K31

[hedgehorn]

I have a K31 that I want to shoot cast boolits in. I am having a hard time finding brass for this fine rifle though. Any body know where to get boxer primed 7.5x55 brass? :-?

[462]

Widener's...brass and ammo.

[frkelly74]

This is where someone chimes in with , " you can reform 284 Winchester brass and it will work fine". That is what I have done and it does work. It may be a little easier to find also. Have fun , they are great rifles.

[390ish]

Try Grafs. Just google Grafs. They are good folks.

[Kraschenbirn]

While you're shopping for brass, you might want to look around for a mould or two, as well. Personally, I can recommend the RCBS 30-165-SIL and the Lee 309-200-1R. Either will match (Privi) ball accuracy in mt K-31.

Bill

[MtGun44]

I use Grafs brass, apparently made with Graf headstamp by PRVI Partisan. I also use
PRVI headstamp brass. Both work great, high quality brass.

Bill

[runfiverun]

the rcbs is excellent in the k-31.
i just use 308 cast data to start.
norma also makes brass, it ain't cheap but it is good.
i'm on the 20th load for my boys 98/11 with no annealing.

[hedgehorn]

Thanks for all the information. I love shooting this rifle I just have a hard time finding ammo. I dont normally buy loaded ammo for anything but a 22. Even the surplus 7.5x55 is expensive next to hand loading.

[hedgehorn]

what are you all sizing your boolits too?

[WineMan]

A couple of other issues.

One is the short throat of most K31's, so pick a mould that has a smaller nose. You may also have to seat a bit deeper than the neck, but YMMV.

Two, the chamber size of a K31 is larger than the earlier Swiss Rifles (K11,96/11, 1911) so two different F/L sizing dies have appeared. The ones marked 7.5 Swiss will size the case to work in all of the Swiss rifles, and are usually less expensive. The ones marked K31 size brass that will work in K31's and may not chamber in earlier rifles. There are numerous Internet threads on why the 7.5 dies are bad for the brass, misfires will result, and a plague of frogs will strike if you use them for a K31. None of this is true in my experience. Get what makes you happy. Just be sure to really F/L size the cases and then try a few of the first sized cases to be sure they chamber in your rifle. The bolt serial number will be at 12:00 and the bolt cam follower/handle is flush with the bolt body.

You will probably need to drift the front sight forward (moves it to the right) as the lower velocity cast will tend to shoot low and right.

Have fun, these are really nice rifles.

Wineman

[leadman]

Another good mold if you can find it is the RCBS 30-150-SP.

I use Lee dies to reload my K31 and they work fine. Neck sizing may work for a couple of reloads but there is not much camming power in these rifles so full length sizing will be needed.

[WineMan]

I have some of the issue GP-11 brass that has Berdan primers. I use a 5/16" steel pin and a case full of water to knock them out. I bought some Tula primers that were designed for the 7.62x39 and they do not readily ignite full charges of slower powders (click-bang). With Alliant 2400 at ~16 grains the primers are 100%. With a 150 grain RCBS sil boolit @ 0.309, neck sizing seems to work fine. I set the OAL to have just a tiny amount of resistance when I push the bolt home. I only have two reloads with these so F/L might be needed. My F/L dies are RCBS and I use a LEE 308 Win Collet die with the decap pin ground off and a couple of washers on the shell holder to neck size.

Wineman

[Freightman]

Look at the top of the page they are sponsors http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/search/keywords/cci400|cci500?title=CCI%20Primer%20Sale

[hedgehorn]

Thanks all for the info. I am glad I posted this. It seems the rifle can be a little harder than some to get it to shoot cast boolits. The brass is expensive too. I have owned this rifle for about 8 years and have only ran a handful of cartridges through it. To get set up to cast and load for it will cost more than I paid for it. I think I am going to sell it if I can and buy some nice molds for my other guns. Thanks again to all of you for your info. H-2

[wallenba]

Here's the Grafs link http://www.huntingtons.com/cases_graf.html

[semtav]

Thanks all for the info. I am glad I posted this. It seems the rifle can be a little harder than some to get it to shoot cast boolits. The brass is expensive too. I have owned this rifle for about 8 years and have only ran a handful of cartridges through it. To get set up to cast and load for it will cost more than I paid for it. I think I am going to sell it if I can and buy some nice molds for my other guns. Thanks again to all of you for your info. H-2


If you decide to, send me a PM and picture. I'm looking for one, I just haven't decided whether I want a K31 or an 1889 or 1911 or???

[zomby woof]

Once you get your brass, keep an eye out for the NOE K31 mold. It is design specifically for the K31. I've gotten excellent results with this boolit. I started out with the LEE 312-155. I also got good results with this, just had to be seated a bit deeper.

[madsenshooter]

The Lee molds zomby woof mentioned differ quite a bit. Some have to be seated deep because of the nose diameter. However, I got one off Lee's clearance page, a single cavity, that works pretty good because the nose diameter was smaller. When seated out to touch the lands the base was above the neck/shoulder junction. Now I have the last mold ever cut with the Eagan MX3-30AR cherry, and it works wonderful. It's about the same as the RCBS 165gr silly-wet, just a bit more taper in the nose. In addition, smokemjoe makes a bump die that'll make a lot of standard 30 cal bullets fit the K31 throat better.

[tacklebury]

I purchased 3 boxes of the Hornady Custom BTSP from here (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/browse/ammo-rifle-75x55.aspx?c=96&s=985&stk=1) and shot it up. Very accurate to begin with and now reload that brass. The boxes I got were Graf's and pricing is very competitive and is cheaper than norma brass alone. 8)

[FAsmus]

Hedgehorn;

The K31 may be loaded with cast bullets as easily and cheaply as any other 30 caliber rifle. If you already have a 30 or two in your battery all the K31 requires is (perhaps) an RCBS 30-165-SIL. and the inexpensive LEE neck sizer collet die set.

I load my K31 with that bullet as-cast at 0.308 as cast, GC on at 0.3105 over 30 grains 4895 for excellent accuracy.

Shoot it for sure.

Good afternoon,
Forrest