The 7.5x55 Swiss

[FAsmus]

Gentlemen;

I have decided to enter this K31 of mine in the CBA Winter Military Postal.

I used to shoot the postals a lot way back there, then came some extensive committal to the big-bore silhouette shooting as it is done in Montana.

I'll still go to those matches but frankly I need some variety these days and have turned to the shoot-by-mail military rifle game again.

If you fellows have not tried this you might give it some thought. Certainly it is possible to cheat but I scored for the CBA for many years and I don't think I ever saw any of that sort of thing going on.

Also, we all shoot lots of groups, sure, but it takes on a different feel when you shoot for record ~ even with the delayed gratification of a postal match.

The K31 has been returned to "As Issued" configuration for this shooting since that is the criteria for the match. So, no fancy sights and the same old eyes.

At the moment the SAECO 315 is shooting well over 19 grains 4759 but I will be trying the RCBS 30-165-SIL over 28 grains Varget as well as soon as my time off and the weather get together!

Due date for the target's return postmark is 01 April so I should have time to get in some good shooting.

Good evening,
Forrest

[35 Whelen]

FA,
For a year or so I've been shooting in my K-31, of all things Accurate #7. This powder burns somewhat faster than 2400. It is an extremely fine ball powder and meters very well. I settled on 14.0 grs. in my K31 with the NOE bullet.
I also tried this powder in a couple of my 1903's with equally gratifying results.
35W

[j20owner]

What sort of velocity do you think you're getting with the 14gr of AA#7?

[35 Whelen]

What sort of velocity do you think you're getting with the 14gr of AA#7?

First of all, I mis-spoke. AA#7 burns slightly faster than 2400. I'll have to check my book to see if I've chrono'ed it with the NOE bullet, but 1400 fps seems to ring a bell.
35W

[j20owner]

Alright, thanks for the info!

[FAsmus]

Gentlemen;

It was only 35 degrees today but I needed to test some loads anyway.

The best of the shooting was with SAECO 315 - which is a tapered bullet I just got from an estate sale more or less by accident. Since the bullet reminded me of my old Scheutzen days I loaded it light over just a little 700X ~ it worked quite well dropping groups around 5 x 1.500 or so with the issue sights back on the rifle.

The level of 700X worked well enough but the holes showed marginal stability, cutting out-of-round holes. I'll try just a bit more and re-test for groups.

Good afternoon,
Forrest

[excess650]

Forest,
Try that Saeco over 21-22gr AA5744.

[FAsmus]

Excess 650;

I don't have any 5744 but I did try the equivalent 19 grain level of 4759. It shot quite a bit faster than the 700X and showed good stability but accuracy suffered.

Good evening,
Forrest

[j20owner]

I hate to clutter up FAsmus's thread anymore than it already is, but I just had to give a report! I loaded up some(5) 7.5s with the NOE boolit over 44.5gr of H4350. Don't ask where I got the amount, because I couldn't tell you! I shot them today over the chrony and was very happy with the results. Avg of 4 shots(loose nut behind the trigger forgot to turn the chrony on!) was 2244fps. Here's all 5 shots.
PIC

The first shot(over the turned off chrony) was through the scope I've got mounted which is not sighted in very well. That's the hole below the target. The last 4(that were measured) are on the target with the irons. That was at 50yds. The load only had a SD of 18.5, too.

[FAsmus]

Gentlemen;

Never to worry about "cluttering up" a thread of mine ~ digression and discussion is all part of the game.

I’m still working for a load to shoot the CBA Winter Postal with the K31 these days and the combinations are going like this;

I tested the SAECO 315 with very mild loads of 700X. At the lowest levels I could get good groups but out-of-round holes. With more power the instability went away but groups opened drastically. My most consistent shooting that week was with the RCBS 30-165-SIL over 29 grains Varget. No far-out tight groups but never anything over 2 inches or so either, which is at least semi-competitive in the “As Issued” military class. With my home-made peep in place of the issue notch I could always trim about ½ inch off the groups I’m currently getting.

The next session I went shooting the 315 over the 28 grain load of Varget, comparing it with the 10.2 grain load of 700X previously tested in the same conditions. The Varget load was better in that even though the groups were semi-open they were consistent while the 700X would occasionally print into 5 x 1.550 or so it would also toss bad flyers for no apparent reason fairly often. ~ It looks like I’ll have to choose between the RCBS 30-165-SIL and the SAECO 315 for shooting Record as they are pretty close in their accuracy.

My idea here is that the rifle will shoot as well as the barrel (and my eyesight) permits with the gentle 700X load but the barrel/stock bedding suddenly takes a jump that sticks at a stress point in the stock – tossing the flyer. This is compared to the mid-range Varget load that has enough power to jump around at every single shot fired – but averages out for better accuracy over the long run.

Good morning,
Forrest

[FAsmus]

Gentelmen;

The "As Issued" Winter Postal is over for me and the K31.

I decided to shoot the RCBS 30-165-SIL over 29 grains Varget for the match and it did very well shooting out there in a fairly pleasant 35-degree day (hardly any wind).

