Author Topic: hold out for 357 Handi or go with 7.5 Swiss K31? (Read 3365 times)

bluebayou · « **on:** August 11, 2006, 04:00:43 PM »

What a choice. I just sold a rifle. I have $150 in the firearms budget. Been wanting the Swiss for awhile, but the recoil is apparently on par with 30-06. The 357 would be a rechamber to Maximum. Either way it will be a plinker. The Swiss K-31 is interesting and I would appreciate it for its workmanship if nothing else. Man, what to do?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2006, 04:21:12 PM »

The K-31 is a good cast bullet shooter, when I was at the range Wednesday, a fella was shooting his original at 100 & 200yds, he was keeping em in the 9-10 ring at 200yd and most were Xs at 100yds, very low recoil in the loads he was shooting, but extremely accurate, even with his old eyes!

Tim

Datil · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2006, 04:38:30 PM »

I don't know a thing about K- 31 But I have a 357mag reamed to Maxie.
I reallt like it Shoots real good, better with 38 spl and 357 Mags after reamed.
Good luck Marv.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2006, 04:45:19 PM »

A little info on the K-31 for ya Marv!!

http://www.surplusrifle.com/swissk31/index.asp

jack19512 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2006, 04:59:44 PM »

For now get the K31 before they are all gone. I have two K31's and reload the Swiss Berdan primed brass. You can do the 357 later.

Datil · « **Reply #5 on:** August 11, 2006, 05:04:17 PM »

Thanks Tim, Just never got into Old Mil itary weapons. Marv.

jack19512 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 11, 2006, 05:09:12 PM »

Quote from: Datil on August 11, 2006, 05:04:17 PM

Thanks Tim, Just never got into Old Mil itary weapons. Marv.

You are missing out on some of the best buys there are in rifles.

RemingtonMagnum · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2006, 05:28:36 PM »

I don't think that I have ever seen a person NOT fall in love with the K 31! You can get great set of sights the MOJO and several other shooting quality sights. Even get a clamp on sight mount.

Don Jackson Remington Magnum/Ultramag

jack19512 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2006, 06:13:12 PM »

Quote from: RemingtonMagnum on August 11, 2006, 05:28:36 PM

Even get a clamp on sight mount.

Don Jackson Remington Magnum/Ultramag

bluebayou · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2006, 07:26:10 PM »

I didn't think about cast bullets. Great idea. I was thinking (NOBODY GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE) about even looking at the reduced H4895 loads for the 308 Win as an idea too.

Man, I had talked myself into the 357 because of cheap ammo, but now.........

Great looking rifles there, Jack. I assum that the bottom one is the walnut, Pre-War version. Any tips on refinishing the stocks or do they all look that good?

Glad that I am not the only one interested in these rifles. Seriously, look at the craftsmanship that you get for $100. Pretty it ain't, but well engineered it is.

jack19512 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 12, 2006, 03:36:21 AM »

Quote from: bluebayou on August 11, 2006, 07:26:10 PM

Great looking rifles there, Jack. I assum that the bottom one is the walnut, Pre-War version. Any tips on refinishing the stocks or do they all look that good?

Yes, it is my walnut stocked K31. I keep the walnut stocked K31 in the safe and my beech stocked K31 is my everyday shooter. Most K31's are like any of the other mil-surplus rifles, they have their dents and dings. I enjoyed refinishing these two. I have two Yugoslavian 24/47's that will be my winter time projects this year. If you get you a K31 and decide to refinish it let me know and I will tell you how I did mine.

RemingtonMagnum · « **Reply #11 on:** August 12, 2006, 04:06:07 AM »

I have not been watching Graf but they get in 7.5x55 brass real often and not a killer on the price!

Don

jack19512 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 12, 2006, 05:55:35 AM »

I watch Graf for the 7.7x55 brass but they havn't had any in quite some time except for the Norma brass which is very expensive. That is why I reload the Swiss Berdan primed brass. I have lots of it.

Cayoot · « **Reply #13 on:** August 13, 2006, 04:21:43 AM »

Don't forget that you can also (easily) reform .284 Win. brass to 7.5 Swiss. That's how I feed my K-31 habit.

jack19512 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 13, 2006, 01:48:44 PM »

Quote from: Cayoot on August 13, 2006, 04:21:43 AM

Don't forget that you can also (easily) reform .284 Win. brass to 7.5 Swiss. That's how I feed my K-31 habit.

What brand brass do you use and where do you get yours from?

Cayoot · « **Reply #15 on:** August 13, 2006, 02:52:49 PM »

I just buy a bag of 50 everytime I'm in our local "Jays Sporting Goods" I believe that it is Winchester brand (comes in a bag of 50).

quickdtoo · « **Reply #16 on:** August 13, 2006, 03:04:46 PM »

Info on using .284W brass.

Quote

Q. I have heard .284 Winchester brass can be formed to 7.5x55. How is this done?

A. Very simply. Just use a good lubricant and run the .284 cases into a 7.5 Swiss full-length sizer die. Trimming is needed only to square up the case mouths. The .284 case is thick and strong, so dies will need to be adjusted to make up for increased spring in the loading press. While the .284 rim is undersized, it usually works OK with the 7.5 extractor. Be sure to use a 30/06 size shellholder or you will rip the rims off some cases.

http://swissriflewebsite.com/FAQ.htm

acloco · « **Reply #17 on:** August 13, 2006, 05:15:50 PM »

The K31 does not kick like an '06...or a 270.

If you reload, you can use 284 Winchester brass - necking up is easy. Buy the Redding dies - they are made for the K31. Others are made for the K11, etc, etc.

