Any info on the Swiss K31 rifle?

[50caliber123]

I know about the rifle's history and specifications. I am on the fence: Dunham's in MI has them for $99.99 and I'm not sure. I want a long-range accurate rifle. Anyone have any experience with this rifle?

[TexasRifleman]

AIM has some as well for the same price. I have been thinking about ordering one.

I have a friend here in DFW that has one, maybe he will post in this thread with his experiences. I shot it once a couple of months ago, pretty neat.

Accuracy wise, they certainly have a reputation for being impressive.
I suspect like most of these surplus things it will be luck of the draw.

I know the ammo is a bit pricey, .35 - .40 cents a round for Swiss surplus.

[ReadyontheRight]

It's a great rifle - especially for the money. There were only 500,000 made, so the surplus deals will run out at some point.

The Swiss military ammo is spendy, and you cannot reload it. But it's also extremely accurate.

You can find softpoint hunting ammo, but it's even more expensive. Best bet is to track down some reloadable brass and reload your own.

[TexasRifleman]

AIM wants $10 for "walnut stock". What is the standard stock made of?

Is the Walnut worth getting?

[zerosignal]

The stocks were all originally in walnut, but later changed to beech. The handpick option only guarantees that you will get walnut, though there is still a chance to get it if you dont pay the handpick fee.

[rust collector]

Most since then were stocked with beech, although there are exceptions. Most walnut I have seen was light and pretty plain, but some shows fancy tiger striping when spiffed up a bit. Workmanship is uniformly excellent (no last ditch or slave labor crudity). Most recent imports have an ugly importer's stamp and ATF mandated 2d serial number on the receiver. They are nonetheless great shooters and great fun.

Wolf is now marketing 7.5x55, and Grafs sells loaded ammo under the Hornady name, as well as brass believed to be Prvi Partisan. There is lots of GP-11 out there, which is wonderfully accurate but Berdan primed and therefore a hassle to reload. 284 Winchester mag brass can also be reformed and works well.

Especially if you can look a few over before buying, they are a great deal at $100. Go for matching numbers, good metal, and note that most stocks will show battle scars which you can repair or live with.

[Ohen Cepel]

It's a great gun for the money!

Mine shoots like a dream. Fast and very natural in it's handling.

For the price it's a steal! Buy more than one, they grow on you!

[jfruser]

My K31 is the most accurate rifle I own. I do not own any benchrest, varmint, or other dedicated target rifles, though. It beats the pants off my stock Remmy 700ADL & Remmy 7400.

I manage 2MOA with the issue open sights @ 100 yards, 3 rounds, issue GP11. With little effort. Oh, I have done better, but I can't do it reliably. If I sprung for a scope & mount I might, though. FWIW, I am an average rifle shot. I used to think I was a plain lousy shot, but the acquisition of my K31 put the lie to my lousiness. I have risen to the level of mediocrity. Nowadays, I even hope to be "pretty good," some day in the not too distant future. ;)

For $100, I would buy one & some ammo, too. If you are one of the two people on the face of the earth who doesn't like it, you can unload it for more than you paid.

The surplus GP11 is worth it. It is quality ammo, not cheap corrosive fodder. Think of it as reasonably priced Federal Gold Match.

I just picked up some RCBS dies & plan on reloading after Christmas.

www.swissrifles.com is a wonderful resource.

Good luck on your decision.

[san408]

I just posted a picture of my Walnut that was purchased from AIM in another thread. I just sanded on it a little and then tung oiled it.

The handpick from AIM doesn't just guarantee you a walnut. It's 10 more for walnut. I haven't ever heard of anyone getting a K31 that wasn't an excellent shooter. the wood will have ups and downs, but that is to be expected from a service rifle from a climate like this one's.

One thing noone else has mentioned is the sweet trigger. Mine is very nice. Not quite as nice as the one on my M1A, but still pretty sweet.

I wouldn't wait too long. Places run out of these periodically, and it's just a matter of time before they're gone for good. I have heard rumors that the last of them have already been imported.

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/15079/k316_edited_890_x_310.jpg

[chrisTx]

get it. if anything, it's cool as hell shooting a straight pull bolt rifle. i got mine for $80 and it's in good shape.

[san408]

They're just too cheap to not have one. ;)

[Cosmoline]

Stock quality is widley variable. Some were pretty beat up. But accuracy is *NOT* luck of the draw with K-31's. They have been in my experience the most consistently accurate rifles NEW OR USED I've ever seen. You'd have to pay over a grand to get the same level of consistent accuracy. $99 is almost a theft.

[50caliber123]

I'm sold! Thankyou, guys. I will be putting one in layaway later today. As for fit and finish, they know me on a first-name basis at Dunham's so they always let me pick out which one I want and give a good look-over of any gun I buy. Does anyone know anyone makes softpoints or hollowpoints? I would like to use it for deer season 06'. I know that Norma makes some softpoints, butat around $50.00 a box, I'll pass... How good is it as a deer rifle?

[dolanp]

Here's some Hornady BTSP ammo:
http://www.grafs.com/ammo/product/6062

[longhorngunman]

I've heard that Wolf is supposed to be coming out with a brass cased SP load in Febuary, right now the Hornady deal is the best thing going for swiss hunting loads unless you reload.

