Upgrading a legend

The GP11 (1911 rifle cartridge) with its outstanding precision is not just a favourite with generations of Swiss soldiers. Emil Grüninger won a gold medal with the legendary cartridge at the 1948 London Olympics, and tens of thousands of Swiss marksmen swear by it to this day. Although the military replaced the GP11 with the GP90 in 1990, when the standard-issue rifle calibre changed, annual demand remains high even as supplies on hand are gradually running out.

RUAG Ammotec has seen the needs of Swiss sporting and leisure marksmen. But it is not merely resuming production. In a project launched in 2014, the cartridge is being upgraded with the latest technology. The powder now meets the requirements of REACH, the European chemical regulation. Ignition channels, for example, are now punched and not bored. The round is now slightly shorter and its tail has been slightly modified. Despite these changes, marksmen will be unable to tell it from the original. The new version of the GP11 clearly shows the precision with which RUAG Ammotec transforms requirements into products.