Why .30 Cal instead of 9MM.??

hansfischer007 · 02-27-2011, 02:43 PM

Ive got a couple of questions and I know you guys here on the Forum can help......one is Im wondering why the Germans went to .30 Cal on the Lugers ..instead of 9MM?...we had a gun show here couple weeks ago...and a dealer I know had approximately 6 lugers.....4 were 9mm and other 2 were .30 cal.....and one was a Commercial model.....grips looked horrible...he wanted $750.00 for it....you know at a gun show there always bunches of guys selling ammo.....I think there were 4 set up ...and I went around and asked them all about .30 Caliber luger ammo......Nope....dont carry it...I know it can be found...but not as easy as 9mm....2nd question is about the Commercial models....marked GERMANY....were they mostly in .30 cal..and does anyone have an idea.why.?....also...about the 1920 commercial models....did they just not put the 1920 date on the export models.??....well....thats enough questions for Sunday afternoon.....Im home sick with pneumonia.....had it for last 4 days....so I sneak some computer time in when I can.......I appreciate the information and opinions guys.....you all have always come thru.......Best Wishes....Hans Fischer

1969goatman · 02-27-2011, 03:40 PM

I don't understand the question. The Germans went to 9mm not .30 caliber. The original cartridge for the Luger was 7.65mm (.30 cal) and when they went into competition for the US Army trials, it was determined that the round was too small. So George Luger just took the existing cartridge and widened it out and made the 9mm. He did this so he did not have to change the tooling for the gun, for all is he had to do was change the barrel.

The Swiss adopted the Luger Before the Germans and the always kept the .30. So in 1902, the Luger went to 9mm for the Imperial German Army around Christmas 1907? I think.

After WW1, Germany was restricted and could only produce the 9mm for the Police, thus the commercial Models were .30. Sales for export were .30 and 9mm. The .30 is still available and it is still a very popular round for it's ballistics. A lot of collectors like it, for it is the original Luger caliber. It is very accurate and it is powerful. The .30 Luger feeds more reliably in Lugers.

The chamber dates on Lugers were basically for Military and or Police guns. Like so to say, "Guns for official use." I am not certain, but I am sure commercial models were not dated, I could be wrong. And .30 caliber Luger ammunition can be as easily found as this forum. Almost every ammunition place on the internet like "Cheaper than Dirt" "The Sportsman guide" and many more all carry .30 Luger.In soft point and FMJ.

In a gunshop you will pay an arm and a leg for it, but it all comes out, you pay 18 a box on the internet and pay 8 bucks shipping. In a gunshop you pay 30 to 50 dollars a box. It is 50 bucks easily for Winchester, why? Who knows. Maybe they are Gold plated.

To me, there are some people that like the .30 Luger, some like the 9mm. I don't have a preference and like the .30 because it is the original Luger round. But I like the 9mm Luger. I like both calibers equally. You can't beat a Post 1970 Mauser Parabellum in .30 Luger with a 6 inch barrel. You will win competitions with that gun, and as it comes, right out of the box.

MFC · 02-27-2011, 04:27 PM

Newly produced commercials (not WWI reworks) sold in the 20's were almost exclusively 30 cal.. Stoeger, Pacific Arms and other importers offered many different 9mm barrel lenghts for sale in the US. They were changed in the US, and were stamped GERMANY, but were not numbered to the gun.

hansfischer007 · 02-27-2011, 05:04 PM

Hey Guys.....thanks for the come back...you answered my questions .....and I appreciate it very much...like I said in my post....went around the gun show to the 4 ammunition dealers set up.....and they all didnt carry it and acted like it was very hard to locate...I didnt know that the luger started out in .30 Cal.....and Ive had a number of people tell me that it is a much easier cartridge to shoot and with a lot less problems......feeding..etc.....I had the one Dealer that I knew offered me a Commercial DWM in .30 cal.....other than the fact of what the ammo guys said....the grips looked really bad........he wanted at first $750...then came down to $700......I might have to rethink about getting a .30 caliber as well now......Thanks again Gentlemen.......as always you guys come thru....Im still learning about Lugers

