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Joined: Nov 2008
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
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I've got one and it shoots as well as any bolt gun I own. I shot a 3 3/4 inch,5 shot group at 100yds with the first 3 under an inch. This rifle shoots like a house afire... I just ordered a set of sites from Swiss Products out of Kalispel Montana. Anyone buy sites from these folks?
---------------------------------------- I'm a big fan of the courtesy flush.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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No but this is one of my bucket list items. Be Well, Rustyzipper.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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when i was about 15-16 these could be had for 40-50 bucks converted to 308. i have had several over the years and wonder now why i don't have one. fine weapon even if they are noisy as all get out ! about as smooth a bolt as a Krag . did i mention noisy?
the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded. Robert E Lee ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
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I bought a K31 from the late Mark Benenson in 1998. It is a good shooting rifle, but I can see where it could easily turn into a money pit if you want to upgrade the sights.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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I never had any problem shooting small groups with the issue sights on the K31 I owned for several years, whether with military Swiss ammo or handloads, but that may have been an exceptional rifle.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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when i was about 15-16 these could be had for 40-50 bucks converted to 308. That would be making a sow's ear out of a silk purse.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2010
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I love my K31. Amazingly accurate rifle as far as I'm concerned. I was gifted a very nice one from a family member. I have never been able to find one in the wild that had a stock that wasn't beat to hell.
have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues, can you bend them guitar strings
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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when i was about 15-16 these could be had for 40-50 bucks converted to 308. That would be making a sow's ear out of a silk purse. true that! but that's what most were. you could get 7.62nato on the hardware isle of the local market but 7.5 swiss was a rare commodity . have wondered lately why i don't have one in my collection. the first one i had, my late sister in law tried to shoot my oldest brother with. he bent the barrel into a horseshoe shape and gave it to me. lugged it around for years before i rebarreled it. seams like i traded it for a shotgun about 50 years ago
the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded. Robert E Lee ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,081
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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The first one I shot belonged to one of the old guys at the hunting camp. He'd spent some time in Switzerland with a host family when he was a college student. He got a chance to shoot one, and thought it was a cool rifle. When they started coming in as surplus, he bought himself a nice one for $150. Fed surplus ball, it put 5 shots into 2" or less at 100 yds with boring regularity. Mine does the same, something that couldn't be said for the Yugo SKS I traded for it.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,109 |
when i was about 15-16 these could be had for 40-50 bucks converted to 308. That would be making a sow's ear out of a silk purse. true that! but that's what most were. you could get 7.62nato on the hardware isle of the local market but 7.5 swiss was a rare commodity . have wondered lately why i don't have one in my collection. the first one i had, my late sister in law tried to shoot my oldest brother with. he bent the barrel into a horseshoe shape and gave it to me. lugged it around for years before i rebarreled it. seams like i traded it for a shotgun about 50 years ago I have seen S-R 1911s converted to 308, but not K31s. Larry Racine used to, may still, convert K31s to 308, www.lprgunsmith.com
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2005
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when they first started coming in, you could get them from century with a c&r for 69bucks. i mounted a side mount scope on one, it regularly can hol below an inch at 100yards. i have a couple of german mags, where they wer mounting optics on them and selling them in south america as sniper weapons. the swiss ammo in my opinion is match grade. the stocks are a result of hob nail boots, snow, and the black grease hey used for lubing and cleaning them. one of the better surplus rifles that ever showed up here.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF GERONIMO
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Posts: 47,942
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,942 |
I've got one and it shoots as well as any bolt gun I own. I shot a 3 3/4 inch,5 shot group at 100yds with the first 3 under an inch. This rifle shoots like a house afire... I just ordered a set of sites from Swiss Products out of Kalispel Montana. Anyone buy sites from these folks? Is that with factory ammo or handloads? Im wondering if the barrel is toast? A buddy of mine shoots one, and with factory ammo, he shoots less than 2" 10 shot groups at 100
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Posts: 22,106
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
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Is that with factory ammo or handloads? Im wondering if the barrel is toast? A buddy of mine shoots one, and with factory ammo, he shoots less than 2" 10 shot groups at 100
That was with handloads. 165 Gamekings over 49grs of AA2700. The barrel is an honest 99% and it has the best stock I've ever seen on one. I couldn't believe the condition of the rifle when I found it. The only thing is the piece of paper that the Swiss soldiers placed under the buttplate is unreadable. He wrote his name in pencil and it's just faded away over the years. It's a 98% rifle. Best I've ever seen. That's why I couldn't walk away from it.
