Ammo for 9mm Shooter? What brand do you use?

[Luke]

I am building a 1937 S/42 shooter with Wolff springs, standard tension, and plan to shoot this one a lot.


Have read on the Luger Forum that ammo type is important to proper operation of the blowback toggle system. I would like to know which ammo others have used with good success rates.


Cost is not a great consideration, as I would prefer good, safe performance to lower cost.


Thanks for your help.

Luke

I adhere to the philosophy that you should not use hot ammo in a Luger if the weaker stuff works fine. In my shooter, I have never had a jam or misfeed during thousands of rounds of 115 gr. Winchester, which is also available very cheaply (especially in 100 round boxes) at any Wal-Mart.


I have also heard that what works perfectly in one Luger may be garbage in another (since I only own one Luger, I have not personally tested this theory). You may have to try different varieties of ammo until you find the right one, and then you should stick with it.

[HÃ?Â¥kan Spuhr]

FOr different competition use we have used the following


Practice and fun shoots.

PMC 124 gr.

Speer lawman. 124 gr.


When the accuracy really counts.

9mm High performnce subgun ammo

Norma 124 gr. TC

Norma 124 gr. TC safety


Regards HÃ?Â¥kan

[HÃ?Â¥kan Spuhr]

You have to find out to your gun with round that shoots really good.

Generally the hotter a 9mm round is loaded the better it shoots. But you have to test and find out as some really good brands not shoots best in all guns.

Different guns prefers different ammo and this is espeislly true in 9mm.



http://www.vapensmedjan.com

[Don]

[Don]

From one newbie to another ...


This is a subject that's fresh on my mind because I just started buying Lugers -- all shooters -- in March. I now have 4, and have played with them enough to see a pattern.


I like to shoot 115 gr. Winchester FMJ. I can get it in Texas for $5.00 for 50. However, I get slightly better results with 124 gr. FMJ of a variety of brands. I like the idea of a lighter load, and since I'm a bad shot and go through a lot of ammo, I like the economy of the 115 gr. Winchester and buy it by the case.


Other observations:


I have gotten the best results from guns that were all matching original. (They're classified as shooters because they're rare and the finish is mediocre.) A matching mag really seems to help. These guns like just about any kind of ammo, although there are some very, very rare instances in which they don't hold open with 115 gr. ammo -- like once every few hundred rounds. Never a problem with 124 gr, so I have to conclude that that little bit of extra lead helps. If I use a different magazine, I sometimes get some feeding problems, depending on the mag.


I have one shooter, a 1917 DWM, that is mis-matched. Originally it stovepiped with any kind of ammo. Sent it off for repairs. With a new toggle that fits better, and a weaker recoil spring, it seems to function well with 124 gr. -- but not 115. (It's still being worked on, so there may be hope.) I have a 1915 artillery, that I'm pretty sure was all matching original except for the mag. It always fed well with any ammo, but it failed to hold open about half the time -- with any kind of ammo. A weaker spring seems to have cured this, even with 115 gr.


I hope this helps.

[Luke]

I have had good results with the Winchester 115 gr and the CCI Blazer 115 gr.

[Marvin]

I have a quesation that probably has come up before, but what are thoughts on the use of current NATO 9mmP ammo? Has anyone used any of this and is it too hot, not hot enough, etc. I really don't know anything about the velocity and pressure of the current US 9mmP.


Marvin

[Don]

I've seen CCI Blazer, and it's REALLY cheap where I live --$3.99 a box of 50 -- but I'm wondering if it's hard on a gun. Aren't the cases steel or aluminum? We also have Russian ammo here, Wolf's, with steel cases, and I've been warned away from that. Thanks.

Do not use Russian Ammo!!! It binds for poor feeding, the charge is varied and inconsistenly low causing poor recoil and ejection. This is from experience. And historically this gun was made, after the 7.65mm, for 124 grain fmj or tmj ammo. Unless you had the springs lightened you are asking for trouble. If saving a couple of bucks per box of ammo is worth faulty ejection, extractor damage, and simply annoying manual clearing of shells then have a blast. Me I like things smooth and consistent with no risk of gun damage. your choice.

CCI Blazer is aluminum case, and the cases are very soft. It works very well in my luger.

I use very successful the "Magtech 9 A", it has a 115g-bullet and it works since many thousands of shoots without any mistake. It's also a very excellent ammo for scoring. And its here in germany the cheapest (14,50 DM for 50 shots) I shot with my VOPO-Luger last sunday 180 of 200 points with 20 shots on 25 m. Greetings from Germany. Dieter

[Don]

Thanks for the tip. Just bought 3 boxes, and ran em through a 1917 arty. and a 1938 S/42 without any problems--same as my old standby, Winchester -- only a dollar box cheaper -- $3.99 v. $4.99!