[dolanp]

I've heard that Wolf is supposed to be coming out with a brass cased SP load in Febuary, right now the Hornady deal is the best thing going for swiss hunting loads unless you reload.
The Wolf stuff is out, but it turned out to be more expensive than the GP11.

[fredcwdoc]

I walked into a "Big 5" sporting goods store today looking for Christmas ideas and walked out with my 3rd K-31 for $99. I can't do much better than that with my C&R and I was able to pick through the boxes and get the one I wanted. Walnut stock, sling, and great metal and finish. $99! Best value out there.

[yonderway]

I own two of these and they are phenomenal. I think with an upgrade to diopter sights or a scope, it would be the bees knees for long disance accuracy. The trigger is perfect. I wouldn't touch anything else. Just the sights.

The K31 is the best deal in milsurp going today.

[Freelance Tax Collector]

Any of you know of any scope mounts that are not offset to the side or are not scout mounts?

[rust collector]

The K31 ejects the case straight upwards, so a centered scope would get pounded and probably drop the hull back into the action.

The St Marie clamp mount is a high quality piece that many are using, and it doesn't permanently modify the rifle. I suspect you would get used to an offset mount in short order, although it is initially a bit off-putting.

[Freelance Tax Collector]

wait a minute though, the ZFk-55 sniper version of the K31 (might be wrong about that designation) has a mount that mounts on the center of the reciever. Is it possible to get a reproduction of that?

Has anyone seen the K31 bullpup rifle used by swiss police either?

[Fingolfin]

The unique action and quality make the K31 a great buy for shooter or collector. Only downside i've found is ammo price(although all of it is quality, non-corrosive ammo), and few scope mounting options.

I would LOVE tricked out in .308

[DMK]

wait a minute though, the ZFk-55 sniper version of the K31 (might be wrong about that designation) has a mount that mounts on the center of the reciever. Is it possible to get a reproduction of that? The ZFk-55 is not a sniper K31. It's a complete redesign and a new rifle. On it, the action is mounted at an angle so it can eject to the side.

[dolanp]

The ZFk-55 is not a sniper K31. It's a complete redesign and a new rifle. On it, the action is mounted at an angle so it can eject to the side.

Yup, see here: http://www.swissrifles.com/sr/sniper/

The St. Marie's clamp-on really is about the best solution for this rifle. I have one and it's solid.

[50caliber123]

Do they make synthetic stocks like Advance Technology's stocks for mauser, enfields, mosins, etc. or are there replacement stocks of the same type out there?

[jayhway]

Do they make synthetic stocks like Advance Technology's stocks for mauser, enfields, mosins, etc. or are there replacement stocks of the same type out there?


Boyd's makes a stock, but IIRC they're "sporter stocks"

Most chewed up K-31 stocks can be saved with a little sanding, a steamer and a good finish. Or you can just shoot the rifle as is and keep the historic value. If you want a replacement stock, I believe Tennessee guns has some for sale.

If anything, don't put a K-31 in a synthetic stock. That'd be a real shame

[Freelance Tax Collector]

http://www.snipercountry.com/photogallery/K31_Sniper.jpg

This is what I was talking about.

Now I don't think that looks too bad with the synthetic stock and all, but I'd imagine that it would be too expensive for most collectors.

Picture copied from snipercountry.com

[dolanp]

I'd consider a synthetic if somebody made one. Keep the original in storage in its original condition and use the synthetic for range and maybe hunting. However Boyd's is the closest thing and it's all wood.

[KadicDeshi]

I would love to have a synthetic stock similar to the Choate "Ultimate Sniper" stock (hate that name) for the K31. Although, a synthetic monte carlo would be just fine as well.

Oh, well. Guess I'll keep thinking on the microfit old classic.

Barrett

[DMK]

http://www.snipercountry.com/photogallery/K31_Sniper.jpg

This is what I was talking about.

Now I don't think that looks too bad with the synthetic stock and all, but I'd imagine that it would be too expensive for most collectors.

Picture copied from snipercountry.comWell now that's certainly something you don't see every day. Very interesting. Was that an official prototype or something? Or was is a Swiss bubba job?

The trigger mechanism looks horrible.

[jrfoxx]

Since no one has mentioned them, I know that Southern Ohio Guns is selling them for $89.95 (shipping for me was $11, thus $102.75 total). You wont see them listed on the website, they are listed in thier flyer/ad paper only. I ordered mine today finally. :) They sell surplus ammo for them for $24/60 rds or $184/480 rds.

[MechAg94]

I think AIM Surplus has the ammo for slightly cheaper by the sleeve. Not sure if shipping is different.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/copy_of_7_5swiss.html

$21 per sleeve and $156 per 480 rounds.

[Freelance Tax Collector]

Well now that's certainly something you don't see every day. Very interesting. Was that an official prototype or something?
.

Again, this is from snipercountry.com, but I think swiss police use those rifles in that configuration.

Or was is a Swiss bubba job? ...That trigger mechanism looks horrible

C'mon man, it's swiss engineering, do you think the Swiss would ever do a "bubba job" or have a bad trigger? That would be very damaging to their reputation to say the least.