Swiss 1896/11

[DoggyDaddy]

Came across a good sale on these at Edelweiss Arms last week. Someone in the C&R Facebook I belong to posted about it and it was just too good to pass up. This one was rated 3/5 for the stock condition and 5/5 on the bore. The stock is in better condition than I had expected. Already had a K31, but had kind of been wanting one of these older war horses. If it's as accurate as my K31, it'll be a lot of fun to shoot. Not something I'd want to lug through the woods though, that's for sure. It's a big, heavy rifle.

• Barrel Length – 78 cm (30.7 in): 4-groove, RH, concentric rifling, 1 in 10.63" (approx 6,000 96/11s had a twist rate of 1 in 9")
• Overall Length – 130 cm (51.2 in)
• Weight – 4.51 kg (9.94 lbs) empty
• Action – Schmidt-Rubin Straight Pull
• Caliber – 7.5x55mm Swiss (GP 11)'
• Capacity – 6 round detachable box magazine
• Sights – Tangent-leaf sight graduated to 2,000 m

 

[mcapo]

That looks awesome! Nothing like a classic Swiss bolt action.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That looks awesome! Nothing like a classic Swiss bolt action.

The bolt isn't quite as refined as the K31, but still, these Swiss bolts are just fine pieces of machinery. Just like their watches!

 

[mcapo]

The bolt isn't quite as refined as the K31, but still, these Swiss bolts are just fine pieces of machinery. Just like their watches!

It is just amazing what they did back then with the equipment they had.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The only other straight pull action that I think might be a little nicer is the one on the Ross rifles, but it's a close call, and the Ross bolts had their own issues, but they are smooth. I still think the Swiss is a superior piece of engineering. But yes I agree, still amazing what they accomplished back then.

 

[johntheplinker]

Nice! Those early smokeless powder military arms do have a certain appeal to them! Any idea on when it was originally made? Also, what was done to make these safe to use with the GP11 ammo?

 

[jcj54]

Johntheplinker, the 1896 was a redesign of the 1889 which moved the locking lugs to the center of the bolt. When the G11 ammunition came about, the 1896 rifles were rebarreled to the same barrel specs as the 1911.
DoggyDaddy
You will enjoy this one. One caveat, the lowest sight setting is 300 meters. A taller front sight will let you shoot center at 100 yards. My son put one on his and its tight groups are centered nicely.
These are available from https://www.swissproductsusa.com/product-page/g11-replacement-tall-100-yd-sight-blade.
Hope you enjoy your 96/11!

 

[indy1919a4]

The only other straight pull action that I think might be a little nicer is the one on the Ross rifle

Oh yeah nice rifle...

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Johntheplinker, the 1896 was a redesign of the 1889 which moved the locking lugs to the center of the bolt. When the G11 ammunition came about, the 1896 rifles were rebarreled to the same barrel specs as the 1911.
DoggyDaddy
You will enjoy this one. One caveat, the lowest sight setting is 300 meters. A taller front sight will let you shoot center at 100 yards. My son put one on his and its tight groups are centered nicely.
These are available from https://www.swissproductsusa.com/product-page/g11-replacement-tall-100-yd-sight-blade.
Hope you enjoy your 96/11!

Thanks for the tip! I've bookmarked that sight. May give it a try after I see how she shoots. I'm used to the old milsurp sights and holding under but a 100 yard zero would be nice.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Nice! Those early smokeless powder military arms do have a certain appeal to them! Any idea on when it was originally made? Also, what was done to make these safe to use with the GP11 ammo?

Thanks John! I haven't done any research to see when it was originally made. I don't know if they were re-serialized after the conversion or not, but I suspect they were since this one is all matching numbers.

 

[jcj54]

Here is a link to a site giving mfg dates.

Manufacture Dates of Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Rifles

Manufactured as 1896 rifles, the 96/11 rifles were rebarreled and stocks modified after 1911. The new barrels were marked with the existing serial. My son's 96/11 was originally built in 1900 so it is 119 years old and shoots great.

 

[Expat]

Congrats. I know nothing about them, but looks great.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Here is a link to a site giving mfg dates.

Manufacture Dates of Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Rifles

Manufactured as 1896 rifles, the 96/11 rifles were rebarreled and stocks modified after 1911. The new barrels were marked with the existing serial. My son's 96/11 was originally built in 1900 so it is 119 years old and shoots great.

Thanks for the link! Looks like mine was made in 1908. 111 years old.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Congrats. I know nothing about them, but looks great.

Thanks Expat! The Swiss guns are known for their accuracy, and usually they're in pretty good shape (since Switzerland was a neutral country, they didn't see much in the way of battle).

 

[Miller Tyme]

Nice rifle DD, Love my Swiss, and GP11 ammo is the best. I know gents that shoot competitively that don't even bother to reload 7.5 swiss since it's impossible to come up with a better load.

Bad news is GP11 just went up again to around $500/ 480 battle pack.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Nice rifle DD, Love my Swiss, and GP11 ammo is the best. I know gents that shoot competitively that don't even bother to reload 7.5 swiss since it's impossible to come up with a better load.

Bad news is GP11 just went up again to around $500/ 480 battle pack.

Wow! I think I paid around $260 the last time I bought any GP11. Fortunately I still have a couple of cases, and you're right, it's match quality ammo. At least PPU is selling it now, and it is reloadable so if I run out of the good stuff that's what I'll have to go with.

 

[SSE]

It has been a quite a few years ago that I got mine at Walmart or K-mart for $99 with orig cleaning kit and 20 rds of reloadable ammo. I still have it.

 

[russc2542]

Wow! I think I paid around $260 the last time I bought any GP11. Fortunately I still have a couple of cases, and you're right, it's match quality ammo. At least PPU is selling it now, and it is reloadable so if I run out of the good stuff that's what I'll have to go with.

I'm far from an expert marksman but even I can tell a difference between PPU and GP11. Not that the PPU stuff is bad, the GP11 is just that good to start with lol.

The GP11 is definitely sharper/harder recoil than PPU.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I'm far from an expert marksman but even I can tell a difference between PPU and GP11. Not that the PPU stuff is bad, the GP11 is just that good to start with lol.

The GP11 is definitely sharper/harder recoil than PPU.

I haven't shot anything but GP11 out of my rifles, but my thinking was that the PPU would be good enough for plinking, with the added bonus that it could be easily reloaded to get it back closer to (or better than) GP11 specs. Kills me to throw away the GP11 brass because it's so nice! Dang Berdan primers...

 

[Miller Tyme]

I haven't shot anything but GP11 out of my rifles, but my thinking was that the PPU would be good enough for plinking, with the added bonus that it could be easily reloaded to get it back closer to (or better than) GP11 specs. Kills me to throw away the GP11 brass because it's so nice! Dang Berdan primers...

I have run PPU also DD and it is nice ammo, accurate, reloadable, and a bit cheaper than GP11. That said I still shoot GP11 at the Vintage Sniper Rifle shoots I go to.