It truly is a great rifle. The straight-pull action might not be perfect; but considering its age and the fact that it is a (relatively) mass produced rifle - I think it's quite good! Great video as always!
Excellent quality rifle from Switzerland. I was in Switzerland back in 1987 and again in 2007 and all the Swiss have all the excellent grade rifles. They sent the beat up surplus K-31s to the US along with some few good ones for guys like me. I have a fairly beat up K-31 made in 1949 but the bore and action is well taken care of and mines shoots just as great as my RocK Island M1903 with a Springfield Armory 1942 replacement barrel.
These are wonderful rifles. Very accurate and well-built. I wrote to the gentleman who owned mine but never received a reply. Of course he would have been around 80 years of age by then. These are made like a Swiss watch!
Awesome! I love these Straight Pull Action rifles! I remember the review that you did of your 5(?) favourite S.P.A. rifles, after watching it I searched through many different on-line dealers & learned that, (unless you're part of a Biathlon club), straight pulls just aren't very popular in the States or Canada & resultantly, not easy to find. I've learned from each & every video that you post-thank you!
That paricular Rifle was made 1942, according to the serial number and has therefore a walnut stock from 1946 on, the stocks ehere made of beech On K31's watchout for "CM" stamped breeches, they tend to break , however they where issued only in 1944 afaik nad where mostly replaced - the good ones are staped "CN"
Another great video, and I really appreciate the thorough discussion, particularly the side by side comparison. Good looking stock for the .404 Jeffery as well. Thank you for sharing.
I think the advantage of a straight pull is not so much the speed as its ease of use. I can imagine under the influence of combat stress and panic one would be more prone to mess up the 4-step cycling of a turn bolt action than the 2-step back-and-forth operation of a straight pull. If I was in combat I would take the straight pull for this very reason. Have a K11 and a K31. Love the actions.
Which always fascinated me in surplus rifle of that era , is that although the gun was manufactured in the 30's or 40's , the wood furniture comes probably from a tree which started to grow back in the 1800's , possibly at the same time of the Old West ... Greetings from France
I have one of those too, its one of My favorite rifles for offhand shooting with iron sights. I love the balance and feel of the Swiss K 31. Good Video Sir
I have a k31 and a k1911. My k1911 is one of the 28750 converted from a the 1900 and 1905 shortrifles. Nothing really special about the converted k1911 from the average k1911 but a few differences like the receiver cuts and some small parts. Great rifles but hard to get GP11 ammo now. Also the half safe feature is ok to mess in but it's really meant for bolt disassembly (still you are not doing any harm to your rifle),
I bought mine from a local vendor here in Finland. It was 1 of 2 in the country. Its 1941 model so its got the walnut stock. Its in really good condition in general. The gun did breake the extractor claw after 3 shots, but then I ordered a new one and it has worked like a dream. The trigger is really light, almost to a point where I am thinking if the previous owner did something to it. Bore looks a little rough from the muzzle end but doesnt seem to effect accuracy. GP11 ammo is not available here, but PPU makes ammo for it. 7,5 (7,78mm)bullets are also not possible to get for reloading, but a lot of people say you can load .308 bullets.
Excellent video as always. The Swiss K31 is a beauty and as you say the cost to manufacture a rifle like that now would be astronomic. But the k31 performs as well as it looks and the 7.5 swiss is an excellent round, probably ahead of its time.
USOG "Did they ever make a carbine? The main rifle is the carbine 31." Sry made me grin. No, there werent more prototypes as pure repeaters. In Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung der Schweizer Armee seit 1817; Handfeuerwaffen Geradezug-Systeme. Anyways. The middle "position" is actualy for disassembly.
Great video as always. You should check out the RUclips videos from lencac. He is very knowledgeable on k31's and does some premium rebuilds on them. Also the swiss GP11 ammo is superior even to most of the current production.
I worked at an outlet store wholesale sports that is no longer in business. They brought crates of these in for sale. I removed the but plates on a few and found paper written in swiss. Not sure if they were war time letters or regiment info. You should give your's a closer look see if the paperwork is with it.
My main hunting rifle is a scoped and sporterized Schmidt Rubin made in 1902. Best three shot group with it at a hundred yards? 0.256". That was with a Leupold 3-9x32. Now it wears a Weaver K-2.5. Seemed appropriate to the rifle. I prefer the action of the Schmidt Rubin to the K-31. And by the way these rifles predate the Mauser 98 by iver a decade.
