.30 ammo

Puretexan · 05-27-2017, 09:37 AM

Ok new to this forum. I have two Lugers and one on the way. My second purchase was a .30 cal. Ammo is $20
a box for the PPU which everybody says works better.
9mm is $10 a box any day of the week. Does anybody
know of a cheaper place to buy the .30? I know I could
handload , but then you have to have a set up for .30
and empty cases. Probably still not cheap. Got any ideas?

Chickenthief · 05-27-2017, 09:50 AM

I pay @$20 for 50 PPU .30's here in Europe, so that's not a bad price at all!

Do you handload at all?
If so then buy finished rounds until you have a decent pile of empties and start from there.
Lee makes a dieset for cheap, suitable bullets can be bought. Not 93grainers but a little lighter and loaded a little faster they work fine.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/14...int-box-of-100

Puretexan · 05-27-2017, 09:56 AM

I would think in Europe they would be lots cheaper.
I have the capabilities to hand load , just haven't done it in years.
I do carry all that stuff around from move to move in case they stop
making or selling ammo. Might be the only answer to cheaper rounds.

Chickenthief · 05-27-2017, 10:18 AM

The .30 luger takes something like 5 grains of powder so it's cheap at 1400/pound. Primers will be more and the "killer" will be bullets. 2cents in powder, 3½cents for a primer and 18cents for a jacketed bullet. Not free but @2/3 of full price. If you start casting then bullets drop to near zero cost.

If you cant see yourself fiddling with this then sell your brass and use that towards more store bought rounds.

Puretexan · 05-27-2017, 10:49 AM

I never use to mind reloading, Its trying to separate your brass from the
hundreds laying around at the range. I guess I will invest in some dies and
get to work. 40 cents a round seems really high. Since its not a collectable,
I might check the price to change to a 9mm barrel. Eventually might be cost
effective. My other two are 9mm.

rhuff · 05-27-2017, 02:27 PM

If you don't handload anymore, and really don't have the desire to do so, then a bbl. change may be in your future. The 30 Luger round CAN be a bit more cantankerous to reload than the straight walled brass frequently seen/shot in handguns. It can be a challenge until everything is set up correctly.

Not all Lugers like to feed the JSP bullets, I have a few that don't. Also that bullet is .308in instead of the correct .309in diameter, so neck tension needs to be watched closely to prevent setback on feeding. The 30 Luger brass has a very short neck.

I had a bad experience with the Lee dies in 30 Luger, and replaced them with RCBS. The sizing die looked like it was finished with a rat-tailed file. I feel that somehow it got past QC, but that convinced me to move in a different direction. YMMV

Purchase a box or two of factory ammo to check for functioning of your Luger. If it works great for you in that Luger, then just bite the bullet and order 500-1000 rounds of that ammo and be done with it. See how easy it is for me to spend your money??

Puretexan · 05-28-2017, 02:42 PM

Ouch $400 a 1000 plus shipping. Probably would sell the gun before I
invest in something that is expensive to shoot. I bought a 1000 of the
Blazer brass and my 9mm doesn't really like them.

ithacaartist · 05-28-2017, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puretexan

Ouch $400 a 1000 plus shipping. Probably would sell the gun before I
invest in something that is expensive to shoot. I bought a 1000 of the
Blazer brass and my 9mm doesn't really like them.

I'd wager then that you don't own a .44 Mag either!

Quote:

Purchase a box or two of factory ammo to check for functioning of your Luger. If it works great for you in that Luger...

I agree, a good idea. But if you wind up with a Luger that is cranky with a 1000 commitment made, just get another Luger...the ammo might just work after all!

Rick W. · 05-28-2017, 07:45 PM

It has been a while since I bought any factory ammo but do remember buying a couple of boxes of 30 Luger at 12 bucks a box, one was Fiocchi and the other was Winchester. Close outs at a local gunshow. Recent visits to gunshows seem to be ammo like gold; everyone has a collectable as well.

I might suggest the RCBS dies for the 30 Luger. Compare them to the Lee as to being able to move the case parameters around the way you want. I see on the internet, either is about 30 bucks.

I used to cast via the Lee moulds but the local indoor ranges put me out of that effort, no lead bullets allowed there anymore. Sierra and Hornady make some 0.308 bullets in jacketed version, but close to 20 bucks a hundred, unless you buy in bulk and get a little cut.

