GP11...or not?

[ducky_0811]

So I picked up some ammo at a local gunshow, being told it was GP11 by a guy who looked and sounded like he knew what he was talking about. We chatted about various types of ammunition and the rarity of the Japanese Type I rifle. Well it came time to put the old rounds down range but when I opened the box up (not the sealed box they are issued in, they had been repackaged) I was suprised to find an elongated round nose bullet in place of the normal spitzer. I checked the head stamp, 24 was the year.... I decided to put it aside since I didnt know what i had.

After getting home I did a little research and it turns out what I had on hand was 32 rounds of GP90/23. The last rendition of the swiss cartridge before the GP11 came around. It is a 7.5X54.5mm cartridge loaded with a 190gr round nose round over a 33gr load of smokeless powder.

So now I'm left with a dilemma.... and I'm sure a couple of the swiss rifle experts here can help me out. Is this stuff safe to fire from a K31? Should I look to sell it to someone with an 89/11 rifle? Does anyone want these rounds? Any help with regards to this is much appreciated in advance.

[Mustang]

Definitely sounds like GP 90/23.

I can't say whether the round is safe in the K31. Have you tried to chamber a round of the GP90/23 in your K31? The K31 has a very short throat and that long round nose bullet may jam into the rifling.

[Guisan]

GP90/23 is rare ammo, it was made for the older rifles like the long 1889, 1893 cavalry short rifle and 1897 cadet ones and for these it was long ago that ammo was made.
The round nosed 7.5 x 53.5 does not fit into a K31 chamber.

[BruinGuy]

Sounds like you scored, ducky. Sell it on gunbroker for a premium and buy yourself some gp11 online for your k31.

[ducky_0811]

Who would have known? As you all have said a test drop in to the chamber does leave the case hanging out, not going to try chambering it with the bolt.

A friend of mine suggested I just run it through a seating die to reseat the bullets to a safe length and fire it like that, any thoughts on that?

[Latigo]

Did you not read this one?


*I forgot to identify myself. I'm not Latigo. I'm his father*

GP90/23 is rare ammo, it was made for the older rifles like the long 1889, 1893 cavalry short rifle and 1897 cadet ones and for these it was long ago that ammo was made.
The round nosed 7.5 x 53.5 does not fit into a K31 chamber.
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Email: guisan-info@bluewin.ch

[Mustang]

Who would have known? As you all have said a test drop in to the chamber does leave the case hanging out, not going to try chambering it with the bolt.

A friend of mine suggested I just run it through a seating die to reseat the bullets to a safe length and fire it like that, any thoughts on that?

Why ruin vintage ammo to fire it in a rifle that it was not meant for?

GP11 is available for 55c to 60c per round and will undoubtedly give better results in your K31 than mashed in GP90.

How many rounds of the GP90 did you end up with?

[ducky_0811]

31 rds of the 90/23, I already got a guy who wants them, at least they'll be of use to someone! Thanks again for the help, and the history lesson!