7.5 Swiss straight pulls

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They are VERY nice rifles. Some excellent ones coming in. The only fault I can see with them is that ammo is rather pricey compared to something like 7.62x54 or 8mm fodder.

Otherwise they are quality rifles.

Forgot to add...

Try this place. Parallax's Curio and Relic Forums . There is some very good information on them with numerous posters.

Good SHooting
RED
 
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What's not to like about them?

Like the watch from the same country, a precision piece of steel, albeit with a little wood added for a warm touch:

schmidt.gif
 
Built like a Swiss watch, most that I've seen have very good to excellent metal and bores while the wood (esp. the butt) is often dinged-up. Ammo is available, but these rifles are for people who like reloading. Known for their accuracy. Right up there with Swedish Mausers.
 
I have a Schmidt Rubin 96/11.

The workmanship on these guns is amazing; I think everyone should get one while the K31s are so cheap.
 
These are really nice rifles. I have two K31s. As was mentioned, the ammo is pricey. I have paid as much as $40 for 20 rounds of Norma. I saw in the latest issue of the Shotgun News that Hornady is going to offer 7.5 Swiss with a release date of 12/31/02. It wasn't cheap, but it was a lot less than the Norma. The Swiss surplus ammo is extremly well made and very accurate. I read on a web site dedicated to Swiss rifles that this was the most accurate ammo they could find including their handloads. I try to buy some now and then to stockpile it, but it isn't all that cheap either. Handloading is the best option, but you still have to get the brass and it isn't real easy to find although it is out there. I am buying the factory ammo to accumulate some brass for reloading.
 
I have both the 1911, full-lenght model (with which I used to compete High-Power, with very good results) and the shorter carbine.

They are absolutely magnificient rifles, perhaps some of the best-made of surplus bolt-actions.

A batch of 7.5x55 brass will last you for ever, especially the excellent Norma stuff.

They are extremely accurate (I mean, seriously competition-worthy accurate, not merely hit-a-paper-plate-at-a-hunnerd-yards accurate!)

You will notice that the best thing about them (well, one of the best at least!) is the trigger. If anyone knows of a better trigger on a surplus rifle, I sure would like to hear!

My recommendation? BUY IT!!!!!!!!!
 
If you can find the Fienwerkbau target sights for less than $300 let me know some one? These things slip over and lock on to the front sight and rear reciever bridge and are olylimpic diopter style. Both Hornady and Federal are releasing 7.5X55 ammo this spring 2003. Much cheaper than the norma stuff. I bought 480 rnds of Swiss mil stuff and fired 80 to sight gun in and am keeping the rest sealed in its plastic. I t shot about 1 moa with my parker hale sighted K-31.
 
hey y'all;

I saw several Swiss rifles a few years ago, all in one place, that had been 'converted' to .308 Win. I do not know what was done to 'convert' these, maybe out of disgust over the injurious prices the guy wanted for them, but IIRC it may have been a rechambering job. I think I recall the barrels to be original in appearance and marking. I don't know any specs on 7.5 so I don't have a clue as to the actual land and groove measurements of Swiss rifles. If the US manufacturers start producing commercial 7.5 Swiss I'm likely to start buying Swiss rifles to keep my Swedes happy. Something just galls me about paying $40 a box for ammo just so I can have a box in the house.

Regards,
Rabbit.
 
Sylvilagus Aquaticus, don't sweat it.

You'll do just fine with standard .308" bullets in your 7.5x55 Swiss handloads. That 1911 pictured above has been for about the last 5 years, digesting 168gr Sierra MatchKings with nary a hiccup. ;)
 
Odds and ends

1 - Bullet diameter.
Although nominal bullet diameter is about .0005 off, .308" bullets work not just fine, but PERFECTLY in 7.5x55 rifles. As I said in a previous post, I'm talking about serious competition accuracy - not merely punching soda cans at 50 yards.

2 - Reloading data
I used to get all my loading data from the Hornady manual. Best results were obtained with IMR 4064 and 165-bullets. In a pinch, you can use .308 Win data - just back it off about 7%-10% and stop at 190gr bullets.

3 - Cartridge dimension and rechambering
The 7.5x55 resembles but is actually LONGER than the .308 Win. So, in order to rechamber a Schmidt for the Win, the chamber must be shortened (as opposed to reamed out). Given the good brass, bullets and loading data available, I think it's a real pity to deface such a pristine rifle for the sake of a little convenience.

4 - Sights.
Schmidt Rubin sights are of the traditional U-notch and blade front. However, there is a difference between how actual models are zeroed. My 1911 was zeroed at 300 meters (so I had to have the front sight raised), while my 1950's-vintage, SIG-made carbine is zeroed for 100 meters. Either way, it's a real cinch to get it to shoot at 100 Yards.

I hope this helps.

Tom
 
"I think it's a real pity to deface such a pristine rifle for the sake of a little convenience. "

Tell it like it is brotherman.
 
I beleive that some of the last ones were made in .308.
I can tell you from personal experience that it is possable to reach over the top with the left hand, fire with the right and empty one fast enough to sound like a full auto.
That straight pull is fast.
(Notice I didn't say it is likely you can hit anything that way.)
 
As for the sights:

Mojo makes a Tandem Aperture sight for them, no gunsmithing needed, other than small fitting to the front sight blade. Very good sight if you like that style.

www.mojosights.com

Also, jprega from the swissrifles forum is now selling both the clamp-on and drill and tap mounts for the K-31 thru Brownells.

I have the D/T mount on a mismatched beater K-31 and it's very nice. It's offset to the left, but I don't mind that at all. With that scope mount and a bit of tweaking, the K-31 will shoot sub-MOA consistently with GP-11 (swiss surplus) ammo. Not too bad!
 
Buy one before the price goes up. You won't be sorry.

I say this as a man who did not buy an HS pistol back when they were $200. :eek:
 
Wilderbill, I don't know, but I doubt it. Not surplus, anyway. The Swiss used 7.5x55 continuously well beyond the year the K31 was last issued, and if I'm not mistaken, they still use it (In SIG550's? I dunno.)

If they continue to come into the country, demand may get high enough for someone to machine chamber inserts like the ones used to convert .30-06 Garands to .308. Probably not, though, if two more companies are going to introduce 7.5x55 loads.
 
Don, the one I shot had a sporter stock and the barrel was marked .308. No sign of any other caliber marking ever being on it. No insert.
It may have been rebarreled, but I know it was .308 and worked quite well.
 
I really like the two I got from AIM. Very well made and fun to shoot. I don't think the straight pull is any faster, but it's an interesting and very solid piece of machinery. I got one extra for parts, but they are both shooters for now. One minor problem is that the side-mount sling design does not allow for many slings to fit, but you can unscrew the sling mount in the stock and fit in some of the old military web slings.

I did O.K. in a military bolt action match with one last summer. I find that it's not as accurate as my Garand, but some folks say they are more accurate. I'm probably just better with peep sites. They are talking about adding another "as issued bolt action military" match to Camp Perry this summer -- where I bet the K31 will be very popular.

The FMJ from AIM at $3.95/10 isn't bad stuff, but not reloadable if you reload. The popularity of 7.5 Swiss seems to be getting some manufacturers and importers interested in beefing up the market for factory ammo.

Now I just need to find a bayonet, but they tend to cost more than the rifles!
 
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