K31 and other Swiss C&R Appreciation Thread

[mpzreb17]

We haven't had one of these in awhile. I have been a devout K31 guy since I first got mine a couple years ago and firmly believe if the M1 is the finest battle rifle ever implemented, the K31 can hold its weight as the perfection of the bolt gun. I have two, one of which I will sell so keep that in mind considering CR sales are rare on trading post. I just havent decided which one to part with. The add on pieces are curtesy of Swiss Products and are all QD for originality sake.

Post em if you got em!

The Swiss would clean the K31 with a bore snake and waffenfett, available online ws automatenfett. Its molybdenum derived grease and seems better than USGI. Before shooting theyd do one pass through and grease the barrel. Then after its hot but not scorching to do, they run the greasy snake through yet again.

Anyone else clean it the Swiss way? Seems to work great for me. I had a source for automatenfett in Europe from another board but he passed away. I love the stuff and have 2 cans left. Finally, GP11 ammunition for these 7.5 Swiss rifles is as accurate as 308 out of my M1A. Point and shoot. So I decided this would be my hunting and long range rifle.

Without further ado, Hans and Mjolnir.

Anything Swiss in your toybox? Swiss Lugers are great, as are the other rifles in the 7.5 family. Surely I am not the only Nevadan representing the "wayward mountain Germans" that kept Hitler away.

 

[mpzreb17]

Did I mention a good K31 can be anywhere from a sub MOA to 2 MOA rifle? The two stage trigger being so clean does that. Just a few more of my two swiss children. Any 1896 or 1911 models out there? They truly are the swiss watch of rifles. The story goes in 1940 a General named Henri Guisan hid K31 and 11s around the alps. HITLERS generals warned him that the Swiss bolts were faster than the k98. Guisans strategy to blow the towns and fight as Mountain Swissetcong is credited for keeping the Nazis out of Switzerland.

 

[mpzreb17]

Another fantastic thing; aside from SP making all clamp on add ons from brakes to scope mounts or the fact that the barrels are already free floating about Swiss rifles are troop tags. My blond rifle has three x marks underneath it and dates to war time. It had a tag. A friend in Europe found the son of the named soldier and asked if he knew anything. A full x means the rifle won the national day shooting contest. A half x meant be placed second. So this rifles provenance is as a match winner.

Others around swiss gun boards reached out to the troop tag name and results varied from folks who interned allied and axis for the war, post war reservists, all of it. These are still living history and current MSRP is at the 500 range thanks to drying supply. Ruag is running more Gp11 in the next year or so but if that ever is low, Partizans ammo is both cheaper and reloadable! Pic related is Gen Guisan, a ammo bag, a brick of GP11, a stripper clip and a 7.5 Swiss surplus round.

 

[Kinoons]

My understanding is the k31 is a $1000 that can be had for $300-$500 (admittedly I’ve not looked lately). IIRC the story is during WWI is the Kaiser what the Swiss would do when Germany came across the border with 500,000 men. A Swiss rifleman said we would all shoot twice and go home. (Paraphrased). I have a ZFK55 myself. A damn sweet rifle.

My ZFK can be seen in this thread.

http://nevadashooters.com/threads/l...ge-scope-for-about-2-000.142800/#post-1261610

 

[mpzreb17]

I did my best to convert blond stock to as close as zfk as possible. Congrats on owning one man

 

[MAC702]

Desert Sportsmans Range has a monthly vintage bolt-action match and Swiss rifles are well represented. Last December was the inaugural "Swiss Miss" event and the Swiss rifles were the encouraged entry for the many of us that have them.

There is also a monthly vintage event at Boulder Rifle Club. We shoot out to 900 meters, and the Swiss rifles are regular winners.

I've had two for a while, but helped a buddy start his vintage collection with one of them.

I just recently noticed the Prvi is making the ammo, and was pleasantly surprised at the price. I still have a big stash of GP11, but acquired it last year, not back when it was actually cheap. I've been hearing the rumors about modern production GP11 coming back for the last ten years, but it's never happened. Do you have a recent link to an article that actually confirms it?

It's a tough round to reload perfectly. That bolt really likes a perfectly sized case. I have 99 Norma brass cases, and I was heartbroken when that one disappeared at a match.

