K31 anyone molding their own bullets?

[sailsguy]

Looking for load data and advice on K31 molding.

sailsguy

[1johnlb]

NOE has a mold for the tight throat k31. If your unsure of how much if any throat erosion I would suggest the Lee 312 155 2r. It shoots good in them all.

Titan reloading, 1 of the above venders sales a 6 cav Lee 155

[mrrch]

I've been using that same Lee mold and it works well in my k31 with 24 grains of 3031.
Remember to start lower and work up in your rifle.

[adkpete]

I have had good luck with the Lyman 311413 spire point. Sized to .309 and driven no faster than 1600fps.

[jrap]

I saw a video on youtube where iraqveteran8888 loaded some but I personally don't

[enfield]

The NOE boolit and about 18 - 19 gr 4227 works very well. I made a clamp on style peep sight and a Lyman 17 globe will nicely wedge in between the ears at the front to have an un altered rifle with way better sights than the original.

[Kraschenbirn]

Lee 309-200, sized to .310 over 29.5 gr H4895 in Privi Brass...2"-2 1/2" 100M groups from either my K-31 or G96/11.

Bill

[sailsguy]

Thanks for the tips!

sailsguy

[Maven]

sailsguy, This search engine is your friend: https://cse.google.com/cse/home?cx=001951264366462437169:ggn3vg-bjum

[sailsguy]

Thank you. Hadn't found that search engine.

sailsguy

[VintageRifle]

I use a 130gr-spl rcbs bullet designed for the sks. 16gr 2400 and a scope, I can get under an inch at 100 yards.

Sized. 309 using LLA.

[astroturf3040]

Looking for load data and advice on K31 molding.

sailsguy
Me too.... anyone have anything that shoots to the original sights for windage?
Most loads I have tried are off to the right at 100 and 200 yards.

Thanks shooters.

[94Doug]

...everyone here is.

[94Doug]

(that is using cast for their K31's)

I shoot RCBS 165gr SIL, which if you ask around, is a pretty common go-to for the Swiss, but have shot 311413, 311332/4, 311278, 311241, the mentioned K31 mould from NOE, and others. Usually tighter bores, and .309-310" is what I size to. I haven't experimented around too much, but usually use a standard all around load like 13 gr Red Dot or 16gr 2400.

Doug

[sailsguy]

Do you guys always use a gas check on this round? How hard do you try to get your lead?

sailsguy

[VintageRifle]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?38687-RCBS-82022-Bullet-Mould-130-gr-309-quot-RCBS-82022-Bullet-Mould-for-Swiss-K31-130gr

That link has some of my k31 cast information for the 130gr rcbs bullet.

I do have some Lyman 311466 bullets to try out. Just haven't had the time to load them and test. These are wheel weight alloy sized to. 309", mold is undersized and drops. 309-.310". LLA, and gas checked.

[94Doug]

This is all dependent on what you are trying to achieve. If you are shooting the loads I mentioned, 311241's work fine, and lead can be 50/50 WW and pure lead. If you're wanting to go faster, you'll need to look at harder lead, and will need the gas checked boolit.

Doug

[John Boy]

I too reload the K31 with the 311413 bullet from an Ideal mold. Last summer with stock sights and several sighters, a steel coyote at 1000 yds ... fell over! And wasn't from the wind :-D

[VintageRifle]

What velocities are you getting with your cast bullet Doug? Up to 1600fps I cannot get enough windage adjustment to the left without my front sight falling off. Had to switch to a scope setup.

[94Doug]

Not sure. My Chrony died. I think less. I tried scope, hated it. I really need to get out there and shoot though. Lots of loads ready, time short.

[sailsguy]

Do you mean the 311-180-FN NOE mould?

[Maven]

sailsguy, At one time I owned 2 K-31's and only used gas checked cast bullets in them. Btw, both needed CB's sized to .309" and were remarkably accurate. As far as CB choices, there are many, as my rifles digested a myriad of different designs and weights with aplomb. Be that as it may, here are some mould recommendations, some of which are very inexpensive:

Lee Precision: 114gr. "Soup can," a GC'd CB originally intended for the .30cal. carbine (?), but also very good in the K-31.
Lee C-309-180-R, which was much more accurate in my K-31's than in my .30-06.

Lyman: #311291 (may need to reduce nose though); #311466 (Loverin); #311644, now known as #311672 (~190gr.). -644 was surprisingly accurate, but heavy.

SAECO: #315 now known as #305, a GC'd flat tipped, tapered, "Loverin" type (~175gr.). This was the most consistently accurate CB in the K-31's, but may be difficult find.

Hope this helps!

[sailsguy]

Thanks, Maven.

[1johnlb]

Do you mean the 311-180-FN NOE mould?


This NOE k31 mold is designed specifically for the near mint with little to no throat erosion. It's a bore rider that is designed for a tight fit in the mint throats. without a tight fit accuracy will suffer and another design would give better results. As others have said, sizing to 309 for best results on many designs is needed but not always neccessary.



145931145932

Here's a 5 shot target, shot with the Lee 155 312 2R sized to 309 with Lee liquid alox, Hornady check, imr 4227 and a dacron filler at 80yds using original swiss peeps. The 5th one is always the flyer, lube purge. This rifle has a warped stock so the barrel was relieved and free floated and the receiver shimmed to keep the barrel center.

NOE has a remake of that Seaco 315 Maven speaks of, mine should be at the door tomorrow. Planning on trying it in every 30, I might need some more lead[smilie=w:

[astroturf3040]

everyone here is searching for loads OR
Searching for loads close to mechanical Zero on the sights?

Full charge loads shoot well for me at 200 yds.

Reduced or CB loads group well for the most part, but group off to the right. At 200 yards, the groups require almost full Left to correct on the front sight.

