K31

[copycat]

What's the general opinion of these, I've seen a lot of them for sale. Stopped by my favorite gun shop today and they have 6 (at least) for $99.00. Is there anything special a guy should look for when buying one? Any paticular year worth more than the other? How hard it the ammo to find? Is it exspensive? Is it corrosive?

[Magnum88C]

They are known to be extremely accurate, fast rifles.

The only downside I've ever heard is ammo is expensive and hard to find. It's usually recommended to roll your own.

[gripper]

Whats the availabity of good quality ,cost effective ball(and other bullet type)7.5 Swiss ammo?i've always liked them,but the ammo winjds up being a bit hard to find.A shame,because as I recall, it was a pretty effective loading,whether in a K31,or an STG 57

[Magnum88C]

Yeah, even though it's military ammo, most people consider it match grade. It IS fine ammo, there just isn't a lot of it out there.

[41mag]

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

In stock now!

.284 Winchester brass can supposedly be used for cases.

[BigEd63]

You can also do the "unthinkable" and have a gunsmith set the barel back and rechamber for .308.

[Terry G]

I've heard nothing but good things about the K-31 on my C&R channels, with the exception of the ammunition. Military Surplus ball is not cheap, which keeps it from being as popular as the other C&R rifles. It is considered the most accurate of the C&R rifles, at least at this time. I have not heard or read of any series being any more "collectable" than any other. The only real drawback is that the lower buttstocks show wear from being stacked repeatedly in the snow, hardly a major point. Don't worry about corrosive ammunition, as I have said previously this is really a non-issue.

[copycat]

I've shot a good bit of corrosive ammo, so it isn't a big deal your right about that. Since the swiss used this cartridge for quite some time I would think there is a lot of the ammo around, so if its expensive at least it should be around for awhile.

[gripper]

I wonder....what're the odds of a company like S&B,Wolf ,or others loading affordable ball for the collector and shooter???

[Magnum88C]

I do believe S&B, and maybe a couple of others do load the cartridge.

The complaint is that the surplus ammo costs as much as commercial ammo.

[BigEd63]

Just for reference on ammo I found some for mine local, for the first time that was not a limited amount. They had a couple cases of the stuff. I bought 60rds for $32.

Evert time I've pulled open a 10rd carton of this stuff it looks like it was made yesterday; It's that nice and shiney looking.

[Terry G]

The K31 is a sweet gun, I just can't see paying 50 cents a round for surplus ammunition. I think it negates the whole "fun" idea of C&R guns. I can bang away 70 rounds of 8mm Mauser for $4.00. Admittedley, it might not have the pin-point accuaracy of the K31, but it's just as much fun. If I need super accuracy, I'll spend $1.00 per round for my BSA 7MM Magnum or my Browning .30/06 Bar. My old COlt SP-1 will out shoot the K-31 at combat ranges also. I'm not knocking the Swiss rifle, it's a great firearm. Enjoy it.

[gunguy56]

Considering that you can buy good surplus 7.62 x 51 ball for about 18 to 20 cents, and that there are many fine MBR's available in that caliber, it doesn't make much sense to buy a K31 that takes 40 cent ammo for range plinking. Having said that, the Swiss K31 is a fine straight-pull rifle for a C-note. I suspect most owners don't shoot them as much as they want due to the ammo cost issue. I've stayed away from the K31 due to ammo cost, but will probably succumb to temptation and buy one anyway!

[Flinter]

I've been toying with the idea of buying one of these as well. Everything I hear about them says that they are fantastic rifles (one guy I know is claiming quarter sized 100 yard groups with his) and most that I've seen are in pretty good shape. I heard that the dings in the buttstock come from soldiers used them to smack against their ice creepers to dislodge the snow.

I keep hearing that someone is about to start making cheap ammo for it, but so far no one has been able to tell me who. I'm betting Wolf.

One really cool thing about these is that these were issued for life to a particular soldier, some of them still have a tag under the buttplate telling who it was. From what I understand it's a "quest" for some people to contact the previous owner. There's supposed to be a website somewhere to help you do it.

I've convinced myself, I want one.

[Magnum88C]

Wolf was supposed to have started production on ammo for the K31 (as well as .303 for Enfields) in August. We see how well that went. . .Besides, handloading isn't that hard. With the K31 you use regular .308 bullets, and I forget what brass, but it's a simple case-forming procedure to make the brass.

[The Rabbi]

I had it on good authority that Wolf was supposed to be making the 7.5Swiss. With all the surplus rifles around and demand for cheap ammo it seems like a good market for them.
I LOVE my Schmidt Rubin. It has the best trigger I've encountered and recoil is easy. And I dont like 30 cal rifles generally.

[brass hammer]

I've been toying with the idea of buying one of these as well. Everything I hear about them says that they are fantastic rifles (one guy I know is claiming quarter sized 100 yard groups with his) and most that I've seen are in pretty good shape. I heard that the dings in the buttstock come from soldiers used them to smack against their ice creepers to dislodge the snow.

I keep hearing that someone is about to start making cheap ammo for it, but so far no one has been able to tell me who. I'm betting Wolf.

One really cool thing about these is that these were issued for life to a particular soldier, some of them still have a tag under the buttplate telling who it was. From what I understand it's a "quest" for some people to contact the previous owner. There's supposed to be a website somewhere to help you do it.

I've convinced myself, I want one.


really neat THREAD/REPLYS! i passed on buying one for $89.95 in 7.5m.m.!
as the 6.5m.m swiss is the fore-runner of the "AMERICAN 25-06!

[props]

All I've ever used in mine is 284 Winchester brass. Works like a charm and has always made me wonder if that isn't where Winchester got the idea. They just rebated the rim and necked it to 7mm. Extracts and ejects just fine with the rebated rim on the 284 case.

BTW, you can't set the barrel back and rechamber it to 308 Win, not enough barrel shank to do it.

Cheers,

props

[brass hammer]

HEY, 'PROPS'! ,,,care to share? ,,,just 'WHAT' you 'SHOOT' with yers,OL'BOY!

[props]

Hi Brass hammer!

I have been shooting the Sierra 168 (only because I have a quantity of them) and 42.5 grains of H4895, primed with an RWS primer. This in the Winchester case. Velocity is:
2530 fps (corrected) and the SD is 19. Not great but I don't plan to shoot it at 1000 yards. Prone, it will clean a 100 yard target and that is as good as I can do with the GI sights.

For cast bullets in the K-31 I use the Lyman 311334 and either 20 grains of SR4759 or 24 grains of IMR4198. These loads are about equal in accuracy.

Matter of fact, with about any good cast bullet of 180/200 grains, those powder charges work well in about all the 30-40's, 303's, 7.62x54R's, 308's, 30-06's, 7.7x58's, 7.65x54's, I have ever tried them in. Would probably work in the 7.9x57 as well but I haven't owned one of those in years. One day I'll find a Lyman 323471 mold and then I'll get another Mauser.

Hope this is of use to you,

props