7,5x55 Swiss

In 1889, Switzerland adopted the 7.5x55 for the new Schmidt-Rubin straightpull bolt-action rifle. Whereas early versions of this unusual rifle design included a number of undesirable features that significantly limited strength and safety of the action against gas leaks, which limited safe working pressure, the improved version of 1911 could utilize the full potential of the 7.5x55 case, when loaded to a reasonably high pressure of 45,500 psi (3138 bars). Such loads allow this chambering to essentially match 308 Winchester ballistics. Therefore, this cartridge is suited to the same hunting applications as is that, more modern, cartridge. Despite its name, this cartridge uses standard 0.308-inch bullets. The original loading used a bullet that was indeed near 7.5mm in diameter (0.299-inch) but was paper-patched, to work in a standard 30-caliber bore. To add further to confusion, the common designation for a 30-caliber bullet is 7.62mm, which is not equal to 0.308 inch. Both 30-caliber and 7.62mm indicate bore diameter, which is about 0.300" for most standard 30-caliber or 7.62 chamberings. In such barrels, groove diameter and, therefore, necessary bullet diameter is 0.308 inch (7.82mm). The Swiss 300 meter shooters used this cartridge for many years and were hard to beat. Loads with their own 200 gr FMJ bullets produced velocities around 2700 fps. Of course pressure was quite high but rifles were best possible like Tanner and Grünig & Elmiger. Neither the Schmidt-Rubin rifle nor the 7.5x55 chambering ever became popular outside Switzerland. However, a significant number of surplus rifles have been exported to the US. Since Norma offers both ammunition and cases for the 7.5x55, new owners of those rifles can easily enjoy shooting their
"new" gun.