Information about your rifle.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sight in my Clamp On or Drill & Tap Scope Mount?
How do I align my 1911 Clamp On Scope Mount for scopes and the P11 Diopter?
Return it left exactly one half of the full travel, that will be to dead center for the scope.
Remove the bolt on your rifle. Set a target at the 25 or 50 yard mark.
Now, with your rifle in a rest or sandbagged, look down the bore and center it on the bullseye.
Move your head up to the scope and move the front of the mount until the crosshairs are on the bullseye.
Now tighten the rear bolt down. Check the scope again and tighten the front bolt.
Now tighten both bolts down dead tight. You should be at dead center windage.
K31 and 1911 Offset mount illustration
The offset of the mount is 11/16", so leave it at exactly that POI at 100 yards and it will remain so out to 1,000 yards. No need to zero it on the bullseye. If you do, the POI will change the further out your target is.
If you can tell the difference beyond 200 yards, you're a much better shot than I am, Gunga Dihn.
I also use a fixed IOR Valdada 10 power on my zfk55, but that's an entirely different animal. Whichever scope you choose, remember that the lower and closer to the axis of the bore, the better.
That will be the end of your problems.
Waffen Fett and Automatterfett (Greases)
The grease is used for three purposes being cleaning, lubricating and protecting and the last can be divided in normal use and storage.
To start with the cleaning first, before shooting the Swiss run a pad through the bore to clean out the grease there and from the bolt face, they do that with the help of a grease rod, that ones comes with a jag for a pad and a black grease brush.
Immediately after shooting they run that black brush with Automatenfett through the still hot bore, put some grease on the bolt face and leave it like that. After they get home they clean it all from the grease, get a bore rope or cleaning brush through the bore and after that they lube it all again with fresh grease that stays on till the next shooting match.
The grease dissolves the fouling and makes cleaning way more easy as using oil.
Lubricating during normal use is only done on few spots, the most important ones are the flat (or round with the older straight pulls) inside receiver sliding part of the operating rod and the tip of the operating rod where it enters the bolt sleeve groove, that area needs to be lubed well.
There should be no grease inside the bolt or at the outside but it won't hurt to use a tiny bit in the locking nut area.
Do not use too much grease, the manual reads for the K31 "battle lubricating"......NONE , so the above is only to make your rifle operate more smoothly with less wear, after all the shooting range is no battle field.
The protecting part is easy, Automatenfett can be used on bare metal to protect it against corrosion, use it limited especially on moving parts as we don't want sand to stick to these.
For storage, the -"Parkdienstschmierung" as they say there- it's easy also;
Barrel inside and outside, greased
Chamber, greased
Trigger assembly, inside bolt and hammer piece, NO grease (still the arsenals did not follow that rule that well as examples show)
Bare metal parts, greased
Blued parts, greased
The storage part is the reason why so many new owners of K31's in the USA think that they are in Cosmoline which is not the case, when they have been in storage in Swiss arsenals for a long time they are still well protected by the old yellow Waffenfett, the more recent ones are well protected by black Automatenfett.
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So your rifle came to you in the usual condition of the k31. Stock a bit beat up but with most of the metal finish intact and sharp, shiney lands and grooves, and you intend to keep it that way.
Stop and think about this. The rifle came to you in the condition in which the Swiss soldier and Armoury kept it for many years. Is it not then a reasonable assumption that you'd follow the same maintenance ritual that has kept it in that condition for so many years? Maybe, but the average American shooter believes strongly in all of the advertising hype and testimonials to a myriad of maintenance products deemed absolutely necessary to keep a rifle as pristine as possible, few of which are factually relevant to the k31 barrel.
This was written by my Dad quite a few years ago.
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The Armoury and the well instructed Swiss soldier used a product called Waffenfett, or weapon grease. A close and reasonable approximation in the US is Lubriplate 930 cut with 15% Moly Paste.
If, by shooting reloaded cartridges utilizing copper jacketed projectiles, your bore shows copper fouling, use a product such as WipeOut to remove it. This kind of a product fulfills it's task without continual scrubbing of the bore.
This may sound like an overly simple approach, and the typical US shooter is usually a ready recipient of industry marketing efforts and barrel maintenance, but use this logic. My 50+ year old rifle came to me with a truly amazing bore. Why would I not then follow the maintenance practices of the Armoury and Soldier that delivered it to me in this condition?
What do I need for Reloading the 7.5x55 Cartridge?
A press, Forster (recommended) RCBS Rock Chucker or Dillon 550B
(If its RCBS get the Primer Option)
Dies for your caliber (RCBS, Redding, Hornady etc.)
Spray lubricant and case neck brush, or
Castor Oil (recommended) See "Reloading" FAQ
Wooden or plastic case block to hold 50 cases
Powder Dispenser (RCBS)
Powder scale
Case mouth Funnel
Powder Trickler
Manual Case Trimmer with collet for your caliber. Wilson (recommended)
or RCBS.
Reamer/Champfer for case mouths
Calipers to measure case lengths
Powder and Primers.
Sierra Reloading Manual (recommended)
If you shoot very much you really do need a Case Tumbler.
Dillon or Lyman are the best.
Case tumbler medium, walnut preferred.
What is the process for reloading 7.5x55 cartridge?
A group is a 5 round minimum.
My "data" on the SRDC site is a fraction of a highly condensed series of many thousands of rounds of data testing over a 35 years +/- period of time. All that means is that the data presented worked as written for a small group of load testing rifles. Those rifles were selected long ago for their consistent, proven performance.
My credentials? 45 years of reloading and 32 of those devoted to the 7.5 Swiss cartridge. Load data of mine that was in use long before the manuals figured out that their own data was erroneous and based on the wrong rifle. Do I have any magic? Absolutely not. Is there anything mysterious or technically difficult to understand about how I do it? Absolutely not. Have I varied one iota from my original "platform" in case preparation? Absolutely not.... and yet I see a supposed mystique surrounding the reloading for this cartridge evoking all kinds of semi confusing answers that are completely unnecessary.
I won't argue with anyone about presses or dies. This is what works for me, take it or leave it. Want to use a different press or die set? Go for it. After all these years and many thousands of successful rounds downrange, I'm not changing anything, however, advances in technology may now dictate other wise to you.