 

[mpzreb17]

Mac, my info on the new run 11 came from Guisan on the swiss yuku board before he passed and was validated by another guy in CH named Emil who runs a k31 and zfk/stg55 repair shop not long after he passed. So this is all within 2 years or so. I really hope its true. Meantime the consensus on that board is RL 17 and star brass blanks. I havent had to fight that battle yet, I've still got about 650 rounds of gp. Story goes as Swiss qualify every year some bring their 7.5 rifles and the ammunition has to be provided at the qualifying range which is who reported running out. Ive found Partizan to work almost as good, as good whence reloaded with the rl17 so I had been saving my gp until its definitive.

I look forward to trying my luck in one of the matches you mentioned. Surprised we didnt get huge traction in this thread, figured since a lot of our blm shooting spots are cold weather this time of year people wouldve been taking out the "alpine rocker launchers."

 

[nlvmike]

One of my favorite ladies. Still has the owner's tag under the butt plate. She shoots like a dream.

 

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

I have a K31, picked it up and scored a case of GP11 (it's still sealed) from Midway before things got crazy. I haven't shot it that much though; while I am fascinated by its accuracy and smooth function, it's clumsy for us left-handers to operate. I wanted a left-hand conversion for it and to date, it's vaporware here in the US. I've given some thought to turning it loose if I can't convert it soon.

 

[mpzreb17]

I have a K31, picked it up and scored a case of GP11 (it's still sealed) from Midway before things got crazy. I haven't shot it that much though; while I am fascinated by its accuracy and smooth function, it's clumsy for us left-handers to operate. I wanted a left-hand conversion for it and to date, it's vaporware here in the US. I've given some thought to turning it loose if I can't convert it soon.

Theyre not a sponsor so forgive me guys like mac, im sure theyd be interested in sponsorship if they knew nevada had this many swiss rifles.

Swiss Products (theswissrifles.yuku .com has a link) out of Kalispell MT makes the following for any K series rifle:
Diopter site
Left Handed Bolt on Charging bolt connector
bolt on muzzle brake
Bolt on scope mount
Slide on harris bipod mount
Barrel lapping solutions

And theres a lot more. Youll be able to enjoy your rifle now. Aside from the diopter most of their goodies are under a buck 50. Ive seen some of it carried on brownells. If you go to the yuku site the company owners handle is Latigo iirc.

 

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Unfortunately, I've been in contact with Latigo/Swiss Products for quite some time. He uses the same handle on Calguns. The left hand setup is still vaporware and is not currently listed on their website.

 

[mpzreb17]

I had no idea it was vaporware. Sorry man. Latigo usually keeps some good stuff. Ive had no problems with the stuff of his I invested in.

 

[MAC702]

I've bought stuff from them. The scope mount is GTG. Makes no marks on the receiver and I've had it on and off several times. I also have the muzzle brake and bipod mount, but, honestly, they are useless for me. I'll probably try to sell them off when I get around to it.

 

[Kinoons]

My understanding is the k31 is a $1000 that can be had for $300-$500 (admittedly I’ve not looked lately). IIRC the story is during WWI asked what the Swiss puke do when Germany came across the border with 500,000 men. A Swiss rifleman said we would all shoot twice and go home. (Paraphrased). I have a ZFK55 myself. A damn sweet rifle.

My ZFK can be seen in this thread.

http://nevadashooters.com/threads/l...ge-scope-for-about-2-000.142800/#post-1261610

I've bought stuff from them. The scope mount is GTG. Makes no marks on the receiver and I've had it on and off several times. I also have the muzzle brake and bipod mount, but, honestly, they are useless for me. I'll probably try to sell them off when I get around to it.

I bought their rail for the ZFK and was pretty happy with it. I did have to take my dremel and make a small divot in the bottom of the mount to allow clearance of empty cases.

 

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

I had no idea it was vaporware. Sorry man. Latigo usually keeps some good stuff. Ive had no problems with the stuff of his I invested in.

No problem. Latigo's stuff is good gear but I think making the left handed op rod has proved to be a bigger problem than he bargained for. Occasionally a Burgin op rod will come up but the last time one showed up on eBay, it went for $350 - a little too rich for me.

 

[Nevada Hudson]

Bought a nice K31 from Empire arms and am really happy with its shooting ability.

 

[mpzreb17]

So guys what are they going for these days? The two I bought a few years ago were still south of 400 with C&R. Is it true they can resell as high as 6? If so I am seriously considering trying to trade one of mine for a lower grade garand. Haha

 

[MAC702]

Well, they are definitely north of 400 now, but a Service Grade Garand is up to 750 from the CMP now, too.

 

[Nevada Hudson]

I paid around $585 for the K31

 

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

That's a lot more than I paid... and the case of ammo is going for $455 by actual bid on Gunbroker. I think I know what's going on the chopping block next!