02-27-2011, 02:43 PM	#1
hansfischer007 User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Tennessee Posts: 233 Thanks: 509 Thanked 96 Times in 48 Posts	Why .30 Cal instead of 9MM.?? Ive got a couple of questions and I know you guys here on the Forum can help......one is Im wondering why the Germans went to .30 Cal on the Lugers ..instead of 9MM?...we had a gun show here couple weeks ago...and a dealer I know had approximately 6 lugers.....4 were 9mm and other 2 were .30 cal.....and one was a Commercial model.....grips looked horrible...he wanted $750.00 for it....you know at a gun show there always bunches of guys selling ammo.....I think there were 4 set up ...and I went around and asked them all about .30 Caliber luger ammo......Nope....dont carry it...I know it can be found...but not as easy as 9mm....2nd question is about the Commercial models....marked GERMANY....were they mostly in .30 cal..and does anyone have an idea.why.?....also...about the 1920 commercial models....did they just not put the 1920 date on the export models.??....well....thats enough questions for Sunday afternoon.....Im home sick with pneumonia.....had it for last 4 days....so I sneak some computer time in when I can.......I appreciate the information and opinions guys.....you all have always come thru.......Best Wishes....Hans Fischer

02-27-2011, 04:27 PM	#3
MFC User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 183 Thanked 281 Times in 162 Posts	Newly produced commercials (not WWI reworks) sold in the 20's were almost exclusively 30 cal.. Stoeger, Pacific Arms and other importers offered many different 9mm barrel lenghts for sale in the US. They were changed in the US, and were stamped GERMANY, but were not numbered to the gun. __________________ Mike C.

02-27-2011, 05:04 PM	#4
hansfischer007 User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Tennessee Posts: 233 Thanks: 509 Thanked 96 Times in 48 Posts	Luger Ammo....30 cal vs..9mm Hey Guys.....thanks for the come back...you answered my questions .....and I appreciate it very much...like I said in my post....went around the gun show to the 4 ammunition dealers set up.....and they all didnt carry it and acted like it was very hard to locate...I didnt know that the luger started out in .30 Cal.....and Ive had a number of people tell me that it is a much easier cartridge to shoot and with a lot less problems......feeding..etc.....I had the one Dealer that I knew offered me a Commercial DWM in .30 cal.....other than the fact of what the ammo guys said....the grips looked really bad........he wanted at first $750...then came down to $700......I might have to rethink about getting a .30 caliber as well now......Thanks again Gentlemen.......as always you guys come thru....Im still learning about Lugers

02-27-2011, 03:40 PM	#2
1969goatman Banned Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I don't understand the question. The Germans went to 9mm not .30 caliber. The original cartridge for the Luger was 7.65mm (.30 cal) and when they went into competition for the US Army trials, it was determined that the round was too small. So George Luger just took the existing cartridge and widened it out and made the 9mm. He did this so he did not have to change the tooling for the gun, for all is he had to do was change the barrel. The Swiss adopted the Luger Before the Germans and the always kept the .30. So in 1902, the Luger went to 9mm for the Imperial German Army around Christmas 1907? I think. After WW1, Germany was restricted and could only produce the 9mm for the Police, thus the commercial Models were .30. Sales for export were .30 and 9mm. The .30 is still available and it is still a very popular round for it's ballistics. A lot of collectors like it, for it is the original Luger caliber. It is very accurate and it is powerful. The .30 Luger feeds more reliably in Lugers. The chamber dates on Lugers were basically for Military and or Police guns. Like so to say, "Guns for official use." I am not certain, but I am sure commercial models were not dated, I could be wrong. And .30 caliber Luger ammunition can be as easily found as this forum. Almost every ammunition place on the internet like "Cheaper than Dirt" "The Sportsman guide" and many more all carry .30 Luger.In soft point and FMJ. In a gunshop you will pay an arm and a leg for it, but it all comes out, you pay 18 a box on the internet and pay 8 bucks shipping. In a gunshop you pay 30 to 50 dollars a box. It is 50 bucks easily for Winchester, why? Who knows. Maybe they are Gold plated. To me, there are some people that like the .30 Luger, some like the 9mm. I don't have a preference and like the .30 because it is the original Luger round. But I like the 9mm Luger. I like both calibers equally. You can't beat a Post 1970 Mauser Parabellum in .30 Luger with a 6 inch barrel. You will win competitions with that gun, and as it comes, right out of the box.