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While the Luger likes a slow push recoil, the Browning-design pistols of today like a hot primer and a sharp recoil. Consequently most of today’s ammo is made for their functioning needs, which are the exact opposite of the Luger’s. Also, their overall length does not always lie within the Luger’s operating lengths. Like the M16, the Luger is sensitve about the ammo used in it.

To keep the lock from cycling too fast, the WWI German Army Luger load was a 115-grain bullet at 1,025 fps. A slow-burning, single-base nitrocellulose powder with a high silica content that slowed ignition coupled with slightly underpowered low-flame primers gave a slower burning curve and a slower push, resulting in a slower cyclic time to allow proper feeding and reliability. WWII ammo was also slower burning but with a 124-grain bullet and, later, a 130-grain bullet. Mauser Werke altered the spring strength of the German Army’s Lugers for this ammunition. Ammunition marked for machinepistol use (MP-38, MP-40) was loaded with extra-hot primers that make the Luger cycle too fast for reliability. The best American powder for Lugers is Red Dot shotgun powder as it most closely equals the WWI powder’s burning and acceleration rate. 4.1 grains of Red Dot and a 115-grain bullet will give 997 FPS and 3.9 grains of Red Dot and a 124-grain bullet will give 1,025 FPS. Winchester primers are the best American primers for Lugers because they are the least likely to be pierced by the Luger’s long firing pin. When that happens, gas can go back through the firing pin hole, pushing the firing pin and spring back and ripping the back out of the breechblock. The extractor may also be forced up and torn out of the breechblock.