Ended up with a Swiss K31 rifle. awesome shooter BTW. Does anybody reload Swiss 7.55x55 GP11 surplus brass? I know it is Berdan primed and that there are other considerations, just hate to recycle it. I also shoot PPU factory new ammo and from the several YouTube videos I watched it looks like I can reload this brass with a little care. Thanks!
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Swiss GP11 brass worth saving?
- Thread starter yogi
- Start date
Have you seen the videos about converting berdan brass to boxer? If you have a primer pocket swager and a drill, you basically just drill a new flash hole and then swage the berdan primer into a new boxer primer cup. I have heard that the GP11 brass is good brass, so it would probably do well with the conversion.
dont scrap it, depending on how much you have there are folks that reload with berdan primers. I was doing 54r and 8mm mauser before I got a good stock on boxer brass. Where are you and how much brass do you have?
I tried the conversion and it was a royal PITA ok for last ditch effort.
KBCraig
NES Member
GP11 is a bear to decap. Instead of just being staked in place, it's crimped with an annular ring.
I have a Berdan decapper which works pretty well on everything else, but I could never do anything with GP11 except rip it out in pieces. I never bothered milling out the ring to re-prime it with Berdan primers.
I have a Berdan decapper which works pretty well on everything else, but I could never do anything with GP11 except rip it out in pieces. I never bothered milling out the ring to re-prime it with Berdan primers.
If you don't want to reload this brass [easily decapped with water and a broken-tip Lee 30 caliber decap punch (no pin)], I'll offer 11 cents a piece (up to 300 pieces) if you will ship it to me. A USPS small flat-rate box should be able to handle 150 or more cases, I'm guessing.
Scrap value is 4.9 cents (case weighs about 194 grains; 36/lb., basis: $1.75/lb).
For that matter, if you ever get down around Foxwoods, you're welcome to bring your rifle and brass and I'll work with you on reloads for your K-31.
I reload/shoot mostly reduced cast loads, using the Lyman 311410, which makes for economical plinking on my 100 meter range.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-rifles.php?entryID=45
About the only other projectile I have in .30 caliber at present is a sabot load which uses a .224" bullet. I'll have to do some casting, since a RCBS 180 grainer (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/11...r-309-diameter-180-grain-semi-point-gas-check) is somewhere in my collection
If you have bullets of choice, bring them, too (I don't have many rifle powders at present beyond W748).
KBCraig: My RCBS tool works fine, but I prefer water to avoid any marking along the extractor groove. Try finely adjusting your cutter. Too deep, it may snap the cutter and/or damage the anvil. Too shallow and it will tear away at the primer cup until there's nothing left to catch.
FWIW, the SF308-125 NTP (https://www.sinterfire.com/Shop/Bullets/Rifle/308-Winchester/SF308-125-NTP-100-ct.aspx?p=28) works great in the K-31, as does the sabot
Oh... and don't neglect the plastic bullets either:
You could probably shoot these in your basement with a suitable backstop.
Scrap value is 4.9 cents (case weighs about 194 grains; 36/lb., basis: $1.75/lb).
For that matter, if you ever get down around Foxwoods, you're welcome to bring your rifle and brass and I'll work with you on reloads for your K-31.
I reload/shoot mostly reduced cast loads, using the Lyman 311410, which makes for economical plinking on my 100 meter range.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-rifles.php?entryID=45
About the only other projectile I have in .30 caliber at present is a sabot load which uses a .224" bullet. I'll have to do some casting, since a RCBS 180 grainer (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/11...r-309-diameter-180-grain-semi-point-gas-check) is somewhere in my collection
If you have bullets of choice, bring them, too (I don't have many rifle powders at present beyond W748).
KBCraig: My RCBS tool works fine, but I prefer water to avoid any marking along the extractor groove. Try finely adjusting your cutter. Too deep, it may snap the cutter and/or damage the anvil. Too shallow and it will tear away at the primer cup until there's nothing left to catch.
FWIW, the SF308-125 NTP (https://www.sinterfire.com/Shop/Bullets/Rifle/308-Winchester/SF308-125-NTP-100-ct.aspx?p=28) works great in the K-31, as does the sabot
Oh... and don't neglect the plastic bullets either:
You could probably shoot these in your basement with a suitable backstop.
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It appears that only 108 cases will fit into a small USPS Flat-Rate box, neatly stacked without cramming. If you have 500 or fewer pieces, I'll make it 15 cents each shipped. That comes out to about 12.5 cents S.V. (500 pieces @ 15 cents less $13 shipping / 500).
Offer good til month end.
Offer good til month end.
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