In the last decade, I have moved off the real 30 Luger because of your observations at the ranges, most of my brass is lost. On occasion I will bring out a nicer 30 Luger to shoot real 30 luger ammo in, perhaps on my birthday when the 357 automag stays in pocket.

In 30 caliber Lugers, I have two beaters that I have tuned, fussed with, cussed, and loved the most of all my Lugers. One is a 4 3/4 Swiss taper style and the other is a 14"(?) Swiss styled; both made from old 30-06 take off rifle barrels. There once was a thread here on a wildcat 30 cal for the Lugers, called the 7.65x19mm. This wildcat is simply the 30 Luger reamer run in short to allow the brass to be formed from the much cheaper 9mmx19. The neck length is the same as the real 30 Luger. RCBS dies cut off some(carbide cutter is necessary to get thru the surface hardening of the die) will allow the reloading of said wildcat.

As stated in other postings in this thread, the real cost driver for the real or wildcat 30 caliber cartridges is the bullet. With the wildcat and custom of a type barrel from an 06, the 0.308" offerings shoot pretty well.

Off hand with iron sights, the 0.308" bullets do ok in the larger vintage Luger bores.

Eyes here are getting bad, so my 14"(I think it is, but have cut it off a time or two) has a scope sight mount bonded to the left of the Luger frame, and sports a Leupold scope currently. It allows me to be almost competent at 25yds again. I have had so much fun with it, that I never got around to bluing the thing.

Obviously if staying with the real 30 Luger, the brass can be made from several sources of parent brass. If you do decide to go with the 223 chopped down and worked for 30 Luger, be sure to check the loaded diameter of your new brass, as you know, it is nice to be able to let go of the bullet during firing. Some folks use 9x23, 9x21, 38 super etc for working down to 30 Luger. 9x21 will require no trimming, but is a bit short after forming.

Rebarreling to the 9mmx19 is an option of course. The magazine will work, but might have to redo the main spring in the grip. Hugh or G.T. knows how to change barrels. Changing a Luger barrel takes tooling, and a little touch that comes with experience. The barrel vise is a barrel vise, but the action wrench is custom as far as I know.

Just pure opinion,

Rick W.

DonVoigt · 05-28-2017, 08:31 PM

I'm of the opinion that if you can't afford the ammo- don't buy the gun!

No need to spend money to change the barrel on the .30 when you have two 9mm lugers already,
just shoot them and the .30 occasionally- or get rid of it.

Changing the barrel is probably a $200 excursion, then you have a mismatched 9mm luger, and a .30 bbl that is worthless.

There is no "cheap" ammo anymore, .30 luger or other. If you count anything for your time, reloading is not a great bargain either- but it is less $$ out of pocket, once you have the loader and dies.

Puretexan · 05-28-2017, 08:55 PM

Don that is probably true. When the one gets here Wednesday, I might be so
overwhelmed that I won't shoot either of the ones I have now. I will probably
continue to shoot the .30 like it is but just not as much as the 9mm ones. I
like cheap as much as the next guy. $9 for 50 is better than $20 for 50 any
day of the week.

DonVoigt · 05-29-2017, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puretexan

Don that is probably true. When the one gets here Wednesday, I might be so
overwhelmed that I won't shoot either of the ones I have now. I will probably
continue to shoot the .30 like it is but just not as much as the 9mm ones. I
like cheap as much as the next guy. $9 for 50 is better than $20 for 50 any
day of the week.

Yes, but they are different! Totally different firing experience in terms of recoil and report- and cost.

Sergio Natali · 05-29-2017, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puretexan

I would think in Europe they would be lots cheaper.
I have the capabilities to hand load , just haven't done it in years.
I do carry all that stuff around from move to move in case they stop
making or selling ammo. Might be the only answer to cheaper rounds.

Here in Italy a box of 25 Fiocchi cartridges cal 30 Luger cost the equivalent of about 30.00 $ while a box of 9X21 IMI the equicalent of about 14.00 $ depends on the make.
Reloading is part of the fun, and makes shooting a lot cheaper.

