Reloading 7.5 X 55

[Doble Troble]

 

This has been a PITA. I've had chronic problems getting the bolt to close on reloads for what it turns-out to have been several problems all at once. Multiple factors contributing to the same problem makes for difficult trouble-shooting. I'll take it in order of severity, low to high.

 

1) My Lee FL sizing die just barely gets the full neck before bottoming on the shell holder. You've got to be careful to REALLY size cases all the way.

 

2) For reasons I don't understand these pricey Norma cases have grown long necks after a single firing. My Lee cutter only sizes them back down to 2.080" which is only 0.005" within spec.

 

3) The throat on my rifle is extremely short, and I want to shoot a stubby cast bullet out of it. I've got to seat most of the bullet into the case or the lands and bullet get together before the bolt closes.

 

I finally figured-out #3 last. To determine OAL for this bullet I removed the bolt and gently seated one of the bullets into the lands and held it there with a dowel. Then I stuck the brass rod shown in the pix down the barrel until it touched the bullet. Then I marked the rod as shown. Next I removed the bullet and replaced and closed the bolt. I fed the rod back down the bore until it touched the bolt face and made another mark. The difference between the marks is OAL for this bullet.

 

I just couldn't believe how far I need to seat bullet in order to get this thing to feed. It must be VERY carefully designed to shoot tapered spitzers. Maybe this is the secret to their surplus ammo shooting in these guns so well - all the chambers are specifically designed for it.

 

The bolt closes on this VERY carefully prepared ammo without a hitch. If you have to slam the bolt on one of these home, something is wrong with your ammo. A gentle stroke is all it should take.

[karlunity]

I use the Lee neck die and a .308 147 fmj with 13 grs of red dot for most .30 cals except Boris.

The 7.5 x 55 can use that load but it does not give it's best performance.

 

If I want good groups I have to use 44.8 grains of 4064 and hand measure every load with a lee 3.4 dipper and a darn..I forget the name...a little thingie with a handle that lets you drop a charge one grain at a time.

 

The K-31 will give very good groups but care and feeding are a pain..

 

karl

 

Wow DT. you've got the nice, hard to find, walnut stock : )

[bubbamauser]

I can't offer any advice, I'm just happy to see someone else's bench as cluttered as mine

 

Roy

[roscoedoh]

DT,

 

I assume you're using the same type of Lee case gauge and trimmer set that I am. If the case trimmer isn't cutting the neck back far enough, grind a few thousandths of tip to move the cutter head further into the cartridge.

 

As to feeding a K31 RN bullets, I couldn't say. I know that none of my Mausers feed RN bullets worth a crap and they're designed for spitzers too.

 

Have you tried reloading any spitzers or are you determined to lick this rifle with boolits?

[AzRednek]

3) The throat on my rifle is extremely short, and I want to shoot a stubby cast bullet out of it.

 

There is the biggest problem, your wanting to feed stubby cast slugs where they weren't meant to go. I've never fooled around with a Swiss but have used other 30 caliber cast slugs. Stubby round nose flat slugs are indeed a real pain smoothly feeding out of the mag into the chamber without a hitch, bump or hang-up somewhere along the way. Lyman makes (or did and hopefully still makes) some heavy, pointy 30 cal molds that feed allot better and don't have to be seated as deep.

 

I understand the problem though of using what you have available rather than shelling out $$ for a new mold. It is a trade-off if you want the nice clean holes on your target with the flat nose slugs you will likely just have to deal with it. The pointy slugs leave a jagged hole in the target but feed allot better and don't have to be seated real deep. Best I recall, I used the Lyman pointy slug, weighing apx 180 grs without any feeding problems in an 03 Springfield, 30/40 Krag and a Winchester 670. The flat, round nose slugs best I recall were a pain to feed in all three rifles. I recall also using the Lyman slug in a 308 Savage 99 and my friend's M-1A. Both rifles from what I recall had issues with reloads but if my memory is correct the problems were related to extraction.

