k31 Corner

[OTThomas]

On this thread share your stories of accuracy, great loads, or just talk about how nice your schmidt rubin rifle is! Any model rifle not just k31.

[tacklebury]

I'm having fun reloading for my 1911 This was my first worked up load for a 5-shot 250 yard group. 8)





She's a good shooter still:

[NuJudge]

I've shot a K31 in 7.5x55 at Camp Perry in the CMP's Vintage Military match in 5 of the last 6 years (I was in China the other year), and won a gold medal each of those times. The sights are not what I would prefer, but I can make them work, and the rifle's zero does not seem to wander as it gets hot. Make sure you blacken your sights.

The GP11 ammo shoots quite well. You will have to work pretty hard to find anything that shoots better. My different 1911 and K31 rifles all like GP11, but in handloads they like different things. I have a supply of Berdan primers, so most of the 7.5x55 ammo I shoot is in Swiss Berdan brass. Widener's has the cheapest Boxer brass available right now. A new supply of Berdan primers is about to arrive at DagAmmo: get the KV-7.62N. These were made at Murom in Russia, the same as the PMC primers of 10 years ago.

When reloading 7.5x55 brass, you really have to size the hell out of it, or the bolt won't close completely, and the rifle will probably misfire. It may look closed, but it's not.

My different 7.5x55 rifles like different bullets in their handloads. The most accurate of my K31 came to me with a nearly new barrel. It did not like 168 SMK's originally, what it shot best with was bulk Remington 165 SPCL. After well over a 1000 shots, it started to like 168 SMK and Norma Custom Competitions.

The groove diameter of a Swiss barrel is about .3075, so .308 jacketed bullets shoot fine. In the K31, it has rifling that comes all the way back to the case mouth, so Jacketed bullets better have a pronounced taper just ahead of the cannelure, or they jam into the lands. Cast bullets have their own problems with the K31: the top of the barrel lands is about .297", well less than the standard in the US of .300", and a relatively new barrel will have trouble with most American designs. There have been some special cast bullet designs which have been the subject of group buys here.

I've burned a lot of rather slow powders in the 7.5x55, especially WC852 (about 4831 speed). Lately, I've been trying IMR4064 with excellent results, which is strange, because I've never gotten the Hodgdon powder of the same speed (Varget) to shoot for sour owls in it.

I bought a 1911 carbine about 1972. I have had a number of K31 rifles. I bought a 1911 long rifle several years ago. I do not have a 96/11 rifle, even though Swiss riflemen thought them the most accurate. The long rifles have sights which have their bottom setting as 300 meters, and shoot way high at the 200 yards I usually shoot at. Fixing this requires an aftermarket tall front sight, which is available. I keep working with the long 1911, but the K31 rifles I have keep out-shooting it.

Accurizing the k31 rifles has been easy for me. The Swiss tightened all the screws and shot them that way. What the SwissRifles websight recommends works better for me:
http://www.swissrifles.com/sr/pierre/accurizing.html

[tacklebury]

When reloading 7.5x55 brass, you really have to size the hell out of it, or the bolt won't close completely, and the rifle will probably misfire. It may look closed, but it's not.

I'll have to watch for this, but I've been using my Lee Collet Die to Neck size for 2 times then bumping back the shoulder the 3rd. Haven't had a single issue of misfire or failure to lock down. Sounds like you've shot a few more than I though, so will watch for any issues.

The group above was elbow hold only, no bags or rests, on a picnic table, so it probably doesn't compare to a lock down group for competition. My only intention with this load is to shoot deer at our second fence row at 250. I can do it with my .45-70 BC, but my thoughts were that this one has sights designed for that range and obviously has good consistency too. I do intend to get the taller sight though at some point and that'll help for closer shooting. I've been reading a lot at the swiss rifles forum and it seems as though Reloader 17 is really a favorite of many there also. Some time I want to pick up some GP11 also and try it at the silhouette range. It's useless other than that however, because I am not shooting matches.

[HollowPoint]

When I first bought my K31 I fired about 200 rounds of store bought ammo thru it. It was one of the few ways I could get some re-loading brass.

I reloaded using cheap and expensive jacketed bullets but I couldn't get it to shoot any better than about two inches at a hundred yards.

By reading alot of the posts on this site about the various things one might do to get some more accuracy I managed to get my groups down close to bragging size at a hundred yards. This was with cast bullets.

When I used up all the jacketed bullets I went with cast bullets exclusively. In particular, I was able to acquire one of the NOE spitzer pointed bullet molds that drop at close to 200 grains.

I was able to get to the range last week and believe it or not I was getting less than an inch at a hundred yards. I have the target stapled to the wall in my work shop.

This may not mean anything to anyone but me but I use the OCW method of working up loads. If last weeks groups weren't a fluke, with any luck I'll have only one more trip to the range with this rifle and I'll be able to say I've finally got it dialed in.

I plan on testing this load with varying bullet-seating depths to hopefully tighten up the groups a little more. Even if it doesn't give me tighter groups I can live with less than an inch center to center.

