Reloading for the K-31

ninwnc · 10-05-2007, 06:54 PM

I just picked up a Swiss K-31 yesterday, along with 60 rounds GP11 ammo. Tomorrow I will try it out at the range.
I have to buy a set of dies for it. Does anyone reload for the K-31, and have any reloading info I could use.
(I am an experianced reloader, so I know "HOW" to do it)

Best powder, bullet combinations is basically what I am looking for, What works best for you in your rifle? What have you tried that didn't pan out? (that will keep me from trying it too, and wasting time and money)

Thanks for your input.

Nick

troylaplante · 10-07-2007, 06:46 PM

I know there are dies out there. I saw a Lee set at a gun show not too long ago.

M39SKY · 10-08-2007, 09:45 AM

Start off with Redding 7.5x55 Swiss die set (80235). This set is specifically cut for K-31 chambering which is a little larger than other Swiss rifle chamber using 7.5x55. I have only used Accurate 4350 and 2230-C powders. Both are very good but I prefer 2230-C for shorter range because it is cleaner when used with CCI 250 (magnum) primer. I have used Sierra 150gr PH and Hornady 150gr FMJ-BT .308s bullet and they are both excellent. Hornady is what I shoot the most since it is cheaper range bullet (I buy in bulk). Brass, I have Norma, Graf and FNM. I have to say that FNM is a very fine brass for the money.
I can easily get 1 inch group with 2230-C and Hornady 150grainer that I don't think there's a need for me to try Sierra MatchKings or Hornady A-Max's. I do have to label which reload is for winter and which is for summer.
The K-31 I'm using is a beat-up $79-delivered AIM special which happen to have a pristine bore. I free-floated the barrel completely. Darrel's scout scope mount, Warne rings and Smith & Wesson 1.5-6X pistol scope helps in appreciating the capability of this rifle.

ninwnc · 10-09-2007, 07:10 AM

Thanks for the info.

Nick

shooter3 · 01-04-2008, 09:57 AM

I am using the redding but have problems with cartrages not firing. I tried to full length resise but can"t get die down far enough to duplicate a never fired round. If I just neck size them I can get them to fire if I really slam the bolt foward. Surplus or the czech ammo doesen"t act this way. Can any body help. ?

Jim

Do you guys know you can make a 25 rd mag for the hakim. If your good with measuring and handy with tool like a dremal tool you can have firepower plus. Just google 25 round magazines for the hakim and a lot of info and how to comes up. You first need to purchase the german mg13 magazines. they can be had from Gun parts company of Iternational military association usually advertized in the shot gun news out of N.J. Jim

Drygulch · 01-04-2008, 05:18 PM

Yep, sure do. The K-31 is one of my favorites. It takes a 308 bullet, so availability is no problem. I load 150 to 169 grainers, the latter works the best. The case capacity is larger than the 308 so staying within the 30-40 Krag and 308 charges works in my rifle. There are many sites out there that will give you safe data. As a disclaimer,The data I am providing works for me. Also, the OAL should be taken into consideration based on the bullet ogave. Sierra 168 HP over 43 gr of 4350-748X40 gr with a 168 grainer. 2460x43 with a 168. Standard OAL is 2.890". I found that the Sierra 168 HPM,pn 2200 touch my rifles lands at 3.025" I have tried a low charge of 35 grains of 748 with a 170 pill and the power was lacking! Rod

big boomer · 01-04-2008, 10:06 PM

Just a side note lots of places have brass for these but the GP-11 is Berdan primed and is
very hard to reload. you have to have a special decapper (one uses water the other is about 60.00 and pries them off.) then you have to find new Berdan primers which is not easy. get boxer primed brass it much easier. Midway, Graf and others have brass for these.

NRAJOE · 01-04-2008, 10:07 PM

I'm lazy...been picking up GP11 where ever I find it...up to 1,200 rds now...