A) Whatever kind of press you have, using Redding Comp, RCBS dies or your own choice, run the ram all the way up. Turn your sizing/decapping die all the way down against the shellholder. Lower the ram and turn the die down another 1/2 turn or so, maybe even less, but make sure that when you run the ram back up the ram "cams over" at the top of the stroke. This is "full length sizing". I don't want to hear about all of the variables in die setting possibilities with all of the other cartridges you use. For the 7.5 Swiss, make your press cam-over at the top of the stroke to begin. Find a better way for youself later? Why not.
Neck sizing? Forget it. After very few times fired in a k31 your case won't be chambering anyway. Even if you do neck size, your case will have to be hand-fed into the chamber and indexed to exactly the same "o'clock" position every time to be effective. Not all k31 chambers are identical. I do it with a few of my commercial rifles with some success. 7.5 Swiss? Forget it. Its an exercise in futility that won't shade my loads anyway, and there are many local k31 owners that are now believers.
I've used a myriad of presses, both fixed and progressive over the years and the RCBS Rockchucker was my mainstay for load data development until the Dillon 550B came along. We now use a Forster almost exclusively for precision reloading.
Though I have a spread of other mfg's dies, Redding comp is all I use for the 7.5 Swiss. I currently have 6 sets of RCBS as well.
B) Set your decapper to the proper depth allowing just a bit of the tip to appear through the bottom of the shellholder. Screw it in too deeply and you'll bend the shaft and ruin a case. Lock the die into place.
1) Use a case tumbler or a washing machine to get your brass clean. If its a washing machine, put all the brass in a pillowcase, tie the top and wash them in hot water with a good dishwashing soap. Shake all the water out and let them dry overnight on a towel.
2) TTL.... Trim To Length. Our spec will be 2.179 or less. I suggest you don't trim much shorter than 2.160.
Ream and champfer the case mouths. If you don't have that little tool, buy one.
3) Lubing: Use a case lube/pad combo or the new sprays which I consider superior. Plain old Castor Oil works great too (Now preferred). If its a pad, use your fingers to spread the lube evenly over the surface of the pad and roll the cases completely. Use your finger and tip the case mouth down and roll that too. Don't get lube on the shoulders. This type of lube is non-compressible and can dent your case shoulders upon sizing. Use a mouth brush to get inside, but use it sparingly.
Spray: Using a cookie sheet, line it with aluminum foil and lay your cases down on their sides with all the mouths facing toward you. Holding the can at a 45 degree angle, spray from the rear of the cases toward the mouth allowing spray to enter the case mouths. Using the flat of your hand, roll the cases around and hit the case mouths once more very lightly. If it's to be Castor Oil, use it sparingly. It goes a long way.
Spray lube and Castor Oil are not of the non-compressible variety so you won't have a problem with the case shoulders as long as you don't overdo it..
4) Lightly coat the inside of your die with spray lube. Do NOT do this with paste lube. Put a case in the shell holder and run it up firmly but gently. If you feel any resistance, STOP! Lower the ram and check the depth of your decapper. Check to make sure the inside your die was actually polished at the factory. This is not at all unheard of. I've gotten 3 of these over the years and they will not allow you to run the case in.
Assuming your ram cammed-over at the top of the stroke, you should now have a properly sized case that will chamber without any resistance in your chamber.
Have to hit your bolthandle with the palm of your hand to get it to chamber? Projectile seating aside, it won't be because you didn't size your case correctly.
I've read plenty of rationale on chambering, and (without telling you how many Swiss rifles I have) None of mine chamber other than smoothly and easily, without rapping.
5) Clean your primer pockets with the appropriate tool. I use the small, formed wire brush in a plastic handle meant for this procedure. Seat your primers dead flush with the case base.
6) Projectile seating: It is not at all necessary to crimp for the 7.5 Swiss rifles. Crimping introduces a variable that you don't need. The grip of the case mouth on the bullet will not be identical every single time, thus, the unwanted variable.
To determine proper seat depth for any given projectile, keep in mind that the measurement is only valid when the contact of the bullet's ogive and the lands/grooves is determined.
Your manual says OAL is 3.020?... maybe for that bullet that they used, but only for that bullet profile, not all others. Projectile profiles vary from mfg to mfg. So how do you do it?
There are any number of ways, but I've always used the same methodology. Take a sized, empty and unprimed, uncharged case, start a bullet into the case mouth leaving it protruding further than is apparently correct. Place it in the rifle's chamber by hand, ease the bolt into full battery and "smartly" eject it. Measure that OAL and seat it 2 to 4 thousandths deeper. This is a good start. Later, when you've become more deeply involved in data gathering, you may want to play with seat depths to find the sweet spot for your cartridge. I have specifics I use regularly. Bear in mind that the k31 has a short throat, and the k31 typically prefers the ogive very close to the lands.
Yes, there are other ways. If you like your way better .......use it.
Once you determine your chambered OAL for that bullet, screw your seating die down until the mouth of an empty case stops the descent and back it out a full turn. Lock the die in place and back out the seater.
That method is only going to work for one bullet profile, and it its a hollow point its not going to be accurate anway since not all meplats are the same even in the same box. Your bullet seater should be indexed behind the tip ahead of the ogive, not on the tip of the bullet. A Sierra 175 MK is not going to be the same as a Berger 175 VLD at all. Both should index on an area ahead of the ogive, but not all ogives are the same distance from either the case mouth or the bullet tip. If you use just the tip you're going to have two completely different freebores for the same caliber, weight and charge with likely two different results.
Now measure it and decide how far off the lands you want to begin. Note that figure and begin working out your load, adjusting seat depth as you go. But remember that was only for that bullet profile. Change profiles and you're back to square one.
Find load data that might be in a trusted manual or proven data from the board. Always begin with a lesser load even if the data you find "appears" to be proven.
"Stand up and shoot it like a man!"
Only if Jeff Cooper is watching, otherwise use a bench rest when developing your load data. Use the same rest or bagging methodology every time you shoot. Remove all variables from your data gathering..... and that's the secret, gents. Consistency. Consistency.
