Swiss K-31 rifles

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  • Last Post 18 October 2008
GWarden posted this 09 February 2008

In the Fouling Shot I see that the Swiss K-31 rifle is making a very good showing in the military matches. What is it that makes them have this good showing? Good shooters is part of it, but is it the quality of the rifle?

Bob

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CB posted this 09 February 2008

I would expect that since they are 7.5 x 57 it is very close to a 30-06. I hear there are many that have very good bores floating around. I know they are making alot of records with them. I think 7.5mm is very close to 30 cal (.295) or so nominal dia. I have heard enough good about them that I want to get one..

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CB posted this 09 February 2008

Hi Bob,

The Swiss rifles having been flooding the Milsurp market the last few years. Like Jeff said, a lot of them are in good shape, never seen action and been stored most of their existence, and of course top quality and precision of Swiss craftsmanship. The price is affordable, especially over the US Springfields' prices now days. They are good for the Modified Scope and Modified Iron classes in the CBA Military Rifle match program. Like the 1903 Springfield and Mauser rifles, the sights for Issue Class are harder to use for BR competition by the average shooter, while the Sprg. 1903-A3 has about the best sights for Issue Class.

I think the 7.5x55 Swiss cartridge is close in volume to the 308 Win., so it is a little better as far as case capacity over the 30-06. The 30 cal. moulds are used, though the throats and bore are tight(good for match shooting). The brass is a little high priced if bought new, but it'll last about as long as you'd want to shoot it using CB loads. The 7.5x55 can be made from Win. 6mm284, but it is just as expensive, new. That's about all I know, since I don't have one or shoot one. You going to come shoot with us at Wind Hill or over Hawkeye range? :) ..................Dan

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Wally Enga posted this 09 February 2008

Hi Bob, I like the part that it is the good shooters that use the Swiss K-31's.  :)

 The K-31's for a military rifle are competitive for accuracy with about any of the other choices. They can hold their own against the 03 & 03A's which is prob the most popular choice.

One nice feature is that almost all of the K-31's seem to come with excellent bores --- sharp rifling and no pitting. Good thing too, because there is no easy / cheap way to re-barrel these.   They are also an easy rifle to reload with cast bullets.  Just run a Win 284 case thru a 7.55X55 Swiss FLS die makes a great case. Use a load that will make about 1700 fps with a powder in the burn rate range of AA5744, SR4759 or 2400. Bullets in the 165 ”€œ 175gn range like the 311672 or RCBS-165-SIL work well. At these velocities they don't need to be that hard --- just WW or WW with ¼ lino.

Prices for the Swiss K-31's have more then doubled in the last few years, but are still avail in the $200 range. Wish I had bought several thousand a few years ago when I paid $79 for my first ones. Done a lot better then my stocks have been doing lately.

Give one a try --- we are always looking for more Swiss Shooters. Wally

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GWarden posted this 09 February 2008

Appreciate the info on the rifles.

Bob

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tsiero posted this 18 March 2008

The bore is actually .3075". The case capacity is about 12 gr over the 308 winchester. I shoot a Tanner rifle in competition in 7.5x55.

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slowfire77 posted this 16 April 2008

Just  bought a K-31 last week and it is in pristine condition. Paid 249.00 for it . The workmanship is first rate on these. I have fired it only with surplus ammo and it shoots as good as my 308 heavy barrel. I am going to buy some brass and another mould so I can do my own thing! It still has the soldiers tag on with a muzzle cap and sling. :D

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Wineman posted this 26 April 2008

Like the M1 carbine, the Swiss used a non corrosive (non chlorate) primer in their service ammunition. This small step was probably key to keeping the barrels in the shape they are in.

Wineman

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runfiverun posted this 27 April 2008

put that rcbs silh g/c bullet out the bbl at about 2000fps and it will hit to p.o.aim at 100 yds.

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FatAlbert posted this 15 July 2008

;}Dan Williams: If you size cases, fired in a K31, in the Redding K31 die you end up witha case with more vol. than a 30-06. I just started loading for mine as I just mounted a junk Tasco 3x9 in a St. Marks clamp on mount. Checking gun with factory 2nd. 168MK at about 2200-2500fps with 5 different powders at 50yds. With 18 three shot groups and GP11 ammo they ran from 3/4” to 1/8". GP11 ammo ran a little less than 3/4".  I was going to try some 30cal bore rider bullet that shot very good in a Howa 30-06 that I had but after sluging the bore I found that the slug came out .297/308” and the rider part of my bullets are .300".