Hi Philip - I forgot to mention that one fellow got so sick of the straight pull that he converted the whole thing to a turn bolt. So interesting. You are right - the ejection is not the best.
1st great video. I love my K31. 1st rifle I purchased with my C&R 20 years ago. $79 to my door. A serious tack driver. Have you ever had a Ross rifle? Its a Canadian made straight pull. Thanks for some of the best videos. Be well.
Greetings Hamm, I agree 100% -- the K31 is so incredibly well made; one would not expect such perfection in a battle rifle. Accurate beyond belief. As for the Ross - yes I had a 1905 and a 1910 - at least those are the models I remember. The 05 had solid lugs and the newer model had segmented lugs. There is the well publicized potential to assemble the bolt incorrectly and have the bolt dislodge on firing but I never had a problem. I'll try to get my hands on one and make a video. Thanks for being here and liking the channel.
USOG Yes do that please. I have looked at a couple of M-10's in super nice condition but a bit expensive in my opinion. I will be glad to hear your opinion. I do find it strange that many just scoff at straight pull rifles. Almost the same preconceived prejudices as the Bullpup syle weapons get. Thanks in advance.
Did you ever take the butt plate off? There's usually a piece of paper with the name of the soldier the rifle was issued to. Collectors check it out of curiosity then carefully replace it so future collectors can see it too. I'm Canadian so I know what it's like to shoot with heavy gloves or mitts with a trigger finger sewn in. I think the Swiss were being prepared for winter war and cold hands can work the K31 with the big handle better than a small bolt handle K98 that takes 4 moves to reload. K31 takes two moves and bang.
Hugely above most milsurps in quality but not a quick natural action like an Enfield and in fact very mechanical but you can feel the quality with every cycle.
Hi Doug - I've lost track of prices but for sure in the past there were batches that came in and were sold at very low prices. I remember Lee Enfields at under $100. Springfields were always in demand and so tended to be higher priced. K31s for 100 is quite possible - or maybe Schmidt Rubins.
There seem to be a new brand dabbling in straight pulls, from Germany. Steel Action. I had it in my hand at a hunting fair, a couple of months ago (I was actually shopping around for a Blaser R8, but the salesman insisted that I should check out his other straight pulls as well), and it was smooth as butter. You could actually close and lock the bolt by simply tilting the rifle and let gravity do it's work.
Grease the bore with a brush while the bore is still warm. When you get home, clean the grease out with a patched jag, regrease and put up until next shoot. Just don't forget to remove the grease before shooting.
: ) I've been trying to find one for a long time - not many made. They rotated the action so the scope is centered over the action for the scoped model that I handled - much work. I would have milled down the right action wall and installed a special bolt with right side ejection - seems simpler than the rotated action; but they must know more.
A classic alternative to open sights or scope is the target diopter sights. Very popular at the Swiss Schützenfest day of target shooting.
I'll have to find some. Thanks for letting me know.
It truly is a great rifle. The straight-pull action might not be perfect; but considering its age and the fact that it is a (relatively) mass produced rifle - I think it's quite good! Great video as always!
Hi Alexander - an awesome effort and result from a great country. Handling and shooting these is a privilege - so fine.
Excellent quality rifle from Switzerland. I was in Switzerland back in 1987 and again in 2007 and all the Swiss have all the excellent grade rifles. They sent the beat up surplus K-31s to the US along with some few good ones for guys like me. I have a fairly beat up K-31 made in 1949 but the bore and action is well taken care of and mines shoots just as great as my RocK Island M1903 with a Springfield Armory 1942 replacement barrel.
These are wonderful rifles. Very accurate and well-built. I wrote to the gentleman who owned mine but never received a reply. Of course he would have been around 80 years of age by then. These are made like a Swiss watch!
What a neat idea. Would have been great if he had been able to write back. And you're so right : Swiss watches.
Awesome! I love these Straight Pull Action rifles! I remember the review that you did of your 5(?) favourite S.P.A. rifles, after watching it I searched through many different on-line dealers & learned that, (unless you're part of a Biathlon club), straight pulls just aren't very popular in the States or Canada & resultantly, not easy to find. I've learned from each & every video that you post-thank you!