Here is a 300 yard group with one of my K31's...and standard open sights.

200 yard group with the same K31:

Working up a group at 100 yards. Numbered this group as #7A - J (bumping 0.2 grain per letter).

Milsurp GP11 ammo at 100 yards:

Victor3 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 14, 2006, 12:32:34 AM »

I have both of those rifles. If I were forced to toss one of them into a river of molten lava or something, the H&R would go without a second thought. The K31 is the better rifle x 10...

http://home.earthlink.net/~hwsportsman/SwissMiss.html

quickdtoo · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2006, 11:20:05 AM »

After shooting next to a cast bullet K31 shooter at the range for 2 weeks in a row, seeing him put round after round into the 9, 10 and X ring at 200yds with the original sights, then reading a couple threads on the K31 here, I had to have one.

Been looking at them online for the last couple weeks, checked several places locally, after calling all the Big 5s in the area, and talking to their managers, they didn't expect to get any more in from Century, it's been 2 months since they got any, the last store I called had one and after seeing it and how good it looked, I bought it.

A beechwood stocked rifle with a $180 price tag I might add, which is a bit more than I anticipated, has very little wear, no rust and the bluing is 90+%, bore looks new, although the stock near the butt plate is a little rough. Removed the butt plate and there was the label with the last Swiss GI's name and unit on it, kool!! Ordered 4 boxes of the boxer primed ammo from Grafs and a die set, looking forward to doing some shooting with it.

Looking at scope bases now considering I'll want to use it for load work, can't trust my eyes to give me a good sight picture with iron sights. Haven't decided if I want to use the S&K Scout mount or the Swiss clamp on kind

Thanks to all you K31 owners!!

Tim

http://www.scopemounts.com/schmidtrubin.html

http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Mounts.html

Cayoot · « **Reply #20 on:** August 20, 2006, 01:59:01 PM »

Can I suggest another option? Try Darrell's Scout Mount. You can order them on Darrel's Scount Mount Forum.
http://p077.ezboard.com/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm85

I have 3 and am really pleased with them. Darrel is a super guy to deal with and is very concerned about having the most dependable, rugged scope base around that will not have any permanent affect of the collectable status of your Milsurp Rifle. They have become very popular with milsurp hunters.

Just my $.02 (actually, $.0067 after inflation!

)

quickdtoo · « **Reply #21 on:** August 20, 2006, 02:45:12 PM »

Cayoot,

Thanks for the recommendation, I looked at that yesterday and compared it to the S&K weaver, it appears that the S&K has more forward mounting range and I'll need all if can get for the 1½-6x28 S&W pistol scope that I have that I would like put to use.

Tim

S&K

Darrel's

cpj · « **Reply #22 on:** August 20, 2006, 03:48:54 PM »

Well, while we are on the topic of milsurp guns, here is one that I picked up yesterday. Its a Russian Mosin Nagant m 91-30, chambered in 7.62x54. I paid 95 bucks for it. I also got a case of 760 rounds of ammo for 69 bucks. The ammo is corrosive, but as long as you clean it once you get home, you dont have anything to worry about. No, its not pretty, but it is a typical Russian fire arm, made simple, but made strong. They say that Russian guns are like Russian women. Not much to look at, but you could plow a field with one.

I shot it tonight, and had about a 3 inch group at 100 yards. I know that it will do better, but its kinda hard to be serious with your shooting when you have your 4 year old girl with you. I took her so that she could shoot her 22. And helping her shoot is alot more fun than me shooting any day.

jack19512 · « **Reply #23 on:** August 20, 2006, 05:05:16 PM »

I started with a Darrells scout mount on my K31, although the only scope I had on hand at the time was a regular scope. I had no complaints with it. I had a scout mount on my M/N M38 also. Would have saved a lot of money if I would have done it right to start with.

K31 before

K31 now

M/N M38 before

M/N M38 now

myarmor · « **Reply #24 on:** August 20, 2006, 06:59:09 PM »

Mil. Surplus rifles are a ton of fun and can be surprisingly accurate. I think it's funny that this has come up in the NEF/H&R forum. Too all out there that want to plink for cheap give them a second look. They can be had for little $$ and are just as cheap to shoot. Not to mention that they are great canidates for hunting, as they are usually chambered for VERY powerful rounds, especially considering the time period they Hail from. They are made for utility and service, and designed for absolute ruggedness.
Enjoy.
-Aaron

chrsm · « **Reply #25 on:** February 20, 2011, 09:41:54 AM »

check this link out http://www.rocksolidind.com/gpage.html

Airsporter · « **Reply #26 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:01:37 AM »

Wow, talk about reviving an old thread! I have a pile of Handi's, but the K-31 is a true example of the craftsmanship (and over-engineering

) the Swiss are famous for. Mine has a walnut stock. These are precision built rifles. There was an estimate that, to make the K-31 today, it would have to sell for at least $1,000 - 1,200.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:32:46 AM »

In retrospect for me, my mil-surp rifles, even back to the 1870 Snider, have all been well engineered, well built and mostly trouble free and pretty accurate.
Same cant be said for a lot of the other, even name brand pricey guns Ive got/had.
Looking in the safe today, a bunch are there and are 'stones' (solid and reliable), ready to go and trust to work.

petemi · « **Reply #28 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:16:55 AM »

I've had only 3 MILSURP rifles and they were Russian, chrome bored, machined parts, SKSs. They were rugged and dependable, but only shot 2-3 MOA. I've always wanted a K98, an '03 Springfield and a .30-40 Kraig. I should have bought them as a kid, cause I can't afford them now

Pete

gcrank1 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:36:05 AM »

Pete, I'll think of you next time I play with them

.