Luger Chambers VS Modern Chambers

Doubs · 06-14-2020, 01:57 PM

I reload for my handguns in both .30 Luger and 9mm Luger... or Parabellum, if you wish.

My favorite bullet for 9mm is a 115 grain plated Berry's flat base, flat nose bullet that is really a truncated cone close to the original German military design. You can see the bullet and how I load it for my Lugers on the far right of the picture below.

ALL of my original "Shooter" Lugers work beautifully with this cartridge as seen in the picture. Same with my original .30 Lugers and the cartridges as seen in the picture.

OTOH, modern guns chambered for these cartridges do not work well with these loads. The chambers and leads are cut differently and the bullets jam into the lands, preventing the actions from closing. The difference in seating depth is as much as .070" or 70 thousands of an inch. None of my newer 9mm handguns will accept my Luger loads because the bullet jams the lands.

Interestingly, a 1942 Mauser P-38 won't chamber my 9mm Luger load but a 1986 P1 does. My Sig P6, CZ-75B and Grand Power K100 pistols all have short leads that require seating the bullets deeper. My .30 Luger loads won't chamber in my Benelli B80 or Browning High Power; the bullet must be seated deeper in the case.

For anyone new to reloading, the manuals list an over all cartridge length and that may - or may not - work in your pistol depending upon the bullet design and your chamber. Remove your barrel, make up a dummy round and make sure your load will chamber without jamming the lands. If your bullet is seated deeper than the manual calls for, adjust your powder weight to prevent higher pressures.

06-14-2020, 01:57 PM	#1
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,670 Thanks: 769 Thanked 1,611 Times in 525 Posts	Luger Chambers VS Modern Chambers I reload for my handguns in both .30 Luger and 9mm Luger... or Parabellum, if you wish. My favorite bullet for 9mm is a 115 grain plated Berry's flat base, flat nose bullet that is really a truncated cone close to the original German military design. You can see the bullet and how I load it for my Lugers on the far right of the picture below. ALL of my original "Shooter" Lugers work beautifully with this cartridge as seen in the picture. Same with my original .30 Lugers and the cartridges as seen in the picture. OTOH, modern guns chambered for these cartridges do not work well with these loads. The chambers and leads are cut differently and the bullets jam into the lands, preventing the actions from closing. The difference in seating depth is as much as .070" or 70 thousands of an inch. None of my newer 9mm handguns will accept my Luger loads because the bullet jams the lands. Interestingly, a 1942 Mauser P-38 won't chamber my 9mm Luger load but a 1986 P1 does. My Sig P6, CZ-75B and Grand Power K100 pistols all have short leads that require seating the bullets deeper. My .30 Luger loads won't chamber in my Benelli B80 or Browning High Power; the bullet must be seated deeper in the case. For anyone new to reloading, the manuals list an over all cartridge length and that may - or may not - work in your pistol depending upon the bullet design and your chamber. Remove your barrel, make up a dummy round and make sure your load will chamber without jamming the lands. If your bullet is seated deeper than the manual calls for, adjust your powder weight to prevent higher pressures.