Tell me about the 7.5x55

[clownbear69]

Before I start, Mods if there is a better spot to move this thread for better information by all means do so.

I have always like the K11s but its cartridge the 7.5X55 (GP11) is a bit of an odd ball. Before I dive into another round I don't need (wifes words not mine) Could you all tell me a bit about your reloading/casting experiences? The big question the use of .308 bullets/boolits.

As a side note Lymans 49th and casting 4th and speer's 13th had no data what so ever. Lee's did but as you all know give no background or suggestions on how to reload it. In the Lee book they do give the bullet diameter as a .308.

Thanks all and happy reloading

[Buzzard II]

You may want to check out the surplusrifleforum.com Check under Swiss Rifles. Also check Swissrifles.com for load data. You may want to check out K31's as they readily eat the GP11 ammo, which is Berdan primed. Graf and Sons has it in stock. NOE has a mold for the K31 bullet. Always slug the bore! K31 takes a .308 J-bullet. Good luck! Bob

[AlaskanGuy]

I sure do love casting for my K31... I use several different cast boolits... The lee 160, 155 and a lyman number that I cant remember... But they are all 308 boolits.... The k31 have just about no throat, but I cant speak to the older k11... I sure do like the swiss craftsmanship... My K31 runs like a swiss watch... He he

[Jon K]

NOE K31-180 Check it out...it was designed for the no-throat K31, I also use it in 03-A3.
I like 5744/4759/4198/2400 with it.

Jon

[rondog]

NOE K31-180 Check it out...it was designed for the no-throat K31, I also use it in 03-A3.
I like 5744/4759/4198/2400 with it.

Jon

Oooo, do you know if that would be a good bullet for an M1 Garand too? Or too heavy? I have two K31's, an 03A3, an M1, and a Rem 700 in '06. I'd love to use the same bullet in all five of them.

[WRideout]

I acquired a Lee C309-170-f mold, used, which seems to fit my K31 pretty well. Since I was not finding much load data for the 7.5 Swiss, i went to the data for 308 Win, and started low. I am able to shoot moderate charges of IMR 4198 with no trouble. Don't really have accuracy results on it yet. The K31 does seem to be a little finicky about case sizing and crimping; if everything is not perfect, it will sometimes not close the bolt completely. Not like a Mauser, which will eat almost anything, with a cheater bar on the bolt handle.
Wayne

[clownbear69]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Couple more questions

1.) What hardness are you personally striving for on your boolits?
2.) Are you reloading the berdan GP11 or using the boxer primed brass? (no even sure who makes brass for it)
3.) Was there any boolit weight/design you haven't had any luck with?

[MaLar]

I have some Norma brass for this. I have some things I was going to sale to the LGS. Rather you guys had it. Make me an offer by PM.

LaMar

[clownbear69]

Prvi Partisan makes boxer primed brass, and you'll find it at Graf and Son's if in stock. 284 Winchester can be expanded to 30cal and shot, IF you can find 284Win brass. Yes, the rim is slightly smaller, but it works fine in my (3)rifles.

I've not tried to reload the Berdan primed cases.

In that I'm working with loads mostly 1800fps+, my boolits are usually ~18bhn. They might work fine a little softer, but this is where my mix ends about a week after water dropping. These work from my 30-06s and 308s as well.

Very informative thank you. What's your average groups that your getting? and are all your Swiss rifles the K31?

[45 2.1]

Having shot the K-11 for over 35 years, I find it somewhat more accurate than the K-31's are with lead. The RBCS 308-165-Sil boolit casts somewhere between 0.3095" and 0.310". Cast it of WW and air cool them, run it thru an oversize 0.310" or 0.311" sizer to lube and crimp on the gas check, and load it in front of 11.3 gr. of Unique..... boringly accurate. I practice off-hand with it on a 2.5" steel gong at 100 yards.... if I miss it's my fault.

[clownbear69]

Having shot the K-11 for over 35 years, I find it somewhat more accurate than the K-31's are with lead. The RBCS 308-165-Sil boolit casts somewhere between 0.3095" and 0.310". Cast it of WW and air cool them, run it thru an oversize 0.310" or 0.311" sizer to lube and crimp on the gas check, and load it in front of 11.3 gr. of Unique..... boringly accurate. I practice off-hand with it on a 2.5" steel gong at 100 yards.... if I miss it's my fault.

Interesting on your take. I do understand that many (not all) k11 have a little tighter twist than the k31. Do you think that might have to do with it?

also within 2.5" at 100 yards open sights (assuming) that's mighty impressive and thanks for sharing your experience.

