What is the main difference between a 1911 and K31 7.5 swede?

[koger]

From what I can see, it is mostly cosmetic. They use the same ammo, correct. I know their is a different 7.5 for the 1899 which was basically a black powder round. I am thinking of getting one of the 7.5's, and a pretty clean 1911 model, can be had for around $200-300 less than a K31. All feedback appreciated.

[junkbug]

The bolt on the 1911 is very long. So is the entire action. On carbines the same length, my guess is that the K-31 has an extra 1 1/2-2" of actual barrel. Other than that, I don't know if the K-31 is substantially better in strength or reliability.

[kywoodwrkr]

Swiss not Swede.
http://swissrifles.com/
History and more information than I could retain.
Also, Swiss forums on Gunboards have some ole time users, back when K31's were $75- ie 2005.
Look for someone tied to Swiss Products from Kalispell Montana.
Thanks.

[koger]

Thanks guys, more info than ever needed.

[samari46]

Chamber dimensions are slightly different in the K-11 versus the K-31. Redding I believe sells a set of dies marked as for the K-31. and also a set for the K-11. Paid $135 for my K-31 and I have to say the Swiss really out did themselves when they upgraded. Trigger is a two stage and is to die for. Still has the hob nail boot markings on the butt and a chip out of the pistol grip, but can she shoot. And they have really gone up in price since I bought mine.Frank

[Pressman]

Redding dies are the best and way costly. Lee and Hornady each have far less costly dies. The difference between 1911 and K-31 dies is in the shoulder dimensions. I was lucky last week and found a NIB RCBS set of dies on eBay for $50.00.

It's more economical to buy loaded ammo and shoot it for the brass than trying to buy components. And you get more shooting time to familiarize yourself with the rifle. That's the route I am going, as suggested by the guys on Gunboards.

http://swissrifles.com/ swissproducts.com, These guys have some really first rate, high quality products at wonderful prices. Like muzzle breaks and recoil pad adapters. The 7.7x55 is just a tad less powerful than a 30-06 and the recoil is noticeable.
They are extremely well made, though the stocks typically get damaged by the harsh environment they were used in. Swissrifles .com has the original formula to refinish the K-31 stock to factory correct color.

Ken

[uscra112]

Loaded ammo in the marketplace is all Berdan primed, is it not? It CAN be converted to small rifle, if you know how, but just springing for a batch of boxer-primed Norma was what I chose to do.

BTW the K31 can be scary accurate with the right cast bullets.

[Pressman]

If you can find military surplus ammo it will be Berdan primed. PPU commercial is not Berdan primed and perfectly reloadable. Probably the best brass available in this caliber.

[kywoodwrkr]

http://swissrifles.com/ swissproducts.com,

If you go to Swissrifles.com, select the lowest option on the menu to the left.
That will take you to the 'old'(2005) forum entries.
Pierre on that forum is the developer of the Swissproducts items. Or I should say he started them.
His daughter and son(inlaw?) are very active in that and on the Gunboards Swiss forum now.
If you take the butt plate off you may be lucky and find the original owners name, address and unit information.
The members from Switzerland helped in deciphering name, hometown, unit & etc.
That may be true of only the K-31s, memory can't get that sorted out.
Lot of history available in the above forum on Swissrifles.
Many Swiss nationals were active in it early on.
YMMV.
Thanks.
Almost forgot, the butts of the stocks were chewed up from soles of the soldier's boots-mountains=ice=spike marks when at attention.
Pressman-there was an importing of some 1895s, bayonets and boxer Swiss brass in 2005-06 time frame.
Brass was from either Swiss arsenal production or the Swiss contractor for the army's ammunition. I think!

[koger]

All info appreciated! Pressman, I do like PPU brass, have had good luck with it in the calibers I have tried, may try to get 200 rounds or so of brass before I buy a K-31. KY Woodworker, thanks for all your info also. You gents have persuaded me to save up my coins and buy a K-31, Simpson Ltd has a bunch of them right now. Do any of you guys know any other place, that has them at resonable prices, $500 or so and down.

[garandsrus]

The biggest difference between a 1911 and K31 is the length of the rifle!

1911 - Overall Length - 51.5 inches
K31 - Overall Length - 43.6 inches

I have both and like both. The 1911 is the longest rifle I own at 4' 3.5". It is also one of the early rifles with a faster twist rate. Both rifles are very accurate. In prone shooting with a sling, the 1911 is almost too long.

GP11 ammo (Berdan primed) is very good. It used to be about 40-50 cents per round but is probably $1 each now, if you can find any. PPU ammo/brass is reloadable and shoots well. I do have Berdan primers but haven't reloaded any GP11 brass.

Here is a pretty cool stripper clip for the Swiss rifles. I don't know how common they are now, but they work well. http://www.swissrifles.com/sr/sclip/

[biffj]

The biggest difference is the bolt and locking system. On the 1911 rifles the bolt is the same as the 1896/89 rifles which use a locking collar on the rear part of the bolt. There is about 4 inches of the bolt forward of the locking lugs so there can be some crush and wobble which will affect accuracy. The K31 is actually a different rifle which has the bolt locking lugs at the front of the bolt making the bolt quite a bit shorter and the receiver as well. Because the bolt is so much different the model 1911 Karbine and the K31 are almost the same length but the barrel on the K31 is about 2 inches longer. The 1911 karbine shares the bolt and receiver design of the 1911 rifle.

All of the swiss rifles are pretty accurate for production military rifles. The Swiss ammo is really good stuff too but as its berdan primed it can be difficult to reload. The chambers on the different type rifles can be different and even between rifles of the same model there are differences. I've been using RCBS dies to load for all my Swiss rifles including the semi auto PE57 for years and all of them shoot well and accurately. I also have a bolt action change barrel rifle that I did a 7.5 Swiss barrel for. It shoots easily sub half inch groups at 100 yds and I've run it all the way out to 2000 yds with excellent results. Its a great round and worth fiddling with. I've not done any cast bullets for any of them though I do have an 1889 rifle as well as some of the 1890s types that still have the 3 groove barrels intended for the smokeless powder paperpatched ammo intended for the 1889. The chambers on these early rifles have larger necks but almost the same bore diameter as the 1911 and later versions. A lot of guys are casting bullets and paper patching them for these rifles. Others are running jacketed .308 round nose bullets and getting about the same accuracy. The later guns are more accurate with a wider range of ammo.

Privi partizan does make very good brass and as others noted buying loaded ammo from AIM surplus or any of the other vendors can be a good way to go. I bought a lot of brass from Grafs some time back and load my own. I load different for each rifle as the seating depths can make a big difference in accuracy so I tune for each one I shoot and keep brass separate.

Hope something there helps

Frank

[Texas by God]

Both K31s that I had were amazing shooters and they both had very short throat/leade/ball seat- whatever you call it. All bullets needed to be seated accordingly. Get some GP11 ammo if you can- then try to match its accuracy..... I never did but close!