Reloading .30 Luger for my “No Matching Parts 1900”.

[MichaelH]

I have on hand some 78 gr .32 coated cast bullets I use for my .32 S&W short breaktop H&R and my 1935A 7.65 Long French pistol (the much less expensive ancestor of the SIG P-210). I’ve been loading 8MM Nambu for over ten years, so I have experience with bottleneck pistol cartridges. I used a load of 5 grains of Unique in Starline cases with Winchester small pistol primers. I’m using Lee dies, I’ve had good luck with Lee dies in the past, but I’m not all the happy with these and have RCBS dies on order. I did a number of dummies to make sure they would feed and extract. I loaded 10 rounds on a single stage press. The loads locked the action open on the last round and shot to about the same place as the factory ammo. Recoil felt just about the same. I have my Dillion 550B set up for .30 Luger. The first two dummies would not allow the action to close completely. I seated the bullet a bit deeper and they cycled fine then. OAL is still a bit more the Fionchi cartridges but well under max OAL. I have a few cast .32 cal 84 gr bullets, I’ll load a few of those up as well.

[velodog455~]

You didn't indicate the diameter of the bullets that you are using but it sounds like they are probably .311"-.312"? The 7.65x21 bullet should be .308"

If your barrel is worn then you are probably OK with shooting these but you might experience failure to feed issues with some brands of cases if they are thick enough that a .311 bullet will bulge the neck to the point that the reload won't fully enter the chamber.

Graf's carry PRVI 85 grain .3065 7.65 Luger bullets for $19/100 ct. (+tax & shipping) in case you're interested. They work fine in my Lugers. My apology if you already know this info.

-Bob

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...roductId/29125

[Major Tom]

The 30 Luger bullets I have measure .309 and weigh 95 grains. I load Bullseye powder (because it burns clean in my short (4.5 inch) barrel). and my Lee dies work great! When shooting, my 1920 commercial tosses the brass into never never land.

[Kiwi]

Originally Posted by velodog455~

Graf's carry PRVI 85 grain .3065 7.65 Luger bullets for $19/100 ct. (+tax & shipping) in case you're interested. They work fine in my Lugers. My apology if you already know this info.

-Bob

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...roductId/29125

I tried the Graf's .3065 a couple of years ago, as Bob said work fine. Went to order more - out of stock.
So when they got back in stock I got 1,000

I drive with 4.5grains of SR7625
Which is interesting as my PP/K uses 2.9 for a .380 pushing a 100grain pellet.

[rhuff]

Like the OP, I also had bad luck with Lee dies in 30 Luger caliber. The sizing die looked like it was finished with a rattail file. I bought RCBS dies and installed them in my Dillon 650 press. Once set, I have turned out many, many thousands of rounds. I load .309in FMJ 91 gr. and .311 lead 91gr bullets. I like the caliber, and have pistols that shoot it.....not just Lugers.

[velodog455~]

When I started reloading 9mm for my P.08's with an undersize die it made a huge difference as far as reliability is concerned. The die is only .001" undersize, but it really helps, IME.

However, as far as I know, no undersize die for .30 Luger is available.

[MichaelH]

I have done more shooting with the "no matching parts" 1900 Luger this year. I am getting consistent 100% functioning if I use my four Meggar magazines. I'm using the 78 gr red coated lead 32 S&W bullets I got from Grafs and also some locally cast 82 gr lead .32 S&W bullets. Both loads use 4.7 gr of Unique powder. From a bench (when I do my part right) I get get most shots with either load into 1 1/2" at 25 yards. I had to do quite a number of dummy rounds to get everything adjusted right for perfect functioning. I'm loading on a Dillion 550B press i bought in 2000. I do bullet seating and bullet crimping as two separate steps. I'm seating bullets with my Lee seater die and doing the taper crimp with my RCBS die. Resizing cases is done with my RCBS die on RCBS Rock Chucker single stage press.

[MichaelH]

Someone asked about the diameter of the .32 S&W lead bullets I'm shooting. The Red coated 78 gr bullets are .313" diameter, the locally cast 82 gr bullets are .312 diameter. My Lyman Reloading books (I have both the 45th and 47th editions) indicate many of these pistols have large groove diameters. From a rest when I do my part right I can get a 1 1/2" groups at 25 yards. I would say I'm am in the ballpark on bullet size.

[G.T.]

Hi to all, I recently saw something that i thought you reloading guys might follow up on and see if it is a viable solution to prevent leading when using cast bullets in your .30 Luger?
It all started when I sold one of my customers a 1920 Navy conversion sporting a 6" .30 cal. MADE IN GERMANY barrel.While the gun was being prettied up with some new blue and straw, he introduced me to his reloading buddy, and future source of reloaded .30 luger with similar balistics to factory PPU ammo. He had loaded some of them fo me to see. The interesting part of his reloading effort was the cast bullets were a nice even blue, just like a automobile engine block, in fact, that's what the coating was! Powder coat painted! They were then baked at 400 degrees F.
I haven't heard any more, but thought you more adventurious types would see if it was a worthwhile effort? The powder coat spary paint can be purchased in an arisol can, and all of us can paint? They just got the pistol back a week ago, I'll tell you more as I learn more about it... best to all, til.....lat'r,....GT

[grantman]

G.T Let me know how this shakes out...im interested.

[rhuff]

Folks, powder coated bullets have been around for quite some time now. It started out individual reloaders coated their own bullets and loaded them with good success. Then some of the bullet suppliers started offering powder coated lead bullet for sale commercially. They stop leading and handling raw lead bullets.....win-win!! They are just a bit more expensive than raw lead bullets, as one would expect.

[Doubs]

According to an NRA publication I have, the correct groove diameter for a .30 Luger is .310". Thus .308" & .309" bullets work well. I used to run .312" bullets through a .310" sizing die and they worked great.

The 100 grain .308" Speer "Plinker" bullet, a half jacketed design, works well IF you can get the correct neck tension to prevent setback of the bullets under recoil. They are also cheaper than the other available pistol bullets which, IMO, are overpriced.

In order to get the proper neck tension with the Plinker bullet, I bought a tool that impresses a cannelure on the half jacket and allows a roll crimp to be used. It takes a little time but it works.

[rhuff]

Doubs, I did the very same thing when I was loading the .308 half jacketed bullets in 30 Lugar brass.