herently accurate rifles/calibers

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crunch68

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My interest in Milsurp has recently been tweaked as I have 2 just inherited 2 old Enfields. I know that there are exceptions, and a lot is in the shooter, but I was wondering about opinions on different rifle/calibers that seem to be inherently accurate. I've been reading 6.5x55 and the K31 in 7.5x55 seem popular.
Thanks to all.
 
I've done well with the K31. IMO a combination of a quality built rifle, only worn part is the stock and the quality GP11 ammo used. Not so well with the Swedish mausers except a CG 63 which is a specific target rifle with a diopter sight.
 
Two excellent pairings are the Model 96/Model 38 Swedish Mauser and the 6.5x55mm and the M1903 and 03A3 Springfield in the .30-06. In both cases the rifle is the original "home" for the ctg and had a huge amount of r&d invested in it. Accuracy depends on the mecchanical condition of the rifle incl bore, stock bedding and sights. Handloads bring the best results.
 
I own a lot of different rifles, and have several of each model.

The only two that I have found that seem to be usually accurate are the Swedish Mausers and the Swiss K31.

The Swede is easier to load for, since brass is much more readily available.
 
The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser and the Swiss K31 7.5x55 come up again.
I haven't reloaded in years. Is the cost of factory ammo prohibitive?
 
I've owned and shot several dozen military rifles over the past 40 yrs. Most accurate with jacketed bullets a M38 Swede. Most accurate with cast a Rem 03A3. Both around an inch and a half at 100yds with younger eyes. Honourable mention to a M39 Finn and a M36 MAS (of all things) with cast bullets.
I have a Swiss K31 but haven't done any load development for it.
 
The 6.5x55 is an inherently accurate cartridge, combined with a simple mauser action and generally good bores the swedish mausers are good accurate rifles. It's also relatively available in sporting ammo, though usually loaded light.

The k31's accuracy comes from gun design. I can't imagine what it would cost to make the K31 today, but it would be crazily expensive, and the quality still wouldn't be as good as they are. The 7.5x55 is a good cartridge, but not actually anything special ballistically, though all GP11 surplus ammo is considered to be match ammo which certainly doesn't hurt accuracy :p

Both guns run in the $200-300 range. Past these two guns I can't think of any that're "inherently" accurate. Going out further into the swedish mauser family tree, the match M96's, Cg63's and CG80's are tremendously accurate and quite affordable. They even come with diopter sights. Tradex has quite a few of these. AG42's are swedish again and chambered in 6.5x55 and known to be quite accurate for a semi auto, though it's unsafe to shoot slow burning powders in them due to the DI gas systems.

Only other thing I can think of is a VG bore rifle in 7mm mauser. No specific model in mind, but 7mm mauser's similar to the 6.5x55... a little more bullet weight available to play with, but also a little less flat shooting. Tiny trade offs either way.
 
crunch68 said:
The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser and the Swiss K31 7.5x55 come up again.
I haven't reloaded in years. Is the cost of factory ammo prohibitive?
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You can use 308 bullets for the k31. Pick your flavor of hunting bullet and see how it goes. The GP11 is the best for paper punching as it was designed specifically for the rifle.
 
Handloading for the K31, or any other of the Swiss rifles/carbines designed for GP11 ammunition, is made a lot easier by the fact that it shoots a .308" bullet, just like the, uh, .308Win. Choosing from the vast range of bullets from 155gr up to 180gr is part of the fun, and over on swissrifles.com our own diopter has put together the vast majority of bullet/powder combinations in one very comprehensive thread.

Cartridge cases from Prvi/Wolf/Graf make easy loading, a required exercise, since GP11 is Berdan-primed, sadly. Notwithstanding that, the quality of the brass is extremely high, maybe as good as or even better than Lapua/Norma brass. I bleeve that Trade-ex is a major source of components, and Brownells are the to-go source of the many worthwhile accessories made by our friends, Swiss Products, down there in Kallispel Montana.