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DonH posted this 15 July 2008

I had a K31 for several years but was forced to sell it along with others due to disability. that rifle shot an moa group from the bench at 100 yds with Swiss military ball ammunition. As others have said, cases were made from .284 Win (the Swiss military cases being Berdan primed), making it for all practical purposes a .30x284. An old Hodgdon manual lists the same load data for both .30-06 and .30x.284, indicating virtually identical case capacity. I believe full power military ammo for the K31 would be loaded to slightly lower pressure than what is normal for .30-06.

I sincerely hope there is anothe K31 in my future!

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chiefs50 posted this 07 August 2008

I always thought (still do) the K31 was one ugly rifle - especially when compared to the Springfields and Mausers.  However, after hearing so much about their accuracy, I finally broke down and purchased one for $79.  It had the typical “beaver chewed” Beech stock but was otherwise in very good to excellent condition, with an excellent bore/crown.  It is very accurate with the Swiss GP-11; it outshoots my Finn M39 B-barrel and can hold its own with my Swede M96B.  I did buy 200 brass cases from Graf's a couple years ago but haven't gotten around to developing any handloads yet.  Like some of you, I wish I had purchased a closet full of these at $79 a pop. 

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sundog posted this 08 August 2008

Y'all missed out on a group buy over on castboolits - modified 308-165-SIL.

The original RCBS version of that bullet works great as it easily accomodates the short throat in the K31.  Even though it is 7.5 a .310 cast bullet works just fine and has the added benefit of help to fill the throat.  Also, Grafs has PRVI brass at $39/100 and it seems to work just fine.

Somewhere I read that not all 7.5x55 dies are the same and that only CH and Redding make theirs specifically for the K31 chamber.  That may be legend or truth, I have no way of proving that.  That said, I can attest to the quality of the deluxe set (includes neck sizer) of Redding dies for the K31.  Pricey, but very good quality.

IIRC, either 20 or 21 gr 4427 and the 308-165-SIL makes a pretty decent load.

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giorgio de galleani posted this 08 August 2008

I talked some years ago with an old gunsmith who ,in his prime years had worked at Waffefabrik Bern,the governement arsenal who made all the Mousquetons 31 called Schmidt-Rubin.or Karabiner 31.

Being state employees,they were not pressed for fast production,they took all the time that was needed to make the best possible guns and barrels.

The Haemmerli barrels were considered second best  because the workers had  a time schedule to respect.and production rates to meet.

The ammo was non corrosive and jackets were of mild steel,the barrels did not develop bullet jacket fouling and corrosion from bimetallic contact.

The army  cleaning method was  to pass a string pulled  bristle brush  and then   grease the bore still hot from the firing.

New barrels were a bit tight, after the first 1000 shots of the first term of militia service they reached the diameter that gave best accuracy.

The Swiss military serve a first term of about two months,then they go home with all their gear ,uniform and rifle,then are called every year  for a short three week period.

They get free ammo for training and national matches so they practically do not reload.

Rifles from the infantry units and from sport shooters are more worn than the rifles from ,artillery units or sedentary services.

Every year the barrels were controlled by swiss armourers and ,if rusty lapped or changed at the soldiers expences,so they were well kept indeed.

In my opinion,the K31 rifles are so precisely inletted in their stocks that they need no bedding.

The only thing I dislike is their crude safety,unsafe ,in my opinion for hunting.

In switzerland they have yearly a couple of Waffenborse (gun shows) where they sell guns parts ,accessories ,army manuals ,match sights and lots of such things.

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giorgio de galleani posted this 08 August 2008

Often ,under the buttstock there is a small card with yhe name of the soldier and the unit.

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madsenshooter posted this 18 October 2008

Not all dies for the 7.5x55 are the same.  Most are made to size the case back to GP11 dimensions and the resulting case will fit the 1911 and earlier rifles also.  Chamber dimensions of the 1911 are a bit different than that of the K31, the K31 being larger, particularly at the shoulder.  CH makes a die made from a case fired in a K31.  They refer to them as “Rivard” dimensioned dies.  If one was to use .284 Win cases to make brass for the K31, the Rivard dies would produce a case with less slop in the shoulder area.  Graf's 7.5x55 has a shoulder of .455 diameter and is very sloppy fit in the K31's chamber.  Sizing once fired cases of any brand with the Rivard dies would work the brass less, giving you longer case life, and in theory, better accuracy.  A bit more capacity vs cases sized in standard 7.5x55 dies too.  You'd probably have to call CH as the Rivard dimensioned dies are not a catalog item. 

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