What can you tell me about my Luger? - Page 3

cneider · 01-20-2014, 01:03 PM

Just got notified by Sportsman's Guide that they have Fiocchi .30 Luger ammo in stock. Well, the FMJ anyway, not the soft points.
www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=606389

Also, I'm working up a batch of handloads with Hornady .30 Mauser bullets, 86 grain .308Φ. I noticed when I seated them to crimp the mouth of the case at the cannelure, it exceeds maximum cartridge OAL. I'm loading them with 5 grains of Unique. Anyone else have experience with this load? What cartridge length are you loading them to ensure smooth feeding? I might wait until UPS delivers my factory ammo and load them to that length.

K.Wilhelm · 01-20-2014, 04:29 PM

Don't exceed the max. oal. I seat mine within the oal listed, but it puts the cannelure below the case mouth. It still crimps allright, however. Try it and see if it works for you. KW

rhuff · 01-20-2014, 05:38 PM

I don't know if you fellas are interested or not, but there is an ad in the "for sale' section for new Winchester 30 Luger brass for sale. I am pretty well fixed for brass, but perhaps you guys might be interested.

K.Wilhelm · 01-20-2014, 08:45 PM

rhuff- thanks for the info on the brass for sale. I sent the guy a PM, but haven't heard back yet. Bill

cneider · 01-31-2014, 10:20 AM

This is some good information about reloading .30 Luger. Do you use the crimp with the seating die, or do you crimp separately with a crimp die (like the Lee?) I have mixed brass, some Winchester, some Starline, some Fiocchi. They're not all the exact same length, so I have to set the crimp on the seating die to the longest case lest I crush the shorter ones. Yeah, I know, I SHOULD trim them all to the same length! I'm trying the Hornady .30 Mauser 86 grain round nose (soft point) with 5 grains of Unique.

cneider · 01-31-2014, 12:36 PM

Copied and pasted from an email I sent to a gun show vendor:

I came across a small quantity of Speer 30 cal, .308 Φ, 110 grain, hollow point Varminter bullets. Can you recommend a load for me with Unique? According to your notes, 4.5 grains of Unique was too light for the 110 grain round nose bullet. What would be a safe load for this Speer bullet (#1835?) I just want to send some rounds down range at 25 yards with my 1920’s alphabet series commercial Luger.

rhuff · 01-31-2014, 03:49 PM

I have the same information from Bob Shell's blog. I have always wondered about trying the .308in M1 carbine 110gr bullet in the 30 Luger brass. I have a lot of the carbine bullets(own a couple of carbines), but have never tried to work up any loads. I suppose if one were to take Bob's info and try to sneak up on a load with Unique, a successful combo could be reached.

I am a bit concerned about this info, since Bob considers the 4.5gr of Unique a soft load with the 110gr bullet, when Lymans show 5.1 gr of Unique a Max load with a 96gr FMJ bullet. One would need to walk a fine line here, I think.

I seat and crimp in separate steps on my press. The Lee Factory Crimp Die is a collet crimp die (used on all bottleneck brass), and not a roll or taper crimp die. It does not really matter about length variation of the brass with this crimp die.

01-20-2014, 04:29 PM	#42
K.Wilhelm User Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Central Colorado Posts: 215 Thanks: 45 Thanked 109 Times in 66 Posts	Don't exceed the max. oal. I seat mine within the oal listed, but it puts the cannelure below the case mouth. It still crimps allright, however. Try it and see if it works for you. KW __________________ NRA Endowment Life member Proud veteran of the Naval Security Group

01-20-2014, 08:45 PM	#44
K.Wilhelm User Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Central Colorado Posts: 215 Thanks: 45 Thanked 109 Times in 66 Posts	30 Luger brass rhuff- thanks for the info on the brass for sale. I sent the guy a PM, but haven't heard back yet. Bill __________________ NRA Endowment Life member Proud veteran of the Naval Security Group

01-31-2014, 03:49 PM	#47
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,270 Thanks: 2,686 Thanked 958 Times in 704 Posts	I have the same information from Bob Shell's blog. I have always wondered about trying the .308in M1 carbine 110gr bullet in the 30 Luger brass. I have a lot of the carbine bullets(own a couple of carbines), but have never tried to work up any loads. I suppose if one were to take Bob's info and try to sneak up on a load with Unique, a successful combo could be reached. I am a bit concerned about this info, since Bob considers the 4.5gr of Unique a soft load with the 110gr bullet, when Lymans show 5.1 gr of Unique a Max load with a 96gr FMJ bullet. One would need to walk a fine line here, I think. I seat and crimp in separate steps on my press. The Lee Factory Crimp Die is a collet crimp die (used on all bottleneck brass), and not a roll or taper crimp die. It does not really matter about length variation of the brass with this crimp die. Last edited by rhuff; 01-31-2014 at 03:53 PM. Reason: To add info

01-20-2014, 01:03 PM	#41
cneider User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 59 Thanks: 28 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Just got notified by Sportsman's Guide that they have Fiocchi .30 Luger ammo in stock. Well, the FMJ anyway, not the soft points. www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=606389 Also, I'm working up a batch of handloads with Hornady .30 Mauser bullets, 86 grain .308Φ. I noticed when I seated them to crimp the mouth of the case at the cannelure, it exceeds maximum cartridge OAL. I'm loading them with 5 grains of Unique. Anyone else have experience with this load? What cartridge length are you loading them to ensure smooth feeding? I might wait until UPS delivers my factory ammo and load them to that length.

01-20-2014, 05:38 PM	#43
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,270 Thanks: 2,686 Thanked 958 Times in 704 Posts	I don't know if you fellas are interested or not, but there is an ad in the "for sale' section for new Winchester 30 Luger brass for sale. I am pretty well fixed for brass, but perhaps you guys might be interested.

01-31-2014, 10:20 AM	#45
cneider User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 59 Thanks: 28 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	This is some good information about reloading .30 Luger. Do you use the crimp with the seating die, or do you crimp separately with a crimp die (like the Lee?) I have mixed brass, some Winchester, some Starline, some Fiocchi. They're not all the exact same length, so I have to set the crimp on the seating die to the longest case lest I crush the shorter ones. Yeah, I know, I SHOULD trim them all to the same length! I'm trying the Hornady .30 Mauser 86 grain round nose (soft point) with 5 grains of Unique.

01-31-2014, 12:36 PM	#46
cneider User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 59 Thanks: 28 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Copied and pasted from an email I sent to a gun show vendor: I came across a small quantity of Speer 30 cal, .308 Φ, 110 grain, hollow point Varminter bullets. Can you recommend a load for me with Unique? According to your notes, 4.5 grains of Unique was too light for the 110 grain round nose bullet. What would be a safe load for this Speer bullet (#1835?) I just want to send some rounds down range at 25 yards with my 1920’s alphabet series commercial Luger.