Ok, the final step I consider important if you're striving to squeeze every ounce of accuracy out of your Swiss rifles is.............. www.swissrifles.com/sr/pierre/accurizing.html
Does it work? You'd have to ask those who have used the methodology, and there are a lot of them now. I have read a few comments about how it "didn't work for me. A waste of time". It probably was, for those folks. They didn't follow the process correctly and most likely were shooting unproven loads with improperly sized cases or stocks with an unnoticed, inherent problem. All of my rifles are accurized, and every one of them improved forthwith.
To wrap this up, I advise that you remove every single variable that you can think of. When reloading, never vary from your case prep (hopefully successful) formula. When shooting for load data, never vary from your shooting stance/position. Record results from every single target you print. Be careful and I wish you success.
P
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There are a lot of ways to get to the same positive end result. This is one that worked for for me with Swiss Rifles. If you find better ways, use them, but be careful. Use manufacturers books and read the cautions and limits.
I should add that we now use Redding Competition bushing dies for almost everything including 7.5 Swiss.
How do I sight in a Diopter?
Sight in:
1) Get into shooting position with unloaded rifle. Everything you will need to shoot should be within arms reach.
Do not get up or move your elbows too much.
2) Find the best place for your cheek on the stock. You should be fairly close to the safety ring. I use my thumb
as a spacer between the ring and my nose to get the same cheek position time after time. I of course lower my
thumb before firing.
3) Center the front sight hood in rear sight. Should have equal amount of space all around the outside of the front side hood
4) Aim at target, center it in the middle of your front sight ring or on top of the front sight post with a slight gap
between the top of the post and the bottom of the target.
5) You should always be focusing on the front sight, not the target.
6) Dry fire a couple times.
7) Move to the third smallest hole available on the rear diopter sight.
8 ) See how sharp the front post or aperture is.
9) Compare the sharpness of the front sight using smaller and larger rear diopter hole sizes. Look for the clearest
possible setting for the light conditions you have that day.
10) Now you can load the rifle! I just saved you a lot of money in ammo.
11) Keep a sheet of paper and a pencil handy. Keep track of every shot.
12) First shot is a fouler. Write:"1- F", and its clock position.
13) Fire three more shots and write down their clock positions.
14) Estimate where the center of shots 2, 3 and 4 is and correct accordingly. Remember each click is MOA.
15) Repeat from 13 until youre sighted in.
Notes: All of the following are more noticeable as the shooting distance increases.
1) Expect your point of impact to change during the course of the day as the sun changes it position relative to the target.
2) If you change aperture size after sight-in, you most likely will have re-sight it again.
3) Changes in cheek position WILL affect your sighting.
4) Changes in body positions WILL affect you sighting.
5) Do not mix ammo, I always try to use the same lot of ammo in a session, even with GP11.
What loads are safe for my reciever?
Does it not then stand to reason that the 1911 and k31, being designed to fire the same cartridge as the PE57, would have receivers of a strength equal to the modern autoloader? Would it surprise you to know that the factory in Bern offered the k31 in 7.5 Swiss, .308, 30/06 and 300 Winchester Magnum? It still is. You can buy one today from the Hammerli facility. But I digress.
Early reloading manuals assumed that the bolts on the 1911s, k11s and k31s were identical to the 1889. Not so at all. The 1889 could NOT stand the pressures developed by the GP11 and therefore the publishers relegated all data and warnings to all of the Schmidt Rubins! Gross error! I dioscoverd this error very early on, called Bern, spoke to an armourer, explained my theory, he agreed and I began a lifelong search for the commercial accuracy loads for the SRs. BTW......... I found it. In fact a number of them.
The locking lugs on the earlier SRs were at the back of the bolt itself. This meant that the case head of the cartridge was largely unsupported, but with the advent of the 1911 the lugs were moved midway up the bolt proper and provided more than enough support for the case head. The 1911 receiver was also substantially stroner than the 1889, in fact strong enough to allow importers in the late 70s/early 80s to convert a large number of imported 1911s to .308. CUP for the 7.5 is around 42,000. The .308 is 50,000+, so that should also tell you that the 1911 receiver/bolt combo is plenty strong.
The k31 amd the zfk3155 have the strongest of the bolt/receiver combinations. The locking lugs were moved forward right to the head of the bolt. The 30-06 and 300 winmag are no problem for this rifle. Enough preface.
The dies.
I was asked to develop a forum for these rifles about 4 years ago (1999). I spent a tremendous amount of time educating new SR owners who had not a clue as to proper load data or accurizing. (I won't get into the accurizing thing at this point) Having been supplied with load data, a number of these folks began reloading the caliber. Wihin one month I had 3 incidents of "gas blow-by" from those usnig Lee 7.5 Swiss dies. The bolt of the SR provides a channel directly to the rear, allowing blow-by gasses to "kiss" the face of the shooter! Three more incidents followed with another 4 months. FAR too many for coincidence.
Lee makes an excellent die. I've also been told that the circumstances surrounding the SRs don't happen with all Lee 7.5 dies. I don't know. I also have never had an interest in testing these dies. There's no point. I do assume that there is an inherent problem with using the die for this caliber. I can tell you that my son is not allowed to use Lee dies for reloading his 7.5 Swiss brass. In the past 5 years not one single incident of blow-by has ever been reported to me on swissrifles.com involving RCBS 7.5, Redding Comp or Hornady dies. There are others that work well too. Take your pick.
I can't tell you how many thousands of rounds in that caliber I've reloaded in 55 years or so, but its a bunch. Never one single failure involving the die has ocurred.
I'm loathe to retype the whole thing here as its quite long, but please do read the reloading for the 7.5 Swiss page before proceeding with reloading for your rifle. It will give you needed insight into the whys and wherefores.
Thank you..... Pierre St.Marie
*NOTE: Its been at least 4 years since I've heard about a Lee problem with this caliber. Maybe it's solved.
What Projectiles and Powders should I begin with? ....And RELODER17 info
Note: Swiss Products cannot be held responsible for the use of posted load data.
This data is applicable only to the rifles noted and tested. You're may vary, so always approach unknown load data with caution
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These are pages of load data that I've compiled over a lot of years. These represent many thousands of round downrange. These are the end results of the best performers over that time span using the "projectiles and powders of the day."
ALWAYS begin with the data in a manual and work your way up.
