Hey I got a K31!

[Lee in Texas]

I can’t wait to run a few rounds through it.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Nice.
I had the opportunity to shoot one of these around 20 years ago. The late Hank Faulkner had one at Tomball.
This is a really slick shooting rifle. The straight pull was smooth and had the feel of a fine piece of machinery. Possibly one of the finest built military arms ever manufactured.
I often wondered why this case as not more popular in the US. The fact that most of the available ammo is BerDan primed might be some of the reason. The larger diameter in the 55 mm long case actually duplicates a 30-06 cases capacity.
I remember we had no trouble at 200 yards keeping the shots, with the open sites, inside the Red on a standard NBRSA Score Target Using the factory ammoHank had.

You will enjoy shooting it.

 

[JSH]

7.5x55 Swiss = 30-284 Grafs had a run of brass made some years back.

Field strip it, parts are like jewelry. One of the most accurate milsurps out there. My Finnish Nagant and any of my K31’s about a toss up which shoots the best. I always leaned towards the K31 just because it’s not as ugly.

 

[joshb]

Congratulations! Funny coincidence! I pulled mine out yesterday, to make sure it was oiled up. I haven’t shot it in a few years.
Get yourself some GP-11 ammo for it. Just think “Swiss made ammo” and you’ll realize why it shoots so well!
Have fun with it! Great guns! I bought a side mount scope rail for mine. It works well!

 

[billlarson]

They are a marvel of old school machine work.no cnc.just expertise...
Bill

 

[DRNewcomb]

Get to know Swiss Products https://www.swissproductsusa.com

 

[TylerFromMS]

I’ve got a couple of them, one in beech wood and one walnut. Incredible rifles. I got one is the Swiss products diopters and can’t recommend that enough. If you can find GP11, it shoots wonderfully.

The original box of Peterson .284 brass I bought was just for replicating that round. I’ve managed pretty close with a 175 vld. The 175 smk worked well enough, but the GP11 projective looks like it has more of a secant profile. At least when I put an SMK next to a pull-down. The VLD shot about the same speed without running into pressure, as well. Also matched closer CBTO, iirc.
It’s a 174gr projectile touched off by about 49gr of powder, and RL 17 seems to be what they use to reload for it now. H4350 was a little spicy but didn’t give me the velocity.

 

[kvd]

That is a nice looking Swiss rifle. Enjoy!

 

[gme]

look under the buttplate, see if the card with the fellows name it was issued to is there

 

[ebb]

I am addicted to watching Forgotten Weapons with Ian McCollum. I watched a video of his last night on a Swiss LMG the gun was made in the 1920s. The insides looked new and I don't see how it could be produced today on CNC machinery. The OP rod could have been simple but it looked like it took someone days to make.

 

[tsyarnall]

Wow.........what a find!

 

[joshb]

If you’re into old guns, take a look at a Mas 49/56 in it’s original 7.5 x 54 French format. Neat guns. Supposedly, if you believe unfounded rumors, Stoner “borrowed” the design concept and came up with the M16.
I found one in an old gun store. Some were converted to 308 by chopping the barrel for a rechamber, which just made a mess out of the gas timing and pressures. Stay away from the conversions. They have “issues”.

 

[jlmurphy]

At one time I had all of the common milsurp rifles, handloaded match ammo for each and tested for accuracy. The real limiting factor was the relatively crude open sights, being design to be rugged first, precise second. The winner was the Swedish M96, with stock sights or fitted with one of the many finely crafted micrometer aftermarket target sights. The K31 was hampered by it's relatively short sight radius.

 

[joshb]

Nice.
I had the opportunity to shoot one of these around 20 years ago. The late Hank Faulkner had one at Tomball.
This is a really slick shooting rifle. The straight pull was smooth and had the feel of a fine piece of machinery. Possibly one of the finest built military arms ever manufactured.
I often wondered why this case as not more popular in the US. The fact that most of the available ammo is BerDan primed might be some of the reason. The larger diameter in the 55 mm long case actually duplicates a 30-06 cases capacity.
I remember we had no trouble at 200 yards keeping the shots, with the open sites, inside the Red on a standard NBRSA Score Target Using the factory ammoHank had.

You will enjoy shooting it.

Ooh! You might have struck a spark for a “new” cartridge! The 7.5 CREEDMOOR!!
I’m calling Hornady!!!

 

[normmatzen]

I have had a K-31 for some time now. bought a diopter sight which is a beautiful piece of jewelry! I sold the sight as I couldn't use it with my cateracts. So, I put a side-saddle scope mount with an old 4X scope for military sniper competition.
The GP11 did use RL-17. RL-17 is made in Switzerland. I also bought some Previ-Partizan ammo and some cases . both worked well and had American style primers. I save the GP11 for a rainy day!

 

[Gun Smith]

Lovely looking piece you have there Lee in Texas. Those are very cool rifles. Shot a friends a few times; very mild recoil as I recall. The clips are kind of neat, made from some sort of fibre(?) and metal if I recall.

I knew a fellow near where I live that collected them. Had a half dozen or so if I recall. He said he went to Switzerland for a match he was invited to attend, and ended up buying and importing what he said was a brand new one which he showed me. Sure looked brand spankin' new to me. It was beautiful.

 

[JSH]

Steyr made a pretty neat straight pull to. 8x56R, problems was the bores usually are closer to a 338 than a 8mm. Most were carbines, I ran across a pristine rifle several years back. Went home to get stuff to check the bore, got back and it was gone.
Have an M39 Swede, just silly accurate with the right guy on the bang switch. I always thought the straight bolt handles were ugly, until I saw an article on the Swedes and the rate of fire they are capable of in well trained hands.
What is the game the play? The mad minute? Impressive to say the least.
Jeff

 

[Clark]

look under the buttplate, see if the card with the fellows name it was issued to is there
Gary Eliseo

After 16 years I think I will take the butt plates off and take a picture.
The serial numbers are on the reverse side.

 

[Herzo]

Bought mine when they imported a substantial number of them. Just happened to run into a nice walnut stocked one - s/n of magazine even matched. At $125 I couldn't pass it up. It performs admirably at Perry in the vintage matches.

 

[Gun Smith]

Steyr made a pretty neat straight pull to. 8x56R, problems was the bores usually are closer to a 338 than a 8mm. Most were carbines, I ran across a pristine rifle several years back. Went home to get stuff to check the bore, got back and it was gone.
Have an M39 Swede, just silly accurate with the right guy on the bang switch. I always thought the straight bolt handles were ugly, until I saw an article on the Swedes and the rate of fire they are capable of in well trained hands.
What is the game the play? The mad minute? Impressive to say the least.
Jeff

I shot one of those Steyr 95's a few rounds one time that I was considering purchasing. It was a carbine length barrel if I recall. Kicked like a Mule with the Austrian 8x56R military ammo. Neat concept for a rifle, but the recoil was so severe that I put off buying it. The troops that used it must have been real men.

I had a 95 Swede. Beautifully crafted rifle; very accurate and pleasant to shoot. I also had some of the Swede indoor practice rounds with the hollow(?) fake bullet with no powder I think(?). Those were a hoot to shoot.