[tomme boy]

The bores are supposed to be 0.3075" The 3 I have had all did. One was really tight at 0.298"x0.3074" It had NO throat at all. I really like the 284 brass over 7.5 brass. It last much longer.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I have the pre-war model. Bought it as a truck rifle, then got interested in accuracy. NECG stocks a gorgeous side QD mount for it. A bit spendy at $400, but a good scope will snug groups with 311332 or 311284 and about twelve grains of Unique down close to an inch without leading the bore. I bought 300 PRVI cases for about a hundred bucks, waaay back when.

[clownbear69]

None of my K31s are scoped, but I do have receiver sights on (2) of them. Ragged hole groups at 50 yards (5 shots) are pretty much what I expect, and my normal loads (1700fps+ depending upon boolit) hold accuracy to at least 500m. Twist in a K31 is 1-10.7"(?), I think.

From My reading that's the twist. The K11 some of them were 1:9

and I could work with 500m

[Comrade Mike]

All I have is jacketed experience. If you need some advice on Jacketed bullets PM me

[Fishman]

The scope mount looks great but wow that's pricey. I bought BOTH of my rifles for less money.
https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/Gun_Services/item_info.asp?Brand_id=4176&ST=EAW%20Mount%20for%20Swiss%20K31%20with%201%22%2 0Rings#.U2GJOKUo6BY

Edit: Come to think of it, I also got 60 rounds of gp-11 ammo included in that amount too.

[gwpercle]

I have experience with the K11 , it was the very first rifle I bought reloading dies for. The K11 does have a longer throat, hence the boolits can be seated out farther. I have used standard 30 cal. 308 dia. J-words but now use the Lee C309-170-F cast of air cooled wheel-weights , sized to .308 or .309 , doesn't seem to matter. Brass is Norma or reformed 284 Winchester, boxer primed over 13 grains Red Dot. I recently purchased 100 once fired cases , headstamped nny. they are boxer primed but I have not reloaded any of them.
The K11 is easier with cast because the longer throat allows for a heavier boolit to be used, I don't know about a difference in rifling twist rates. I do know the K11 will shoot just about any cast boolit, reguardless of length or weight a lot more accurately than any other military rifle I have played with. And it's not hard to find a load that will work. the 170 gr boolit and 13 grs. Red Dot was the second load tried!
We bought K11's when in high school because they sold for $19.99...affordable , after a trip to the range we couldn't believe how accurate those weird bolt actions were. We used empty shells for targets ( couldn't reload them - berdan primed). Wanting a 30-06 I went back and spent the outrageous sum of $59.99 for a 1903-A3 Springfield . At least I could find reloadable brass. Sadly the K11 was more accurate...but I still got them both.
If you have that K11 it will make a first class cast boolit rifle with little trouble.
Gary

[45 2.1]

Interesting on your take. I do understand that many (not all) k11 have a little tighter twist than the k31. Do you think that might have to do with it?
No, I attribute it to a tight bore and groove. That boolit fits my rifle perfectly.

also within 2.5" at 100 yards open sights (assuming) that's mighty impressive and thanks for sharing your experience.

That load in my rifle and several others of the same model has always performed quite well. Off the bench it had no right to do as well as it did... but it did anyway, much more so than anyone here would believe.

[clownbear69]

Awesome thanks for the replies if theres anything else let me know. I think the hardest decision (besides how I want to cast it) is choosing between the K11 and K31.

[45 2.1]

Take the K11..... anytime you have have a choice between the two. It's a better cast rifle than the K31. If you shoot jacketed, then reverse the choice.

[AlaskanGuy]

Hmmmm... I sure like my K31

[clownbear69]

Take the K11..... anytime you have have a choice between the two. It's a better cast rifle than the K31. If you shoot jacketed, then reverse the choice.

If for the start you were shooting the GP11 ammo what would you choose? I do plan on buying a bit before I get dies, bullets and moulds.

[Kraschenbirn]

Take the K11..... anytime you have have a choice between the two. It's a better cast rifle than the K31. If you shoot jacketed, then reverse the choice.

Hmmm...I've got a pre-war (1937) K-31 and a G96/11 (1912 conversion, I believe) and it'd be a tough call to pick between the two for CB accuracy but I must confess to a distinct 'fondness' for the elder of the two. Only drawback for the 96/11 is that it won't reliably eject brass formed from .284 Win. due to its slightly smaller rim diameter so I've got to use 'real' 7.5x55 from Privi for my reloads.

Bill

[madsenshooter]

No doubt about it, my K31 is the most accurate milsurp I have, with jacketed or cast bullets. If only my Krags had K31-like triggers!

[45 2.1]

If for the start you were shooting the GP11 ammo what would you choose? I do plan on buying a bit before I get dies, bullets and moulds.