Major Tom · 05-30-2017, 08:07 AM

Hornady makes a .309 diameter bullet weighing 90 grains, JHP. Works OK in my luger.

05-27-2017, 09:37 AM	#1
Puretexan User Join Date: May 2017 Location: Pearland Texas Posts: 176 Thanks: 11 Thanked 70 Times in 36 Posts	.30 ammo Ok new to this forum. I have two Lugers and one on the way. My second purchase was a .30 cal. Ammo is $20 a box for the PPU which everybody says works better. 9mm is $10 a box any day of the week. Does anybody know of a cheaper place to buy the .30? I know I could handload , but then you have to have a set up for .30 and empty cases. Probably still not cheap. Got any ideas?

05-28-2017, 08:31 PM	#10
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,678 Thanks: 1,441 Thanked 4,348 Times in 2,038 Posts	I'm of the opinion that if you can't afford the ammo- don't buy the gun! No need to spend money to change the barrel on the .30 when you have two 9mm lugers already, just shoot them and the .30 occasionally- or get rid of it. Changing the barrel is probably a $200 excursion, then you have a mismatched 9mm luger, and a .30 bbl that is worthless. There is no "cheap" ammo anymore, .30 luger or other. If you count anything for your time, reloading is not a great bargain either- but it is less $$ out of pocket, once you have the loader and dies. __________________ 03man(Don Voigt); Luger student and collector. Looking for DWM side plate: 69 ; Dreyse 1907 pistol K.S. Gendarmerie

05-30-2017, 08:07 AM	#14
Major Tom User Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: S.E. Iowa Posts: 481 Thanks: 531 Thanked 226 Times in 123 Posts	Hornady makes a .309 diameter bullet weighing 90 grains, JHP. Works OK in my luger. __________________ I Build Custom Pistol Boxes

05-27-2017, 09:50 AM	#2
Chickenthief User Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Denmark Posts: 135 Thanks: 0 Thanked 131 Times in 48 Posts	I pay @$20 for 50 PPU .30's here in Europe, so that's not a bad price at all! Do you handload at all? If so then buy finished rounds until you have a decent pile of empties and start from there. Lee makes a dieset for cheap, suitable bullets can be bought. Not 93grainers but a little lighter and loaded a little faster they work fine. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/14...int-box-of-100

05-27-2017, 09:56 AM	#3
Puretexan User Join Date: May 2017 Location: Pearland Texas Posts: 176 Thanks: 11 Thanked 70 Times in 36 Posts	I would think in Europe they would be lots cheaper. I have the capabilities to hand load , just haven't done it in years. I do carry all that stuff around from move to move in case they stop making or selling ammo. Might be the only answer to cheaper rounds.

05-27-2017, 10:18 AM	#4
Chickenthief User Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Denmark Posts: 135 Thanks: 0 Thanked 131 Times in 48 Posts	The .30 luger takes something like 5 grains of powder so it's cheap at 1400/pound. Primers will be more and the "killer" will be bullets. 2cents in powder, 3½cents for a primer and 18cents for a jacketed bullet. Not free but @2/3 of full price. If you start casting then bullets drop to near zero cost. If you cant see yourself fiddling with this then sell your brass and use that towards more store bought rounds.

05-27-2017, 10:49 AM	#5
Puretexan User Join Date: May 2017 Location: Pearland Texas Posts: 176 Thanks: 11 Thanked 70 Times in 36 Posts	I never use to mind reloading, Its trying to separate your brass from the hundreds laying around at the range. I guess I will invest in some dies and get to work. 40 cents a round seems really high. Since its not a collectable, I might check the price to change to a 9mm barrel. Eventually might be cost effective. My other two are 9mm.

05-27-2017, 02:27 PM	#6
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,272 Thanks: 2,692 Thanked 959 Times in 705 Posts	If you don't handload anymore, and really don't have the desire to do so, then a bbl. change may be in your future. The 30 Luger round CAN be a bit more cantankerous to reload than the straight walled brass frequently seen/shot in handguns. It can be a challenge until everything is set up correctly. Not all Lugers like to feed the JSP bullets, I have a few that don't. Also that bullet is .308in instead of the correct .309in diameter, so neck tension needs to be watched closely to prevent setback on feeding. The 30 Luger brass has a very short neck. I had a bad experience with the Lee dies in 30 Luger, and replaced them with RCBS. The sizing die looked like it was finished with a rat-tailed file. I feel that somehow it got past QC, but that convinced me to move in a different direction. YMMV Purchase a box or two of factory ammo to check for functioning of your Luger. If it works great for you in that Luger, then just bite the bullet and order 500-1000 rounds of that ammo and be done with it. See how easy it is for me to spend your money??