I will later add our latest successful projectile and powder combinations. I will also add the ICP (Impact Coated Projectile) processes we now use.
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Pierre's 7.5x55 Reloading Data
I don't feel comfortable "recommending" load data for rifles of which I have no personal knowledge, therefore, this is my disclaimer prior to
posting my own load data. Particularly if you are a reloading novice, this is important. Your k31 is not a new rifle. These powders/projectiles are! Not
knowing the particulars of your rifle, I can only say how these loads performed in MY OWN RIFLES! They may not perform the same in yours. I can say
that these loads performed slightly differently in each of the three k31s concerned. This would be because not all barrels are absolutely identical. You
MUST approach these loads with caution, approaching them in .5g increments. We all love these old SRs, but no one knows what stresses your action
may have sustained before you got it, therefore accept the fact that the loads I'll be posting worked for me. They may or may not work for you. You
experienced reloaders know exactly what all this means. Consider your own rifle and be safe! Regards
All rounds were fired from an "Accurite" shooting device that accepts the entire weapon, allows natural recoil and "contained muzzle jump". Micrometer
windage/elevation & "cant" adjustments are used. All shots were 5rd groups from 100yds. Consider temperatures were variable, which may have an
effect on your rifle's performance. No extremes, however.
Three k31s were used and categorized by their mfg date. Extensive reloading narrowed the projectiles down to two, which worked the best in THESE
three rifles. The 165g is a remington .30cal PSPCL. A jacketed soft nosed projectile with flat sidewalls and flat base. The second projectile is a 173g
U.S. Military issue "pulled" fmjspbt. I reiterate, the following loads performed well in THESE THREE RIFLES. You must approach these loads
responsibly based on YOUR knowledge of YOUR rifle.
All three k31s are pristine samples of their genera.
k31 #1 mfg'd 1937
165g
N203......40.5g.........1.69"
BLC2......39g...........1.75"
3031......36g...........1.8"
414.......43g...........1.56"
4064......37g...........1.0"
4831......47g...........1.13
173g
414.......43g...........1.10
4064......39.............97"
BLC2......40g............1.59
4350......38.5g..........1.76
3031......35.............1.97
k31#2 mfg date 1946
165g
3031......36.2g...........1.85"
4064......37g.............1.0"
414.......43.1g...........1.65"
4831......47g.............1.23"
173g
414.......43..............1.15"
BLC2......40g.............1.83"
4064......39..............0.91"
4350......38.1g...........1.94"
3031......35..............1.75
k31#3 mfg date 1955
165g
N203......40g..............1.98"
3031......36g..............1.87
BLC2......39.1g............1.40"
2520......39...............1.55"
4831......47g..............1.30"
414.......42...............1.57
4064......37g..............1.0"
173g
4350......38...............1.99"
3031......35g..............1.85
4064......39g..............0.88"
BLC2......40g..............1.65"
414.......43g..............1.10"
FURTHER TESTING
All rounds fired from an Accurite Rest, all groups consist of two five rd groups.
Brass, Norma, Projectile- 165g Remington SPLSC & 173g fmjbt, "pulled". Primers, CCI-LR. Brass TTL & champfered inside/outside.
165g
4831SC........45g........1.65"
IMR3031.......35g........1.30"
IMR3031.......36g......... .70"
173g fmjbt
4831SC........48g......... .88"
IMR3031.......34g......... .90" in a perfect vertical string.
IMR3031.......35g......... .44" & 1 flyer .82" out
(second group 3031)....... .71 & 1 flyer .75" out
All BLC2 loads exceeded 2"
The above loads were the result of EXTREME CARE of each barrel after each group.( brass cleaning etc) Your rifle may or may not show similar taste
for these loads, and there are certainly a myriad of other loads that may prove better performers in YOUR rifle. Reload Safely! And good luck!!
I never recommend bullet depth seating as it varies slightly from rifle to rifle, (and a projectile jammed tight against the lands/grooves CAN make differences in chamber pressures, although usually not dangerously. This will definitely affect projectile performance.) Partially seat a projectile in an EMPTY UNPRIMED cartridge and ease the bolt forward to full lock. Eject the whole works, measure it with a micrometer and back it off another .019 to .021 or whatever your particular reloading book recommends. The "lyman casting handbook" is a good source of odd reloading info! No, I did not i/o true the case mouths. I developed these loads based on the recommended TTL and used materials & methods allowing me to shoot often without hours of technical fooling around with components. One thing I should have included is the primers were CCI. Sometimes you hear that magnum primers work better with some powders that have burn rates that somehow don't perform as well as you'd expect. This happens to be true, but you need to do those experiments with care. Be careful.
Pierre
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7.5x55 Load Data
by
Pierre St. Marie
All load data printed herein should be approached with extreme caution. The rifles concerned, despite being very strong, are 50 years old. This data has all performed very well in the 1911 and k31 Schmidt Rubins. All of them printed groups of less than 2" at 100yds, and the majority were 1.5" and 1" or less.
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Two loads that tested out exceptionally well are:
Berger VLD 168gr........47.4gr of IMR4320
Berger VLD 175gr........45.8gr of 4350
The last one consistently beat the GP11 for me at 300 to 500 yards. All three are winning loads, all things being equal.
"Equal" = ALL brass identical TTL.
ALL brass full length sized.
Seat depths on the VLDs are
exactly that of the GP11s @ 3.060
Sierra seat depth is 2.890
Seat depths are critical for consistency.
If you intend that these, or any loads, prove themselves, absolute consistency in every aspect of your loading procedures is mandatory.
Not one iota of variance.
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The following loads have all been found to be quite accurate.
Remington PSPCL 165gr:
N203...................40.5gr
BLC2..................39gr
3031....................36gr
414......................43gr
4064....................37gr
4831....................47gr
2520....................39gr
Military Ball 173gr "pulled":
414.......................43gr
4064.....................39gr
3031.....................35gr
4350.....................38.1gr
4064.....................39gr
BLC2...................40gr
Sierra Match king 168gr:
4064.....................43.9gr
4350.....................46.8gr
4064.....................37gr
Sierra Match king 175gr:
4064......................42gr
4350......................45.8gr
Sierra 165gr HP/BT:
4320......................44gr
4064......................43.5
Berger VLD168gr:
4895......................44gr
Nominal seat depths for the 1911:
3.060"
Nominal seat depths for the k31:
2.890"
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Addendum: Here are some recent additions to the list.
