Reloading .30 Luger Ammo

[Clockmaker]

Do not yet own luger. Am 87 years old...gotta get moving. Already load for 9mm but am interested in .30. It appears RCBS still makes dies. Have read somewhere that .30 luger barrels vary greatly in bore diameter...is this true? What does everybody do for bullets? Suggestions on how to proceed?

[Clockmaker]

Don't understand what you mean by "2 characters"

[Kiwi]

Hello Clockmaker, RCBS does make dies, but I got a used set off E-Bay.
Be careful as E-Bay prices sometimes exceed the cost of a new set.

Bullets - Graff and Sons, I got the PRVI 85gr and they work well
https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...roductId/29125

Powder - I do not know what you have but a medium slow powder like Unique works well
There are a number of posts on loading for 30 Luger - all helpful

Good luck

[rhuff]

Clockmaker,

I want to refer you to the reloading section of this forum. There are a number of us here that handload the 7.65Para(30 Luger) brass. There is a lot of good info in that sub-forum, and the folks here are more than happy to help out if asked. Enjoy!!

[mrerick]

Welcome to the forum.

There is no particular issue I'm aware of with the bore diameter of the .30 Luger barrels used in Lugers.

The military Lugers were measured as part of the manufacturing process, and their measured bore size was then stamped on the base of many barrels.

[Major Tom]

I reload '30 luger' using Star line brass and Bullseye powder. Hornady makes a .309 diameter pistol bullet which is spot on for '30 luger'. I also reload original Swiss made steel bullets which were made specifically for '30 luger'.

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by Major Tom

I reload '30 luger' using Star line brass and Bullseye powder. Hornady makes a .309 diameter pistol bullet which is spot on for '30 luger'. I also reload original Swiss made steel bullets which were made specifically for '30 luger'.

Tom,

Are you sure those "Steel" bullets are not simply nickel jacketed; as steel bullets certainly would not make sense for a non-combative nation like Switzerland?

Though Hornady advertises one of their bullets at .309 diameter, it actually measures a true .308.

Respectfully,


Sieger

[Kiwi]

Major Tom, steel bullets with velocity down a steel barrel, how much barrel wear?

[Heinz]

"Major Tom, steel bullets with velocity down a steel barrel, how much barrel wear"

Lots

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by Clockmaker

Do not yet own luger. Am 87 years old...gotta get moving. Already load for 9mm but am interested in .30. It appears RCBS still makes dies. Have read somewhere that .30 luger barrels vary greatly in bore diameter...is this true? What does everybody do for bullets? Suggestions on how to proceed?

Clockmaker,

DWM barrel groove diameters measure a very uniform .311 inch; thus, full metal jacket bullets can measure up to that size.
Cast lead bullets can safely range up to .313 inch diameter.

It is true that the original DWM 7.65 Luger was loaded with bullets under size to groove by .003 inches. Just why this was done, I have yet to figure out. Please note, however, that 7.63x25 Mauser, as well as, 7.62x25 Tokarev all use these under size bullets.

If you would look back through the Shooting & Reloading section of this site, you will find several very helpful posts regarding handloading the 7.65 Luger.

Respectfully,


Sieger

[Major Tom]

Using those steel Swiss bullets; I don't worry about barrel wear! I don't shoot enough of them to matter. The Hornady bullets do very good in my shooter luger. I'll have to 'mike' my batch.

[rhuff]

I am pretty sure that I own, and load, the very same Swiss bullets that you describe......especially if you got them from GT. My Swiss bullets are steel core with a nickel jacket......perhaps yours are different.