mm, the Europeans go for Sellier & Bellot 124 grain (147 Grain subsonics work quite good as well, but are relatively short when it comes to OAL). To sum it up: -Gun in good technical condition (tolerances). -Good springs. -Good magazines (for example: new MecGar magazines made in Italy). -Good ammunition. Things to avoid: -Mixmasters (guns constructed from the parts bin without proper fitting). -Worn springs. -Battered magazines. -Ammo that's too hot (+P, etc..) -Ammo that's oddly shaped or too short. -Steel cased ammo. The shooting stance can also cause problems, however. Shoot a luger more like a revolver than like a service pistol. Never use your supporting hand to push up against the magazine from below. Good results are reached with a single handed pose, where the shooting arm is slightly bent.