1. Bullet: Norma 146gr. FJPBT
Powder: Vit. N140 49grs.
Primer: CCI 200
Case: RWS
2. Bullet: Sierra 165gr. SBT (2145)
Powder: 4350 ACCU 51.6grs.
Primer: CCI 200
Case: Norma
3. Bullet: Hornady 168gr. BTHP (3050)
Powder: 47 grs. ROT R903
Primer: CCI BR2
Case: Norma
4. Bullet: Berger 168gr. HPBT/Moly
Powder: DuPont IMR-4320 47.4grs.
Primer: CCI 200
Case: RWS
5. Bullet: Lapua D-46 185 gr. (.308)
Powder: Vit. N160 50 grs.
Primer: Norma LR
Case: Norma
6. Bullet: Hornady 190gr BTHP(3080)
Powder: Vit. N160 51.5grs.
Primer: CCI 200
Case: Norma
7. Bullet: Hornady 190gr BTHP (3080)
Powder: ROT R907 46grs.
Primer: RWS 5341
Case: Norma
Begin at 49 grains of Reloder17 and work your way toward 50.1 grains in .02 grain increments..
Latigo and P
What is "Accurizing" my swiss rifle?
I've invested quite a bit of time in arriving at a rather simple conclusion I had always known, from experience, to be true as will any odd directional, barely visible warping. "Do not interfere with the barrel". That simple. Of course, none of us want to remove that classic stock and fore grip from the k31s or the Schmidt Rubins, so I did the next best thing. I relieved all reasonable stress contact from the barrel.
I did this by designing a "spacer" meant to go between the flanges of both barrel bands. This simple spacer relieved the barrel of any meaningful contact with the stock. If the spacers are used correctly, the fore stock will feel "loose" at the barrel band. Of course, one could rout out the raceway to relieve the barrel, but I am loathe to remove any wood from the stock. Allowing the barrel to vibrate uninhibited definitely tightened up my groups. I had, of course, used a load capable of moa for these tests. This also meant that I could not use the sling in any kind of a bracing action. That would negate my efforts. Now for the second discovery. I found that "balancing" the tang screw against the receiver screw also had an effect on accuracy.
To determine spacer width requirements, loosen the screw on the front band until the band retainer will compress and release freely. The space you see between the flanges approximates the thickness required for the spacer. With the spacer(s) installed, the front to the stock should have a bit of "play", so that you can see/feel it move when you wiggle it. The rear band should also NOT grip the stock tightly. It, too should have a bit of play. This will leave the barrel relatively uninhibited by the stock. Also remember not to use the sling to "brace" the rifle. That tension will put pressure against the barrel too. Use the sling just to "steady" the rifle without undue pressure.
After installing the spacers, I begin by loosening both screws. I coat the rear screw with LocTite. I then tighten the receiver screw dead tight. I turn the tang screw down tight and back it our 3/4 of a turn or a little better. You'll need to have around 30 dependable loads ready for this test. Definitely do it from a bench rest, and if you have open sights, use a clearly defined target at no more than 75 yards.
Fire a group of 3 or 4 rounds. Tighten the tang screw in 1/8 turn increments, repeating the process and, using a new target for each run, note how the groups will spread or tighten to minor degrees. These differences will make themselves manifest at range. Once you find the "sweet spot" with the tang screw, allow it to sit while the LocTite cures.
This procedure will be all the more apparent with scoped rifles, but the Diopter and Willaims will also show clearly what a difference can be made. Emails from subscribers to this method have proven to me that this method definitely works. Why "fix something that ain't broke"?......... because mine have the capability to outperform the ones that "ain't broke". The rest is up to the shooter.
Something I forgot to add. The k31/55 barrel band does NOT compress the stock tightly against the barrel. At least mine dont. This, and the fact that the bipod is attached to the receiver, tells me that someone in the armory felt that the barrel should be uninhibited too.
I strongly disagree with the notion that my method accurizing these Swiss rifles is a mistake. It depends entirely on the current stock/rifle relationship, and in the past 20 years I've proven that many times over right here in the SP armoury.
How do I "refurbish" my swiss stock?
The original is Shellaq. Use alcohol to remove the old Shellaq
Do not immerse the stock or get the interior wood overly wet.
Rub Scrub stock hard and quickly with warm soapy water and a scrub brush.
Rub dry immediately with a Terry towel and let stand overnight.
Use the directional steamer to raise the dents..
Apply new coats of clear Shellaq. Some Shellaqs have a yellow or red tinge. That's ok.
Rub Scrub stock hard and quickly with warm soapy and a scrub brush.
Rub dry with a Terry towel and let stand overnight.
Use the directional steamer to raise the dents.
A) Use 000 Copper Wool to smooth the surfaces.
Hand rub with raw linseed oil until you have a warm smooth finish.
This may take a number of coats.
B) Sanding is less preferable unless you're going for a new rifle appearance.
Sand smooth but use a wood block taking care not to round any of the
edges or the fingergrooves. Do not overly sand the Cartouche.
Rub vigorously with a rough Terry towel.
Apply a coat of Tung Oil with a soft cloth and let dry. Lightly rub down
with 000 Copper Wool. Repeat this process 6 to 10 times until you have
a deep, warm glow to the wood. If you want a glossier finish, don't Copper
Wool the last coat. I prefer the satin look, so I do use it on the final coat.
Latigo and P
Further notes on advanced Reloading
I was asked to develop a forum for these rifles about 4 years ago (1999). I spent a tremendous amount of time educating new SR owners who had not a clue as to proper load data or accurizing. (I won't get into the accurizing thing at this point) Having been supplied with load data, a number of these folks began reloading the caliber. Within one month I had 3 incidents of "gas blow-by" from those using Lee 7.5 Swiss dies. The bolt of the SR provides a channel directly to the rear, allowing blow-by gasses to "kiss" the face of the shooter! Three more incidents followed with another 4 months. FAR too many for coincidence.
I can't tell you how many thousands of rounds in that caliber I've reloaded in 55 years or so, but its a bunch. Never one single failure involving the die has occurred.
