K31 First Range Trip and Sights Question

[enichols]

Hello all,
So I finally got a chance to take my new Schmidt Rubin K31 to the range this morning - it's awesome! The rifle is definitely everything it's cracked up to be. It's really accurate, and the straight pull bolt is the smoothest, fastest action I've ever handled.
I had a question pertaining to the sights, though. I've never been really big on notch/post style sights like those on the K31, Mauser, Mosin, etc. I never feel like I can actually see the front sight very well. For me, peep sights are like God's gift to iron sights. Now, I am planning on eventually getting a Mojo rear sight when cash permits, but that might be awhile. In the meantime, is there anything I can do to make it easier to use those sights? I was thinking that I could paint the front sight to make it more visible... if this is a viable solution, what should I use to paint the it (nail polish, model paint, etc)?
Thanks,
Nic

 

[El Rojo]

I tried a Mojo on my Swede and did not like it at all. Having that peep sight way up front made it extremely hard to see through. I hope the K-31 will work better for you than the one on my M-96. I like the K-31 sights.

 

[Bigdog]

I've found oil-based model paint (Testors especially) is about the best. I use the gloss white and sometimes red. I generally do this with handgun sights, but it works well with SKS and AK sights too. With the very long sight radius of a full-sized rifle, you may not even see the color though.
Aren't those K31 triggers nice? True Swiss precision!
I just wish they'd put more development into a nice peep sight.
If you check around the forum sites, you can find mention of an after-market sight that mounts on the receiver. I think Brownells carried them at one time, maybe still do. Maybe check on "SwissRifles".
I've also seen some prototype scope mounts, one clamped on and the other required D&T. These rifles could really be great shooters with a good scope.

 

[enichols]

El Rojo-
I'm sorry that the Mojo didn't work out for you. I think I'll probably eventually try one, though, just to see if that improves things for me.

Bigdog-
Thanks for the testors model paint suggestion... I think that gloss white would probably be visible even way up front there. Yeah, the trigger is SWEET!!!! Not many civilian rifles I've come across have triggers that awesome, much less military surplus guns. I've seen the receiver diopter sight you're talking about. I'd love to have one, only they cost around $300

 

[SIGarmed]

I've never fired a K31 let alone seen the front sight. Would a can of spray on sight black help a little? I use it on the front sight of my M1A. It will help you see the outline of the front sight better in sunlight because it gets rid of glare by turning the sight pitch black. It also helps your shots be more precise. You can wipe it off when you clean your rifle too.

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Welllll......try this out. I took a washer and a file, mosified the washer slightly, and epoxied it onto the rear sight. This gave me the peep that I wanted and is reversible if I want to restore the rifle to original condition. You'll have to experiment a bit...I used a very thick washer and painted it black before I glued it on.
May not be quite the quality of a MOJO, but it sure works.

 

[LynnMassGuy]

I LOVE Mojo snap sights. I love em' I love em' I LOVE em'!

 

[Beren]

Similar experience here. I picked up a K31 on Thursday and made my first range trip Saturday. Love it! My first time firing at 50 yards, it was kissing holes. Not all the time, but I think that was my fault. We'll see how it performs after a few more sessions, and I'll move my target out to 100 yards soon. Recoil was not as harsh as I thought it would be. More of a push.

 

[spartacus2002]

Odd... my K31 has hellacious jump-and-bang recoil. After 10 shots, I was thinking to myself "time to get a slip on recoil pad and a cheekpiece."

 

[Darkside852003]

I just took my K31 to the range last weekend very accurate out to 150 - 200 yards. Trigger pull is great for a milsurp, and the straight pull is smooth. Recoil was hardly noticeable, I fired a total of 60 rounds. But I compare the recoil to my Steyr SBS Tactical. I plan on buying another K31 when I have the money.

Jeff

 

[enichols]

spartacus2002 -
Are you shooting GP11? What position are you shooting from? Because I didn't notice the recoil very much at all... it's pretty much on par with .30-06 out of a milsurp bolt gun IMO.

 

[spartacus2002]

Shooting GP11 from the prone. I was also shooting a Finnish M39 in 7.62x54R that day, which had a lot of bang and recoil (totally manageable, however), and compared to it the K31 was a significant step upward in recoil.

I think that I noticed it more because the stock is so short compared to the length of pull I'm used to.

Slapped my cheek pretty good; not painful, but I could tell it would have been after 30 more rounds.

Don't get me wrong, it's not totally painful or anything, just not something I would call easy/fun to shoot (and I shoot a couple of thousand rounds of 7.62 a year).

 

[gunnerman]

k-31

i kicks like a mule....even after about 60rds with a recoil pad i was getting soar. I was using gp-11

 

[english kanigit]

I looked back in an email from my 'swiss supply man' and...

W+F dioptersets do $ 415 shipped

.
Kinda rich for my blood.
Guisan's Minishops
Very nice, up front guy. I've ordered a k31 bayo, chargers, red charger w/ dummies, cleaning kit, brass muzzle cover, etc... Been very pleased with everything I've recieved, its all been in really good shape. Highly recommended.