SAAMI Pressure for 9mm

Sieger · 01-17-2011, 07:21 PM

Hi All:

Ron Smith is absolutely correct above.

Pressure is irrevelant, function, however, is relavant!

From my well over 30 years of handloading for the Luger, here are the key elements, I have discovered, to making the Luger function, as well as, shoot accurately.

1) Cartridge OAL is key to proper feeding. Too short a cartridge and the pistol will jam all day long! A good place to start with your particular bullet is: round nose 29.8mm, truncated cone 29.0 mm (Hornady FMJFP is perfect at 28.7mm). These lengths are for 115 to 125 grain bullets. Personally, I shoot nothing lighter or heavier through my Lugers

2) Powder burning rate is key to accurate and consistant function. Try "Power Pistol" and "IMR SR 4756". For an excellent target load, with perfect function, Bullseye is tops!

3) Most accurate rounds are in the range of 900 to 1100 FPS. Anything much faster and you will be outrunning the rifling twist of the barrel. The WWI service round was 123 grs at 1,076 fps. My most accurate rounds are in this exact range.

Here are some of my most successful handloads for the Luger:

Using Winchester brass, Remington 1 1/2 primers and Hornady 124 gr. FMJFP bullets seated to 28.7mm,

Power Pistol- 5.4 grains (three shot clover leafs at 25 yards, all day long)

SR 4756- 5.5 grains (three shot clover leafs at 25 yards, all day long)

Bullseye- 3.7 grains (seven touching at 25 yards, slow but consistantly accurate, with perfect function)

HS-6- 6.2 grains (two or three touching [out of three] at 25 yards) Also functions perfectly and accurately in my L.P.-08. Very clean burning! This load is on the upper end of the accurate velocity range of a Luger.

If your Luger's recoil spring and magazine spring are in spec. the above loads should perform almost magic through your Luger.

On the other hand, the much vaulted Winchester White Box may function your Luger, but the bullets spray all over the target for me. According to Winchester's site, they are flying out the barrel at almost 1,200 fps, again, too fast for the rifling twist to accurately stabilize.

This has been my experience, what has been yours?

Sieger

01-17-2011, 07:21 PM	#14
Sieger User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,579 Thanks: 2,154 Thanked 402 Times in 251 Posts	Hi All: Ron Smith is absolutely correct above. Pressure is irrevelant, function, however, is relavant! From my well over 30 years of handloading for the Luger, here are the key elements, I have discovered, to making the Luger function, as well as, shoot accurately. 1) Cartridge OAL is key to proper feeding. Too short a cartridge and the pistol will jam all day long! A good place to start with your particular bullet is: round nose 29.8mm, truncated cone 29.0 mm (Hornady FMJFP is perfect at 28.7mm). These lengths are for 115 to 125 grain bullets. Personally, I shoot nothing lighter or heavier through my Lugers 2) Powder burning rate is key to accurate and consistant function. Try "Power Pistol" and "IMR SR 4756". For an excellent target load, with perfect function, Bullseye is tops! 3) Most accurate rounds are in the range of 900 to 1100 FPS. Anything much faster and you will be outrunning the rifling twist of the barrel. The WWI service round was 123 grs at 1,076 fps. My most accurate rounds are in this exact range. Here are some of my most successful handloads for the Luger: Using Winchester brass, Remington 1 1/2 primers and Hornady 124 gr. FMJFP bullets seated to 28.7mm, Power Pistol- 5.4 grains (three shot clover leafs at 25 yards, all day long) SR 4756- 5.5 grains (three shot clover leafs at 25 yards, all day long) Bullseye- 3.7 grains (seven touching at 25 yards, slow but consistantly accurate, with perfect function) HS-6- 6.2 grains (two or three touching [out of three] at 25 yards) Also functions perfectly and accurately in my L.P.-08. Very clean burning! This load is on the upper end of the accurate velocity range of a Luger. If your Luger's recoil spring and magazine spring are in spec. the above loads should perform almost magic through your Luger. On the other hand, the much vaulted Winchester White Box may function your Luger, but the bullets spray all over the target for me. According to Winchester's site, they are flying out the barrel at almost 1,200 fps, again, too fast for the rifling twist to accurately stabilize. This has been my experience, what has been yours? Sieger Last edited by Sieger; 08-13-2011 at 11:38 PM.