7.5 Swiss

[Beadwindow]

I've loaded up some 7.5x55 with Graf's Brass and 150gr Winchester Softpoints through Lee dies and so far have experienced no problems firing them through the K31 and M1911. Granted, I've only fired five or ten rounds through the K31 and about 20 through the M1911, but so far things are looking promising for both rifles. The powder used was the starting load for H414 in the Lee Manual, which gives pleasantly moderate recoil.

[chrsm]

my personal pet load to date is 44gr varget, 150 nos ballistic tip, 2.94 OAL with a 1/4 inch turn lee fatory crip. feeds in all my K31's. tried at least 1/2 dozen balls with three other powders.

[lakeview]

which swiss do you have?

There is a slight difference between the models.

These rifles are zero at 300M, use this distance to check you loads against mil surp ammo-[hard to beat!]

Redding makes dies that are set up for the k31 Swiss.

Norma makes ammo or components :
powder ( norma 203-B, 204 and MRP)
brass cases &
bullets -{standard .308 inch} (9.7 g Norma FMJ, 10.9 g Sierra MK & 11.7 g Norma Oryx) for Swiss 7.5 by 55mm

[scrmblerkari]

I love the Swiss rifles, have a good assortment, and shoot most of them. For the K 31 I am usually expecting to shoot a 2" group or better at 100 yards, not counting first shot w/cold barrel. Something that has worked well for me to extend case life is just to neck size as far down as the bullet is going to seat, and let the case, which expanded on the last shot, center itself in the chamber. (The assumption is that the brass is only used in that rifle.)
I use 4064 IMR powder, in the 44 gr. region, and am careful to seat bullets deep enough that they won't get stuck in the rifling if I have to extract a loaded round (yes it could happen to you, and it makes a gawdawful mess!). You need to check this seating depth on your own rifle with unloaded, seated bullets. I have been using 150 gr. Sierra flat-based spitzers since there is no ballistic advantage to a boattail at 100 yds, and some benchresters say the flat-bases shoot better. Who knows? I doubt it makes any difference when we are looking at 1" groups as fantastic. The only time I full-length resize is when I feel resistance when pushing the bolt all the way home. If I have to give it a little extra bang with the heel of the hand, it is time to resize. Most people full length resize every time, but I separate my brass according to the rifle that it goes to, neck-size as a rule, and with infrequent
FL resizing it lasts for many reloadings. I have never (knock on my head) had a case separation, ever, with any of my S/R's using this method and periodically inspecting cases. Nor have I had a case refuse to chamber. So
this is just my way loading for these wonderful rifles. Do whatever you do carefully, keep notes, save your targets w/load data, and go shoot the x's
out of the middle of the 10 ring! Kari

[larryeliz]

In all my research into reloading for my K31, it was determined that Redding 7.5 Swiss dies are ideal for the K31 and the other reloading dies are well suited for the other 7.5 Swiss rifles. Very accurate rifles; I used 150 gr FMJBT bullets and IMR 4064.

My $.02

Larry

[k31swiss]

Just run it into the 7.5 die, and trim to the proper length. But why even bother, when Trade-ex has Privi Partizan 7.5 Swiss brass for less than you would pay for .284?

I agree. I've had good luck with Prvi brass. Either brass or loaded ammo Graf & Sons - 7.5mmx55 Swiss .

If you are only loading for one K31, you can just neck size with a Lee Collet Neck Size die. Get much longer life without stretching the brass everytime.

I've got 0.8" groups, five shot, 100 yd. off crossed sticks with my own cast bullet (RCBS 165-SIL) using Reloder 7.

Bob

[Patrick Chadwick]

... the Swiss is one cartridge I am not going to load.

Since I already load such everyday items as 11x60 Mauser, 43 Egyptian and 6,5 Carcano, it's not that I don't know how to do it, it's just that it is pointless (for me, at least). Having tried out various odd factory cartridges that were good enough to demonstrate that the rifle was worth buying, but not exactly match-winning, I found a pack of the original GP11, which was, of course, made for the G11, later K11 and K31.

Quite simply, GP11 is perfectly tuned to the G11 (actually, mine is a G96/11 from the last month of G96 production - I think it never went out of the factory door as a G96, but was instantly turned round and converted to a G96/11 before it was issued). The first group was horizontally +/- 1 mm of dead center, 16 mm wide and 40 mm high. With open sights (which tends to make the vertical spread a bit larger).

That is the best performance with factory ammo that I have ever had from any milsurp rifle without a scope. It took me a year with the M1917 to get that sort of grouping with hand loaded ammo, and with the Enfield No. 4 I am still trying.

The GP11 costs me 50 cents a shot in hundreds, thousand price is around 40 cents, and I cannot beat that for price, and probably never for accuracy.

The Swiss had plenty of time to optimize their ammo, with a reserve army putting in much more serious target shooting practice for accuracy than most professional armies seem to have done. Why reinvent the wheel, when the ready-made one is perfect? Get a sackfull of GP11 and enjoy the shooting!

Patrick

[tony549]

This is a reload recommended by Pierre Ste Marie:
175 gr Berger VLD
45.8 gr IMR 4350
3.060" COL

He stated that this very closely duplicates the GP11 ballistics.
I have not yet personally tried out this load, but plan to in the next couple of months.

[Andy]

This is a reload recommended by Pierre Ste Marie:
175 gr Berger VLD
45.8 gr IMR 4350
3.060" COL

He stated that this very closely duplicates the GP11 ballistics.
I have not yet personally tried out this load, but plan to in the next couple of months.

GP11 ballistics are varioulsy reported as a 174gr FMJ at a 2560-2650 fps MV. That load will not give anywhere near that IMO.

I recently tried 45.0 grs of H4350 (similar to IMR4350) with a Hornady 178gr and found it to be a very mild load - only 2100 fps MV. I also tried 41.5 grs of IMR4064 with the same bullet gave me about 2300 fps, still a mild load (the 44.0 gr load previously mentionned would likely closely duplicate GP11). Both gave good accuracy.

When I have time, I will continue work with H4350, going up until I hit about 2500 fps, which in my gun will likely be in the 50.0 grs to full case range.

A question - how many grains of powder are in a GP11 case, what MV does it give? If about 44.0 grs and a MV of about 2600 fps, that would mean that the powder has a similar burn rate to IMR4064. If about 50.0 grs and about 2600 fps, then it would be similar to H4350 or IMR 4350.

[tony549]

I looked up the 7.5x55 reloading database at hodgdon.com and lists the following load:
180 gr Sierra HPBT
46.0 gr H4350 [MAX!]
2566 ft/sec
Pierre's load is consistent with this single data point. I have a couple of more manuals I can check, but they're difficult for me to access ( I'm laid up with a knee repair surgery and they are up where I can't reach). When I get the chance, I can check the water volume of some new Ruag 7.5x55 brass that I have. If you're going above listed max loads, please be careful.