Save the GP11 ammo for the K31. The K11 outshines all the other models for cast accuracy. The K31 is a first class jacketed milsurp.... and it does pretty well with cast, but comes in second to the K11. Pay attention to whose dies you buy... do some research here on those.

[45 2.1]

Hmmm...I've got a pre-war (1937) K-31 and a G96/11 (1912 conversion, I believe) and it'd be a tough call to pick between the two for CB accuracy but I must confess to a distinct 'fondness' for the elder of the two. Only drawback for the 96/11 is that it won't reliably eject brass formed from .284 Win. due to its slightly smaller rim diameter so I've got to use 'real' 7.5x55 from Privi for my reloads. Bill

I started the Swiss saga with a cut-down G-11, which shot pretty well with a bushnell pistol scope on it. Brass was difficult back then and I eventually traded it in on something else, then a pristine K11 came along and I found out about 284 brass. Operated smartly the reformed 284 brass worked fine and never wore out and it provided better accuracy than the correct cases did for me at least. Since then I've accumulated about 11 different brass makers brass for it. Easy to load for now, but that 284 brass is used a whole lot.

[clownbear69]

Save the GP11 ammo for the K31. The K11 outshines all the other models for cast accuracy. The K31 is a first class jacketed milsurp.... and it does pretty well with cast, but comes in second to the K11. Pay attention to whose dies you buy... do some research here on those.

Thanks for the input. Now if you had the option on the K11 Short Carbine or the Long Carbine which would it be.

Just to anyone who is following For the K11's they are on widener's website the K31s ive been looking at are off of AIM surplus

ETA: the dies I was looking at (at the suggestion of another member via PM) was Reddings

[45 2.1]

Now if you had the option on the K11 Short Carbine or the Long Carbine which would it be.

By Widener's nomenclature, you want the K11 Short Carbine... Stock Number: M1911S with the 23.3" barrel. What they call the various Swiss rifles and what they are really known as are somewhat different. Go to the Swiss site they link to and look there.... they got it right.

[clownbear69]

By Widener's nomenclature, you want the K11 Short Carbine... Stock Number: M1911S with the 23.3" barrel. What they call the various Swiss rifles and what they are really known as are somewhat different. Go to the Swiss site they link to and look there.... they got it right.

Why the short vs the long? Wouldn't the shorter decrease my velocity and potentially my accuracy? I had a similar issue with my Mosin/Nagant M44 vs a 91/30

[45 2.1]

Why the short vs the long? Wouldn't the shorter decrease my velocity and potentially my accuracy? I had a similar issue with my Mosin/Nagant M44 vs a 91/30

The short carbine K11 has about a 24" barrel, the long rifle G11 has about a 30" barrel. Generally, you have more trouble getting equal accuracy with something under 18" and over 26" in surplus rifle barrels. I've owned and shot most of the different Swiss models except the '93 carbine (known for poor accuracy) and the match K31 base rifles. The G11 is harder to get to shoot than the K11 is by far. The Russian rifles vary a lot and some models (M28 & M39) are tack drivers with the mid length barrels.

[clownbear69]

The short carbine K11 has about a 24" barrel, the long rifle G11 has about a 30" barrel. Generally, you have more trouble getting equal accuracy with something under 18" and over 26" in surplus rifle barrels. I've owned and shot most of the different Swiss models except the '93 carbine (known for poor accuracy) and the match K31 base rifles. The G11 is harder to get to shoot than the K11 is by far. The Russian rifles vary a lot and some models (M28 & M39) are tack drivers with the mid length barrels.

Thanks for the info still flip flopping between the two but know im better informed

[rondog]

I have two K31's.....who makes "K31 specific dies"?

[clownbear69]

I have two K31's.....who makes "K31 specific dies"?

Id like to know this as well. At leastb through my limited research I haven't crossed it..... yet

[clownbear69]

To follow up because finally I have more time in the evening looks like hornady and redding made/make K31 specific dies

Hornady http://www.baileysonline.com/Outdoor-Recreation/Firearms/Reloading/Dies-Parts/Hornady-546361-Die-Set-7-5-SWISS-K31.axd

Redding Deluxe: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/844026/redding-deluxe-3-die-set-75mm-schmidt-rubin-75x55mm-swiss-model-k31

So while it looks like there is specific dies would these dies still work for the K11 if I choose to use it? That's the one answer I cannot find

[madsenshooter]

CH4D also makes K31 specific die sets, along with regular 7.5x55.

[rondog]

K31s have less taper to the chamber, so fired cases are larger in diameter at the shoulder. Cases fired in a K31 and resized in 7.5x55 dies will be sized more than necessary if they are to be shot in a K31. I have both types of dies...

Really? Very good to know, thank you! That's the only caliber of mine that I don't have dies for yet.