That paricular Rifle was made 1942, according to the serial number and has therefore a walnut stock
from 1946 on, the stocks ehere made of beech
On K31's watchout for "CM" stamped breeches, they tend to break , however they where issued only in 1944 afaik nad where mostly replaced - the good ones are staped "CN"
Another great video, and I really appreciate the thorough discussion, particularly the side by side comparison. Good looking stock for the .404 Jeffery as well. Thank you for sharing.
That .404 is something else. I'll be making a video on it soon. Thanks Paul.
I just bought one a couple days ago good video I like the way you give your opinion on guns.
I think the advantage of a straight pull is not so much the speed as its ease of use. I can imagine under the influence of combat stress and panic one would be more prone to mess up the 4-step cycling of a turn bolt action than the 2-step back-and-forth operation of a straight pull. If I was in combat I would take the straight pull for this very reason. Have a K11 and a K31. Love the actions.
Which always fascinated me in surplus rifle of that era , is that although the gun was manufactured in the 30's or 40's , the wood furniture comes probably from a tree which started to grow back in the 1800's , possibly at the same time of the Old West ... Greetings from France
Hello Benew - That's a thoughtful observation!
I have one of those too, its one of My favorite rifles for offhand shooting with iron sights. I love the balance and feel of the Swiss K 31. Good Video Sir
Thanks Rick.
USOG Your Welcome Sir
The action tough ness can be smoothed quite a lot with a Rock Solid Industries firing pin spring, improved accuracy too.
I have a k31 and a k1911. My k1911 is one of the 28750 converted from a the 1900 and 1905 shortrifles. Nothing really special about the converted k1911 from the average k1911 but a few differences like the receiver cuts and some small parts. Great rifles but hard to get GP11 ammo now. Also the half safe feature is ok to mess in but it's really meant for bolt disassembly (still you are not doing any harm to your rifle),
Good to hear from you Miguel.
Another outstanding talk ! Now I want one! thanks
It's one of those rifles - the more I study it the better it gets.
Yes I believe you are correct sir.
That's a beautiful stock
I love my K31 great shooter . Great video as always !!
They are so well made. Thanks for the kind words.
I just ordered one in 2024. Cant wait to get it
You bought one of the best ever - fantastic buy!
How is it? Where did you buy from?
I bought mine from a local vendor here in Finland. It was 1 of 2 in the country. Its 1941 model so its got the walnut stock. Its in really good condition in general. The gun did breake the extractor claw after 3 shots, but then I ordered a new one and it has worked like a dream. The trigger is really light, almost to a point where I am thinking if the previous owner did something to it. Bore looks a little rough from the muzzle end but doesnt seem to effect accuracy. GP11 ammo is not available here, but PPU makes ammo for it. 7,5 (7,78mm)bullets are also not possible to get for reloading, but a lot of people say you can load .308 bullets.
Excellent video as always. The Swiss K31 is a beauty and as you say the cost to manufacture a rifle like that now would be astronomic. But the k31 performs as well as it looks and the 7.5 swiss is an excellent round, probably ahead of its time.
I think so too. Did they ever make a carbine? A fellow told me they did but I cannot find one and the main rifle is "Karabiner 31."
USOG "Did they ever make a carbine? The main rifle is the carbine 31." Sry made me grin. No, there werent more prototypes as pure repeaters. In Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung der Schweizer Armee seit 1817; Handfeuerwaffen Geradezug-Systeme. Anyways. The middle "position" is actualy for disassembly.
Great video as always. You should check out the RUclips videos from lencac. He is very knowledgeable on k31's and does some premium rebuilds on them. Also the swiss GP11 ammo is superior even to most of the current production.
Thank you Steven. I will have a look at lencac. Good shooting!
I worked at an outlet store wholesale sports that is no longer in business. They brought crates of these in for sale. I removed the but plates on a few and found paper written in swiss. Not sure if they were war time letters or regiment info. You should give your's a closer look see if the paperwork is with it.
Hi Jason - you bet - little pieces of paper with numbers and a last name.
My main hunting rifle is a scoped and sporterized Schmidt Rubin made in 1902. Best three shot group with it at a hundred yards? 0.256". That was with a Leupold 3-9x32. Now it wears a Weaver K-2.5. Seemed appropriate to the rifle. I prefer the action of the Schmidt Rubin to the K-31. And by the way these rifles predate the Mauser 98 by iver a decade.