M39SKY · 01-08-2008, 11:11 AM

Shooter3 - when you say cartridges not firing, do you mean it's not chambering fully (the bolt's serial number not on 12:00 when you close the bolt)? If that is the case, the brass is not properly full sized. Some presses would flex as you full size a brass. This happened to me with 7.5 Swiss FL sizing on Lee Challenger press. You will need to screw in your die deeper and make sure that the shell holder touches the die as you ram a fired case into the FL sizer die. Goodluck.

Drygulch · 01-08-2008, 07:00 PM

In addition to what M39 said, your bolt handles operating rod MUST be flush with the bolt plug face when you slam the bolt forward, if not, the rod will stop the firing pins travel. I had too much slack in my turret press, not allowing my cases to be fully sized. Problem solved! Rod

To M39,
can you send a pic of your scoped K-31 or tell me wher you got the mounts and rings? Rod

shooter3 · 01-14-2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M39SKY

Shooter3 - when you say cartridges not firing, do you mean it's not chambering fully (the bolt's serial number not on 12:00 when you close the bolt)? If that is the case, the brass is not properly full sized. Some presses would flex as you full size a brass. This happened to me with 7.5 Swiss FL sizing on Lee Challenger press. You will need to screw in your die deeper and make sure that the shell holder touches the die as you ram a fired case into the FL sizer die. Goodluck.

M39 sky:
I'm using a redding die and if I try and touch the bottom of the die with the shell plate I run out of lock ring thread. Also I am using a dillon 550 press. Not all the rounds don't go off but one out of 10 will just dimple the firing pin on the primer but if i try that round again and really slam the bolt it will go off. Yes the bolt closes all the way with numbers at the 12 o'clock posistion. It's almost like the shoulder is getting set back to far for the chamber. I have also tried just neck sizing and I get the same results. Do you think the rcbs die is a better die? Also I'm seating about .010 to.020 short of the bullet oglive touching the lands. I reload for a lot of calibers and this round is the most finiky round Iv'e loaded for. What do you think about neck sizing only? seams to be just as accuarate as full length sizing. I have a bushnell 16 power scope on rifle so I can see there just as accuarte as the full length sized rds. Any feedback you can give would greatlly be appreciated. Jim

shooter3 · 01-14-2008, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drygulch

In addition to what M39 said, your bolt handles operating rod MUST be flush with the bolt plug face when you slam the bolt forward, if not, the rod will stop the firing pins travel. I had too much slack in my turret press, not allowing my cases to be fully sized. Problem solved! Rod

To M39,
can you send a pic of your scoped K-31 or tell me wher you got the mounts and rings? Rod

M39 I used weaver 2 pc mounts and weaver see thru mounting rings. Shooter3

Dale · 01-15-2008, 12:58 PM

I size .284 in the 7.5X55 die...top it off...set the bullet and I have a great round.

The first firing fire forms the case for subsequent loadings.

PM if you want the specific loads I do for my K31s using the .284 case.

10-05-2007, 06:54 PM	#1
ninwnc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 435	Reloading for the K-31 I just picked up a Swiss K-31 yesterday, along with 60 rounds GP11 ammo. Tomorrow I will try it out at the range. I have to buy a set of dies for it. Does anyone reload for the K-31, and have any reloading info I could use. (I am an experianced reloader, so I know "HOW" to do it) Best powder, bullet combinations is basically what I am looking for, What works best for you in your rifle? What have you tried that didn't pan out? (that will keep me from trying it too, and wasting time and money) Thanks for your input. Nick Last edited by ninwnc; 10-05-2007 at 06:56 PM.

10-07-2007, 06:46 PM	#2
troylaplante Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Selma, NC Posts: 2,223	I know there are dies out there. I saw a Lee set at a gun show not too long ago. __________________ troylaplante.com

01-04-2008, 09:57 AM	#5
shooter3 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4	I am using the redding but have problems with cartrages not firing. I tried to full length resise but can"t get die down far enough to duplicate a never fired round. If I just neck size them I can get them to fire if I really slam the bolt foward. Surplus or the czech ammo doesen"t act this way. Can any body help. ? Jim Do you guys know you can make a 25 rd mag for the hakim. If your good with measuring and handy with tool like a dremal tool you can have firepower plus. Just google 25 round magazines for the hakim and a lot of info and how to comes up. You first need to purchase the german mg13 magazines. they can be had from Gun parts company of Iternational military association usually advertized in the shot gun news out of N.J. Jim Last edited by shooter3; 01-04-2008 at 10:26 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

