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...don't get me wrong, I have nothing against C&Rs and older milsurps, I just never looked at them very close. My tastes always ran to S&W revolvers and .22 target rifles more or less.
But I stopped by City Arms in Pacifica on the way home last night and Uncle V had just opened a shipping box and said "Take a look." Man I should know better by now, when Uncle V gets that look in his eye it means he has something neat to show me.
And there they were, three Swiss (are there any other kinds? Oh man there's so much I *don't* know about these rifles) K-31s, all in what appeared (to me anyway) very good condition. Now, my knowledge of the K-31 is pretty slim; I know it's a straight pull, I know it's supposed to be a pretty accurate rifle and I know that if you take off the buttplate, often there will be a slip of paper with the name and unit info of the last Swiss militia member that particular rifle was issued to. And that's about all I know. Didn't even know the caliber.
But man, I held one and worked the action, pulled the bolt and that thing is just beautiful, machined like, well, a Swiss watch. The Swiss Cross on the action bridge and stamped into the stock? Sweet! And I do so love that smell of old cosmoline, wood and steel.
So now I'm the proud, and semi-confused, owner of a K-31 with matching bolt, barrel and magazine. This thing needs a sling I think, anything else that's a must have for this beauty? Anything I should know about the rifle other than hold on this end and the bullets come out the other end? What's ammo availability like? I see Samco has some in stock, is it corrosive?
Holy crap what have I done!
But I stopped by City Arms in Pacifica on the way home last night and Uncle V had just opened a shipping box and said "Take a look." Man I should know better by now, when Uncle V gets that look in his eye it means he has something neat to show me.
And there they were, three Swiss (are there any other kinds? Oh man there's so much I *don't* know about these rifles) K-31s, all in what appeared (to me anyway) very good condition. Now, my knowledge of the K-31 is pretty slim; I know it's a straight pull, I know it's supposed to be a pretty accurate rifle and I know that if you take off the buttplate, often there will be a slip of paper with the name and unit info of the last Swiss militia member that particular rifle was issued to. And that's about all I know. Didn't even know the caliber.
But man, I held one and worked the action, pulled the bolt and that thing is just beautiful, machined like, well, a Swiss watch. The Swiss Cross on the action bridge and stamped into the stock? Sweet! And I do so love that smell of old cosmoline, wood and steel.
So now I'm the proud, and semi-confused, owner of a K-31 with matching bolt, barrel and magazine. This thing needs a sling I think, anything else that's a must have for this beauty? Anything I should know about the rifle other than hold on this end and the bullets come out the other end? What's ammo availability like? I see Samco has some in stock, is it corrosive?
Holy crap what have I done!
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