Brilliant rifle - and no doubt, brilliant marksman.
Thank you for the video. 👍🏽
I got lucky and got a 1958 model, amazing quality service rifle. Not a fan of the vertical ejection, not fun getting showered in brass.
Hi Philip - I forgot to mention that one fellow got so sick of the straight pull that he converted the whole thing to a turn bolt. So interesting. You are right - the ejection is not the best.
1st great video. I love my K31. 1st rifle I purchased with my C&R 20 years ago. $79 to my door. A serious tack driver. Have you ever had a Ross rifle? Its a Canadian made straight pull. Thanks for some of the best videos. Be well.
Greetings Hamm, I agree 100% -- the K31 is so incredibly well made; one would not expect such perfection in a battle rifle. Accurate beyond belief. As for the Ross - yes I had a 1905 and a 1910 - at least those are the models I remember. The 05 had solid lugs and the newer model had segmented lugs. There is the well publicized potential to assemble the bolt incorrectly and have the bolt dislodge on firing but I never had a problem. I'll try to get my hands on one and make a video. Thanks for being here and liking the channel.
USOG Yes do that please. I have looked at a couple of M-10's in super nice condition but a bit expensive in my opinion. I will be glad to hear your opinion. I do find it strange that many just scoff at straight pull rifles. Almost the same preconceived prejudices as the Bullpup syle weapons get. Thanks in advance.
Great vid.
Did you ever take the butt plate off? There's usually a piece of paper with the name of the soldier the rifle was issued to. Collectors check it out of curiosity then carefully replace it so future collectors can see it too. I'm Canadian so I know what it's like to shoot with heavy gloves or mitts with a trigger finger sewn in. I think the Swiss were being prepared for winter war and cold hands can work the K31 with the big handle better than a small bolt handle K98 that takes 4 moves to reload. K31 takes two moves and bang.
That bolt action looks like a syringe or back of it. Unusual.
Great video!
Kind words are like food.
Hugely above most milsurps in quality but not a quick natural action like an Enfield and in fact very mechanical but you can feel the quality with every cycle.
It's not a dirt fighting rifle but a snow fighting rifle..!
Well said!
I've got one they have a floating barrel.
Thanks Donald
I heard 20 years ago these k31 cost less than 100 dollars? Is it consistent with your memory?
Hi Doug - I've lost track of prices but for sure in the past there were batches that came in and were sold at very low prices. I remember Lee Enfields at under $100. Springfields were always in demand and so tended to be higher priced. K31s for 100 is quite possible - or maybe Schmidt Rubins.
have you seen the finnish Lynx rifles? sorta of a modern take on this kind of straight pull
Yes - I tried to import them - amazing straight pull action.
There seem to be a new brand dabbling in straight pulls, from Germany. Steel Action. I had it in my hand at a hunting fair, a couple of months ago (I was actually shopping around for a Blaser R8, but the salesman insisted that I should check out his other straight pulls as well), and it was smooth as butter. You could actually close and lock the bolt by simply tilting the rifle and let gravity do it's work.
Iv been trying to buy one for years can't find one
Hi Enduro, I'm not sure where you are but they are around. I hope you find one!
Enduro EPICHUGGYBEAR I bought one just under 400$ from classic firearms. No longer that cheap lol.
Do you know the Swiss cleaning regs?
Hi Jeffrey - sorry - no.
Grease the bore with a brush while the bore is still warm. When you get home, clean the grease out with a patched jag, regrease and put up until next shoot. Just don't forget to remove the grease before shooting.
marcogram good explanation
Yes.
Sorry, it is in no way a Mauser.
Thank for writing ole canole. All the best for 2020.
Americans need always a scope...... You can have k31 with originaly scopes on...
: ) I've been trying to find one for a long time - not many made. They rotated the action so the scope is centered over the action for the scoped model that I handled - much work. I would have milled down the right action wall and installed a special bolt with right side ejection - seems simpler than the rotated action; but they must know more.
I have the sniper version with the heavier barrel and the muzzle brake.
Ausgezeichnet - please let me know when to send payment. : )
USOG that's only the ZFK-55. The 42&43 aren't like that