Anybody have a K31?

[45dotACP]

I want a centerfire rifle to kind of shoot around for funsies with and use for deer next season. Not as cheap as a Ruger American or a Savage Axis or whatever, but those guns make me sad on the inside. It was 350 bucks and the straight pull intrigues me, so I put it on layaway (oh yeah, also a college student and low on the dollarz). I handload, so putting together ammo for the rare 7.5x55 shouldn't be super tough.

Anybody shoot one much? I hear they are good rifles and generally hold 1.5 to 2 inch groups at about 100 yards with the standard GP11 ammo and a scope. But I figure they'd be a better choice than a Mosin Nagant.

[Tamara]

I love me some Swiss rifles.

[TGS]

Check out the C&R thread. We talk about the K31 a bunch there.

http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.p...7-C-amp-R-Fans

I rant and rave about the K31. I love them. Own 2 as well as a 96/11 I converted into a scout rifle. Mine will shoot 5 round groups under 1" at 100 yards. I cut and crowned the 96/11 to 18", and that hasn't shot larger than 2" when I've actually attempted for groups.

The GP11 ammo is match grade ammo, and the most accurate you'll find for the K31. Prvi Partizan is okay, usually opens up to 1.5"-2" with such. The advantage to PPU is that you can easily reload it, compared to GP11.

If you want to reload for it, be prepared to spend a lot of time tuning your loads for accuracy if you make changes. The K31, while great as it is, is very sensitive to changes in stock tension and loads due to the receiver being substantially more stiff on the left side compared to the right side. Plenty of data on the SwissRifles.com board to demonstrate such.

If you want to scope it, go with the St Maries/Swiss Products clamp on offset mount. The right hand offset works wonderfully given the low comb of the K31 (like most rifles of its day). Don't get one of the scout mounts that replaces the rear sight base....they suck. The scope is placed so high into the air that it's just bizarre.

And yes......the K31 is a much, much better rifle than a Mosin. Much more accurate, the machining is a ton better, smoother action, infinitesimally better sights, trigger, and overall quality. The Finn Mosins can be quite accurate and place high in competitions along with the Swedish Mausers and K31s, but by and large the Swedish Mausers and Swiss rifles' quality put themselves in a league of their own.

[Kyle Reese]

I've got two K-31's, a '42 & a '50. Everything TGS said about them is true. The quality of these rifles is simply unrivaled in the surplus world, and they're not getting any cheaper. Given the right loads, I've no doubt it'll make a nice whitetail rifle.

[LtDave]

Another K31 admirer here. Mine's a MOA rifle with the factory irons. I have a LH bolt handle conversion for it. Not many of those here in the US I reckon. GP11 ammo works great. Also had good luck with some Privi 168 FMJ BT bullets and 43.9 grains of IMR 4064

[Don Gwinn]

I love mine.

[SecondsCount]

I have one and enjoy shooting it. One of the nicest milsurp rifles available.

I should have bought a couple of them when Big 5 had them on sale for $99 but that was eight years ago.

[JAD]

I have a couple and love them dearly. For what you want to do, they're perfect. For later, when you have your law degree and get up a little scratch...

I think they make really fun base guns.

(No, TGS, it's still not fixed).

[45dotACP]

Picked up my long layawayed K-31 today. Man the bore is shiny and clean. The stock seems a touch short though. Also I dislike the weird sling mount on the side of the butt. I love however, the straight pull design and the detachable magazine. I can't wait to give it a run at the rifle range as soon as it opens this spring. I'll probably spend the time picking up some GP11, but the scope will wait until a little later and my big kid job paychecks start rolling in.

[45dotACP]

Too late to edit, but the trigger pull gauge gives me a 2.5lb effort required to trip the sear....no wonder they can be shot so well.