Aim Surplus swiss k31

[lmyer]

Did you use the steel or the aluminum version? I love my K31, but my eyes aren't getting any younger. 100 yards is okay, but 300+ is getting to be a struggle with irons.

DD,

I used the aluminum one - cheaper than the steel. Is a very well made mount and I think no chance of moving the way it clamps on with only one screw. I put it on the rifle before ever taking it to the range the very first time I shot it as I did not believe I could shoot iron sights accurately.

Please note that your scope will sit to the right of the bore and will be pretty high. Only problem with this is canting the rifle can really screw you up big time with a high scope mounted to the side. I also put a bubble level on my scope to make sure I did not cant, but you can use vertical crosshairs to line up the same way with an individual target. The scoped K31 was very accurate but a pain to try to not cant, and to work the mechanism to load the next cartridge without destroying all the setup in the rests from the previous shot.

Being very accurate to the point of boring, yet a big pain to shoot is what prompted me to take the scope back off and start again with the iron sights.

Good luck with yours! Enjoy!

Les

 

[DoggyDaddy]

DD,

I used the aluminum one - cheaper than the steel. Is a very well made mount and I think no chance of moving the way it clamps on with only one screw. I put it on the rifle before ever taking it to the range the very first time I shot it as I did not believe I could shoot iron sights accurately.

Please note that your scope will sit to the right of the bore and will be pretty high. Only problem with this is canting the rifle can really screw you up big time with a high scope mounted to the side. I also put a bubble level on my scope to make sure I did not cant, but you can use vertical crosshairs to line up the same way with an individual target. The scoped K31 was very accurate but a pain to try to not cant, and to work the mechanism to load the next cartridge without destroying all the setup in the rests from the previous shot.

Being very accurate to the point of boring, yet a big pain to shoot is what prompted me to take the scope back off and start again with the iron sights.

Good luck with yours! Enjoy!

Les

Yeah, I saw that it was mounted to the right of the bore and that is giving me pause too. As of right now it's just something I'll put on the back burner and think about. I've got no real complaints about the irons for now as long as I keep it to 300 yards or less.

 

[Emptora]

plan on going and picking one up in person next week. Will post review and photos in such case.

 

[Ljungman]

"I had one for several years in alaska and took several elk with one. they are inherently accurate like a laser. I had no issues and i miss that gun...wishing i hadnt sold it. Will most likely pick one up on the future. if you do get one reload for it. makes ammo half the cost and you can work with your specific gun to wring out that last drop of accuracy. exceedingly surprising how accurate an "old war gun" can be. and fun.

 

[TRWXXA]

My "unissued" K31 arrives tomorrow. SAMCO quickly ran out of walnut stocked rifles, so they are sending me a beechwood one instead.

My buddy received his on Tuesday (a 1939 dated,beechwood) and he says it is absolutely gorgeous. However, the rifles are not truly unissued, but in "unissued condition". The latest information is that they were good rifles that were turned in for maintenance in the late 50s or early 60s. Instead of getting their rifles back, the original owners were issued the new SIG 510 service rifles. The K31s got new barrels, new serialized wood, put in like-new condition, crated up, and then stored for 50 years.

A little disappointing that they are not NOS rifles, but considering real never-issued Garands fetch over $6,000, I guess it is unrealistic to expect a new WWII rifle for $600. However, the folks who have already received these SAMCO K31s are saying they are the nicest ones to be found anywhere. Hopefully the Big Brown Truck (BBT) will deliver mine in time to get some pics up tomorrow night.

 

[TRWXXA]

UPS must have me last on their route. Rifled showed up late and it was too cloudy to take good pics by then.

The rifle is fantastic. Wood is very nice with some rubbing on both sides and a couple dents on right side of buttstock -- all consistent with being crate stored amongst other rifles. Bluing is as near perfect as you'd ever find on a nearly 60 year old firearm. The leather sling looks new, but is quite stiff with age (not unlike its new owner).

All matching numbers that put its year of manufacture in 1955 (at the Bern arsenal), and within the last 16,000 K31s built. The stock has the correct serial number, but a 1951 date stamp on it. It seems that when the Swiss replaced wood on a rifle, the new wood got serialized to match the rifle.

If the story behind these rifles is correct, my rifle certainly could not have seen much use before it was rearsenalled.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

UPS must have me last on their route. Rifled showed up late and it was too cloudy to take good pics by then.

The rifle is fantastic. Wood is very nice with some rubbing on both sides and a couple dents on right side of buttstock -- all consistent with being crate stored amongst other rifles. Bluing is as near perfect as you'd ever find on a nearly 60 year old firearm. The leather sling looks new, but is quite stiff with age (not unlike its new owner).

All matching numbers that put its year of manufacture in 1955 (at the Bern arsenal), and within the last 16,000 K31s built. The stock has the correct serial number, but a 1951 date stamp on it. It seems that when the Swiss replaced wood on a rifle, the new wood got serialized to match the rifle.

If the story behind these rifles is correct, my rifle certainly could not have seen much use before it was rearsenalled.

Well... it's not cloudy now...

Sounds really nice, and would love to see it!

 

[TRWXXA]

Well... it's not cloudy now...

Sounds really nice, and would love to see it!

I know. Had to run a bunch of errands and the sun came out, and now it is cloudy again . Supposed to be sunny tomorrow AM.

 

[TRWXXA]

Alright...

So with the sun still not cooperating (I was hoping bright sunlight would capture the flaws in the wood better than flat diffused sunlight or a flash could) I took some pics this morning.

Mein schönes Mädchen...

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Oh man... that is just absolutely gorgeous!

 

[Hop]

Wow, that looks new! Mine must have been used in boot camp by a drill sargent to beat up the recruits.

 

[ryknoll3]

Wow, I thought mine looked decent. That thing is beautiful. I paid half of what you did though, so I can't expect the same as you got. =)

 

[TRWXXA]

Well it wasn't cheap. But, DAMN... It is nice. I gotta figure, if it was an M1 or a M1903 in similar condition -- factory refurbished (as opposed to military refurbished), like new -- they'd easily be double the price. And both of those need some modification to be as accurate as a K31 is out of the box.