05-28-2017, 02:42 PM	#7
Puretexan User Join Date: May 2017 Location: Pearland Texas Posts: 176 Thanks: 11 Thanked 70 Times in 36 Posts	Ouch $400 a 1000 plus shipping. Probably would sell the gun before I invest in something that is expensive to shoot. I bought a 1000 of the Blazer brass and my 9mm doesn't really like them.

05-28-2017, 07:45 PM	#9
Rick W. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 339 Thanks: 81 Thanked 359 Times in 198 Posts	It has been a while since I bought any factory ammo but do remember buying a couple of boxes of 30 Luger at 12 bucks a box, one was Fiocchi and the other was Winchester. Close outs at a local gunshow. Recent visits to gunshows seem to be ammo like gold; everyone has a collectable as well. I might suggest the RCBS dies for the 30 Luger. Compare them to the Lee as to being able to move the case parameters around the way you want. I see on the internet, either is about 30 bucks. I used to cast via the Lee moulds but the local indoor ranges put me out of that effort, no lead bullets allowed there anymore. Sierra and Hornady make some 0.308 bullets in jacketed version, but close to 20 bucks a hundred, unless you buy in bulk and get a little cut. In the last decade, I have moved off the real 30 Luger because of your observations at the ranges, most of my brass is lost. On occasion I will bring out a nicer 30 Luger to shoot real 30 luger ammo in, perhaps on my birthday when the 357 automag stays in pocket. In 30 caliber Lugers, I have two beaters that I have tuned, fussed with, cussed, and loved the most of all my Lugers. One is a 4 3/4 Swiss taper style and the other is a 14"(?) Swiss styled; both made from old 30-06 take off rifle barrels. There once was a thread here on a wildcat 30 cal for the Lugers, called the 7.65x19mm. This wildcat is simply the 30 Luger reamer run in short to allow the brass to be formed from the much cheaper 9mmx19. The neck length is the same as the real 30 Luger. RCBS dies cut off some(carbide cutter is necessary to get thru the surface hardening of the die) will allow the reloading of said wildcat. As stated in other postings in this thread, the real cost driver for the real or wildcat 30 caliber cartridges is the bullet. With the wildcat and custom of a type barrel from an 06, the 0.308" offerings shoot pretty well. Off hand with iron sights, the 0.308" bullets do ok in the larger vintage Luger bores. Eyes here are getting bad, so my 14"(I think it is, but have cut it off a time or two) has a scope sight mount bonded to the left of the Luger frame, and sports a Leupold scope currently. It allows me to be almost competent at 25yds again. I have had so much fun with it, that I never got around to bluing the thing. Obviously if staying with the real 30 Luger, the brass can be made from several sources of parent brass. If you do decide to go with the 223 chopped down and worked for 30 Luger, be sure to check the loaded diameter of your new brass, as you know, it is nice to be able to let go of the bullet during firing. Some folks use 9x23, 9x21, 38 super etc for working down to 30 Luger. 9x21 will require no trimming, but is a bit short after forming. Rebarreling to the 9mmx19 is an option of course. The magazine will work, but might have to redo the main spring in the grip. Hugh or G.T. knows how to change barrels. Changing a Luger barrel takes tooling, and a little touch that comes with experience. The barrel vise is a barrel vise, but the action wrench is custom as far as I know. Just pure opinion, Rick W.

05-28-2017, 08:55 PM	#11
Puretexan User Join Date: May 2017 Location: Pearland Texas Posts: 176 Thanks: 11 Thanked 70 Times in 36 Posts	Don that is probably true. When the one gets here Wednesday, I might be so overwhelmed that I won't shoot either of the ones I have now. I will probably continue to shoot the .30 like it is but just not as much as the 9mm ones. I like cheap as much as the next guy. $9 for 50 is better than $20 for 50 any day of the week.