.30 Luger load, ....opinions wanted!

unspellable · 07-03-2002, 09:06 AM

Winchester uses a bullet with a nominal diameter of 0.3090, max 0.3090, min 0.3060. I pulled one and it measured 0.3090. RWS sells a 0.309 bullet. The nominal groove diameter is 0.311 so these bullets are a bit undersized. The Hornady 0.308 is a bit more undersized.

Accuracy aside, you want to have the load matched to the recoil spring. There are a lot of Lugers around with non-standard recoil springs.

At some future date I will have data on various loads and springs.

Hugh has a posting here with some hotter than factory loads. I recently ran one batch of Winchester and two batches of Fiocchi over the cronograph, all were a somehwat underloaded but the Winchester was the fastest of the three. (Fiocchi runs a 0.308 bullet.) Kyrie thinks the Winchester stuff is hot so maybe there's some batch variation.

Keep in mind that you are not worrying about pressure here. The key is cartridge impulse, a measure of the cartridge's ability to shove the gun back in recoil. It depends on velocity and weight of bullet and powder, but not pressure.

unspellable

07-03-2002, 09:06 AM	#2
unspellable User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 769 Thanks: 0 Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts	Winchester uses a bullet with a nominal diameter of 0.3090, max 0.3090, min 0.3060. I pulled one and it measured 0.3090. RWS sells a 0.309 bullet. The nominal groove diameter is 0.311 so these bullets are a bit undersized. The Hornady 0.308 is a bit more undersized. Accuracy aside, you want to have the load matched to the recoil spring. There are a lot of Lugers around with non-standard recoil springs. At some future date I will have data on various loads and springs. Hugh has a posting here with some hotter than factory loads. I recently ran one batch of Winchester and two batches of Fiocchi over the cronograph, all were a somehwat underloaded but the Winchester was the fastest of the three. (Fiocchi runs a 0.308 bullet.) Kyrie thinks the Winchester stuff is hot so maybe there's some batch variation. Keep in mind that you are not worrying about pressure here. The key is cartridge impulse, a measure of the cartridge's ability to shove the gun back in recoil. It depends on velocity and weight of bullet and powder, but not pressure. unspellable