Reloading for the K31

[Ned Christiansen]

I've had pretty good luck using GP11 as "Mexican Match", pulling the bullet with a Hornady collet too and doing a direct replacement with a 175 SMK. For me, in my Remington 700 experiment, GP11 turned out to be, well, as accurate as expected but with regular fliers.... I don't get them with the MM.

[Andre-Richard]

My scoped K31 likes 168 SMK/N 140/ 45.0. Here are some 5-shot groups at 100 m.




And here's a closer look at the second last of these groups.

[professrh]

Nice.

[samsplacci]

My scoped K31 likes 168 SMK/N 140/ 45.0. Here are some 5-shot groups at 100 m.




And here's a closer look at the second last of these groups.

Very nice, my experience has been the same using Prvi Partizan boxer cases realoaded with Winchester LR primer, 50 grains of Aliant R17 and Hornady 186gr BTHP match bullets. I seat them just a few though off the lands as my K31 likes a short jump.

[Andre-Richard]

I'm also using PPU (formerly PRVI) cases and have tried the Hornady BTHP Match, which I found interchangeable with the Sierra's. I have tuned my rifle, inserting spacers at the barrel bands and found out it shot still better. I refrain from posting my very best 5-shot group at 100 m because most people won't believe it...

[professrh]

I'm also using PPU (formerly PRVI) cases and have tried the Hornady BTHP Match, which I found interchangeable with the Sierra's. I have tuned my rifle, inserting spacers at the barrel bands and found out it shot still better. I refrain from posting my very best 5-shot group at 100 m because most people won't believe it...

I tuned one of my K31s following Pierre St Marie's directions at Swiss rifles dot com forums. It made an amazing difference.

--Prof

[samsplacci]

Andre-Richard, trust me, both professrh and I will believe you! In fact, I went a step further. I picked up a stock made in Kentucky by Mickey McGuinness, specifically for the K31 which specifically centres the barrel in the barrel channel of the forestock and totally free-floats the barrel. From what I have seen, the rifle's potential is really only limited by the shooter!

[Andre-Richard]

I also found inspiration and tuning tricks in SwissRifles.com. The 7,5 SW has amazing qualities. A good friend of mine rebuild a K31 into a hunting rifle. He ordered a .308 Lothar Walther barrel chambered in 7,5x55 (it brought along a lot of discussions because LW didn't agree with the "unconventional" .308 bore but it finally passed ). My friend, being skilled and tooled up, installed and headspaced the barrel on his original military receiver, tweeked the trigger and bedded the action in a new commercial hunting stock. He used an Ernst Appel Werke (EAW, same as on my K31) to mount a Schmidt & Bender scope with ballistic turrets). I bench rested the finished rifle during load development and got 1-hole groups at 100 m. Power is on a par with the .30-06. Since the rifle went a few times to South-Africa, where its obsolete caliber wasn't first accepted by the suspicious PH. That is until my friend took an elbow rest on the car hood and broke the neck of a 300 meter distant ostrich (the 180 Handload snapped the neck as if it was a twig). Having passed the test, the 7,5 SW was allowed his status and later accounted for zebra, kudu and even Cape eland...

[samsplacci]

Merveilleux! In Canada and the USA, the Swiss Rifle is still quite a bargain and those that do not reload can exploit GP11 at 60 cents per cartridge. Though to be honest, I enjoy shooting my 1896/11 Swiss long rifle more these days.

[samsplacci]

Andre-Richard, trust me, both professrh and I will believe you! In fact, I went a step further. I picked up a stock made in Kentucky by Mickey McGuinness, specifically for the K31 which specifically centres the barrel in the barrel channel of the forestock and totally free-floats the barrel. From what I have seen, the rifle's potential is really only limited by the shooter!

[Point-man]

Thank you everyone for the information so far. That is some really good shooting. I have a K31 that I have fired GP11 and would like to reload the brass. I can`t find a source for the berdan primers anywhere in the U.S. Anyone know if an American citizen can buy primers if they drive to Canada ?

[samsplacci]

Thank you everyone for the information so far. That is some really good shooting. I have a K31 that I have fired GP11 and would like to reload the brass. I can`t find a source for the berdan primers anywhere in the U.S. Anyone know if an American citizen can buy primers if they drive to Canada ?

Not sure. I'm using KV Tulammo Berdan primers that I have bought in Canada.

[Andre-Richard]

I already owned the old Lachmiller berdan decapper and used it to decap GP11 brass when I acquired my 1st. K31 (had 3 so far). However berdan primers have always been in short supply (most retailers don't stock them and they have to be special ordered). PRVI/PPU boxer brass is available and of excellent quality (I already used it in .30-06, 8x57JS, 6,5x55 SE and .303 Br. with full satisfaction), so I went the same route with the 7,5 SW. Accuracy with 168 SMK even beats GP11 and so far, I've not lost a single case in 12 reloads (NB : I partial/neck size all rifle brass).

[samsplacci]

I already owned the old Lachmiller berdan decapper and used it to decap GP11 brass when I acquired my 1st. K31 (had 3 so far). However berdan primers have always been in short supply (most retailers don't stock them and they have to be special ordered). PRVI/PPU boxer brass is available and of excellent quality (I already used it in .30-06, 8x57JS, 6,5x55 SE and .303 Br. with full satisfaction), so I went the same route with the 7,5 SW. Accuracy with 168 SMK even beats GP11 and so far, I've not lost a single case in 12 reloads (NB : I partial/neck size all rifle brass).

Excellent if you're getting 12 reloads!!

[professrh]

I already owned the old Lachmiller berdan decapper and used it to decap GP11 brass when I acquired my 1st. K31 (had 3 so far). However berdan primers have always been in short supply (most retailers don't stock them and they have to be special ordered). PRVI/PPU boxer brass is available and of excellent quality (I already used it in .30-06, 8x57JS, 6,5x55 SE and .303 Br. with full satisfaction), so I went the same route with the 7,5 SW. Accuracy with 168 SMK even beats GP11 and so far, I've not lost a single case in 12 reloads (NB : I partial/neck size all rifle brass).

Excellent if you're getting 12 reloads!!

+1
Do you anneal? At what point?

--Prof