GUN STUFF

[Kopfjager]

I'd seriously love to.  But now that I'm no longer AD...  Oh well, guess there's always Frank.   

Frank's new Range is sweet.

[DRKWNG]

Frank's new Range is sweet.

Looks that way from the pics I've seen.  Too bad uncle sugar doesn't foot the ammo bill at that range as well.

[duc_fan]

I took my Schmidt-Rubin K31 (7.5x55mm Swiss) out last weekend and used it with a Caldwell Lead Sled, and had my dad spotting.  Wowsers.  That's the first time I have seriously attempted to measure its accuracy.  As near as I can tell, the gun shoots like a laser.  I wish I had better eyesight, because with open iron sights, I can barely see the 1" black bullseye at 60 yards.  It's a IZ_ blob, so I just do my best to aim for the center of it.  When I take my time, it'll keep the group at or under 1" at 60 yds, and I think most of that variation was my eyeball.

One issue is that I was wearing safety glasses instead of my eyeglasses.  Slightly nearsighted.  Just enough that details aren't sharp at long distances.  I'm tempted to go back out and try with my regular eyeglasses to see if the added sharpness helps.

Also need to stake out a range longer than 60 yards.  To be fair, on much of the terrain around our place, you wouldn't be hunting much beyond that distance anyway.  And being able to hit a 1" target at 60 yds would make for a pretty clean kill on deer out here.

Yes, the Swiss, in addition to being a cool collectible, is also my designated deer rifle.  I have some Nosler Ballistic Tips for reloading the Prvi Partizan boxer-primed brass, making it suitable for hunting.

Anyway... I'm envious of you military guys who can see the target well enough to obtain marksman ratings at 300m and greater.

[WarrenJ]

Those K31's shoot!  I've shot a number of 1" groups at 100 with mine.  Great, interesting rifles.  Get some 6" or larger black targets that you can resolve well and just be consistent where you line up your sights on it.  Far easier than trying to resolve small targets with iron sights.  Many times, when I am trying to check accuracy with a rifle with a low powered scope, I'll use a larger, square target and put the intersection of the crosshair on the corner of the square.  Far more precise than trying to guess the exact center. 

NOE molds makes a special mold for the K31  -  Thinking about picking one up and working up a good cast bullet load for mine. 

[Kopfjager]

Looks that way from the pics I've seen.  Too bad uncle sugar doesn't foot the ammo bill at that range as well.

He will eventually, we've done it Mid South for years. 

[ducatiz]

Ive never loaded for the 7.5 swiss but I thought the bullets were regular 308.  At least thats what ppl on the swissrifle forum were loading.   Ive got a case of virgin unprimed brass.  Ill get a round tuit ...

[ducpainter]

Ive never loaded for the 7.5 swiss but I thought the bullets were regular 308.  At least thats what ppl on the swissrifle forum were loading.   Ive got a case of virgin unprimed brass.  Ill get a round tuit ...

The originals were .306 and used a paper patch. .308 probably works great depending on rifling diameter.

[WarrenJ]

The K31 uses a 308 dia bullet.  NOE makes a mold specifically for the throat length of the K31 which is a bit longer than some.  I had one of the very early ones, an 1889 Bicycle Carbine that someone had butchered.  I slugged the bore and it was about .314 if memory serves correctly.  It had an 11 round box mag that was raised and lowered in and out of engagement by a lever on the side.

If you look under the buttplate, some of the K31 rifles still have a piece of plastic like material with the guys name and address the gun was issued to.  Mine had it.  I guess some people have actually contacted the people the guns were originally issued to. 

One really clever simple feature I always thought was cool on them was the slot milled in for the front sight post.  Its milled in at an angle and the post sits on an angle to the dovetail to always be aligned as windage is adjusted.  I think the Swiss just like to show off their machining skills. 

[ducatiz]

The originals were .306 and used a paper patch. .308 probably works great depending on rifling diameter.

Maybe the 1886 model, but the gp11 swiss milsurp has no paper.  I think lard....

[ducpainter]

Maybe the 1886 model, but the gp11 swiss milsurp has no paper.  I think lard....

The 1889? Yes. The GP90 round was paper patched.

[duc_fan]

The K31 uses a 308 dia bullet.  NOE makes a mold specifically for the throat length of the K31 which is a bit longer than some.  I had one of the very early ones, an 1889 Bicycle Carbine that someone had butchered.  I slugged the bore and it was about .314 if memory serves correctly.  It had an 11 round box mag that was raised and lowered in and out of engagement by a lever on the side.

If you look under the buttplate, some of the K31 rifles still have a piece of plastic like material with the guys name and address the gun was issued to.  Mine had it.  I guess some people have actually contacted the people the guns were originally issued to. 

One really clever simple feature I always thought was cool on them was the slot milled in for the front sight post.  Its milled in at an angle and the post sits on an angle to the dovetail to always be aligned as windage is adjusted.  I think the Swiss just like to show off their machining skills. 

That's what I bought for it, .308 cal bullets.  I used input from a couple reloaders who have worked with 7.5 Swiss.  Haven't tried it yet, because my bench got discombobulated for a move last year... then I've been waiting for the garage floor to get done before I set everything up again.  Now the floor is done, I can set my bench back up and put the Rock Chucker to work.

I checked under the buttplate on mine shortly after I bought it (~8 years ago).  Did a complete teardown and cleaning, had to fix a couple small surface rust spots that were just starting to pit.  Anyway... no paper or plastic with name of soldier under the buttplate on mine.    But, at least it is a numbers-matching rifle (including the magazine).  1942 production.  Wish I had the matching bayonet... but finding one of those with the matching serial number to the rifle is difficult.  I bought it because it was relatively cheap, clean, and cool.  Made like a Swiss watch.  LOVE the action on the straight-pull bolt.  Smoother than any new rifle I've handled.

+1 on the Swiss liking to show off their machining skills.    That's one of the things I love about this rifle.

[DRKWNG]

Ran another couple hundred rds through the M&P this evening.  I was a lot better with it tonight than I was on Sunday, but...  Kopf, do you know what weight ammo Frank likes to run through his?

[Kopfjager]

Ran another couple hundred rds through the M&P this evening.  I was a lot better with it tonight than I was on Sunday, but...  Kopf, do you know what weight ammo Frank likes to run through his?

I'll find out tomorrow.

[DRKWNG]

I'll find out tomorrow.

[Ducatamount]

Can anyone give me the pro's and con's on a Beretta .380 auto - 84 Cheetah - CAL.9 short (stainless w/ wood grips)
To be used for target and home protect.