Not new to Mil Surp (or shooting) , but new to K31.

Great to get the gun, have seen them at the range and caught my attention a while back.

Fascinating history and the action is just to cool. All but the OP rod for a semi auto type function. I guess your arm is the op rod. You have to guess that the M1icon was off that concept.

I am also a Savage bench rest shooter (non competitive) so the direction as with my 30-06 Mil Surplus is to shoot both the original and a target version.

I wanted something different but doable on my own for another cartridge to shoot but not excessively expensive or hard to duplicate and the 7.5 by 55 looked like the ticket. I see a few other rifles out there as well as some Savages but its not at all common though I think it should be, seems like a great cartridge that would be a heck of a hunting cartridge.

Savage you can change your own barrels, so that part is simple.

Barrels you can guy a reamer, but that takes a Gun Smith (not something you want to mess up unless its an ER Shaw barrel.

I went with Loather Walther as they do the Savage pre fit and have the 7.5 chamber as an option. It will be interesting to have a European made barrel (distributor in US but they come from Germanyicon)

Delving into it, the bolt head has to be opened up a bit and I did that with no issue (its a separate piece on the Savage so it can be replaced if I messed it up)

The Savage is a single loader setup the way I have it so I don't have to worry about magazines fitting a case.

I had the K31 out and working up to good groups with it and getting cases fired to use as the head space in the Savage when it comes in so the brass is cross usable.

Kind of a thing now, I picked up a era correct bayonet to go with it, SN is about 100K newer than the gun so close enough match.

The biggest surprise was how close it is to 30-06 in case capacity when it looked more like closer to 308.

While it will be done cautiously, I think it can be pushed pretty hard in the Savage and see what it can do at upper speeds. K31 will get save load and easy on the gun.

I find it really stunning how well (modern) design that cartridge is and its bullet back when they were (others) figuring it out the Swissicon nailed it.

If it had been more widespread (trying!) it would have rivaled the 06 for capability and I am not sure not at least match it.
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