K31 project

[DanM]

I have been loading the Lee 312185-2R for my #4 Mk2 Enfield and M39 Finn-Mosin, and wanted to try them in my 1936 K31 before buying another new mold. I was able to size them way down without much difficulty, although the lube grooves were noticeably thinner than those sized to .314”. I found an old stash of LithiBee sticks, and used that good stuff applied by hand, with a Lee push through .309” sizer. A slow process, but results were good. Boolits measured .3085” with my digital caliper. They were seated to just touch the lands with a fully closed bolt. I full length sized GP11 brass and reprimed with PMC .217” Berdan primers.


This K31 has a 2-7X NC Star pistol scope mounted with a Darryl’s scout mount in place of the rear sight. The Darryl’s mount is rock solid, but raises the scope up too high for a good cheek weld. All these targets were shot from sandbags, so I raised my eye position with a towel folded over the stock. First I tried 16, 18, and 20grs of 2400 powder. This target was shot with 18grs. 2400 at 100yds. The 16 and 20gr. groups looked even worse. Obviously there was some shooter error involved here, so the load may actually be useable:


Next was an R7 load of 29grs. The strung shots to the left show some scope adjusting, with the last four grouping fairly well. My chrono battery died here, but estimated velocity would be 1800-1900fps.


The last group was loaded with 35grs. Of IMR4350. I estimate this velocity at 2000-2100fps:


The white bars on this square target measure 1 1/16” width. The K31 bore was shiny clean after the 2400 and R7 runs. The 4350 powder did leave some unburned residue behind, but all cleaned up fine with a few patches and USGI bore cleaner. No lead showed on the patches. These targets are obviously not up to GP11 standards, but it seems this boolit will make a fine plinker. My next mold purchase will likely be a Lee 312155-2R, but this one is working fine for now.

[Razor]

Some purdy fair shootin' there Dan...


Razor

[NSP64]

good shootin' I wonder if some of the problem might be that the boolits were sized down soo far. I tried once to size boolits down pretty far and I noticed that they seemed to size more on 1 side.the lube grooves were shallower on 1 side. might be making them a little off center?

[quasi]

I regularily size Lee's .314 bullet down to .309, and they shoot great in my .30's, even my .300 Win. mag. I size them NOSE FIRST in my RCBS sizer.

[jack19512]

That 35 grs. of 4350 looks real good to me.

[Bret4207]

Ditto what Jack19512 said. That'll kill any rock I ever had charge me!

[RU shooter]

I shoot that same boolit in mine but I dont need to size it down that far I use mine as cast at .312 and have no problems chambering ,Also the Lee 155 and 160 that you mentioned do very well but need to be seated deep past the crimp groove The 155 is worth getting as it does well in all my 30 cal rifles

[Ricochet]

The chamber on my K-31 will shave anything over .308". The throat is only reamed out to .308", just enough to remove the rifling, and tapers into it over about 1/8". The end of the chamber is square and sharp, with no taper. So I size my boolits to .308".

[jack19512]

So I size my boolits to .308".

I also size to .308 for my K31.

[NickSS]

I have also tried H4350 in My K 31 using Lyman 311291 boolits sized to 309 and it shot really well too. By the way where do you get the Berdan Primers? I have looked for them for years without success.

[jack19512]

By the way where do you get the Berdan Primers? I have looked for them for years without success.

If the original poster doesn't respond with a source I will try and find out(remember)where I ordered my last 4 boxes(1000 ct.)of Berdan primers. I also reload the Swiss Berdan primed brass. Brass is too good to just throw away.

[DanM]

My sizing technique is tedious at best. I am rolling out a thin line of the soft LithiBee and wrapping it around the boolit, adding the check, and pushing them through a lee .309" sizer. My 450 has started leaking lube out of the bottom. The stuff oozes out around the base of my 450 and makes quite a mess. I think the seals are gone. If anyone has any experience with this problem, I would appreciate some advice. These sized boolits measure .3085" with my .001" calipers, and .3084" with my .0001" micrometer. I think the thickness of the lube sizes them further than the .309" sizer would normally. I have noticed that boolits with too much LLA size further than normal, and think that is happening here. Obviously this is not the best technique, and need to get my 450 fixed. As for the Berdan primers, I think they are all gone. The guy on Gunbroker that I bought them from said no more were to be imported. Not willing to give up, I have been searching for another supplier with no joy. If anyone finds another source, please let us know. Either that or buy a ton, and dole them out to your needy boolit buds. BTW, the gunbroker supplier shipped the berdan primers via normal US mail. I wonder if this is OK with this type of primer?

[NOUGLYGUN]

Where do you get the berdan primers?

[mto7464]

you should try the 200 grain Lee boolit. The 155 didn't work well for me.

[jack19512]

you should try the 200 grain Lee boolit. The 155 didn't work well for me.

I found this also. I tried the 160,180, 185, and 200 grain bullets and the 200 shot better right from the start. But maybe I just haven't found the right combination for the others yet. Wish the 160 would shoot good because in the long run it would save me some lead.

[bl4ckd0g]

El Dorado Cartridge (formerly PMC) sells the properly sized Berdan primers if you call and ask. It's posted on swissrifles.com

[DanM]

Thanks for the info! I just sent them an email....

[John F.]

Dan,
please let us know what you find out, if you don't mind -- thanks!

John

[PatMarlin]

Awesome thread..

... even my .300 Win. mag. I size them NOSE FIRST in my RCBS sizer.

Whatcha got going on with your 300 Winny and cast?

[DanM]

Still no luck on the Berdan primers. PMC says they are all gone. Seems all the resellers are sold out.