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Added another cart before the horse or more precisely stated, bayonet before the rifle to my collection. Bayonet seems to be pristine save one small dent in one grip panel. $59 with free shipping from MIDWAY USA. It will be quite a task to find a K-31 or other Swiss rifle to match the condition of this one.
That is a good deal. Already have one though.
As of this month we can buy them for $50 in Canada with frog, although not all are in as good a condition as yours. There seems to have been a large influx from Switzerland - prices on eBay are tumbling as well. A bayonet like that used to fetch about $100.Quote:
Originally Posted by HOOKED ON HISTORY
One is not enough! These are beautiful bayonets, and there are several variations and makers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
Some Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Bayonets
Very nice and sharp as well. The only problem was Midway would not ship to my state so I had to send to my sister in another state.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
Andy,
One's enough for me. I don't plan anytime in the near future to get another K31 and I basically collect the bayonets to go with my rifles.
If I ever get serious about it, I'll probably stick to one of each type, not individual makers.
I sat down two days ago and came up with a want list, not too many bayonets on it anymore, ten to be exact. German S98/05, Austrian S1895, Russian 1891, Turkish 1903, Swedish M1914, Belgium 1916, Canadian Ross, US M4 with leather grips, Finish 1927, and a Polish Wz22/29.
Probably can't afford the Finnish or Polish but the others on a good day and a good deal I could probably pick up. My rifle list is considerably longer unfortunately. I only have the Austrian Stutzen for the above 10. I have bayonets but no rifles for another 10. So my want list is currently 19 rifles and 10 bayonets. It will take me YEARS to complete that list.
I'm limiting myself to the major and some minor powers during WWI and WWII with the addition of two neutrals, Sweden and Switzerland because their rifles are top notch.
https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...0&idcategory=0This is the best price I have seen on an 1891. Lots on ebay seem to go north of $100.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
Thank you. I now need 9 bayonets.
That's not a bad price but the shipping is nasty $12. Bought one anyway because like you said, they are going for a lot higher on ebay if they have any listed and they are often in poor shape.
Those Finn and Pole bayonets are worse than the #5's
Bid on a plated M39 bayonet display on Ebay.I think it went fo $67. I should have watched it at auction end. I believe it was real and they normally sell for $250 and up. My search continues for a #5 and now M39.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
Let me know how the 1891 looks as I need one for my 1891 Finn. I have never seen an SA marked 1891 but do understand there is such an animal.
Will do. Should be here next week, they usually ship pretty fast. From the photos, they look to be in excellent shape, probably arsenal refinished. It's odd how a stockpile of them showed up. They weren't there a little while ago because I just purchased something from them and I always check their bayonet listings.Quote:
Originally Posted by HOOKED ON HISTORY
Just opened up my 1891 bayonet. Looks to be the same condition as the 91/30 bayonets, near new covered in cosmoline. It has a real nice Izhevsk bow and arrow on it. No date but probably USSR era thus post WWI. Locking ring is a bit beat up compared to the rest of the bayonet.
Attachment 40285Well I found a home for my bayo bargin today.She is a pretty nice condition K-31 Bore & crown look crisp with the usual dents to the stock.These guns are made like a Swiss watch,very nice workmanship. Now the fun part researching and shooting.
That's a pretty nice looking one. Does it have a name tag?
Funny you should ask. It does in fact have the tag. And I am feeling a bit silly for being so excited about it having one but I find it fascinating. I will try and post a photo and perhaps get some help deciphering.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
Three avaliable at the local fun show. One was sporterized. One looked like somone had been driving tent stakes with the side of the butt (Samco "cracked stock" ?). The one pictured looked very nice to me though I have not seen enough of them to know how it rates. Seems as though non corrosive surplus ammo is avaliable and reasonable so I am pretty pleased.
PS Lots of nice accessories about as well.
Slings are available for these from several sources. Muzzle caps are priced all over the place, if you're lucky, the same place that has the sling will have cheap muzzle caps. The cleaning kits have become scarce and the prices have gone up. From what I can see, this one looks to be in above average shape stock wise. It could have been sanded. Check to see if the Swiss emblem is on the side of the butt and how deep it is. If it's shallow, it's been sanded. This was probably done in Switzerland by it's owner so not unusual. A lot of the rifles Cabela's had a few years back were like that. The slings are dated so you may want to try to get one near the year of production. That leaves you with watching ebay. Probably late war or post war production due to the beech stock.
No markings on the stock so it may have been sanded. If so it appears to have been done some time ago as none of the dents/dings/scratches edges seem feathered and they did a nice job (no sanding marks).
How do you determine the year of manufature?
I may have answered my own question about date of manufacture k31swiss.com indicates 1943 736076-786550 per the 7383 series serial number on mine.
The stock will be dated under the butt plate but that date will be a year or more earlier than the production date. The Swiss sand a lot better than the Soviets did. I believe mine was produced in 1943 but I'm too tired to look it up right now. I have a Walnut Stock. It's possible yours may be a replacement stock. Or it was just around the transition to beech.
http://www.k31swiss.com/page1/page5/page5.html This is the link to the production dates. Is my stock Beech? In tone it looks a bit darker than the photos of Beech stocked k31s I have been looking at. I will try and pull the butt plate today.
The rifle does seem to have been restocked due to the 1944 stock date and the 1943 serial number. Fred Schriber Kp (Kompagnie) = Company III /253 Tagerig Switzerland is the best I can interpit the tag information. The number on the rear is the rifle serial number. Not sure about the FLis part. Any Ideas?
Probably a replacement stock as the wood cured before they matched it to the metal.
My rifle is a 1942 production, probably February or March and the stock date is March of 1941 so that's roughly a years difference. A 1943 rifle could have either walnut or beech as that is the year they made the switch.
It is odd that they would need to replace a stock after two years of use.
Could the lack of a stamp on the stock indicate replacement? I would love to contact the previous owner or his decendants. I did a bit of googling with the name with Fred and Alfred Schriber and the city Toerig with no results. I did come with about seven names in Switzerland that are possibilities. Prehaps I will send letters to all seven and see if I am luckey. I read a couple of postings on the issue where there were positive responces.
The surplus (non corrosive) ammo seem to be widely avaliable(a local gun shop even hase some) and by all accounts shoots quite well. Cant wait to pull the trigger.
I don't know about the lack of a stamp. Even the sanded ones I've seen had a faint impression. Is the rifles serial number stamped in the barrel channel? I have two name plates, haven't done anything with either. One is a 1911 so it's doubtful that fellow is still around. The other is the 1942 and I might have a better chance with that one but I hate bothering people. I know a guy who is Swiss who could probably help me out but he seems to really shy away from anything military so I haven't asked him. I've seen mostly positive responses from guys who have tried to contact the previous owners but I've also seen a few negative ones.
The surplus ammo is match quality ammo, it shoots extremely well. You will have a lot of fun. Beware if shooting under a roof. The ejected shells go almost straight up and to the rear. If the ceiling is too low you might end up with one down the back of your shirt.
I have not disassembled the rifle so not sure about that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
I hesitate for the same reason but after placing myself in their position I would love to recieve a similar inquiry. The worst that can happen is no reply. If I someone is bothered they will not reply so I will never know about it. I think even the remote possibility of tracing it back to the original steward and thanking them for their stewardship to be worth a shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
When you do disassemble it be very careful about the front band. There is a trick to that you need to research first so you don't butcher it all up like the rifle sitting at my local gun shop.