Waffenfabrik Bern produced the Swiss K11 from 1914 to 1933. This straight-pull bolt-action carbine chambers the 7.5×55mm Swiss cartridge and carries six rounds in a detachable magazine.
Its compact profile, wooden stock, and unusual bolt mechanism distinguish it from many European military rifles of the early twentieth century.
Purpose and Development
Switzerland developed the K11 for cavalry, artillery crews, and other military personnel who needed a shorter, more manageable rifle.
Its compact dimensions made handling easier around horses, field equipment, and confined spaces while retaining the standard 7.5×55mm Swiss cartridge.
The carbine drew on decades of Schmidt-Rubin engineering. Swiss designers refined the straight-pull action, strengthened its components, and adapted the mechanism to accommodate the GP11 service cartridge. These improvements gave the K11 a proven mechanical foundation suited to its military role.
Straight-Pull Bolt Action
The K11’s defining feature is the way its bolt operates.
On a conventional turn-bolt rifle, the shooter lifts the handle before pulling it back, then pushes it forward and turns it down to lock.
The K11 requires only a straight pull to the rear and a forward push.
As the handle moves, internal cam surfaces rotate the locking sleeve. A rearward stroke unlocks the action, extracts the spent cartridge case, and ejects it. Moving the handle forward chambers the next round and locks the action.
The mechanism changes the shooter’s hand movement while retaining the basic operation of a bolt-action rifle.
Chambering and Magazine Configuration
Swiss military authorities introduced the 7.5×55mm GP11 cartridge in 1911.
The new round brought improved ballistic performance and required a strengthened service-rifle action. The K11 entered production with the GP11 cartridge as its standard chambering.
A detachable six-round box magazine feeds the action. Adjustable iron sights provide the aiming system, while metal barrel bands secure the wooden fore-end. The stock’s contoured grip and the carbine’s shorter dimensions distinguish it from the full-length infantry rifle.
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Sharing the GP11 cartridge with other service rifles also allowed Swiss military units to draw ammunition from the same supply.
Original Military Surplus: Features and Markings
Surviving K11 carbines retain the features of their original military configuration, including wooden stocks, steel fittings, straight-pull bolt mechanisms, and Swiss service markings.
Manufacturer stamps and serial numbers help identify production periods, while sight assemblies and stock hardware reveal additional details of the carbine’s construction.
The K11’s Place in History
The K11 served during a period when Switzerland was refining one of Europe’s most distinctive military rifle systems.
It’s production run bridged the gap between the earlier Schmidt-Rubin designs and the later K31, which would become the best-known Swiss straight-pull service rifle.
The carbine occupies an important place in the evolution of Swiss service-rifle design and remains a notable example of early twentieth-century military engineering.
For collectors and historians, it offers a direct link to a defining period in Swiss firearms. If you have any questions about the K11, K-Var’s team can provide additional information and assistance.
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