K31's at cabelas Buda

[jfowl31]

I found a K31 at cabelas in Buda for $139, with decent blueing and a not-so-bad beat up beech stock. I convinced a friend of mine that it should be his first deer/hog hunting rifle being a very accurate bolt action that packs quite a punch.

Well, he conceded, and went down there yesterday to buy it, and when he did, he found out they had 12 of em back behind the counter, still with the automattenfett (grease) in them, and he got to take his choice of 3.

It not a bad deal at all on a handpick between 3 good-excellent condition rifles. I think they are Samco imports... I didnt see any billboard markings... All have mirror bores (as usual for a K31)... all beech stocked, later model rifles.... mostly just "shooters", but probably one of the last good deals that will be able to be found on the Swiss rifles.

Though Id pass that tidbit along to some of the TX boys around here... They have Yugo SKS's too for 120-140 if they arent sold out by now... the same guy I convinced o buy this K31 also bought a Yugo a couple weeks back, and it was unissued!

Enjoy, and If I can raise the money quick enough to buy one before they are gone... Ill race you there.

[NavajoNPaleFace]

The K-31 is a little known bargain and soon people will be beating themselves up for not putting one in their collection. If you believe advertising pitches the supply of K-31s is soon to be drying up.

I find both of mine great shooters, highly accurate and joy to shoot.

I especially like the non-military trigger that we Americans are so used to. With the K-31 you pull...pull...no hint...pull.....still no hint...BOOM!

The tendancy to rotate the bolt is there at first but soon you get used to the straight pull and I really like it. I'm surprised the straight pull feature hasn't gained more popularity over the years.

Ask you friend to check under the butt plate to see if the original owner tag is still there. I have one with one K-31 but not the other. If he has the owner's tag and wishes I have a link to as site that tells how to go about contacting the original Swiss soldier it was issued to.

Also, jab fun at him and ask him to show you the firing mechanism/trigger "safety" on his rifle. See if he knows it's merely the pull-ring at the rear of the bolt.

Believe it or not it takes some a little bit to realize that.:icon_mrgreen:

[bataanboy]

I got one from AIM awhile back and I love it! Straight shooter, but I had trouble picking up the sights. I replaced them with MOJO sights and found them to be just what I needed. Does anyone know if Bill Springfield does trigger work on these?

[jfowl31]

I taught him all about it before he would go and buy it. And showed him my 3/4 MOA targets to back it up.

His had a tag, but I doubt he'll do anything about it. I printed out some generic letters in all different languages to cover all the bases, but he doesnt have much interest in all that.

Mine did too, and I didnt get a response to the letter I sent.

I stoned my trigger, and plan on putting in a stop to make it a single stage hair trigger... But I need to bed the action and do all sorts of other stuff first.

here's a pic of mine... I want another one to keep in original condition and play with it as well...

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i15/jfowl31/100_0621.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i15/jfowl31/100_0653.jpg

[jfowl31]

I dont know if Bill does them or not, but Huber Concepts makes a drop in adjustable for the K31

[Jacobite]

I can't imagine anyone wanting trigger work on a K31. Out of the 9 I have owned they had the best triggers I have ever used other than the Bold trigger I put on a mauser. I wish all my rifles had triggers as good as the ones on a K31.

[cimmaronkid]

Jfowl, that is a nice looking rifle. Stock looks like it is Fajen wood so I am guessing you have had that one for a while. Also, the blue looks outstanding.

Reason that more rifles were not made as straight pulls is that the cost to machine was prohibitive. Only the Swiss would spend the time and money to make such a nicely machined piece. The tolerances on these actions must be a bitch to machine, especially without having CNC then. All hand machined and polished and hand fitted parts. Wouldn't even want to think what the cost would be today to build one.

[NavajoNPaleFace]

Reason that more rifles were not made as straight pulls is that the cost to machine was prohibitive. Only the Swiss would spend the time and money to make such a nicely machined piece. The tolerances on these actions must be a bitch to machine, especially without having CNC then. All hand machined and polished and hand fitted parts. Wouldn't even want to think what the cost would be today to build one.


I never thought about it that way but you make a logical point.

I think of the USA as the most highly developed industrial nation capable of producing technilogically superior products with the most advanced computer aided manufacturing processes but anything technical comes with a price.

[okie shooter]

Remember there was a US made stright pull rifle, adopted for military service, the 6mm Navy Lee, and it was actually carried into battle by the marines, in the relief mission to Bejing during the boxer rebellion and during the Spanish American war. Just I imagine stright pull rifles needing higher tollerences and far more complex bolts, when you scale up production the ease of manufacture of bolt action rifle wins out.

[MicroPilot]

What caliber is the K31?

[Jacobite]

What caliber is the K31?

7.5x55

[jfowl31]

Jfowl, that is a nice looking rifle. Stock looks like it is Fajen wood so I am guessing you have had that one for a while. Also, the blue looks outstanding.


Believe it or not... thats a Boyds stock after a LOT of work. It wasnt the tightest fit in the world and still isnt, but Ill be glass bedding it this summer some time, so its ready for deer season next year.

The blue... believe it or not was the cheapo cold blue from wally-world... I stripped and sanded the metal on the barrel and action with some 1000 and 2000 grit to work up the shine, and then cold blued it all. The blue didnt take all that well to the action as its semi-case-hardened... So I came back over the top of the wally world stuff with formula 44-40, and it darkened it up a bit. I havent touched it for a while now, and the blue is starting to get a little thin... luckily its all easy enough to bring it back to that rich deep blue-black... If you dont mind upkeep on a rifle, I love how cold blue looks when done right. My dads 22-250 was cold blued from the factory, and thats the shiniest damn barrel and action ive ever seen!

btw... we went out and test-fired the new K31 today... couldnt sit down and get groups as it was raining, but we were able to fire a few rounds from the hip to function check... as expected, it all ran fine. we then spent the rest of the morning shooting 2 500-round bricks from the garage to the back fence... about 60 yards.... Not a bad way to spend a rainy 30 degree day....

btw... al you other TX guys... where the hell did this cold front come from??? I just got blindsided... walked outside and got sleeted on.

[Anthropy]

The K-31 is in 7.5 x 55 Swiss and the Swiss ammo is called GP11. You can use standard 30 cal bullets and if you can not find 7.5 x 55 brass, you can use 284 Winchester brass.

I have 3 of them they all have sweet actions.