Swiss K31

[jack19512]

Aim is advertising they got a new shipment of the K31's in if anyone is interested.  I have two already, one walnut stock and one beech stock but I ordered me another walnut stock one.

 http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/New_Rifles_.html

[jack19512]

Well, I got my K31 today. All I can say is     .  They advertised these as "Very Clean Rifles in Very-good+Condition." Suppose to be "Select Grade ".

I could be wrong but I am pretty sure they advertised these as Very-good + Condition. Now the web-site just says very-good condition.

Anyway, this rifle is in no better shape than my other walnut and beech stocked K31's were in before I refinished them. The stock is fairly beat up with several large scratches and gouges and a lot of dents and dings.

I called AIM and they told me to send it back and they would make it right. They told me if it was in the condition I described they would reimburse me the shipping.

I hope that this rating system that they use isn't that far from what I would have rated this rifle. They are rating their beech stocked rifles as standard grade and this is what this walnut stocked one that they sent me should have been.   

[jgalar]

I do not do any business with AIM anymore.

I bought a Yugo Mauser from them and the bolt wouldn't close even without a cartridge in it. They said they would "make it right" it took over 1.5 months for them to ship me another. They wouldn't reimburse any shipping costs.

I bought an Enfield from them. The gun looked like it had been dragged behind a truck. I could easily insert a .020" feeler gauge between the no-go gauge and the bolt. I only neck size so I could actually live with the excessive headspace and I could get over the looks so I took it out and shot it. Every shot keyholed at 25yds. Taking a closer look at the middle of the barrel there wasn't any rifling there. The gun was a worn out piece of cr@p. I called them and told them what I found and sent it back with a letter explaining the problems with the gun.  AIM  charged me a restocking fee - they claimed that there wasn't anything wrong with the gun.

I have had very good results with the products and service from SOG so AIM is off my list.

[His lordship.]

Yeah, inconvenience is what I found with AIM too.  They wanted me to send them a copy of my drivers license, did that, placed an order through the internet a few weeks later and they responded by saying they needed my driver's license.

I wrote back and told them it is easier for me to buy from J & G in Arizona, who have been great to do business with, then to mess with them.   

[1911crazy]

Don't forget were getting closer to the bottom of the barrel every day now with surplus military guns.  Its buyer beware and not such a great crap shoot anymore too, lets face it, its not in our favor lately our chances of getting a quality piece are slim to none lately. As we hit the bottom of the barrel we are seeing anything advertised as good/very good and even fair condition when there in poor condition just to pass on and sell to us.  I'm sorry to say the new saiga's and handguns, modern stuff is starting to look better lately too with the climbing high prices plus the crappy conditions.  I'm very leary of my mailorder purchases now too, seeing this stuff in person at gun shops, pawn shops and gun shows sure gets my vote lately too.  Its the hands on inspection and seeing it that i like. We don't have too much available thats new from the dealers on the net lately too its been the samey/same for a while now too just mosins and yugo mausers plus yugo sks's too and its getting boring too.

I did purchase a No1 MkIII Enfield from AIM for $79 and while it was ridden hard and put away wet it looks like most of the other ones i have seen.  The $79 price was well within my price range too. My bore looks even from the chamber to the muzzle, i guess its ok.

With this second batch of swiss k31 rifles the price went up to $149 and there saying its the best ones we have seen yet to this day, lets hope so.  There were some really purdy ones and selling for much cheaper a while back too but as they sold out the prices remained the same and we got fair condition ones slipped in for the excellent price on us too.  It got to the point that nothing mattered and they just sent us anything.  My best ones came from Samco they were no bull sh-t about the conditions they were excellent for $139.  I'm kind of gun shy now were and who my money goes too now but Samco is on my list on who to still trust first with century arms next (2nd) and then SOG (3rd) and AIM as a last resort now.

BTW;  Some guys did say we haven't seen the best swiss k31's yet but i'm not so sure.

[Cement Man]

I just discovered the K31s a few months ago (don't know where I've been all these years) and I picked up my fourth one yesterday.  The first and the fourth, I had my local gun store acquire for me from Samco.  I asked for excellent/select condition - I believe I got what I asked for.  It took a long time to get the first one - about two months if I recall.  The second and third, I got from another dealer and I believe "very good +" would have been a better description.  The first and fourth from Samco have 95%+ bluing, stocks (one hardwood, one walnut)have light milsurp handling marks and dings.  The second and third have 90%+ bluing, stocks (one hardwood, one walnut also)have moderate-usual milsurp ding, dents, etc.  Cost was about the same after paying the transfer fees to my local gun store.  I haven't decided yet on whether I will acquire any more K-31's, but if I do - other than the long wait, I believe Samco has shipped what they advertised.  I would go back to Samco. 

[Maryland Hunter]

I recieved my first C&R purchase from AIM last week, a Yugo SKS, and I was very pleased. Great bluing, mirror bore, and wood only showing minor handling marks. The K31 walnut that I got next from Classic, though, not so nice. While the bore was excellent and the bluing ok, the wood was worse than my beech stocked K31. Not overly disappointed, just not exactly what I expected. I'll probably refinish the walnut though, so I'll deal with it.

Charlie

[jack19512]

I sent the K31 back to AIM and they reneged on the promise to reimburse me shipping.  I lost $50.00 on that deal.  I was upset with AIM to say the least. 

That was the first problem I had with them and still think they are a good company to do business with.

I see they have the walnut stocked K31's advertised but not like they did before.  I think their advertising is a little more reasonable now.

[Casull]

I ordered the walnut stocked K31 from AIM about two months ago.  The bore was great, the bluing pretty good, but the wood was less than I was expecting (first C&R purchase).  However, refinished the wood, and it looked pretty good.  Next, I thought I would try J & G in Arizona (think those are the right initials).  Anyway, ordered the birch K31.  The bore was great, the bluing pretty good (but not quite as good as the walnut), but the wood was even worse.  I only paid twenty dollars more for the walnut, so I think I got a pretty good deal.  Finally, ordered some PRVI ammo from Graff & Sons and got to shoot both guns this weekend.  I am one happy camper.  The walnut stocked gun was shooting about 1 3/4" to 2" groups at 50 yards and about 3 3/4" groups at 100 yards, and hitting to point of aim.  The birch stocked gun was almost as good (groups about 1/4" bigger), but was shooting about three inches high.  Anyway, that is about as good as I can shoot iron sights with my 44 year old eyes (which is why I may have get one of those St. Marie mounts so that I can scope them and see what they can really do).  Best $129.95 and $149.95 I ever spent.

[jack19512]

but the wood was less than I was expecting

This was my point when I talked with AIM.  If any of you remember how they advertised the previous batch of walnut stocked K31's.  The advertisement went something like this, "The best looking walnut stocked K31's we have ever seen". 

The one they sent me was rough.  It had plenty of dents and dings and several large scrapes and gouges.  I talked with AIM on the phone and they assured me that if the rifle they sent me was in the condition I described they would reimburse me shipping back.

After I sent the rifle back they did a complete turn around.  Sending me a NRA guideline describing their rating system.  I just felt they were a little dishonest in how they advertised the last batch.  If you notice how they are advertising them now they are a lot more realistic in describing the condition of the rifles.

I already had two K31's, a beech stocked one and a walnut stocked one that I had redone the stocks on.  I wasn't looking for another one to do.