OT:Who's got a Swiss K-31?

S

stevomiller

Joined
May 4, 2001
Messages
1,553
Just picked one up at Big 5 for $89 on sale. Got it home and scrubbed the dickens out of it, including the stock. I would say now that it's condition is very good, with an excellent bore. I think that I will steam out the dents in the stock and finish it with tung oil. The machine work on these things is impressive, and I have never felt a military trigger this nice. After the second stage there is NO creep, just a 3lb break. Sights are much better than what came on the Mausers and include a 100 meter zero. I will give a range report later :)

stevo
 
somebody...

was it GraverTom?

Someone...

Tulsamal posted this:

02-14-2003, 02:06 PM
tulsamal
Basic Member Join Date: May 1999
Location: Vinita, OK
Posts: 363

Well if we are going to talk about Curio and Relic rifles, that's a whole 'nuther ball game!

Looking at what is available from Aim right now: http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/index.html I see several nice things. The absolute best value in surplus rifles right now is the Swiss K-31. And AIM is selling them for $89 including shipping. You buy some Lee 7.5 Swiss dies, some brass, standard large rifle primers, and standard .308" bullets. It is an easy caliber to reload and you have access to a vast number of different bullets to try in it. (That's the same diameter as a .308 or 30/06.) Powerwise, it is in between those two American calibers. And either one of my K-31's will outshoot any other surplus rifle I own including a 1903 and a beautiful M-1 Garand. Great deer rifle and an amazing example of Swiss metalurgy and craftsmanship. Here's a review of one: http://www.cruffler.com/Features/NO...ovember-01.html

I like all the Russian rifles as well and 7.62x54R is certainly inexpensive. I shoot a 91/30, a Finnish Model 39, and a couple different M44's as well. They are the most _blast_ for the buck! The M44's are the cheapest but the M39's are the best shooters. http://www.gunsnammo.com/index_files/m39.htm

Allan is starting to be a full time dealer now and he is a great guy to work with. http://www.allans-armory.com/

The usual place to buy great guns is Empire Arms but they have closed for a little while and taken their web sit down. http://www.empirearms.com/

I've never tried to reload 8mm. Surplus ammo is so cheap that I use it. If I was going to hunt with it, I would have to give it a try.

I love C&R stuff so fire away with any questions!


but I'd swear Tom had something to say about them, as well.

Good luck.
 
I almost got one once. But then, I've almost got 'one' many times of many different firearms.

The worksmanship is said to be superb- the way firearms used to be manufactured.


munk
 
Ta--daaaaaaaaaa!!!!


" 01-19-2005, 07:32 PM
gravertom
Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: NY USA
Posts: 334

Kis,

Have shot but never owned the SKS. You will be happy with it.

A person of your quality however also deserves a K31, since they are also cheap right now, although the ammo is not.

Very accurate, great swiss craftsmanship.

Another addiction, if you had the disposable income.

Alas, if you do not!

I don't even have a K31 right now, as I am addicted to the more expensive and earlier 1889, 96/11, and 1911 Swiss rifles right now.

Truly, you all don't know what you are missing, but they take a back seat to the SKS on the cheap ammo question.

Take care,

Tom

"enjoy every rifle""
 
The ammo isn't dirt cheap, but it isn't that bad. Mail order is about $4 for ten rounds,(swiss surplus, non corrosive) goes down when bought in bulk. Graf and Sons sells two types of reloadable brass as well. Kis, you are quite the searcher of posts gone by :)
 
The Mighty Goat over on Ramanon.com had a post or 2 about his.

I have been wanting a Mosin M38(mentioned in the post Kismet copied) but haven't seen one that tickled my fancy yet.
 
Green Ice beat me to it. Definitely head over there, You'll want hte Straight pull section of the forums, but all the guys in all sections of SR.com's forums are great guys, who know a TON about those rifles, and the swiss military history in general
 
Above the quality of original manufacture, with any Swiss firearm you also have the added Caveat of their never being used in war. Training wear only.

Only the sale of second-hand nuclear devices guarentee's unused status. I'm waiting for Cheaper-than-Dirt to have a sale....




munk
 
I own two. They're built like the proverbial Swiss watch and have the look of garrison weapons that were well cared for - the finish is almost entirely removed by repeated cleaning and the bores are pristene.

After having spent some years shooting Mosin-Nagants, the cocking ring on the K-31 is a joy to use. The trigger is unusual for someone used to US military triggers but is wonderful in its own right and probably better - a large amount of effortless movement and the proverbial glass rod at the second stage. It beats the stock M16 trigger hands down and compares favorably to a good (but not tuned) M1/M14 trigger...but different.

