Swiss K-31

[LDBennett]

I got my Swiss K-31 for xmas a couple of years ago and have shot it several times with surplus "match" ammo. Shot it again this weekend. It's nothing special. My daughter got it for me at Big Five Sporting Goods store that specializes in tennis shoe sales.

WOW!

Our range in Central California has swingers and steel targets out to 525 yards, placed at 50 meter intervals. The K-31 was hitting all the targets with regularity that was unbelieveable with open sights. I could get the steel ram at 525 yds no problem. In fact I got it the first try and of course there after as well. What amazed me is my 65 years old blurry version didn't get in the way. I hit the long range ram any way! I have modern rilfes with scopes that don't shoot as well!

If you ever want one accurate surplus military rifle then get one of these and buy up all the surplus "match" ammo you can find. Both the gun and that ammo are jewels! It was nice to renew that knowledge!

LDBennett

[JohnK3]

What's her name, LDB?

My girls and I decided to name my K-31 "Claudette," as she was previously owned by a Phillipe Pretter in Prilly, Vaud Canton, Switzerland. Vaud is a Francophone area of Switzerland, so a French name was appropriate. If she had come from Bern or one of the German-speaking areas, we probably would have given her a German name.

[Pistolenschutze]

It's really hard to beat the K-31, LDB. I own two of them and the accuracy on both is phenomenal. You might consider mounting an aperture sight on the rifle if you plan to use it open sight. Mojo makes a set that replaces both the front and rear military sights with apertures. Adding those sights greatly increased my accuracy with the rifle.

http://www.mojosights.com/

[LDBennett]

Pistolenschutze:

If I can hit a silhouette ram at 525 yds with original open sights on the first shot and many others there after with 65 year old eyes wearing thick glasses with only the front sight sharp, why would I want to change anything? Sight changes are crutches which this gun clearly does not need.

My son-in-law's from exactly the same source and in exactly the same condition and using the same exact ammo shoots equally as well! This gun/ammo package is phenominal! These guns shoot better than some rifles with scopes that I have owned.

But thanks for the sight suggestion. I don't really think the guns need anything except to be shot more often!

LDBennett

[Pistolenschutze]

To each his own of course, LDB. The military open sights on the K-31 are actually pretty good, much better than found on most military rifles. I've always had a fondness for aperture sights though, possibly due to my eyesight. For whatever reason, I've always shot better with them than with a traditional open sight.

[LDBennett]

Pistolenschutze:

I too have replaced open sights with peep sights on several of my lever guns but these K-31 sights work better than most other open sights I have used. The front sight and the rear slot are small enough that they seem to be easy to line up. It was absolutwly no problem seeing the ram at 525 yds, which surprises me. I have shot these rams at this range many times over the last five years, rarely hitting them with open sights. When I did it was more like luck than skill. With the K-31 it was almost hard to miss.

I think the ammo is exceptional as well. It is sold as Match ammo and it sure is consistent at the 525 yd targets, narrowly missing the target when I don't do my job. I just can not say enough about this clunky looking, old military rifle that shoots like a dream. The trigger is even pretty good (two stage and light on the second stage). I'm no hunter but few game animals would get away frorm this baby. And its CHEAP!

LDBennett

[JohnK3]

Originally Posted by LDBennett

I think the ammo is exceptional as well. It is sold as Match ammo and it sure is consistent at the 525 yd targets, narrowly missing the target when I don't do my job.

LDBennett

Just think: The Swiss issued that ammo as their SERVICE ammo!