__________________
But when it comes to the Precision and Competition dies, only the user's track record is important, and for us, Redding has no competition.
Redding: Redding Competition Bushing 3-Die Neck Sizer Set 6.5 - MPN: 58446
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In case you missed this one:
•The Body Die -- is designed to full length resize the case body only and bump the shoulder position for proper chambering without disturbing the case neck. It is intended for use only to resize cases which have become increasingly difficult to chamber after repeated firing and neck sizing.
•Competition Seating Die -- The bullet guide to seating stem fit is so precise that the seating stem can actually be demonstrated to float on a column of air. The micrometer is calibrated in .001" increments. It also has a zero set feature that allows you to zero the micrometer to your rifle or favorite seating depth.
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Now that you've had a chance to read about the well lubricated and smooth running gears of potential Precision Reloading, (there are more factors involved, but..) let's throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing.
Only if you have an awful lot of spare hours for that methodology and, needless to say, his case prep did involve both inside and outside case mouth truing. I'll get into that later, and we actually do the inside truing. Our method produces very close to bench rest load results but is much faster in volume.
I read a lot about a k31 rifle that's capable of MOA shooting, and the truth is that most of them are. It's not just the projectile and powder selection. The case prep and neck tension are equally important, but not often worked on. Your SD being very low is very important. Coaxial alignment or the case base, neck and projectile are also a very crucial part of the formula.
Notes on Reloading #2
Brass
RUAG Boxer Swiss National Match brass......... the finest on the planet.
Ok. So here's how the American reloading part of it began for the k31, the G11's, the zfk55 and the Pe57. I don't remember the year, sometime in the 90's but a lot of shooters on the various Swiss Forums and elsewhere will remember better than I do because they bought it from me.......... My memory has gotten terrible......We brought in some 10,000 Ruag Swiss National Match Brass, but before that, I called Grafs and three other outfits asking if they'd like to front this buy and handle it themselves. "What? 7.5x what? For what rifles? never heard of them"..... So....... we brought it in.
How do I align my front Tunnel Sight to the Bore?
To correctly install the clamp on front sight, place the rifle between your knees with the butt on the floor. Now tighten up your Allen screws so you're just able to rotate the site left and right. Looking straight down the muzzle, align the neck of the globe site perfectly in line with the blade of the issue front sight. That should put you dead center. Tighten down the left front Allen screw first then the right rear Allen screw then the right front Allen screw and finally the left rear Allen screw.
hBN and What are Impact Coated Projectiles and what is the process?
No rifle or handgun here sends a round downrange that isn't an ICP. , so.................... here we go.
================================
The process is simple.
Within minutes I fire an impact coated projectile through the bore and that's it. The bore is effectively ceramic coated.
All four jars are filled to the 1/3rd mark with impact coated .177 steel BBs. The BBs must be washed in Dawn or cleaned with a Sonic Vibrator and denatured alcohol. Add a nominal 1.5gr of hBN to each jar.
Negative 5 micron hBN is so fine it can find it's way through the threads.Use a large slotted spoon to remove the impact coated projectiles from the jars and tumble them in a Terrycloth towel.
We place a thin layer of dense foam in the bottom of the Dillon. The jars are sealed where the top threads down onto the jar with plastic electrical tape to keep any hBN from leaking out. We place the jars on their sides and pack them in with chunks of foam. We place enough foam on top of them so that when the vibrator lid is screwed down they're trapped tightly. This keeps everything horizontal and the bullets stay on the horizontal position. Works much better and you won't need a specialty lid for your Dillon.
What are Hard-Cast Projectiles and how do I make them?
I bought a 2 gallon bucket of Anthimony from the outfit here in Thompson falls that manufactures it. It's all in a rock form. The expensive stuff you buy from a store is in a (preferred) powder form, so........... we have to crunch it as small as we can with a mall. Once its in a granulated state, you can add it to the BH9 lead in your pot. It MUST be taken up to 1,100 degrees minimum for it to melt and mix into the lead.
........ but we also "case harden" projectiles that are pushing close to FMJ FPS or better projectiles.
Next comes the Case Hardening, and you have to pay close attention to the projectiles during the process.
Either in one of the smaller, portable ovens, (or in Ma's oven the first time before she kicked me out) with the temperature at 215 degrees. Stand them all upright, side by side in a shallow tray.......... Now you watch to see when they begin to aquire a glossy sheen. Remove them immediately and let them cool naturally...... No water dumping.
It's true that a BH factor above 12 won't allow the bullet to expand much, but you can sure boost that FPS factor up to, and equal to a FMJ.
Diopter History
We developed out first Diopter because the ones in production both in Switzerland and Germany had obvious shortcomings. Anyone who owns an “original” Diopter knows this. The Diopter was never a Bern manufacture and has nothing to do with Army issue items. They were originally all made by “cottage industries” in Switzerland and Germany, so ther are no "originals".
As of the end of next week, the new P11 Diopters will be on the way to Grafs. This one will use the 1911 Clamp-On-Mount and work with the 1889, Kadett, 1896, 96/11, the G11 and the K11 rifles.
Time to clarify and save me a BUNCH of PM/email answering.
Swiss Rifle Mfg Dating.
As another example, given a Model 1931 with a serial number of 9999xx, the tables indicate that this rifle was manufactured in 1953.
Note: Some rifles will have an uppercase P either after or below the serial number. Upon retirement from active duty, the retiring Swiss soldier was given the opportunity to keep his service rifle. Rifles so obtained were stamped with the uppercase P near the serial number, and should not be confused with the "Private" series of rifles indicated in the tables below. The "Private" series of rifles were manufactured to fill special orders with the factory (such as for export).