01-04-2008, 10:07 PM	#8
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,052 Images: 3	I'm lazy...been picking up GP11 where ever I find it...up to 1,200 rds now... __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

01-08-2008, 07:00 PM	#10
Drygulch Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 62	In addition to what M39 said, your bolt handles operating rod MUST be flush with the bolt plug face when you slam the bolt forward, if not, the rod will stop the firing pins travel. I had too much slack in my turret press, not allowing my cases to be fully sized. Problem solved! Rod To M39, can you send a pic of your scoped K-31 or tell me wher you got the mounts and rings? Rod Last edited by Drygulch; 01-08-2008 at 07:05 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

10-08-2007, 09:45 AM	#3
M39SKY Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 34	Start off with Redding 7.5x55 Swiss die set (80235). This set is specifically cut for K-31 chambering which is a little larger than other Swiss rifle chamber using 7.5x55. I have only used Accurate 4350 and 2230-C powders. Both are very good but I prefer 2230-C for shorter range because it is cleaner when used with CCI 250 (magnum) primer. I have used Sierra 150gr PH and Hornady 150gr FMJ-BT .308s bullet and they are both excellent. Hornady is what I shoot the most since it is cheaper range bullet (I buy in bulk). Brass, I have Norma, Graf and FNM. I have to say that FNM is a very fine brass for the money. I can easily get 1 inch group with 2230-C and Hornady 150grainer that I don't think there's a need for me to try Sierra MatchKings or Hornady A-Max's. I do have to label which reload is for winter and which is for summer. The K-31 I'm using is a beat-up $79-delivered AIM special which happen to have a pristine bore. I free-floated the barrel completely. Darrel's scout scope mount, Warne rings and Smith & Wesson 1.5-6X pistol scope helps in appreciating the capability of this rifle.

10-09-2007, 07:10 AM	#4
ninwnc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 435	Thanks for the info. Nick

01-04-2008, 05:18 PM	#6
Drygulch Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 62	Yep, sure do. The K-31 is one of my favorites. It takes a 308 bullet, so availability is no problem. I load 150 to 169 grainers, the latter works the best. The case capacity is larger than the 308 so staying within the 30-40 Krag and 308 charges works in my rifle. There are many sites out there that will give you safe data. As a disclaimer,The data I am providing works for me. Also, the OAL should be taken into consideration based on the bullet ogave. Sierra 168 HP over 43 gr of 4350-748X40 gr with a 168 grainer. 2460x43 with a 168. Standard OAL is 2.890". I found that the Sierra 168 HPM,pn 2200 touch my rifles lands at 3.025" I have tried a low charge of 35 grains of 748 with a 170 pill and the power was lacking! Rod

01-04-2008, 10:06 PM	#7
big boomer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minn. Posts: 982	Just a side note lots of places have brass for these but the GP-11 is Berdan primed and is very hard to reload. you have to have a special decapper (one uses water the other is about 60.00 and pries them off.) then you have to find new Berdan primers which is not easy. get boxer primed brass it much easier. Midway, Graf and others have brass for these.

01-08-2008, 11:11 AM	#9
M39SKY Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 34	Shooter3 - when you say cartridges not firing, do you mean it's not chambering fully (the bolt's serial number not on 12:00 when you close the bolt)? If that is the case, the brass is not properly full sized. Some presses would flex as you full size a brass. This happened to me with 7.5 Swiss FL sizing on Lee Challenger press. You will need to screw in your die deeper and make sure that the shell holder touches the die as you ram a fired case into the FL sizer die. Goodluck.

01-15-2008, 12:58 PM	#13
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	I size .284 in the 7.5X55 die...top it off...set the bullet and I have a great round. The first firing fire forms the case for subsequent loadings. PM if you want the specific loads I do for my K31s using the .284 case. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me