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Luger P08 9mm again

oceanica
Thanks to all for the advice.
Another question. Anything special about this pistol vs say amodern firearm? Extra maintenance? Finnicky? Jams? Availability of parts and tools? Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks, Mark
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • MIKE WISKEY
    SOME U.S. COMMERCIAL AMMO MAY NOT WORK WELL WITH SOME P-08'S, USE +P'S IF POSSIBLE.
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  • nmyers
    Gunpartscorp has replacement commercial barrels, grips, upper receivers, etc, plus a few original small parts. Keep in mind, corrosive ammo was used when these guns were produced, so you have to examine the barrel & breech face carefully.

    Neal
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  • Xracer
    As MW says, P08s can be finnicky on ammunition.....both as to power and bullet shape.

    Just make sure you stick to full-power loads and roundnose or truncated cone bullets.
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  • HAIRY
    I have to disagree with Mike Wiskey about using +P ammo in a Luger.

    That's a hot round and you might find that could break the breech block on you. Just use good old 9mm Luger, 115 gr bullets, and try different manufacturers to find the one your gun likes.



    volenti non fit injuria
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  • He Dog
    9mm Parabellum of the period shot 115 grain and 124 grain bullets at about 1400 fps. Commercial US loadings at 1150-1200 fps are often not "hot" enough to cycle the toggle properly. Try German or Canadian military ammo.
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  • Dan Plisk
    I am having feeding problem with my P08.It looks like magazine related but also I am using commercial ammo that can cause some problems. Rounds are getting stuck by loading and cartages are ejected without a problem. One magazine is new and worked fine for about 50 rounds when problems started. Second mag is original and always had a same problem. Anybody has some advice?
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  • p3skyking
    What type/variation Parabellum do you have? Some are more valuable than others and it would behoove you to know if you are shooting a $800 one or a $7,000 one.
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  • Hawk Carse
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    9mm Parabellum of the period shot 115 grain and 124 grain bullets at about 1400 fps. Commercial US loadings at 1150-1200 fps are often not "hot" enough to cycle the toggle properly. Try German or Canadian military ammo.


    That would be news to Herr Georg and the U.S. Army.
    The Luger was designed and originally built in 7.65x22 (.30 Luger) with a 93 grain bullet at 1250 fps. The 9mms bought to supplement the 1000 .30 US "test trial" Lugers were furnished with ammunition firing a 123 grain bullet at 1040 or 1090 fps, depending on the loading. The commonly reported high velocity German service ammunition was tested by Lee Jurras when he ran Super Vel and he found that unusually high velocity came only with light bullet weight in steel core and sintered iron construction. Pressures were no higher than SAAMI.

    A friend has one of those Finnish surplus Lugers with Tikka 9mm barrel replacing the original DWM .30. The ONLY thing it will shoot reliably is my IDPA loading of a 145 cast or 147 gr jacketed bullet at about 880 fps. Good hot European ammunition was a total failure, would not function twice in a row. US econoball worked for a while, then quit. Probably because of cheap replacement magazines... but MY stuff still works in it.
    Another shooter here had one at an IDPA match for fun. It ran flawlessly with his ammo. I don't know how hot he loads it, but he says the key is to load to the maximum OAL the magazine and chamber will take.

    I DO wish that Canadian '43 surplus 9mm was still readily available. It DID shoot well in the Luger I used to own, and was noncorrosive to boot. I did not have a chronograph in my youth, but the blast and recoil were no worse than Remington which was unreliable.
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  • HAIRY
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    SOME U.S. COMMERCIAL AMMO MAY NOT WORK WELL WITH SOME P-08'S, USE +P'S IF POSSIBLE.


    NO! Don't use +P ammo in a gun that is some 65 to 101 years old. I suggest you try the lugerforum.com and see what those experts recomment.

    Under no circumstances use +P ammo.
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  • HAIRY
    You can also consider changing out the mainspring for a lighter one. Wolff Springs has them in three flavors. [:D]
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