---------------------------------------- I'm a big fan of the courtesy flush.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,942 |
Is that with factory ammo or handloads? Im wondering if the barrel is toast? A buddy of mine shoots one, and with factory ammo, he shoots less than 2" 10 shot groups at 100
That was with handloads. 165 Gamekings over 49grs of AA2700. The barrel is an honest 99% and it has the best stock I've ever seen on one. I couldn't believe the condition of the rifle when I found it. The only thing is the piece of paper that the Swiss soldiers placed under the buttplate is unreadable. He wrote his name in pencil and it's just faded away over the years. It's a 98% rifle. Best I've ever seen. That's why I couldn't walk away from it. Sounds like a damn nice rifle. I'll be shooting against my buddy tomorrow. He uses the K31 I mentioned in the last post. That rifle is amazingly accurate. Like someone else said, that factory ammo must be "match grade".. He's the only one that I need to pay attention to tomorrow because that rifle shoots lights out. When he brings his A game, the guys coming from Portland and Vancouver, with their tricked out CMP m1 Garrands, go away with their tails between their legs.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Posts: 22,106
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 22,106 |
I have abunch of the Swiss GP-11 ammo and it shoots pretty good. I guess you could say it's "match ammo". It doesn't deviate much in velocities. Not much at all. 30 fps is normal with my old Chrony. I like this rifle more than any other milsurp I have. Even better than my National Match Garand.
---------------------------------------- I'm a big fan of the courtesy flush.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,654
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2004
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I've mentioned this before, there is a Military Bolt Action Rifle match every month at my range. I'm told the Swiss and the Swedes are the top contenders every time. (rifles have to unaltered, but apparently there are no restrictions on ammunition)
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
SotG
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 22,106
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
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Posts: 22,106 |
I like My K-31 better than I do my Swede. Shoots better.
---------------------------------------- I'm a big fan of the courtesy flush.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,942
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,942 |
I've mentioned this before, there is a Military Bolt Action Rifle match every month at my range. I'm told the Swiss and the Swedes are the top contenders every time. (rifles have to unaltered, but apparently there are no restrictions on ammunition) No restrictions on ammo? Damn, that would be nice. At my club, the president says it has to be lead tipped or ball ammo . No poly tipped or match bullets. I used 129gr hornady interlocks and averaged 95 4x. My matchgrade ammo shoots better, but i couldnt use it. My buddy with the k31 fell apart. He still beat the city slickers. Even though they brought some damn nice equipment. For example: Johnson M1941 and Lee Enfield L42A1. There were a few "sniper" rifles, but none could touch the swedes scores.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Posts: 6,654
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,654 |
BSA, yes that is my understanding. I haven't tried it as my eyes have made using irons hopeless, I'm praying that cataract surgery will fix that, if it does I'll give it a try. '
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
SotG
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Joined: Aug 2010
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,942 |
BSA, yes that is my understanding. I haven't tried it as my eyes have made using irons hopeless, I'm praying that cataract surgery will fix that, if it does I'll give it a try. ' Sorry to hear about your eyes. My left eye is like that, damn near worthless with irons, especially with a diopter sight. Good luck with your surgery!! I have been having a great time shooting right handed with my irons lately.. Its like re-learning to shoot again though..