I'm not a fan of notched sights on rifles. The barrel needs to be excessively long to provide a useful sight radius and they're neither as quick, nor as precise, as a properly designed aperture sight closer to the eye. The sights on the K-31 aren't bad; some of those surplus rifles have sights that're nearly unusable.

I'd picked up a second K-31 as a project rifle for sporterization: a lighter stock, some minor refinements, and a scope. I never got around to it. Someday. A scope would be great for one of these. I have a feeling that I'm not shooting anywhere near what they're capable of. (Damned notched sights.)

Great rifle for the money. If you're going to buy one and you don't reload, start. That surplus ammunition isn't going to last forever.

Be sure to remove the buttplate and check underneath it. Sometimes there's a wonderful surprise waiting there.
 
I was so impressed I bought two at Big 5. Just needed a good cleaning. For $90 you get a great rifle. I'm ordering ammo from MidwayUSA.
 
Well,

I stay away for a while, and look what happens!!

I have lurked over at the swiss rifles site since before coming over here.

I have acquired a K31 since that post Kis copied above.

"Target Switzerland" is a good read about the Swiss during WWII. I also just finished a book about the wartime general of the Swiss Army, Henri Guisan. His great accomplishment? Convincing the Swiss to stay unififed, stay prepared, and present a formidable enough challenge(given the circumstances) to keep themselves from being invaded. A lot to learn there...

A nation of riflemen...

Even though in decline, they still have an every 5 year national shooting match that attracts thousands of marksman from all cantons, and many countries around the world.

A warning!! The Swiss Flu is nearly as bad as HIKV!!

BTW, if you have deep pockets, and get the opportunity, do acquire a STG57 or STG90. I wish I could.

For the ammo conscious, the earlier models (96/11, 1911, 1889) can be found sometimes already sporterised into .308 or in the case of the'89 models, 30-30. The K31 is much tougher to re barrel or re chamber.

BTW, having checked out the survival blog site, the 1889 Swiss rifle (Schmidt Rubin) is an antique, so no paper work. They cannot handle GP11 pressure though, so handloads only, or buy a chopped one and convert to 30-30. Rim size is almost identical.

284 win brass reforms nicely to 7.5 swiss dimension, if you don't mind doing the neck expanding. 7.5 brass is also available, and hornady is making soft point ammo.

A rifle probably in workmanship worth much more than 1,000 if new, for less than $100!!??

There are scope mounts available for the K31, a high quality clamp on for the receiver, as well as scout type mounts replacing the rear sight.

Come on guys! To paraphrase a Swiss soldier talking to the Kaiser before WWI, if the zombies come over that hill, we all shoot twice, and go home! :D

Hope to talk to you all more often soon...

Tom

:)

Tim is OK, but needs to gain more weight. We are trying formula, but he is getting rashes. We will try soy based formula next. Kid number 4 had the same trouble. Timis responding to PT well, and seems to be making normal baby talk, etc.
 
Tom, I am happy to hear that your little one is doing better. Also, I hope that you can find food that is agreeable to his system. I still pray for you folks when you come to mind :)

Like Satori said, there is sometimes a goody under the buttplate. Mine had it ;)

Satori, have you checked out the Mojo aperture sight? I still prefer aperture sights mounted on the reciever or tang of a rifle, but mojos will mount in the existing sight base with no smithing. They offer a couple different aperature diameters. I am considering modifying a receiver sight for another rifle to mount on this guy (or just making a cool sporter out of ANOTHER one. Swiss flu my arse. More like Swiss plague!) What do you think of a mannlicher style stock, 19" barrel, and a reciever sight?
 
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. :) Just kidding.

Don't even have a place to shoot, and ya'll are making me want one! I've got a Cetme .308 that I got at a gun show 3 years ago, that I've never even shot.

But they're so purdy. Especially the old ones.


Steve
 
Thanks for the prayers!

Mannlicher stock and peep sights? very nice!

Williams still makes a reciever sight for the 1911 model rifle. The reciever contour is different than on the K31 though.

Mojos work OK. There has been a lot of discussion about them on swissrifles.com. They don't offer the full advantage of a rear mounted receiver sight, but they seem to me to offer a better sight picture than the issue sights, plus you can zero them to the POA you want.

To bring this together, I have wondered about taking a 15" villager AK, and replacing the handle with the bayonet hardware for a K31...

It could be the ultimate man portable weapon!

Tom

Ps Swiss Plague!? :eek:

:D :D :D :D
 
I just wonder if ammo can be had for the Rolling Block 12.7 X 44? Hell that would be a .500 caliber wouldn't it!!!!???? :eek:

I also wonder how it would compare to the old Sharps Rolling Block.

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