Swiss K31 shopping

[Roofuss]

Thanks , so far, for the replies.
Just looking for folks who have experience with these guns and possibly know of { if there are any ? } inherent issues , or things to watch out for .
Any real advantage as to Beechwood as opposed to Walnut ?
Personally , like a darker wood on a rifle, but just an opinion.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

You should knob by now I only need one. My next is an 1889.

I only needed one until I got one and saw how well made and maintained they were. Need and want have merged for me when it comes to Swiss rifles.

[samnev]

Watch out Swiss rifles multiply like rabbits. I started out with 1 K31 and now have over a dozen of various flavors including 1 K31/42 Sniper and 2 K31/ZFK's aka K31/55 Snipers and a very rare Hamerli K31 Match rifle with match sights..

[Aragorn243]

Walnut is the better wood. That's why most commercial stocks made of wood are walnut. Beech is cheaper and easier to come by and that is why the Swiss made the switch in 1943. The war had been going on for several years and their supply of walnut dried up. As they dry the wood for a year or more, their supply of walnut ended in 1941 or '42. If you find a nice looking beech stock no problems with them, it's all appearance. They simply didn't stand the abuse as well as the walnut stocks did. If you see a nice looking beech stock, check for the Swiss emblem. There should be on on the butt stock. If it is missing, it's been sanded and that's why it looks nice.

I think the only reason I would buy another K31 is if I found one nicer than the one I own. I went the other direction and got a K11 and then a 1911 so they did multiply, just not the same type.

[Roofuss]

Watch out Swissicon rifles multiply like rabbits. I started out with 1 K31 and now have over a dozen of various flavors including 1 K31/42 Sniper and 2 K31/ZFK's aka K31/55 Snipers and a very rare Hamerli K31 Match rifle with match sights..

Is there ANY advantage to a K31 with a Hammerli match barrel ? I have heard little about them on the K31 model ..........

[Aragorn243]

A match barrel is going to be better than a regular barrel but the regular barrels are pretty good themselves.

[Latigo]

Barrels were made by Hammerli and SIG as well as receivers. They were assembled at Eidgenossische Waffenfabrik in Bern and will often have a Hammerli barrel on a SIG receiver and vise versa.

Please note that Eidgenossische Waffenfabrik is SIG, now known and registered as RUAG.
Another note.... k31's stamped with a P and cycled into the hands of private citizens are far more likely to have been shot a lot in competitions. Those with the sought after "competition labels" are in the same boat. Fired a lot more than those not taken into the private sector. If it has a bunch of labels or a P, have the seller gage the bore before you buy it. Simpsons will gladly do that for you.

---------- Post added at 07:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:58 AM ----------

And actually there is a potential issue with 1944 mfg'd k31s. This is from Guisan on the SRDC


K31 accident...SAFETY CHECKS... in Straight-Pull Rifles Forum

[Latigo]

Also please note that not all original stocks have the Swiss proof stamped on the buttstock. If a stock was damaged or for any other reason required an arsenal refurbish, there were many that did not get the new stock stamped. This was far more likely on the refurbishing of earlier mfg'd k31s

[Latigo]

And I said that wrong. Sig is it's own company separate from Bern, but closely tied with RUAG

[Latigo]

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