Schmidt-Rubin?

A lot of the cut-downs also had crap sights. THIS one appears a bit knocked-about but certainly not Bubba'd.

Considering the scarcity of unmolested '89s, one would think it should have a decent value.

Several years ago I was dickering on a magazine for one of those, finally ended up taking it home: the MAG was $50 by itself or, if I took the whole rifle, it was $35 for the lot. (I took the whole thing, of course and, raped as it has been, it still shoots just over an inch with my sloppy handloads!). The LAST gun show I was at I saw just a Mag for one of these; it was $100.

Times are changing and the once-despised long, heavy, ungainly Swiss rifles are now coming into their own. I suppose this is partly because of the influx of K-31s...... and partly because they are a study in themselves...... and a darned accurate study they are.

In a way, it's nice to see!
 
Interesting to see what calibre it really might be. It was made to shoot GP90 - not made since around 1923 - which is NOT the same as GP11. No Model 1889 would be safe to shoot with GP11, always supposing it would actually chamber it.

Here in UK we are finding these beautiful old rifles in near-mint condition, and paying handsomely for the privilege of ownership. As they are usually made for the GP90 cartridge - we don't see them converted here - they are classed as an obsolete firearm, and providing you don't want to shoot it, exempt from any form of licensing. All that changes radically is you DO want to shoot it, however. Add to that they are a handloader's labour of love.

tac
 
I can't add much to the above posts as they are all quite good.

Between my brother and I we've owned and sold quite a few of these over the years. I've yet to see a complete one like in the picture in any caliber other then 7.5x53.5 aka GP90.

As for value they seem to go for $300 to $450 around these parts. If that gun was mine I'd probably put a $350 price tag on it as long as the bore is in good shape..
 
A caution on these 1889s, they use the 7.5x53.5mm GP90 cartridge, not the later 7.5x55mm GP11 cartridge. It is unsafe to fire GP11 in these rifles.

Edit: Just saw tacfoley addressed this issue.
 
Here in UK the Model 1889 is classed as a Section 58 [Obsolete Calibre] firearm and as such can be bought without any kind of licence/firearms certificate. Shooting it, however, means that it has to be registered as a live-firer and put on your firearms certificate, and, of course, then you have the chore of making the ammunition. Luckily, we have fols like Andy Allwood, who produces a very good 200gr gas-checked bullet for those folks who like to shoot the even older guns than we usually see on a Swiss firing line.

I'm only bringing this up because down at Bisley a few years back, I saw the result of shooting around twenty rounds of GP11 rounds in an example of this model. Nothing had actually broken, but it was unusually sloppy in the action - not something you'd normally associate with any Swiss rifle or carbine in good condition. To me, this was a sure sign that close tolerances had been opened up to near-dangerous levels. Those of us who examined it were left figuring out how the owner had managed to chamber a GP11 round in it, until we found out that he had actually pulled the bullet, trimmed back the case, and reloaded it...just to see what would happen. A case of 'here, hold my beer' if ever there was one. The rifle was for sale, but only as a wall-hanger, as a result of this mistreatment. It was, like many that we see here, in near-new condition.

tac
 
You can chamber GP-11 in some (most?) 1889s without modification. The Swiss authorized it in case of invasion in WWII (never actually done and very likely to turn the rifle into a bomb beside your face). I know when I handload for my 1889 I don't have to trim the brass down to the 54.5mm and just use standard 7.5x55 Swiss brass.

Value is likely 350-450$. This example is a bit rough, and the not commonly available cartridge does turn people off them (unlike the later models). Also based on the serial number yours was made in 1892.
 
Eaglelord17 said:
You can chamber GP-11 in some (most?) 1889s without modification. The Swiss authorized it in case of invasion in WWII (never actually done and very likely to turn the rifle into a bomb beside your face). I know when I handload for my 1889 I don't have to trim the brass down to the 54.5mm and just use standard 7.5x55 Swiss brass.

Value is likely 350-450$. This example is a bit rough, and the not commonly available cartridge does turn people off them (unlike the later models). Also based on the serial number yours was made in 1892.
Click to expand...

I agree that most if not all 1889 models will chamber gp11 rounds. Every one I've loaded ammo for will chamber full length 7.5x55 brass with no issues.

Maybe it's just the ones I've dealt with.

I'd like to know if anybody has one that won't fit the 55 length brass??
 
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