Choosing the rifle

[IMR]

I just spent the last hour going through various sites looking for/at surplus ammo, brass, dies, etc. for the 7.5 Swiss. I can tell you one thing for sure and certain; When I go to the gunshop to pick out my 7.5, I'm gonna take a ramrod, some patches and a bore light and check every one. As much aggravation as it's gonna be to feed and tool up for this puppy, you can be sure I'm gonna have a good one.
I can't believe I want one this bad.

[Maven]

IMR, If you have a C & R license, there are 2 places I'd look: AIM Surplus and Allan's Armory. The first is less expensive than the second, but the K-31's you get from Allan's Armory are better than described. To put it another way, AIM's K-31's are described as "shooter grade," whereas Alan's are several grades above that.
As for dies, try Boses Guns or better still, go to Froogle.com and search for reloading dies. I.e., 7.5 Swiss dies aren't that hard to find: Brass maybe, but not dies.

[mike in co]

dies are simple...to the best of my knowledge( i am the guy that bought three dies) ....a full length sizer from REDDING is the correct die for k-31's( pn 91235). all other dies are designed for the smaller 1911 7.5 swiss. the other die will work, but they will over work the brass, leading to tired arms and tired(overworked) brass. get the full set, or get a lee seater with the redding die.

[Herb in Pa]

I just spent the last hour going through various sites looking for/at surplus ammo, brass, dies, etc. for the 7.5 Swiss. I can tell you one thing for sure and certain; When I go to the gunshop to pick out my 7.5, I'm gonna take a ramrod, some patches and a bore light and check every one. As much aggravation as it's gonna be to feed and tool up for this puppy, you can be sure I'm gonna have a good one.
I can't believe I want one this bad.

You'd be wiser to spend your time looking for the best wood, I've not seen one with a bad bore.

[IMR]

There's a nice little gunshop bout 7 or 8 miles down the road with a whole rack of them boys. I'm gonna look through all of them CAREFULLY!

Mike in Co, your post caught my attention. Do I understand there are DIFFERENT dies for the 7.5? If that be the case(no pun intended), how do I know that I'm getting the right one? Jeesh, this is getting complicated! That cuss fired rifle better shoot MOA!

[StarMetal]

IMR

What mike was saying is that all the full lenght resizing dies, EXCEPT FOR THE REDDING, size the 7.5x55 down too small. Those other dies are okay for the Model 1911 Swiss rifle, but you're going to buy a model K31. Those other dies will work but will work the brass too much and it won't last as long.

Joe

[C1PNR]

IMR, I'm with mike and Herb.

For the K31, order specifically the Redding sizing die designed for the K31. And personally, I would look for a tiger striped walnut stock with a "clean" buttstock. That is, one without the hobnailed boot indents half way the from the butt plate to the trigger guard.

The bores on the K31s have been really good, so looking at that would be the last inspection point, anticipating a great bore.
If there's a tag under the butt plate, that would be a real plus!

[Maven]

IMR, I'm going to disagree with Mike (again) & Herb re: sizing dies for the K-31 v. the Mod. 1911. I have 2 sets of them, Redding & CH 4D (older), which make no mention of the K-31 or 1911, yet they do NOT overwork the brass. Using "T-Swiss" brass and mostly 47gr. IMR 5010 + .7cc Grex and various CB's (160gr. - 195gr.), I got 18 firings before I found split necks. Most of them could have gone through 1 or 2 more FL resizings, but I chose to recycle them instead. If you can get dies cut specifically for the K-31's chamber, by all means do so. If you can't, your world and that of your K-31 won't end.

[StarMetal]

Maven Paul,

I have a question. Say you sized brass fired in a K31 with the Redding dies mike speaks of, but then load it for the 1911...will it fit the chamber? or will it be too tight a fit?

Joe

[mike in co]

IMR, I'm going to disagree with Mike (again) & Herb re: sizing dies for the K-31 v. the Mod. 1911. I have 2 sets of them, Redding & CH 4D (older), which make no mention of the K-31 or 1911, yet they do NOT overwork the brass. Using "T-Swiss" brass and mostly 47gr. IMR 5010 + .7cc Grex and various CB's (160gr. - 195gr.), I got 18 firings before I found split necks. Most of them could have gone through 1 or 2 more FL resizings, but I chose to recycle them instead. If you can get dies cut specifically for the K-31's chamber, by all means do so. If you can't, your world and that of your K-31 won't end.

you may not be disagreeing with me.......

lee and hornady are designed to cover both the 1911 and the 1931(k31), and i believe another poster said rcbs is 1911 also......

redding is correct for the k31( even redding says so)

and who knows what the ch 4d were designed for...

mike,

[StarMetal]

Mike is right, I just went to the Redding site and they specifically say "for the K-31". Then I went to CH4D and they just say 7.5x55 Swiss.
Sounds like the Redding is the way to go with the K-31. Good work Mike.

Joe

[IMR]

In the movie "True Grit", speaking of the bad guy, John Wayne said "You can beat him with a stick, you can make him eat sand out of the road, you can shoot him in the foot and I'll hold him for ya', but FIRST we gotta catch 'im!"

Now, I gotta git down to H&R, file, git my money and go BUY the rifle!

[Herb in Pa]

IMR, I'm going to disagree with Mike (again) & Herb re: sizing dies for the K-31 v. the Mod. 1911. I have 2 sets of them, Redding & CH 4D (older), which make no mention of the K-31 or 1911, yet they do NOT overwork the brass. Using "T-Swiss" brass and mostly 47gr. IMR 5010 + .7cc Grex and various CB's (160gr. - 195gr.), I got 18 firings before I found split necks. Most of them could have gone through 1 or 2 more FL resizings, but I chose to recycle them instead. If you can get dies cut specifically for the K-31's chamber, by all means do so. If you can't, your world and that of your K-31 won't end.

I just referred to the bore conditions.............

[B747]

IMR,
If you are planning on shooting cast bullets in your K-31, try full length sizing the first time,
and after that just use a $15 Lee Collet neck sizer die to size the neck down a few thou.

I'm getting at least 6 to 8 firings before having to set the shoulder back again in a FLS die.

Also, if you take the collet out of the die and grind the top down until about .030" of the
case protrudes above the collet --- that top part of the neck will not get sized down,
and the base of your cast bullet starts nicely into the neck.

Works better than another step with an M die to open it back up.

[KCSO]

Stay away from the Swiss rifles! They are boring and maddening!

I have test fired over a dozen so far. They all shoot just about every cast bullet better than I can hold. The worst one I had looked like the stock had been used to beat off an attack of starved beavers. The gun shot an 1 1/2" group at 100 yards with a HUNTING load with a 180 grain bullet and 748 powder that clocked right at 2000 fps. My favorite Swiss rifle cost me $89.95 and shoots BETTER than my CG63 Swede and I won't say what that cost me. For a cheap gun they are a constant drain on the wallet, what with scope mounts, peep sights and original acessories. I now have the cheapest gun on my rack fitted with a set of $300 dollar peep sights. What started as a lark has become a descent into madness.

You have been warned.

[Frank46]

IMR, better hurry as the prices at the last gun show I went to (saturday) are starting to go up on the K31's at least here in loosiana. Frank

[IMR]

Well, that pretty much tears it. I'm gonna have a K-31, regardless. Oh, and Frank, I have 1 small advantage you don't; I ain't in Loosiana.

IMR