I should mention that the only reason I can see the target clearly to get this type of groups is because I had to build some custom scope mounts so I could set an 8x32 scope on it. I've also pillar bedded it and free floated the barrel. The trigger's been good from day one.

With my eye sight I'd be lucky to get four inch groups with the peep sights I mounted on it shortly after I realized I was past my prime to be shooting with iron sights.

Since this is the internet, when ever I read the kind of claims I've just made here I take it with a grain of salt because I generally see myself as the only honest guy on the world wide web.

No, but seriously; I'll post a picture of my targets and my rifle next time I get out to the range. I hope to be able to make it out next week if I can get a day off. I'll ask one of the range officers to sign the target just as confirmation; if I can remember.

I still have to reload the cartridges.

HollowPoint

[tacklebury]

Getting into casting is something I'm working towards. I have a pot, some built up lead but no molds yet. hehe I am going to start on my .45's then may move down into the 30 cals.

[HollowPoint]

Hi tacklebury:

That's exactly how I started; with my 45, then I expanded from there.

HollowPoint

[Ragnarok]

I only have one K31 rifle..a 1936 model. Really a beautiful rifle.

Had called my favorite gunstore to see if they had any K31 rifles..the owner's brother said "OHH..I got a nice one..I'll put it in back until you get here".

So I drove the 40 miles and took a look..they had a beech K31 or two..and a pretty walnut one in the racks..then brother retrieved the one from the back..and it was a beauty too..100% tiger-striped light walnut..handguard and all..excellent mechanical shape(they all were). I bought it for $125..then they raped me on the Swiss surplus ammo($10 for box of 10)..and I was in the K31 business.

That's how I got a K31

[tacklebury]

Hehe, an co-worker of mine who was a part time cop and ex-gunsmith pulled this one out of his truck and said here 100 bucks and you'll have a deer rifle. I had 100 so I jumped. Prior to this all I owned of my own was shotguns and .22's. I have fun with this now that I'm loading though.

[madsenshooter]

But here's the best so far with the Eagan MX3-30AR. It's a very good fit in the tight bored K31. 2.3" tall x 1.1" wide. That's a low pressure load and I think I can do better with a faster flake powder that will give the same velocity. First shot from the clean barrel was the high one. Without it, the group would have been 1.7" tall. I'll get it right someday.

[koehlerrk]

A guy at my gun club had a K31 that he was showing off one day... and I fell in love with that rifle. Finally located one I liked, paid for it, had it shipped to my dealer. Walnut stock, mechanically perfect, yeah, you know the drill. Finally got to reloading for her, and it really likes Sierra Gamekings. 150gr. j-words in a PRVI case, fueled with Varget and lit with a CCI LR primer.

I load it mild, 2550 fps with that 150gr pill, and it gives me honest 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. Sure, I could push it faster, but why? Recoil is mild, accuracy is great, and in the five years I've used it for deer hunting, five of Bambi's relatives have fallen, each with one shot. Ranges were 10 to 325 yards, so I have ZERO complaints.

The old Swiss Miss is one of my favorite rifles. Dependable, accurate, and just a little different from anything else at the range. What's not to love?

[Arnie]

You would think that with all the moulds NOE made for the K31 that there would be alot more info here .Arnie

[madsenshooter]

I've got one of those NOE molds, when my throat wears enough that I can seat it out to the intended length, I'll use it. That might be awhile as it's pretty much a cast bullet only rifle. Even seated deep, it shot very good for me though.

[Ragnarok]

I got a 'Swiss' question!

Why does the factory/military 7.5 ammo have a wax seal ring at the bullet/case neck junction?

I realize it could be just for sealing the ammunition...but figure it must have some other reason use.

[zomby woof]

Evaluations have begun

[filric48]

I'm a newbie, I all so have a K31 it is a 1951 and it shoots groups 3" to 4" inches at a hundred yards. I have had it for a couple of months been to the range 4 times and I love this rifle. I got it from a guy that gave me a brick of that Swiss ammo I have been saving the brass so I bought me a Lee Press I'm going to start reloading the Swiss, I saw a couple of things on Youtube and it got me interested and now I'm here... I have my dies coming in the mail,I need to purchase pot, molds. I also want to load 9x18. Well I guess that is enough rambling thanks for your time...

[garandsrus]

Filric48,

The Swiss lGP11 ammo is Berdan primed so you won't be able to reload it without special tools and primers. You can purchase boxer primed brass, which can be reloaded.

John

[tacklebury]

Yep, Hornady makes Military Classic occasionally with 165gr. BTSP which is where I got my first 3 boxes of brass. Good shooting ammo also. I shot 60 in a day though at the silhouette range, and was a bit sore. lol Prvi Partisan and Wolf Gold also has some occasionally. This is one place I found it.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/b...85&stk=1&d=121

[Kraschenbirn]

According to their website (about 5 minutes ago), Graf's still has Privi 7.5x55 brass on sale...and in stock. The Lee 309-200 will match factory FMJs for accuracy from my 1937-vintage K31.

Bill

[NuJudge]

I really like dealing with Grafs, but Widener's is a bit cheaper now, and their brass is primed.

Grafs:
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...roductId/12649

Widener's:
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.c...m_id=100000280