Schmidt-Rubin 1889

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Hi everyone, I'm new around here. great community with so much knowledge and info!!

Have a question for all you swiss straight-pull guys. Was recently at a buddy's place checking out his 'lee enfield', until he pulled out which was clearly a swiss gun (I've got a k31). I know, have a good laugh, I know I did. Anyway, claims he found it on the wall in the back shed of their family farm. Didn't know myself exactly what it was until I did some research myself and came up with the Schmidt Rubin. Overall decent shape, bit of rust but nothing major. Didn't check the bore.

Anyway, the question: any idea what this thing is worth? From what I can tell it shoots 7.5x53.5mm ammo, of which I've not been able to find ANY. Anything anyone can offer if appreciate. Thanks!
 
Production of 7.5x53.5 ammunition stopped back in the early 1920's. Those of us who shoot the Model of 1889 do so by trimming back the cases and casting 200gr paper-patched hard lead bullets, and being gentle.....

Here in UK anybody who wants one can go buy it without a license of any kind. However, if you want to shoot it, that's a chicken of a different kettle.

I have no idea what it's worth in Canada, since prices here in yUK are imaginative to say the least.

Bearing in mind that it IS an un-shootable antique [unless you plan to go to the not inconsiderable lengths of shooting it], I'd not plan on retiring on the proceeds of the sale.

I'd just say that you should NOT try shooting GP11 in this old rifle - not even once.

You has bin warned.

tac
www.swissrifles.com
 
In Canada they go from 350-550$ depending on condition, if numbers are matching etc. and how much someone wants it (the demand is less than most other Swiss rifles as there is no commercial ammo for it).

By any chance was it a full stock or was it sporterized? If it was sporterized it would also be worthwhile to check if it is in .30-30 as many were converted to .30-30 sporters in the 50s and 60s for availability of ammo. Pictures do help significantly in determining value.
 
it will shoot gp11 ammo ,all you have to do is remove the bullet and change the powder load to a n acceptable load for the 1889 smidth rubin,seat the bullet and you good to go .There is load data out there and im sure someone will chime in who knows a little more about this than myself.
 
I use un-trimmed 7.5x55 brass and a load at 80% of maximum 7.5x55 Swiss load for whatever weight bullet and medium fast rifle powder you have.
Mine likes Hornady Amax 178gr with 35grs H4895
 
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gordonlbyrne said:
it will shoot gp11 ammo ,all you have to do is remove the bullet and change the powder load to a n acceptable load for the 1889 smidth rubin,seat the bullet and you good to go .There is load data out there and im sure someone will chime in who knows a little more about this than myself.
Click to expand...

No it will NOT shoot GP-11 ammo. By changing the powder load your no longer shooting GP-11. GP-11 will chamber, but it is NOT safe to shoot through a 1889.

The recommended way to shoot these is how diopter describes loading for it. I personally wouldn't reduce the load for surplus ammo as you don't know what type of powder it is in the first place, and your not playing with a very strong action to begin with (remember if the bolt gives out on a straight pull, it goes straight back). Sometimes you can only make mistakes once.
 
Thanks for the info. I've read various things on all the above method for trying to shoot it before, don't worry I'm not even going to try. It is in it's original stock by the looks of it. They actually had two rounds for it, that were apparently in the thing when they found it. This was before I came on the scene, but they did shoot it at least twice and it is still in one piece. I'll try to post some pics if I see it again
 
Sorry to revive an old thread I but recently acquired one and from what I can tell it is an 1889 as it has the lugs further back on the bolt. It has been sporterized but not converted to 30-30 like a couple others I have seen.

According to what I can find on line the caliber is 7.5x53.5 Swiss (GP90 & GP 90/03) and 7.5x54.5 Swiss (GP90/23) , does this mean they originally could use either of these rounds and is it similar to the 7.5x54 french round that canada ammo sells.
 
For starters GP 90, GP 90/03 and GP 90/23 are all the same basic round with some minor changes.

Basically GP 90 was the original round using a 211grn round nose paper patched bullet and semi-smokeless powder with a corrosive primer going at 1960ft/sec. GP 90/03 was a update to the GP 90 round by using a less corrosive primer, however otherwise it was the virtually the same as GP 90. GP 90/23 was a updated form of the round using only smokeless powder (instead of semi-smokeless) and a jacketed 190grn round nose bullet travelling at 2050 ft/sec.

It is also not similar to the 7.5x54 French (which would be way to high in pressure for a 1889), it is similar to 7.5x55 Swiss (which it realistically is, just the older form of it).

I personally reload for my 1889. My load consists of a 220grn Sierra round nose bullet under 32grns of IMR 3031 powder. For brass I just use standard 7.5x55 Swiss brass made by Privi Partizan. I also don't trim my brass to 53.5mm or 54.5mm as it will chamber the regular length 7.5x55 brass just fine (some rifles it won't so you will need to trim it back farther). For me this is a excellent round, very low recoil, very accurate, and very fun to shoot.
 
Beside Ellwood Epps there is a little bunker-like building that houses an antique and militaria shop called Ad Hominem. Up on their wall they have an exploded receiver from an 1889 -- the thing split open with the metal petals extending out to the sides just ahead of the loading port. I am going to guess that that is what happens when you shoot GP11 in the model 1889 rifle.

Do not try it. The Swiss knew that the action was not strong enough for GP11, thus the redesign in 1896.

As for value, I have an 1889 that was made in 1893, all matching numbers, good shape over all but not as clean and pretty as the photos in an earlier post, very good bore, some damage to the red plastic knobs on the bolt handle. Paid $320 for it in 2013. Have only shot cast bullets in it and it does very well with those.

You can get the date of manufacture from the serial number for any of the Schmidt-Rubin, K-11, K-31 rifles from https://www.swisswaffen.com

For cast loads, I've been using 30-40 Krag data as the starting point. That's worked very well so far.

On YouTube, go to the 314299 and Gungeek channels -- they've done some good videos on the rifles. Much of what I first learned about the rifles came from them.
 
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