Swiss k31?

[Sam1911]

The K31 IS my first mil-surp, and I've never regretted buying mine for 220 bucks in 2007.

You shouldn't! That's a fine price!

Of course, back in 2005 mine cost me $125, which is an even better deal!

But, like most mil-surps, by the time everyone realized what a great deal they were, the price was up and the supply was down. Eventually, we'll all be saying this about Mosins. Probably.


And ammo has always been expensive. Fortunately reloadable brass is common enough now.

-Sam (Who bought a Russian SKS for $212 in about 1992, so knows a bit about paying over the market value for something -- and waiting for the market to catch up and put a smile on your face! )

 

[jd46561]

When I bought my first K31 in 1998, it cost me 300.00. Thats before the big import hit our stores. Now there going back up towards that. Glad I bought more when I did.

 

[jkingrph]

Picked up my first at a gun show for an overprice 139 at the time, late 2003. It turned out to have a fantastic flame walnut stock. It got me so interested that I quickly got my C&R and promptly ordered another 5 ( two stacks of 3) for 70-80 ea. Then got with a group buy on the Swiss RIfles forum and imported a beautiful 1911. I did manage to buy 4 cases of GP 11 and a bunch of boxer primed brass from Graf's so I am in good shape for quite a while.

 

[leadcounsel]

And let's not forget one of their best assets, which was leaps ahead of most of the other bolt-action competition. In addition to their fast cycling straight bolt action (one of the few of the era, shared only by the Austrians I believe, in a much worst rifle), they had a detachable box magazine capable of holding more rounds than most rifles of the era. The combination of the higher capacity, faster reloadable box magazine and the straight bolt would make this a fast shooting rifle with a high cyclic rate.

 

[WNTFW]

A friend of mine shot 445 out of 500 this morning with one.
He is a Distinguished Rifleman and Presidents 100 so take that into account.
It was a 200yd reduced match. 6 X's

http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22915

 

[PT1911]

Damn..... that is impressive....

 

[WNTFW]

I did see a guy with a left handed model at a vintage rifle match.

 

[WNTFW]

I just shoot some local matches here & there. I have met some very impressive shooters at every one of them. Pistol & rifle matches alike.

 

[jpwilly]

My K31 with no gunsmith scope mount and Cabelas Alaskan Guide 3-9x32mm Scope. I have 200rnds of reloadable PRVI for it to eat and have already purchase the RCBS dies. Great thing is these things shoot .308" pills!

 

[PT1911]

nice gun you have there... though I dont know about the scope... perhaps a peroid correct scope would comnpliment the gun well... what sort of groups are these guns capable of with a capable shooter?
Irons?
Scoped?

 

[jpwilly]

I've considered a classic fixed power Weaver scope...

Here's a great article on a scoped K31 much like my setup. http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews2006/stmariescopebaseswiss/index.asp

 

[TimboKhan]

but it is not quick and simple to engage/disengage.

Maybe not all that quick, but it is simple.

Actually, the ring safety was one of the things that got me interested in this rifle back when my milsurp interest began to blossom. Frankly, it just looked cool. Plus, it is real, real easy to tell when you are on safe or not.

I don't remember exactly and am too lazy to google it now, but keep in mind that the K31 was in service for something like 25 years, until like 1958 or 1959. This, obviously, was at a point where most developed countries had already switched to semi-automatics. I mean, by that point, even the Soviets had gone to semi's! For the Swiss, at least, it was the pinnacle of bolt-action battle rifles, much like the Springfield was the pinnacle for us. What I mean by that is that had the bolt-action continued to be used as a battle rifle, outside of some specific refinements, I don't believe that either we or the Swiss would have changed our rifles dramatically, which I do not believe can be said about the Russians. I love Mosins with a passion, but you can't really classify them as the pinnacle of anything....

 

[krs]

Not having been engaged in a war since 1815 does take some of the urgency away from a country's armament development...

 

[ainokea]

Can't say enough good things about the k31. Check out www.swissrifles.com pretty much the most comprehensive website for the rifle.

Yup the swiss flu is pretty bad


GP11 ammo is the best for it in my opinion. Cheap and accurate. You can get them from AIMsurplus or Graf&sons.

1,000 yards with open sights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ-Lcvyrifw

Overview of the K31 Series of Rifles- Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejbsobeZrCc

Overview of the K31 series of Rifles- Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQZZDIxO-D0

 

[Coronach]

The K31 is a great rifle. I have two, and they're quite accurate.

Mike

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Never will I regret paying 220. It was the first hi-power rifle I've ever owned, and probably the rifle I'm most attached to, lol. She shoots like a beaut. I've had a range session where I shot SUB-MOA groups with GP-11!!!! That surprised me. I haven't managed to do that since. But I know for a fact my Swiss Miss can shoot better than I can. If I can find that target I'll scan it and post it up, it's probably in one of the boxes in storage. I've moved twice since then.

 

[PT1911]

well... guess I've got to come up with the necessary funds.... GEEZ guys.... and here I was thinking you would talk me out of this little beaut.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

no no no no no there's no way we'll talk you out of buying a K31! lol

 

[B BRI]

I have a Swiss diopter target sight for mine that brings out the sniper in me. This thing isn't the prettiest K31, but it will shoot lights out. Makes me look like a hell of a marksman, until I let whomever I'm with take a turn. Shoots 1/2 MOA with GP11 surplus ammo. Build like a Rolex. You'll love it.

 

[jpwilly]

This thread made me go grab the ol K31 from the safe and do some "accuracy mods". Namely I put spacers (small #5 washers) in between the barrel bands so that they don't clamp down on the wood giving the bbl more wiggle room. I tightened the front reciever screw down all the way but backed out the tang screw 1/2 turn so that I can "tune" it next trip to the range.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Sounds like something I should do with mine, jpwilly. I wanna see how much more accurate it can get.