What is the appeal of the Swiss K31?

[flakbait]

The rifle was never used in any major war or military action that I know. The Swiss have not fought any wars for hundreds of years.

Like a swiss watch it is probably well made and shoots very accurately compared to other rifles of its era. It is difficult to add a scope. The ammo is not cheap or widely available outside of surplus internet vendors. There is not a wide range of hunting ammo available.

Why not get a more inaccurate Mosin, Mauser, Enfield, or Springfield etc with a little more historical favor if one is shopping a C+R eligible rifle?

I don't mean to insult the K31 which is probably a fabulous gun in its own right...but if you just want an inexpensive, accurate centerfire rifle, just get a Savage in 30'06, .308, or .243.

 

[Matt-J2]

I'd guess if you want to shoot irons on an accurate bolt action, it's a good way to go. I know it's not popular anymore, but there's still folks out there like me who don't desire to put a scope on everything. Plus it's got that neat straight-pull.

 

[Bear70]

It's just an extremely accurate rifle. With iron sights I don't think anyone could shoot anything any better.

 

[dmancornell]

Got it because of the unique action.

 

[krinko]

"...a more inaccurate Mosin, Mauser, Enfield, or Springfield...".

Luckily, this isn't a forum geared toward the old military rifles, or you would have lots of people typing at you VERY LOUDLY .

I agree with dman----this is a unique action----and there is something to be said for learning every rifle system you can get your hands on.

Now for a couple of photos. The real K31 freaks ought to get a kick out of the serial number on this one.




Six digits on the barrel.



-----krinko

 

[Ignition Override]

A 'very seasoned' friend told me that his K-31 was more accurate than he could have expected, without really trying on the first shots. More so than with his other guns (K-98, LE #4, SVT etc).

His twenty five types of milsurp rifles all are in very good/excellent condition.
K-31 owners are also impressed by the quality design and fit of the various parts.

 

[benzy2]

Hmm, so an accurate, well built, high quality rifle for under $300 is a rifle without a point? Not every rifle needs a scope. Some rifles can be owned just due to their fine craftsmanship. Even if ammo is expensive, it is a very fine rifle at a very low cost. Add in the funky straight pull bolt and its hard to argue why everyone shouldn't have at least one in their collection. Is it the best hunting rifle made today, nah. Is it the cheapest surplus rifle to shoot, nah. Is it a great rifle for a great price? Absolutely. Look at the rifles bought today. So many are magnum this and ultra that. Is that really needed either? Probably not, but so what? If someone else sees fun in it why is it your place to say it's pointless?

 

[desidog]

The Swiss have not fought any wars for hundreds of years.

Guess why? Cross that border uninvited and you'd get drilled by a K31. Don't think the idea didn't cross Hitler's mind. A trained rifleman in every house; now that's an "insurgency" that would be tough to beat. Iraqis and Afghans are holding their own, and they don't have Swiss training and gear going for them.

Why not get a more inaccurate Mosin, Mauser, Enfield, or Springfield etc with a little more historical favor if one is shopping a C+R eligible rifle?

Why get a Timex for more money than a Rolex? Geez, I dunno...

Why not get them all? That's my goal.

Mosins are crude, K31s are not. You probably won't see a hammer in the range bag of a K31 owner, whereas its a useful tool for a Mosin sticky bolt (on Russians more than Finns IMO). I've got a Mauser Vz24 and an FR-7, I've got an Enfield, and a Springfield is definitely on my list; along with a 1917. However, nice examples of 1903A3s are going for 750-1000 or more, and the two K31's coming to me in the mail right now were 250 each. I like two nice guns for less than the price of the other one.

As to the scope point, i don't need a scope on every gun. Irons don't lose zero like scopes either.

ETA: NICE # krinko/ apparently there's some bad intel on the web. who'da thunk?
From Classic Arms website: "Total Production - 528,230" Do you think the manufacturer skipped a couple hundred #s on the low-end?

 

[madcratebuilder]

It is difficult to add a scope.

Not really, Swiss Products offers a clamp on mount for around $70.

The ammo is not cheap or widely available outside of surplus internet vendors.

GP11 is match grade ammo, it may not be on your store shelf, but is very available and under .50 a round. Reload!