Any suggestions? Most of my other rifles do not exhibit this behavior.

Thank you

[VintageRifle]

Clamp on scope mount and a scope. Only solution I have found.

[1johnlb]

everyone here is searching for loads OR
Searching for loads close to mechanical Zero on the sights?

Full charge loads shoot well for me at 200 yds.

Reduced or CB loads group well for the most part, but group off to the right. At 200 yards, the groups require almost full Left to correct on the front sight.

Any suggestions? Most of my other rifles do not exhibit this behavior.

Thank you

Most all of my milsurp rifles exhibit left or right groups with reduced cast, depending on left or right rifling. Most of my other rifles are easier to adjust windage or at least have more windage adjustment than the k31. The faster I push the cast the less windage and elevation required. I think it's possible that barrel harmonics also plays a part.

[Dan Cash]

everyone here is searching for loads OR
Searching for loads close to mechanical Zero on the sights?

Full charge loads shoot well for me at 200 yds.

Reduced or CB loads group well for the most part, but group off to the right. At 200 yards, the groups require almost full Left to correct on the front sight.

Any suggestions? Most of my other rifles do not exhibit this behavior.

Thank you

If your front sight is moved left, no wonder your rifle shoots to the right. Move it to the right to correct for right hand strike.

[astroturf3040]

Thanks, Rifle groups right with mechanical zero and cast bullets.

Needs lots of correction to move the group to center of bull, from right to left, at 200.

16 gr of 2400, various 5744 loads, the 180 grain various cast. Nice groups tjough.
Most of the 8mm's, a 7.5x54 and my 1903 and my Ruger m77 3006 shoot to sights. Not the K31 though. Thanks all!

[astroturf3040]

Clamp on scope mount and a scope. Only solution I have found.Good plan I think. I set up one with a scope and one with diopters to make that happen.

Will keep on the quest though for the battle sights and reduced or CB loads, someone must have worked it out! Thanks all!

[HollowPoint]

Some of the guys on this forum probably get sick if it though. The five shot group clustered near center above the bulls eye was shot at Two-Hundred yards from my scoped K31.

The target is actually being held wrong side up. It should be turned counter-clock-wise so that his left hand is the top of the target. I was aiming at the upper left diamond and my bullets were hitting five or six inches low.

I was using the NOE Spitzer pointed bullet sized at .309". If I remember correctly I used 16.8 grains of 2400 powder. I was able to produce similar patterns on at least three occasions to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke. I haven't shot my K31 in nearly a year since that time. I've been tinkering with my old Enfield.

Incidentally, If memory serves, those other holes in that target may have been made by the Enfield I've alluded to before I re-barreled it. Or, they were made by a different loading of the same bullet. I really can't remember anymore. It was some time ago now.

HollowPoint

[Mauser48]

sailsguy, At one time I owned 2 K-31's and only used gas checked cast bullets in them. Btw, both needed CB's sized to .309" and were remarkably accurate. As far as CB choices, there are many, as my rifles digested a myriad of different designs and weights with aplomb. Be that as it may, here are some mould recommendations, some of which are very inexpensive:

Lee Precision: 114gr. "Soup can," a GC'd CB originally intended for the .30cal. carbine (?), but also very good in the K-31.
Lee C-309-180-R, which was much more accurate in my K-31's than in my .30-06.

Lyman: #311291 (may need to reduce nose though); #311466 (Loverin); #311644, now known as #311672 (~190gr.). -644 was surprisingly accurate, but heavy.

SAECO: #315 now known as #305, a GC'd flat tipped, tapered, "Loverin" type (~175gr.). This was the most consistently accurate CB in the K-31's, but may be difficult find.

Hope this helps!

I also just bought a k31. What was your load with the soup can mold?

[Maven]

Mauser48, I think I used 17gr. WC 820 (AA #9 burn rate), but 13 -15gr. would serve as well. Btw, that little CB is deceptive in that it needs to be seated deeply into both the 7.5 x 55mm case and the .30-06 in order to get the K 31 bolt to go into battery or close the bolt on my Mod. 70 Win. without excessive force.

[astroturf3040]

...everyone here is.
NOE K31 GC Western Bullet
IMR 4198 30.0 Grains

Shot and grouped well, all in black at 25 yds with 200 yard E, -0- Windage, 6 0clock line of white hold on Rifle Target "A" off a sand bag

Put 5 more in 100 yards in SR Reduced Target 10 Ring, same dope and sight picture

Shot 5: 3 in 10 ring, 2 in 9 ring, at 12 oclock, same dope and sight picture Off Hand.

On to 200.....

Thanks

[astroturf3040]

If your front sight is moved left, no wonder your rifle shoots to the right. Move it to the right to correct for right hand strike.

Use the FORS
Front Opposite Rear Same

[madsenshooter]

I'm one of the unlucky fellows that the K31 bullet won't work in. I got a really tight 7.47mm (.294) bore. Oh the bullet will work, but I have to seat below the neck/shoulder junction just bit. NOE's base pour version of the Eagan MX2-30H works very good in mine, but even it needs the ogive bumped a bit to get the check even with the neck/shoulder junction. Should work as is with most K31s, I just lucked out and got one of the SIG made tighter bores.

[alamogunr]

NOE has a remake of that Seaco 315 Maven speaks of, mine should be at the door tomorrow. Planning on trying it in every 30, I might need some more lead[smilie=w:

What is the NOE identification of this mold? I might like to try it in my K31's.

[1johnlb]

What is the NOE identification of this mold? I might like to try it in my K31's.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=30&sort=2a&page=7

The 3rd thru the 12th down on the page. I haven't tried it yet in my k31, hopefully soon.