Reforming to 7.5 X 55?

[Jim]

What caliber(s) brass can I use to reform to 7.5 X 55 Swiss?

[shawnsmc]

I have heard of people using .284 win. brass but I have not done it myself so I can't say for sure. Hope that helps.

[DIRT Farmer]

I still have a few left from when I was in collage (way to many years ago) that are from the 100 284 brass that I formed.

[Doug Bowser]

I tried .284 Win brass. It would not extract and eject from my 1911 rifle.

Doug

[Kraschenbirn]

After a half-dozen or so reloadings, I've still got around 195 7.5x55 cases of the 200 I originally formed from .284 Win. Case necks were annealed before full-length resizing in a 7.5 Swiss die and then trimmed to length. Cases were then fire-formed using a light load of 2400 and trimmed again. All the cases I've lost have all been due to "operator error" as opposed to actual material failure. Dunno 'about function in a G-11 (don't have one) but they feed and eject just fine from my 1937-vintage K-31.

That said, unless you've already got the .284 Win on hand, Graf's has Privi 7.5x55 unprimed brass on sale right now for $51.99/100 compared to $75.98/100 for their .284 Win.

Bill

[Jim]

.....That said, unless you've already got the .284 Win on hand, Graf's has Privi 7.5x55 unprimed brass on sale right now for $51.99/100 compared to $75.98/100 for their .284 Win.Bill

Thanks!
Once I get past all this mess I'm about to get in having to go to SC, I might be coming into a K-31.

[MtGun44]

I have had very good results with Graf/Prvi brass in competition with a K31. I have
very good results in our Swiss rifle matches with it and Sierra 174 gr Matchkings. Nice rifles,
but they don't have a throat at all in the chamber, need to seat conventional jacketed
boolits deep. The Swiss ammo uses a two diameter bullet. I think a bore rider would
work well.

Good brass.

Bill

[Jim]

That's good information, Bill. Thank you!

[462]

Jim,
They are presently out of stock, but Widener's sells Prvi Partizan and Wolf boxer primed 7.5 X 55 Swiss ammo of about $12 per box of 20.

I bought some of the Prvi Partizan -- NNY headstamp -- shot it, and had fire-formed brass (I have only a Lee collet neck sizer die) so it worked out perfectly.

[runfiverun]

the rcbs 165 silhouette boolit works very well.
there was a group buy a while ago for a modified version especially for the k-31.

[WineMan]

The 284 brass will work fine. You will need to use a shellholder that accepts the smaller rim. With LEE equipment, I use the #3 (30-30) for real 7.5x55 and the #2 (30-06 and all the rest) for the 284 brass.

Try this link:

http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/2233/sizing-284-to-7-5x55-k-31#.TpD74VmyDZ4

Wineman

[725]

+1 for the .284 brass. Never had a problem using it.

[Buckshot]

+1 for the .284 brass. Never had a problem using it.

...............Ditto! :-) (K-31)

..............Buckshot

[Charley]

I've used .284 brass in a G1911 and a K31, no problems at all.
Donnelly says you can make them from 7.62x54R cases, too. Just cut/turn off everything that doesn't look like a 7.5x55 case...
Actually, turn off the rim, cut a new extractor groove, size, fireform, and go from there. Case will be short.

I'll stick to .284 cases...

[jonk]

I've heard some folks use 30-06 brass but the web area is a little thin and the case head is a bit small. I think it would be fine for very light loads, but would stick with the .284s otherwise.

7.65 Argentine works great for the older 7.5X53.5 Swiss. It would work if fireformed for the 7.5X55 too just a little short in the neck.

[tacklebury]

If you watch for it, Hornady makes a Custom 7.5x55 load with their 165gr. btsp bullets. I got 3 boxes for 60 bucks when it was on sale at the Sportsman's Guide and shot it up at the silhouette range. Load of fun! They do kick though. It is Graf & Sons Brass and reloaded very well in the first sets I've redone since shooting them. I'm neck sizing only for now and using the 180gr. BTSP This was my 5-shot 250 yard group with irons last week. 8) I'm going to bump the velocity some and work up to closer to 2k fps at muzzle if accuracy holds out. ;)

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/tacklebury/75x55swiss250yard5shotgroup.jpg

[milprileb]

Great shooting Tacklebury.

On the subject of making 7.5 Swiss brass, I don't try and here are my thoughts
on reforming 3006 brass. It may work just fine but I got Prvi brass I can reload
and Dagammo.com will have Berdan primers on 6 Nov for sale so I can reload my
Swiss GP 11 brass (thats great brass !)... so I won't attempt the 3006 reform route
as I have other brass options.

I also think the K31 action is fragile compared to a 98 Mauser or MAS 36 action so
feeding the K31 correct brass seems to make a ton of safety logic for me. THe Swiss
made that rifle to great tolerances so that kind of action would work.

I do reform 3006 to make 7.5 French for my MAS 36 and have had great results
but I only shoot mid range loads and have no pressure signs whatsoever.

I think the K31 and feeding it the brass its intended to shoot is a balance that
I won't mess with.

YMMV and I am just saying what I think of reforming 3006 to 7.5 Swiss.

FYI: \\

[Me not you]

I use necked-up .284 Win brass exclusively in my K31. I absolutely prefer it for that rifle.
I anneal the case necks occasionally and have gotten at least 30 loadings in individual cases.

[TheGrimReaper]

I have heard of people using .284 win. brass but I have not done it myself so I can't say for sure. Hope that helps.

This is the only one that I have heard of myself too.