Why not get a more inaccurate Mosin, Mauser, Enfield, or Springfield etc

A Mauser, Enfield, or Springfield would be considerably more money.
Accuracy and quality of the K-31 make it a great buy. You can still find very nice examples for under $250.

The rifle was never used in any major war or military action that I know. The Swiss have not fought any wars for hundreds of years.

Because every Swiss male is a reserve soldier with a rifle under his bed, a very dependable and accurate rifle.

 

[Orlando]

Its more accurate rifle than the ones you listed.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

Krinko I'm not up to speed with the K31's yet. Could you please tell me what the significance of your serial number is?

 

[rduckwor]

Funky. That's all. Straight pull action built like a Swiss bank vault. Funky caliber designation 7.5 X 55. Who were the Swiss trying to fool?

Try getting into that country uninvited. All the tunnels are mined, every man has at least one gun.

These guy recognized the value of the terrain they occupied early on.

RMD

 

[Sam1911]

Amazingly well made rifle (yeah it's a Mercedes Rolex, for sure) that is both accurate and BLAZING fast to run.

I shoot mine a few times a year in our mil-surp side matches and the wonderful stripper clips (who would have thought the best stripper clips ever invented would be made of cardboard?) and crazy cycling speed have earned mine the nick-name "that blankety-blank Swiss bolt-action machine gun" among my fellow competitors.

I've shot true, honest, no bull, 1" groups at 100 yds off the bench with the surplus Swiss ammo and my really bad eyes.

Oh, and I got mine for $125.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

Well that settles that I DEFINITELY have to have one sometime.

Hey Sam how well do the cardboard stripper clips hold up?

 

[ScratchnDent]

Sweetest trigger pull on any military rifle I've ever fired. The K31 makes it difficult to shoot poorly.

 

[MathurinKerbouchard]

Plus, look under the buttplate of a k31 and it usually has a tag with the name and unit of the original person to whom it was issued.

 

[nwilliams]

IMO the 7.5x55 Swiss is one the greatest calibers of all time, combine that with the fact that the K31 has a great trigger, nice ergonomics and is built like a Swiss watch and you have yourself one of the finest military rifles of all time.

 

[tkcomer]

I love mine. I just fired it today for the first time with low power loads that I cooked up. I used Trail Boss powder and crappy 150gr .308 FMJs. And it did great! You can see it here: http://www.pixagogo.com/3666824651 Click on a pic to make it bigger, then click on original at the top to blow that up. Very easy to scope and a far better trigger than my K-98 or my Enfield Jungle Carbine. And way more accurate. Too windy to do longer range testing, but that will come later.

 

[msgunner]

http://aimsurplus.com has a pretty good deal on 7.5X55mm

 

[desidog]

Interesting question krinko raises in this thread. What is the actual, factual number for the amount of K31's made? tkcomer's serial is about 100,000 over the top of Classic Arms website: "Total Production - 528,230"

I could imagine that a military wouldn't want anyone to know how many battalions or rifles they have; but since that time has passed for K31's the numbers should be out there. Or did they just not number them numerically?

Also, what kind of production runs end with 230 vs. more round numbers like 200. perhaps there were 30 prototypes?

ETA: Read further in the thread, but i was totally spitballing here when i wrote this...i'm still pretty uninformed, but learning.

 

[Float Pilot]

Why not get a more inaccurate Mosin, Mauser, Enfield, or Springfield etc

Because there are not any! With the possible exception of the Swede m/96 Mauser, which was used in combat in Finland.

When I shoot in an iron sight military rifle match with my Swede Mausers, the K-31s are the only competition I worry about.

 

[desidog]

Float Pilot, why so loud? Bad eyes?

If you read the quote you took from the OP carefully, you'll notice the word INaccurate...

 

[nathan]

I shot mne for the first time with Gp 11 ammo at 25 yds. It was one hole after 5 shots. At 100 yds it was right at POA , 1 inch grp for 3 shots. I didnt proceed from then on. At .50 cents a round, i knew it was worth it.

 

[mp5a3]

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=80788

Read the letter and look at the pictures, try that with another rifle !!

 

[JohnD13]

I brought the first one because I'd never seen anything quite like it mechanically speaking. That straight pull bolt is a fine piece of engineering. I got the second one because the first one shot so well.