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Standard velocity 115 grain Bullet weight. Federal brand is decent stuff. Don't run any of the hotter self defense stuff thru them.
If the springs haven't ever been changed out in your pistols I would recommend it. Not necessary if your going to just shoot occasionally
 
Standard velocity 115 grain Bullet weight. Federal brand is decent stuff. Don't run any of the hotter self defense stuff thru them.
If the springs haven't ever been changed out in your pistols I would recommend it. Not necessary if your going to just shoot occasionally

They're complete matching originals. I just wanted to put a magazine or two through before they never see another round most likely.
 
If the P08 doesn't cycle 115gr, try 124gr since that's what they're designed to shoot. I'm just going to assume the suggestion for 115gr was to reduce wear on the pistols?
Standard pressure FMJ round nose, no doubt.
I'd definitely like to hear more, if you care to elaborate, @Velzey
 
I second ( Thirdly...? :D ) the suggestion of the 115 and 124 gain FMJ standard pressure 9mm ammo.
Its what these pistols were designed to be used with.

Wartime tolerances can wildly vary...using mil-spec ammo is the best bet for these guns.
Andy
 
I second ( Thirdly...? :D ) the suggestion of the 115 and 124 gain FMJ standard pressure 9mm ammo.
Its what these pistols were designed to be used with.

Wartime tolerances can wildly vary...using mil-spec ammo is the best bet for these guns.
Andy
That's true, but I wouldn't run NATO rounds as they're essentially 9mm+P.
 
I've seen so many of these older bring backs that have compromised springs. I've seen springs reduced in length of 1/2". The guns can handle normal pressure rounds no problem.
+P and weak springs is a good way to batter them to death.
 
I've seen so many of these older bring backs that have compromised springs. I've seen springs reduced in length of 1/2". The guns can handle normal pressure rounds no problem.
+P and weak springs is a good way to batter them to death.

I'll have to break down and measure. The Luger is a 36 with pretty little wear so it prob didn't see much action after Poland. The p38 is late war, think it's a 44.
 
PLEASE DO NOT SHOOT NATO SPEC 9X19 in these old pistols. The NATO stuff was designed primarily to drive an ornery submachine gun like the STEN and then the Sterling, both of which rely on a hefty impulse to operate their advanced primer ignition blowback designs.

I was always minded on the ten or more years I spent on Luger forum, before a misery-gob from the Channel Islands made the place unpleasant for me, that the plain old white box stuff from Walmart worked very well for most people in both the P08 and the P38/P1.

Incidentally, my 1960-made P1 was wrecked by the next owner who, like me, had free access to NATO 9mm stuff. He busted the frame so badly that you could read through the gap it opened up.

You bin warned.
 
Pics or I'll pull all my advice/ce. :p

1582494677988836398316213360094.jpg
 
Nice! I know a pawn place local to me that has a 1940 complete matching rig with both originally matched mags. It's not on display but he's shown me it. Won't sell yet sadly. Has had it for a decade or more, guy wanted a $280 loan. Never came back
 
My 1940 (Mauser) P08 doesnt like to run well with White Box or other commonly available 9mmP. I got hold of some very-late war German ammo with steel projectiles which seems hotter (and much messier) than commercial. I dunno why it doesnt like American ammo but there it is, an unreconstructed Nazi no doubt. While I like the pistol and lusted after a nice one most of my adult life it will probably go on the block soon as I continue my herd thinning exercise. :D
 
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Most all US-made 9mm - excepting the stuff actually marked a +P - is not powerful enough to develop that initial snap that makes the toggle action function. IOW, the impulse pressure curve peak does not correctly occur at the right time, mechanically.

My home load was 4.8gr of HP38 and a 125gr FMJ - that worked in all my semi-precious 9mm pistols, of which I had twelve.
 
Most all US-made 9mm - excepting the stuff actually marked a +P - is not powerful enough to develop that initial snap that makes the toggle action function. IOW, the impulse pressure curve peak does not correctly occur at the right time, mechanically.

Interesting. I have G-marked Russian Capture, so not super valuable, but nonetheless.. it's in pretty good shape and I don't want to mess it up. You're saying it won't cycle the factory FMJ stuff?
 
Never had a hiccup shooting any 9mm ammo in the DWM P08 from 1917, just has to be 124gr. Usually shoot pop's reloads, Blazer, S&B, Magtech, or Winchester and Remington from the 80's.
Just sayin'

@DunRanull let me know when you put it on the block!
 

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