1895 2 E43, E45
1896 2 E42, E44
[b]Model 1889 - Repeating Rifles (Repetiergewehre) Manufacture ended on April 29, 1897[/b]
1892 90100 24901-115000
1893 59100 115001-174100
1894 8787 174101-174887 175001-183000
1895 12500 183001-195500
1896 12500 195501-208000
1897 4000 208001-212000
1897 250 4501-4750
1898 250 4751-5000
1899 250 5001-5250
1900 400 5251-5650
1901 500 5651-6150
1902 500 6151-6650
1903 500 6651-7150
1904 300 7151-7450
1905 300 7451-7750
1895-1905 96 P1-P96 - Private series,numbers P46-P84 for a commercial company, Paris
1897-1903 11 E1-E11, extra series,entry in the export book of Waffenfabrik Bern
1899 4 E4-E7
1900 4 E8-E11
1904 4 E12-E15
1908 4 E16-E19
1897 9000 212001-221000
1898 15500 221001-236500
1899 15500 236501-252000
1900 16500 252001-268500
1901 11500 268501-280000
1902 12000 280001-292000
1903 10000 292001-302000
1904 8000 302001-310000
1905 6000 310001-316000
1906 6000 316001-322000
1907 5000 322001-327000
1908 5000 327001-332000
1909 4800 332001-336800
1910 6300 336801-343100
1911 1900 343101-345000
1912 4000 345001-349000
1900 6 E19-E24
1901 9 E25-E33
1902 3 E34-E36 (P9+P34?)
1903 2 E37-E38
1904 1 E39
1907 1 E40 (P40)
1899 1649 2101-3749
1900 1580 3750-5329
1901 499 5330-5828
1902 193 5829-6021
1903 232 6022-6253
1904 151 6254-6404
1905 114 6405-6518
1906 183 6519-6701
1907 150 6702-6851
1908 82 6852-6933
1909 37 6934-6970
1910 236 6971-7206
1911 99 7207-7305
1912 115 7306-7420
1914 231 15001-15231
1915 33 15232-15264
1916 70 15265-15334
1918 2 15335-15336
1924 26 15337-15362
1925 20 15363-15382
1926 80 15383-15462
1927 15 15463-15477
1902 885 5001-5885
1903 915 5886-6800
1904 1000 6801-7800
1905 1500 7801-9300
1906 1500 9301-10800
1907 1750 10801-12550
1908 1750 12551-14300
1909 1650 14301-15950
1910 1500 15951-17450
1911 1300 17451-18750
1904 Zoll 300 P173-P472
? 50 P501-P550
Zoll 394 P551-P944
Zoll 190 P951-P1140
Zoll 103 P1141-P1243
Note: Zoll - Customs service
1907 2790 811-3600
1908 2600 3601-6200
1909 500 6201-6700
1910 600 6701-7300
1911 600 7301-7900
1906-1914 39 P1-P39, Private series,entry in the export book of Waffenfabrik Bern
1913 40000
1914 51000
1915 38000
1916 1500
1918 200
1919 50
1920 20
1913 14000 349001-355000 361001-369000
1914 5000 369001-374000
1915 22000 374001-396000
1916 32000 396001-428000
1917 31000 428001-459000
1918 20000 459001-479000
1919 3000 479001-482000
? 1 P5219
? 698 P5251-P5948
1915 4000 36001-40000
1916 13000 40001-53000
1917 16100 53001-54400 55001-62000* 62301-70000**
1918 19000 70001-89000
1919 2000 89001-91000
1920 6500 91001-97500
1921 8500 97501-106000
1922 7500 106001-113500
1923 7900 113501-121400
1924 7600 121401-129000
1925 7500 129001-136500
1926 9900 136501-146400
1927 12600 146401-159000
1928 11500 159001-170500
1929 12800 170501-183300
1930 9900 183301-193200
1931 8800 193201-202000
1932 9200 202001-211200
1933 3900 211201-215100
1913-1919 300 P2001-P2300,
Private seriesentry in the export book of Waffenfabrik Bern
Zoll 18 P2013-2030
Zoll 8 P2037-P2044
Zoll 30 P2071-P2100
Zoll 100 P2101-P2200
without entries 4 P2201-P2204
? 19 P2205-P2223
Zoll 50 P2251-P2300
1914 Koenigliche Gewehrpruefungskommission, Ruheleben-Spandau -Spanische Gesandtschaft, Bern - E501E502
1919 Emile Galley, Lausanne - E503
1920 Hollaendische Gesandtschaft, Bern -Englische Gesandtschaft, Bern - E504E505
1915 Eidgenpessiosches Militaerdepartement, Bern - E506-E507
1917 Sektion fuer Munition, Thun - E508
1918 Amerikanische Gesandtschaft, Bern - E509
1919 Franzoesische Gesandtschaft, Bern - E510
1920 Franzoesische Kriegsministerium, Paris -Tiro Suizo, Buenos Aires - E511-E520E521-E522
1921 Italienische Gesandtschaft, Bern -Italienischer Militaerattache, Bern -Flugplatzdirektion, Duebendorf -Sektion fuer Schiessversuche, Thun - E523 E524 E525 E526-E527
1922 Eidgenoessische Munitionsfabrik, Thun -Eidgenoessische Munitionsfabrik, Thun -Internationales Wettschiessen, Mailand -The High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia, London - E525? E528-E529 E530 E531
1923 Franzoesisches Kriegsministerium, Paris - E532
1924 Eidgenoessisches Schuetzenfest, Aarau -KTA, fuer Schweden -KTA, fuer Tschechoslowakei - E533-E534 E535 E536
1925 KTA, fuer Waffenfabrik Oviedo -KTA, Bern -Schiessschule Walenstadt - E537 E538-E539 E540-E541
1926 Afghanische Regierung (mit Dolch 18) -KTA, fuer Tschechoslowakei - E542 E543
1934 J. Alder W+F, Bern - E544
Notes:KTA - Kriegstechnischen Abteilung des schweizerischen MilitaerdepartementsW+F - Waffenfabrik
1919 Amerikanische Gesandtschaft, Bern E2
1920 Hollaendische Gesandtschaft, Bern -Tiro Suizo, Buenos Aires -Tiro Suizo, Buenos Aires - E3E 5E6
1921 Direktion Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik, Bern E7
1923 Franzoesisches Kriegsministerium, Paris E4
1926 Afghanische Regierung E8
1932 Wojskorny Zaklad, Warschau -Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik, Oerlikon - E9E10
1952 unreadable E11
[b]Model 1911 Carbines (Karabiner) Converted from Model 1889/1900 Short Rifles and Model 1905 Cavalry Carbines[/b]
1914 8000
1915 8000
1916 8200
1917 900
1918 100
1919 70
1920 65
1926 KTA, fuer Schiessschule Walenstadt V1-V200
Note: KTA - Kriegstechnischen Abteilung des schweizerischen Militaerdepartements
1934 15534 521203-536736
1935 13664 536737-550400
1936 11326 550401-561727
1937 11639 561728-573366
1938 10344 573367-583700
1939 15300 583701-599000
1940 33575 599001-632575
1941 54150 632576-686725
1942 49350 686726-736075
1943 50475 736076-786550
1944 51900 786551-838450
1945 26200 838451-864650
1946 15600 864651-880250
1947 20950 880251-901200
1948 20100 901201-921300
1949 15500 921301-936800
1950 13200 936801-950000
1951 23050 950001-973050
1952 21400 973051-994450
