Using a Hornady 30 Cal. 168gr. HPBT (match) bullet with GP-11 brass, the distance to the lands measures 3.100. I backed off .010 and come up with a C.O.A.L. of 3.090. Trouble is, this leaves just .177 (not including the BT portion of the bullet) seated in the case. The bullet lying at the bottom is setting where .308 would place the bullet if I seated it to that depth. Using .308 as a guide, the C.O.A.L would be 2.941. Would you seat this bullet .010 off the lands or would you go with the shorter round. The longer round fits in the magazine with no problem. Thanks!
Would This Reload Be Safe?
- Thread starter PCCUSNRET
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Strictly bench with these bullets.
NeuseRvrRat
Member
as long as you start low and work up your charge, yes, it will be safe.
The load would likely be safe to fire, as long as you work it up. You may find that your accuracy may suffer because of the limited contact between the bullet and case neck. If you want to seat the bullet .010 from the lands, you may want to consider a heavier, longer bullet.
I'm starting at 42 grs. of Varget. According to Hodgdon's web site, the starting load for this bullet weight using Varget for a .308 is 42 grs with a max of 46.0(C). I shot 50 rounds of GP-11 through her last weekend with no problems (this is the brass I am reloading).
NeuseRvrRat
Member
sounds like you've got the right idea. all you can do is try it and see how it groups. if it sucks, keep backing it off the lands a little at a time.
I have done the same thing in .222 Mag with outstanding accuracy. To get .040 off the lands, which is where the bullets liked to shoot, I did not have much bullet in the case. For strictly loading one at a time it can work.
If you chamber one but need to remove it without firing, and your measurement is off, and the bullet is into the lands, it can pull out and dump powder in your action making a mess. Ask me how I know.
If you chamber one but need to remove it without firing, and your measurement is off, and the bullet is into the lands, it can pull out and dump powder in your action making a mess. Ask me how I know.
If the load is safe I'll try some both ways and see if it affects the accuracy by reducing the C.O.A.L. I am shooting it at 100 yds now without a scope and hitting an 8" target about 95% of the time. I know what these things will do with a scope, but it is still fun to shoot some of these old guns without scopes. Being 60 and my eyes aren't what they used to be, I'm very happy to hit the 8"target without a scope.
35 Whelen
Member
I'm wondering if the throat of your rifle isn't eroded. I'm not sure about the K-11's, but the K-31's have very, very short thorats and I've find that bullets have to be seated very deep in the case.
35W
35W
I've done it many times without issue. That's why I asked bench or hunting.
On the bench I would not be the least bit concerned since I usually single-load and carry the rounds to the range in a nice plastic box. I would not carry that as a hunting round. Too much jostling around and chambering/unchambering might knock them loose.
On the bench I would not be the least bit concerned since I usually single-load and carry the rounds to the range in a nice plastic box. I would not carry that as a hunting round. Too much jostling around and chambering/unchambering might knock them loose.
Edarnold
Member
Whoa, Cowboy!
Using load info for the .308 Winchester as a reference for the 7.5x55 SR is dubious at best: the Schmidt-Rubin service load GP-11 operates at 42,000 psi, while the .308 routinely operates at 55,000 psi with a maximum of 60K. While the greater case capacity of the 7.5x55 will drop pressures somewhat compared with the .308, the two are still not comparable.
The Hodgden load you quote as maximum for the .308 of 46gr. of Varget is a full two grains over the maximum from Hornaday, the people who make the bullets you are using. Turn this load loose in your Schmidt-Rubin, and I can pretty much guarantee you will be kicking the bolt open with your shoe rather than operating the action normally. While the K-31 action is very strong, the limitation for normal operation is extraction, which ties directly to case expansion due to pressure.
Since you are shooting at 100yds., you don't need maximum velocities anyway; how about starting at 38gr. of Varget with your 168gr. bullet, and work up if you need to a maximum of 42gr.? The gong won't care, and your shoulder will thank you...
Me: four K-31's, and 12 years experience loading for and shooting them.
Using load info for the .308 Winchester as a reference for the 7.5x55 SR is dubious at best: the Schmidt-Rubin service load GP-11 operates at 42,000 psi, while the .308 routinely operates at 55,000 psi with a maximum of 60K. While the greater case capacity of the 7.5x55 will drop pressures somewhat compared with the .308, the two are still not comparable.
The Hodgden load you quote as maximum for the .308 of 46gr. of Varget is a full two grains over the maximum from Hornaday, the people who make the bullets you are using. Turn this load loose in your Schmidt-Rubin, and I can pretty much guarantee you will be kicking the bolt open with your shoe rather than operating the action normally. While the K-31 action is very strong, the limitation for normal operation is extraction, which ties directly to case expansion due to pressure.
Since you are shooting at 100yds., you don't need maximum velocities anyway; how about starting at 38gr. of Varget with your 168gr. bullet, and work up if you need to a maximum of 42gr.? The gong won't care, and your shoulder will thank you...
Me: four K-31's, and 12 years experience loading for and shooting them.
Using load info for the .308 Winchester as a reference for the 7.5x55 SR is dubious at best: the Schmidt-Rubin service load GP-11 operates at 42,000 psi, while the .308 routinely operates at 55,000 psi with a maximum of 60K. While the greater case capacity of the 7.5x55 will drop pressures somewhat compared with the .308, the two are still not comparable.
The Hodgden load you quote as maximum for the .308 of 46gr. of Varget is a full two grains over the maximum from Hornaday, the people who make the bullets you are using. Turn this load loose in your Schmidt-Rubin, and I can pretty much guarantee you will be kicking the bolt open with your shoe rather than operating the action normally. While the K-31 action is very strong, the limitation for normal operation is extraction, which ties directly to case expansion due to pressure.
Since you are shooting at 100yds., you don't need maximum velocities anyway; how about starting at 38gr. of Varget with your 168gr. bullet, and work up if you need to a maximum of 42gr.? The gong won't care, and your shoulder will thank you...
Me: four K-31's, and 12 years experience loading for and shooting them.
Thanks for the info and I appreciate your concern but I have been using 42 to 44.4 grs of Varget in my K-31's for many years (ever since Varget was first introduced) with 168 gr. bullets. As I'm sure you are aware there was very little reloading data available for the K-31's until about 10 years ago and then most were on the Swiss rifle boards (this is where it was suggested that I use 308 data for the K-31's (start low and work up the loads). One of the sites I used for a reference shows 48 grs. of Varget using a 165 gr bullet.
http://www.realguns.com/loads/7555swiss.htm
I loaded 50 of these rounds yesterday starting at 42 grs. working up to 44 grs. If I see or feel they are getting too warm as I work up, I won't proceed. I can tell you that GP-11 and some of the Privi-Partizan loads I've shot lately sure feel like they are a lot hotter loads than mine using 44.4 grs. of Varget. Unfortunately, I do not have a chronograph so I can't really provide any real data, only how it feels against my shoulder. Thanks again.
It very well could be but I have no idea how the throat of these rifles compare to the K-31. The one I am loading for now is a K-11 (short 1911). One of my 1896/11's also has a deeper throat than the K-31's I own. Anyone have a 1911 Swiss with a throat comparable to a K-31?
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