[AzRednek]

I just went and looked at Lyman's website. I believe it was the 311332 I was using, it has been close to 30 years so I may be way out in left field. The 311664 looks interesting!! I just can't figure out why Lyman wont show the apx bullet weight of their molds, oops Lyman still says it is spelled moulds. If reloading component prices keep climbing I may find myself casting 30 cal slugs again. I sold off all my rifle molds years ago when PMC and other Korean bullets became available years ago at dirt cheap prices. In the 70's, in the right quantities, pooling with friends we could buy 30 cal jacketed bullets for a little more that $3.00 per hundred.

 

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/index.htm

 

[Doble Troble]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

Bubbamauser, as you know tidyness is for people with too much time on their hands. I prefer spending my time excavating strata looking for tools.

 

This bullet is really accurate in my FR8 (and doesn't have feeding issues) so I really want to try it in this K31. If I can't get it to shoot I'll try a spitzer. I've got a Lee spitzerey mold (This one) , but it hasn't been accurate in anything I've tried it in yet.

 

Of course today's $0.20 per bullet on sale prices have let to this casting emphasis.

 

I haven't gotten to the point yet where I can shoot cast bullets as accurately as jacketed, but I've heard its possible, and I'm getting close with that FR8.

[plumbum]

the swiss K31s have notoriously short necks, as the bullets have a sharp profile. cast loads will be tough, but they are done.

[Doble Troble]

Karl,

 

This gave good groups with jacketed bullets - I was using 38.6 gr of AA2495 which is a bit faster than your 4064 and 150 gr Rem Corelocks - but I can't afford those bullets any more (allright I probably can but I really don't want to). I wish I had bought a pile of pulled 147 gr while I had a chance.

 

I did have to seat those CLs farther than I thought I should have had to, but they still looked like reasonable cartridges with most of the bullet outside of the case like its supposed to be.

 

But for the time being I can still get lead for free around here, and I intend to learn from my mistakes and take advantage of a good situation.

 

I got completely lucky getting this K31 in walnut. I ordered it along with a pile of Turks back in the day - it was one of the Century cracked stocks - the only one that really had a cracked stock that I've bought - it was the handguard which was easily fixed with Elmer's. Sometimes even I get lucky.

[AzRednek]

But for the time being I can still get lead for free around here, .

 

By all means scarf up and hoard as much as you have room for. Buck a pound!!! For scrap wheel weights is what a tire shop quoted me about 6 weeks ago. Don't know if was because I am white, was in the Mexican part of town and they assumed I was stupid, had money to burn or if that is the going price. There is just no way I'll pay that much for wheel weights.

[Thor]

Geez Doble Troble, I don't know if I can help much, but I'll throw in my 2 penny's worth. I just sold off my K31's a couple of months ago but didn't have any problems with factory bullets. AND, I don't know zip about cast bullets. I do know it was hard to beat the GP-11. That is one accurate load. I sold the rifles before being able to duplicate GP-11.

 

But I can address the "Lee FL sizing die just barely gets the full neck before bottoming on the shell holder." I have two different shellholders for my Swede setup, a Lee and RCBS. They have different thicknesses, or distance from bottom of the brass to surfaces that touches the die. Thus, they give different setback/headspace results. You might want to purchase a different brand shellholder just to see if it makes a difference.

 

Another alternative is to take a (spare) shellholder and shave off a couple of thousandths. It's got to be square though. Presses don't like unsquare surfaces. Best done with a mill, not by hand.

 

Like I say, I don't know much about cast bullets, but believe your problem is probably more in shoulder headspace than in bullet.

[Doble Troble]

Thor, thanks for the input, and your point is well-taken. I should have mentioned that sized cases feed fine. It really is the bullets.

 

I can seat them out a bit further than the brass rod measurements indicate, and a tad long enough to engage the rifleing on loading and they actually shoot more accurately!