1953 554 97450 994451-999 999215001-222450
1954 17150 222451-239600
1955 11250 239601-250850
1956 6400 250851-257250
1957 2950 257251-260200
1958 3130 260201-263330
1935 500 400001-400500
1936 100 Zoll 401001-401100
1937 150 Zoll200 401101-401250400501-400700
1938 150 400701-400850
1939 20 401501-401520
1940 1505305050 400851-401000401521-402050402151-402220402251-402300
1941 300 402301-402600
1942 650 402501[sic]-403150[sic]
1943 350 403151-403500
1944 400 403501-403900
1945 600 403901-404500
1946 837 404501-405337
1947 92930 405322[sic]-406250E519767-E519796
1948 400 406251-406650
1949 650 406651-407300
1950 40050 407301-407700 408001-408050
1951 30050 407701-408000 408051-408100
1952 300 408101-408400
1953 45050 408401-408850 409051-409100
1954 200100 408851-409050 409101-409200
1955 450100 409201-409650 410151-410250
1956 450 409651-410100
1957 50300 410101-410150 410251-410550
1958 475 410551-411025
1959 425 411026-411450
1960 300 411451-411750
1961 300 411751-412050
1962 400 412051-412450
1963 50400 267331-267380412451-412850
1968- 1969 150 various numbers
1971 15050 269431-269580269881-269930
Stand (?) 1972 250 various numbers
Note:Zoll - Customs service
350001-400000 K31 Carbine series
P400001-P450000 Private K31 Carbine series
450001-500000 K31 Carbines with telescopic sights (sniper versions)
500001-500200 Trials versions
E519701-E519900 Various special K31s
519901-519999 Cutaway K31s (running backwards?), last number 519970
520001-520150 Carbine series ordered by KTA, delivered by W+F for special purposes
520081-520100 Ditto, reserved for W+F
520151-999999 Carbine series, ordered by KTA for KMV
after 550651 Hardened magazine boxes
after 540001 Hardened receivers
Notes:KTA - Kriegstechnischen Abteilung des schweizerischen MilitaerdepartementsKMV - KriegsmaterialverwaltungW+F - Waffenfabrik
1944 403 ?
1945 1537 ?
1946 205 ?
1958 3030 1171-4200
1959 800 4201-5000
? 150 5001-5150
Commemorative K31, 50 years 1931 - 1981 #001 - 500.
Original serials 270801 - 271300
Rifles Stamped with "P"
Reloading Presses
the bore? The body, for sure, but what about the case neck to the base? The neck to the projectile?
Primers and pockets.
You may have ended your case prep with the initial information in the "Reloading the 7.5x55" post, but if you're headed for the best case prep you can manage, then you'll want to include these steps.
Using the K31 Threading Kit for Threaded Dampers and Brakes
Do not attempt to hold the barrel in your hands while threading.
Next insert the small end of the brass guide rod into the muzzle. Assemble the two handles into the threading head and apply thread cutting oil to the inside of the die and the muzzle of the rifle. DO NOT USE LUBRICATING OIL for this purpose as it will inhibit the cutting action and cause the threads to tear. Slide the die body onto the brass rod and seat it against the muzzle.
Scope Rings
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call on the Swiss product helpline at 406-858-2066. We are always here to help you.
Look at the images below. They're of a k31 but it applies to the G11 rif;le series exactly the same......... Just on the opposite side.
All of this information applies to both the K 31 and the G 11 series rifles. On our opening page go to the upper right hand corner and click on the " rifle info" section and you will see the correct way to sight in or zero and offset scope mount.
Remember, you should be zeroing the center of your scope to the rail itself before mounting it on the rifle. If you're not sure about this call me on the helpline and I will explain..
That will be the end of your problems.
Op-Rod information
(Photo coming soon)
We typically weld the LHO bridge to original Op-Rods, so we have intimate knowledge of the steel and its limits.
(Thanks Guisan)
We have Swiss Rifles here in the armoury, and I mean we have a lot of them, all kinds. When in correct mechanical condition not one of them requires undue force to cycle. Extraction is crisp and smooth, and running a correctly profiled cartridge into battery is smooth, effortless and a few at most requiring a solid push for the last 1/16" of bolt travel.
If your bolt is clean and your cartridges properly sized, seat depth correct for the rifle you'll have no problem running a cartridge smoothly into battery. If you have to slap them in or out, you have a problem and one most likely easily solved.
Rapping on the bolt handle with anything at all to remove a stuck case is a sure way to stress that op-rod and lug. Never, ever use a mallet or anything else on a k31 bolt handle.
So how do you remove a stuck case in a Swiss Rifle?
Try this:
You need to apply strong rearward inertia to the entire bolt, not just the handle.
Take the rifle in your left hand, holding it by the mid-foregrip. Place the edge your right hand (like a karate chop) against the bolt handle or you can grip it firmly with your fingers (not quite as effective with that type of bolt), or you can use a small block of wood in your hand to put downward pressure on the bolthandle. Raise the rifle about 18" off the ground and bring it down quickly, rapping the buttstock sharply against the ground while putting hard downpressure against the bolt with your right hand. Do it more than once if you need to, but I can tell you that its worked very time for me for as long as I've been reloading no matter what the rifle. If its a turn bolt action, rotate the bolt handle up and do the procedure. The AR10 is done the same way but just grip the bolt handle like you're extracting a cartridge and pull down hard while striking the butt on the ground.
Don't do this on concrete for obvious reasons.