Without fail, everytime I pull back the bolt on one of my K-31s, I marvel at the level of precision machining that went into the rifles. I see K-11s and wonder at the walnut blank that must have hit the lathe to make the stock. I shoot my K-31s at the range and other people gawk at some of the groups I can score with OMG! iron sights.
Everyone I have ever allowed fire one delights at the K-31 trigger, the overall attention to detail of the rifle, and of its GP-11 ammo. The only laughs the rifle ever draws is for its cardboard and aluminum stripper clips, but what can really be said? They're cheap and they work. Some folks do criticize the sights, but I think we have been uniformally spoiled by peeps and fiber optics, scopes and other devices over the years since the K-31 was in service.
These are superbly accurate rifles in either flavor.
They fire match level surplus ammo.
They can be reloaded to about .308 power with just about any .308 bullet as long as the OAL is right.
People sometimes choke when I tell them I have paid as little as $89.00 for one, though they didn't see it before I redid the stocks.
I just get to thinking that if these rifles didn't exist, someone would have to create them and then they wouldn't be coming in at two bills with walnut and decent bluing.
I'd gladly pay an equal amount for a pristine K-31 over any mass produced >$1,000 bolt gun on the market today.
The K-31 can be scoped.
It can be scouterized.
It can mount diopters.
It can be converted to left hand use via one expensive part but with no tools or gunsmithing really required.
The dang things represent, to me, the pinnacle of the "bolt action" design. Yes, it is not a turn bolt. Yes, it is not as legendarily as strong as a Mauser action. Yes, it never saw the sand and mud of combat like almost all of its contemporaries, but I am finding these infernal machines taking over my safe, shouldering aside my Garand, making me skip every Mosin, non-Swede Mauser, and any Enfield at the gun show, and also have my modern Remington and Savage bolt guns growing cobwebs.
Maybe I have Swiss flu big time, but I have had it for over two years now so I think I have found my holy grail, and I can have them delivered, sometimes with serially matching bayonets made by Victorinox, right to my door.
I find myself musing about getting a K-31 from every year of their arsenal delivered manufacture. Only 21 more rifles to go.
Everyone I have ever allowed fire one delights at the K-31 trigger, the overall attention to detail of the rifle, and of its GP-11 ammo. The only laughs the rifle ever draws is for its cardboard and aluminum stripper clips, but what can really be said? They're cheap and they work. Some folks do criticize the sights, but I think we have been uniformally spoiled by peeps and fiber optics, scopes and other devices over the years since the K-31 was in service.
These are superbly accurate rifles in either flavor.
They fire match level surplus ammo.
They can be reloaded to about .308 power with just about any .308 bullet as long as the OAL is right.
People sometimes choke when I tell them I have paid as little as $89.00 for one, though they didn't see it before I redid the stocks.
I just get to thinking that if these rifles didn't exist, someone would have to create them and then they wouldn't be coming in at two bills with walnut and decent bluing.
I'd gladly pay an equal amount for a pristine K-31 over any mass produced >$1,000 bolt gun on the market today.
The K-31 can be scoped.
It can be scouterized.
It can mount diopters.
It can be converted to left hand use via one expensive part but with no tools or gunsmithing really required.
The dang things represent, to me, the pinnacle of the "bolt action" design. Yes, it is not a turn bolt. Yes, it is not as legendarily as strong as a Mauser action. Yes, it never saw the sand and mud of combat like almost all of its contemporaries, but I am finding these infernal machines taking over my safe, shouldering aside my Garand, making me skip every Mosin, non-Swede Mauser, and any Enfield at the gun show, and also have my modern Remington and Savage bolt guns growing cobwebs.
Maybe I have Swiss flu big time, but I have had it for over two years now so I think I have found my holy grail, and I can have them delivered, sometimes with serially matching bayonets made by Victorinox, right to my door.
I find myself musing about getting a K-31 from every year of their arsenal delivered manufacture. Only 21 more rifles to go.