I was the problem in that I dropped one off one of the the four groups, opening it up beyond anything reasonable for finishing "in the money" but I was and am satisfied I did the right thing in my choice of the load as it continued to shoot very consistently into less than 2 inches over the issue sights. Not just some of the time or any flukes but ALL the time.

Do any of you other fellows ever shoot in the postals?

Good evening,
Forrest

[the other DWS]

I'm not sure where to post this, but since this is where the 7.5 guys hang out I'll try here. if the mods want to move it----well OK.

I have ordered a custom mould from David Mos for my 7.5 single shot back before the 1st of the year, basically the NOE mould design with mods, no GC rebate, a stop ring nd an added grease groove. BUT David is apparently real slow and my first centerfire match is coming up last weekend of this month.

I contacted AL about one of the NPE moulds----but just missed out on the last run. I'd have been willing to by one and shoot it w/o the gas-checks just to get the rifle shooting.

I'm wondering if anyone has a couple hundred of the bullets "as cast" without gas checks seated that they'd be willing to sell. I'd really like to get this rifle into action.

If so contact me at DWStiles at Hotmail dot com put "7.5 swiss" in the subject line

[FAsmus]

Gentlemen;

Today I have fired another CBA Postal with the K31. The title of the Match is; "Winter Military Postal". The match is only open to "As Issued" military rifles of any nation. The restriction means that absolutely no modifications are permitted to the rifles.

We shooters take this kindly as it levels the field but none-the-less folks look for some wiggle-room in the rule. Like for example some shooters feel that if it was done by the armory of the issuing nation, it should be OK for an individual to address as well.

There are some folks out there who have fiddled with their K31s to minor degrees that could be traced to Swiss armories' search for more consistent accuracy.

I have looked for and researched these ideas over the last year and decided that things like tang screw tension and freedom of movement at the barrel/front band location could very well be "legal" because they involve no removal of material, glass-bedding or any other radical "accurazation" of the rifle.

I loaded test loads acquired from winner's data in various military match shooting.

My rifle has performed well over the years I have owned it but there always seemed to be that pesky flyer to blow a good series of groups. The rifle always gives me indications that it "wants" to shoot (at the level of sub-1.5 MOA) and so I'm not giving up on entering it in various "As Issued" Matches ~ regardless of my failing eyesight.

My load this time was different from last year and I did get a slightly better average group size. It has been fun working with the rifle over the winter season. Now, I may return the rifle to Summer configuration and put it on the line at long range with the modified sights for precise capability for adjustment of windage & elevation.

I hope some of you K31 shooters might tell some stories about their shooting times.

Good evening,
Forrest

[FAsmus]

Gentlemen;

I went back and reviewed some of this thread where some members posted pictures of their modified sights. Here is what I have done to my K31 when I shoot it "regular" in the summertime at long range:



Here you see my cut-off issue sight with a welded-on windage adjuster from an old Lyman 66 receiver sight. I drilled and tapped two holes for 6-40 cap screws to adjust precisely for elevation. One on each side since in really windy conditions a fellow will find his sight-picture obscured by the screw on one side or the other. Moving to the free side is simple and works.

Here is another view of the sight;



Graduations made with White-Out and a pen.

Good evening,
Forrest

[madsenshooter]

In CBA competition your sight would place you in the Military, Modified, Iron Sight, class. For CMP or NRA it isn't legal, but not a big deal unless you happen to be at a match with a tech inspection. I'd like to be able to dial in the sight setting too, I might see if an extra windage adjustable sight I have for a Madsen rifle will fit the K31. Elevation adjustment of the Madsen sight is about like the K31s though.

[FAsmus]

Madsen:

Sure I know the modified sight blows the "As Issued" criteria.

The modified sight is never used for competition in the CBA "Issue-only" Class. For that I retained the original sight leaf and when comes time to enter the rifle in the Postal I simply switch it over for that use.

During the summer, when I shoot the K31 over our long range set of silhouettes the modified sight goes back on since this activity is casual, no rules except that cast bullets must be used.

Good morning,
Forrest

[fa38]

I have tried 4895, wc820, 4759 and Varget in my K31. It shoots best with 27 grains of Varget, Win LR Primer and RCBS 168 SIL.

[Bob S]

Simple sight option, like Forrest's:





The adjustment screw is an 8 x 36 set screw. The length is tuned so that it is just out of the sighting plane at mechanical zero elevation. I can get past 1000 yards with this, but not with cast bullets. Windage is done on the front sight:



I can work this adjuster with one hande while I am in the sling without losing my position.

More to come, stay tuned ....

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Bob S]

More complex, for NRA XC shooting:

Redfield sight base on K31:



Redfield International on the base:



This same rifle now has a John Wilkes rear sight (grandfather of the RPA series of sights):



Anschutz double adjustable aperture front sight:



Resp'y,
Bob S.

[uscra112]

I have tried 4895, wc820, 4759 and Varget in my K31. It shoots best with 27 grains of Varget, Win LR Primer and RCBS 168 SIL.

Did you really mean twenty-seven grains of Varget? That seems like it's an awfully light load for that powder.