What makes K-31s magical?

[Latigo]

They are made from a waxed carboard, I think with little bits of metal around the top to seat in the action area. I haven't really used those, but don't have alot of faith in them. I've only used two of the 5 (6?) round all metal box magazines and love them. Wish somebody would make a larger magazine for it, it would be pretty sweet, at least in looks.

Stop and think about it. Those chargers were made mostly from 1930 until 1952. If they've lasted that long, why wouldn't you have faith in them?
Some 15 years ago my Dad brought around 1,000 of them into the US. He sold them for $0.85 each, and the guys we know that bought them are still using them. They simply keep the cartridges columnated. There's no appreciable stress on them at all. Not a single one of those we have here has failed.

[Spiggy]

the pouches for the clips are also nice and tight, there's really no reason to not trust the clips. They do their job in holding the rounds and getting them into the magazine when you need them to.

Only downside is it works like a mosin clip that needs to be manually removed before you close the bolt. Mauser and Enfield actions will eject the clip automatically.

[DasBoost]

Stop and think about it. Those chargers were made mostly from 1930 until 1952. If they've lasted that long, why wouldn't you have faith in them?
Some 15 years ago my Dad brought around 1,000 of them into the US. He sold them for $0.85 each, and the guys we know that bought them are still using them. They simply keep the cartridges columnated. There's no appreciable stress on them at all. Not a single one of those we have here has failed.

I've never had any issues with mine. I got 3 of the 3packs from SG for $20 each; that 85 cents sounds amazing... I digress. Of the 9 I received, I took the one in worst condition and used only that one to load the rifle when I took it to USI. 48 rounds through the rifle and the only issue with the charger was sometimes I had to bend the lips inward a bit to keep the tail or the cartridge from falling out. I worry less about damaging them in loading the rifle than them being crushed my rifle case and such shifting in the car.

ETA: And as for the earlier, lefty posts: As a lefty myself, I've never had an issue shooting the rifle right-handed as it is a simple back and forth motion; when using my friends SMLE however, I look like a complete moron. I've never actually tried the K31 left-handed, just felt natural enough to shoot right-handed.

[smle-man]

I read a post on another forum in which a shooter submerged a Swiss pasteboard charger in water for 3 days, took it out, shook it off, placed 6 rounds in it and loaded the rounds into his K31 with no problem and no distortion to the charger. I don't know what the paper was impregnated with but is sure seems to be waterproof.

[Spiggy]

I hear-tell they used the same stuff that was utilized to construct Joan Rivers

[stevie]

Stop and think about it. Those chargers were made mostly from 1930 until 1952. If they've lasted that long, why wouldn't you have faith in them?
Some 15 years ago my Dad brought around 1,000 of them into the US. He sold them for $0.85 each, and the guys we know that bought them are still using them. They simply keep the cartridges columnated. There's no appreciable stress on them at all. Not a single one of those we have here has failed.

Wow, I have 30 of these I had gotten 11 years ago from your father or yourself. Have not used any of them. How bad is that!!

[bruceflinch]

Stop and think about it. Those chargers were made mostly from 1930 until 1952. If they've lasted that long, why wouldn't you have faith in them?
Some 15 years ago my Dad brought around 1,000 of them into the US. He sold them for $0.85 each, and the guys we know that bought them are still using them. They simply keep the cartridges columnated. There's no appreciable stress on them at all. Not a single one of those we have here has failed.

Is it necessary to use the chargers? Can you load 6 rounds in the K31 without the charger?

[stevie]

Not required to use them.

[rojocorsa]

Bruce, not essential but usually nicer to have clips
Except for mosins for some reason; those can be a real aPITA.

[Mosinoma]

There is no real collector value so re-finish 'em!

Cheers

I heartily DISAGREE...WHO says there is NO collector value???...these rifles sold for MUCH less a few years ago than they do now!!!

Not to mention, when somebody "re-finishes" ANY milsurp, whatever value it once HAD, is now NIL...or...to use one of my fave terms...it's now just a crappy Bubba'd milsurp!!!...

DON'T re-finish your perfectly historically accurate milsurp!!!...DOWN with BUBBA!!!...

[Mosinoma]

You can certainly do that, that's what I do with my Mosin and Yugo. But for some reason I use my right hand with the K31.

+1

I am a lefty...cycle with my left hand with my Mosins...cycle with my right hand with my k31...it just seems more natural that way!!!...

[Latigo]

I heartily DISAGREE...WHO says there is NO collector value???...these rifles sold for MUCH less a few years ago than they do now!!!

Not to mention, when somebody "re-finishes" ANY milsurp, whatever value it once HAD, is now NIL...or...to use one of my fave terms...it's now just a crappy Bubba'd milsurp!!!...

DON'T re-finish your perfectly historically accurate milsurp!!!...DOWN with BUBBA!!!...

Yep. My Dad brought in a lot of k31s quite a while ago and they wre $89 each back then.
I noticed you have a bad case of Mela-Mosinoma. We do have a procedure for cutting that out. It involves good Swiss steel!

[Mosinoma]

I noticed you have a bad case of Mela-Mosinima. We do have a procedure for cutting that out. It involves good Swiss steel!

I do have a REAL bad case of Mela-Mosinima!!!...and, I have tried the Swiss steel application...

I bought my first k31 in a nice walnut stock a few months back...1940, all matching, shoots like a dream!!!...

my MOST accurate milsurp!!!!...

I think I want to get a 96/11 next, because I like the interesting history behind them...just hafta dig up the funds!!!

[Latigo]

You're going to find that the 96/11 may outshoot your k31.

[furyous68]

Is it fair to call the K31 a Military Surplus rifle? I know they were designed for the Swiss army, and I know they saw use in combat maneuvers & practice... but they never saw combat. I don't know, just doesn't seem fair to the Mosins, Garands, Enfields, K98's... etc.

Flame away! LOL