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 645
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I've mentioned this before, there is a Military Bolt Action Rifle match every month at my range. I'm told the Swiss and the Swedes are the top contenders every time. (rifles have to unaltered, but apparently there are no restrictions on ammunition) Lots of clubs run such shoots In Phoenix, AZ it was yesterday, last sunday of each month at PRGC. We call it CMP or C&R or Vintage Military or Obsolete Bolt Action. Check your local club calendars and see what you have near you! Yes, the Swiss and Swede are great. a lot of M1 and 1903's turn up too. now that GP11 is harder to find, 4350 and a 150 FMJ shoots good too. Poole
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16,000 |
aim surplus is selling some schmidt's, get this, at 549dollars. i remember at one time buying them for 69bucks. aim is also selling the slings and muzzle protectors. thank god i got hooked on them early and bought a ton of that swiss ammo. the cleaning kits were about 2bucks at the time, now about 20bucks. i was too cheap to shoot the swiss ammo, ended up buying the brass and loading my own.
I also ended up buying a couple of the earlier versions
I stuck them some place, can't find them now, but they had a six round cardboard stripper clip thingy. pretty cool. the cased ammo came in a heavily waxed sealed cardboard container, i think you could have thrown it in a lake, come back later, and it would still be okay.
Last edited by RoninPhx; 06/29/20.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF GERONIMO
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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another little tidbit before i forget it. bill poole would probably know more than i. but memory seems to tell me the original swiss round, prior to the one for the k31, was one of the ones looked at in designing the american service round.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF GERONIMO
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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pierre st marie makes a clamp on mount that works, among other things. https://www.swissproductsusa.com/going back to the original post, they got in that business as people at the time wanted the target diopter sights available in switzerland, but costly even then, plus the cost of getting them here. from looking at the website, they ran with the idea.
Last edited by RoninPhx; 06/29/20.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF GERONIMO
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another little tidbit before i forget it. bill poole would probably know more than i. but memory seems to tell me the original swiss round, prior to the one for the k31, was one of the ones looked at in designing the american service round. Rubin ammunition was looked at, but in relation to the .30 for the Krag, not the .30/03. The Ordnance Department sent Frankford Arsenal a box of sample rounds, obtained via the military attache in Paris, on April 29 1890. This included Swiss Rubin rounds, and Frankford was asked to make a batch of ammunition for experimental purposes based on these, for the proposed small calibre smokeless cartridge. They also tried other designs including "headless" (rimless) designs including Belgian Mauser ammunition, before the design which became the .30 Ball service cartridge was adopted in 1893. Rubin's cartridges were also used in the development of Britain's .303.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I got a 1931 K-31 in 2002 for $90 +12 FFL I got a 1931 K-31 in 2004 for $80 private sale I wrote down back then: 7.5mm Swiss, K-31, 284 brass sized with Lee die, CCI200
1) 168 gr Sierra .308 Match King
a) 42 gr IMR4895 ok, kinda wimpy b) 45.5 gr IMR4895, ok, primer starting too flatten, 4" group open sights
2) 189 gr cast w/gas check, .3095 a) 28 gr IMR4895, ok, 10" group open sights
Hard to close bolt could be OAL, and could be resizing problem. Guns dry fires easily. I remember there are weird names written on paper under the butt plates.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. -Ernest Hemingway The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.-- Edward John Phelps
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Campfire Outfitter
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I can remember seeing the older SR 89/11s for $10.95 in the Sears catalog when I was a kid. The older rifles were looonnnnnnggggg old guns, and probably too heavy for a little guy like I used to be, but it sure caught my eye. Those were NOT K-31s and I seem to recall they weren't very strong in comparison to the newer rifles. They were pretty homely, too. I REALLY wanted an Argentine 1891 carbine, but I was just a little kid then.
All that said, you could buy all kinds of accessories and diopter sights and scope mounts, etc, from Graf & Sons of Mexico, MO a few years ago, they had all those items covered really well, AND ammo, too. For whatever reasons, Graf's was into the K-31s pretty heavily, I think they were the only source at the time.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
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" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
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