7.5x55 Swiss Questions

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  • Last Post 01 October 2020
Johnshandloads posted this 23 July 2020

Hi All,

I am going to start reloading for 7.5x55 Swiss (K31 rifle) and am hoping I can get a little advice before starting out. I am hoping to use cast bullets that I use in .308 rifles (the 30XCB bullet seems like it may be a good candidate for this caliber) and also I am not against experimenting a little. I would like to hear what any members here have used and had success with. Even if you did not use cast bullets I am interested. Any suggestions or help getting me started would be much appreciated. I will be using the gun for target shooting. I am in the process of buying it today and should have it in my possession this week.

Bullet weights and profiles as well as powders would be a great help to me as I am starting cold. I have looked on line and searched this forum and found some information but nothing too specific. Other forums not related to cast bullets say "it is hard to get a good 7.5x55 hand load" which I don't really believe. If I am trying to put a square peg in a round hole, please let me know. Thank you for your time.

 

John

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Maven posted this 23 July 2020

Other forums not related to cast bullets say "it is hard to get a good 7.5x55 hand load" which I don't really believe. 

I used to have two K-31's and found little problem developing accurate loads for them with .30cal. CB's and such propellants as WC 820 (AA #9), 5744, IMR 4198, the trick was to size them to .309" and then experiment with CB design.  The 3 most accurate CB's in my guns were Ly. #311644, Ly. #311466, and Saeco #315.  Bore riders, e.g., Ly. #311291 and Lee #C-309-180R worked well if I reduced their nose diameter (special die made by the late Joe Wiest aka "the Mad Machinist"), which is ironic because their noses were too small for my .30-06, but too large for my K-31's.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 24 July 2020

... another good source of loads for these rifles are the results from the military matches ...  as posted in * the fouling shot * , the cba journal.   the K-31 holds it's own in these matches although of course the star-spangled springfield 03 has many fans ...

a note on 5744 powder ... it was popular a few years ago ... but there have been reports that the current version is not quite as good ... something to keep in mind ...  i have a 2004 year can for my k-31 but of course traded off the k-31 before i tried it.  anybody in sw iowa wanna trade for some Unique ? 

ken

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mashburn posted this 24 July 2020

Hella again Ken/

What's the deal with the shortage on Unique powder. I know all powders, at least a lot of them are hard to get, but tell me why Unique. Before the big shortage started for a lot of powders, Unique was already getting very hard to find.

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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RicinYakima posted this 24 July 2020

Cost to manufacture Unique is the issue. It uses old methods and has lots of expensive hazardous wastes to be disposed.

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delmarskid posted this 25 July 2020

I've had half a dozen rifles in 7.5x55. I pretty much treat them like a 308. I stay away from hot top end 308 data as I like the 1911 model over the K31 . The 1911 is said to be less suited to the 55,000p.s.i. stuff. Great rifles, just a treat to shoot. I enjoy mine every bit as much as my Springfield.

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Wineman posted this 25 July 2020

The short throat and lack of camming action of the straight pull have been my issues. I agree, my tests with a recent pound of 5744 using 20 gr over a 311299 were very inaccurate compared to 16gr Al 2400 or 28 gr of Varget. Wild flyers barely on the paper with no real explanation. I have been told that 5744 has had three different manufacturers over the years. The newest one missed the boat. I did pick up a jug of Unique in March at a very good price. Glad I did.

Dave

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Maven posted this 25 July 2020

Dave, 12.0gr. Unique should do quite well as a starting load in your K-31 with #311299.

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Wheel Weights posted this 26 July 2020

NOE makes a specific mold for the K31. Works very well in mine.

The 1889 is a different animal requiring a long bullet.

K31 NOE

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Johnshandloads posted this 30 July 2020

Thanks for all the replies guys. I appreciate your input. I hope to get rolling on this soon. Lots of irons in lots of fires at the moment.

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skeet1 posted this 31 July 2020

Until I started using the NOE K31 bullet I used the Lee/Harris bullet meant for the 7.62X39. This bullet fit the K31's short throat and shot fairly well.

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45 2.1 posted this 31 July 2020

Since the thread title is about the 7.5x55 Swiss, I would like to point out there are some big differences in what model you are trying to work with. The K-31 is a wonderfully accurate rifle.... with jacketed and less so with cast. The G-11 is a reasonably accurate rifle with either type projectile. The shining star of the 7.5x55 rifles with cast is the K-11. It outclasses any of the others and is easy to feed..... simply cast the RCBS 308-165-Sil out of wheelweights or less harder alloy, size and gascheck in an oversize die and load with Unique (11.3 gr. works well).

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Wheel Weights posted this 31 July 2020

Better load up 1000 ---- you may need them come November.

 

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delmarskid posted this 01 August 2020

Yessir, I do love those foot long Schmidt actions

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alamogunr posted this 28 September 2020

I've been reading thru several threads on different sites about Schmidt-Rubin's.  I've got two K-31's and one K-11.  I haven't actually loaded for them yet.  I have acquired two molds but am somewhat unsure exactly what I have.  One is a NOE 311 180GR FN K31(actual designation on the mold) gas check.  The other is a MP  311-180(again actual designation on the mold) and I have scribed K31 on the mold.  I question the 180 grain description since the NOE mold cavities are significantly longer than the MP mold cavities.  Just comparing the cavities of the two molds, they are very similar except for length.

Having said all that, I'm sure that casting and loading will be the only way to determine anything for sure.  Does anyone else have either of these molds?

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45 2.1 posted this 28 September 2020

 The other is a MP  311-180 The common designation for this mold is the 30 Sil. (again actual designation on the mold) and I have scribed K31 on the mold.  I question the 180 grain description since the NOE mold cavities are significantly longer than the MP mold cavities. NOE has the drawing for the 30 Sil, but does not have permission to cut it as is. Therefore it was changed enough to produce it as his own with the changes.  Just comparing the cavities of the two molds, they are very similar except for length.

Does anyone else have either of these molds? I have had the 30 Sil for a very long time and it has been thru two different manufacturers.

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alamogunr posted this 28 September 2020

Thanks!  Clears up several questions.  I have seen references to "30 Sil. mold for several years never realizing that I had one.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 28 September 2020

...don't forget the pretty good molds designated " Silhouette " from RCBS .. 7mm, 30, 357, and 44 .. maybe more ...  i had great luck with my 7mm ...

i see the 44 Silhouette has been discontinued ...  dangit ! ...

ken

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fa38 posted this 28 September 2020

The RCBS 165 Sil with around 16 grains of 24oo is a very good load.

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Wheel Weights posted this 01 October 2020

NOE has a purpose built mold for the K31.

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