Although the choice is rather limited for the 6.5x55SE, the same Prvi/Wolf empties are not that hard to find, and the bullet weights, though limited to 120/123gr and 139/140/160gr, make an easy to shoot gentle recoiling round that can be shot all day by most shooters without discomfort.

Both calibres are astonishingly accurate - the K31 with the misurp GP11, and the Swde with good handloads - in fact, the 6.5x55 was for many years THE 300m match and biathlon calibre. When that was my sport, taking part in Norway was great fun with the 6.5x55 Kongsbergs we used to get given for the comps. Over on another forum, one keen Swiss-schtuff shooter developing handloads has been posting 12" groups at 1000 yards...with a 168gr SMK and a GP11-simulating load of RL17.

Buy either, or better, both, like I did, and enjoy the look on your fellow shooters' faces when you clean their clocks for them with your old-fashioned wood and tin milsurp.

tac
 
I'll stay quite. Some might say I'm biased. :)
I reload the Berdan brass too. Really not too difficult with the right tools.
 
H Wally said:
Both guns run in the $200-300 range. Past these two guns I can't think of any that're "inherently" accurate. Going out further into the swedish mauser family tree, the match M96's, Cg63's and CG80's are tremendously accurate and quite affordable. They even come with diopter sights. Tradex has quite a few of these. AG42's are swedish again and chambered in 6.5x55 and known to be quite accurate for a semi auto, though it's unsafe to shoot slow burning powders in them due to the DI gas systems.
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I remember watching a video on the MAC youtube channel - in a video about the SVD he had interviewed a fellow who had corresponded with the engineers at Lapua who had apparently stated to him that the 7.62x54R case design was inherently accurate. Obviously that's not gospel, but i always thought it would be interesting to develop some high quality ammo for a match rifle in that calibre just to see what it could do.
 
Inherent accuracy is a myth. In almost every case with every cartridge and rifle, if they are built to tight standards and within a tight spec range, no matter which cartridge the rifle/ammo has been built for will shoot better than most shooters are capable of. Poorly matched components, worn components and often bubba give certain rifles such as several models of the 303 British and even the 98 Mausers got bad reps because of these conditions. Many here know that when their firearms are in excellent condition and assembled properly and matched with good ammo they are very accurate.

Inherent accuracy is just a myth IMHO.
 
All armies put a lot of effort into developing and testing small arms and ammo to meet reliability and accuracy standards. No nation is going to issue their troops crappy weapons and ammo. I'll stick with the Model 1903 Springfield and Model 1896 Mauser as both won a lot of renown in competative shooting. In the case of the M1903 there was highly accurate match grade ammo developed and issued for competitive shooting. IMR4320 was developed for use with match grade bullets in the. 30-06. This match grade ammo practice was carried forward for the M1 Garand and M14. I don't know if the Swedes had match grade 6.5x55mm ammo, but the M1896 can really perform with handloads using match bullets. Both the M1903 and M1896 remained in service for decades and were much refined for target shooting. We should give honorable mention to the MkIII and No4 Lee Enfields as well as there was a lot of effort put into developing them for competitive shooting.
 
DaveMachine said:
I remember watching a video on the MAC youtube channel - in a video about the SVD he had interviewed a fellow who had corresponded with the engineers at Lapua who had apparently stated to him that the 7.62x54R case design was inherently accurate. Obviously that's not gospel, but i always thought it would be interesting to develop some high quality ammo for a match rifle in that calibre just to see what it could do.
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I'll toot the 7.62x54 horn. Every once in a while, when the stars aline, the gods look away, and the angels decide to not piss on my day, I can get an awesome group from my 91/30 and handloads. I know the rifle can do more, but I am slowly working to make myself a better shot.
 
Any rifle is conceivably very accurate. IMHO, the only reason why No.4 Lee Enfields and the American military bolt actions are notable, is the placement of the back sight and making it an aperature. An open V and a tall wedge front post is a recipe for inaccuracy. Yes the Swedes know their business, but where is the sight? The Swiss are brilliant designers and builders, likewise?
 
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