What year milsurp(k31) to buy?

Rustle in the Bushes · June 7, 2011, 03:06 AM

What year k31(milsurp) to buy?
So this is kind of a general question, both my brother and I have been looking at milsurp rifles lately. When picking from an online dealer (id rather see the gun but its not possible) what kind of things do you ask for?

Would you ask for a newer year for a model with less wear.

Or an older one with more historical value?

Do you just tell them to pick you a nice one?
Any other things youd ask before buying?

zfk55 · June 7, 2011, 06:23 AM

Its hard to find a k31 that doesn't have a shiney bore with sharp lands/grooves. The war years rifles are mostly all Beech and the pre and post war rifles will be Walnut, but other than that the year doesn't seem to make much difference to condition other than stock dings being more prevelant in the early rifles.
The Swiss used the same maintenance and storage methods on all Swiss rifles and that method is what gives us 80 year old rifles that puts most all others to shame for condition.
Read through this for comments on the "best year" k31's

http://theswissriflesdotcommessagebo...t=Search+Forum

Latigo

madcratebuilder · June 7, 2011, 10:15 AM

Latigo, I thought that the furniture was walnut until 1946 when they started using beech. My early rifles are walnut and late are beech. I have one early rifle in beech but it's a replacement stock dated 1954.

As far as picking a year I can give you this info broken down by serial number.
after 550651 Hardened magazine boxes, this is in 1936
after 540001 Hardened receivers, this is in the middle of 1935 production.

Just choose if you want beech or walnut furniture and add the 10-20 bucks for "hand select" it's worth it.

zfk55 · June 7, 2011, 12:13 PM

You're closer, MCB. Beech began in late 1943/early 44 because Walnut had run out due to wartime demands on Walnut from other countries and couldn't be found in any quantity till near 1952.

Latigo

ksstargazer · June 8, 2011, 07:10 AM

I think any year would be fine. The K31 does not have the history that other milsurps might have. The walnut stocked ones bring a little more money but all shoot very well.
I have two K31's, one is a walnut stock war year and the other a beech stock post war year. Both were in very good condition and both are 1 MOA or better in accuracy. I got them early and paid about $125 for each. I scoped the Beech stocked one and it got me a deer at about 300 yards last year. Prior to the K31, I would have never attempted a shot at that distance. I had no doubt of killing the deer with the K31.

zombieslayer · June 9, 2011, 06:39 PM

I have to get my hands on one of these rifles. Be sure and post some pics and your comments when you find one and get ahold of it. I'm trying to nail down who has the best ones at the best price right now myself. I may wait and see how you do...

ripnbst · June 9, 2011, 07:48 PM

I se some posts mentioning hundred dollar rifles but most are older. Can these Swiss K31's still be had for close to $100? Most I see are 300-400.

Thanks in advance.

ksstargazer · June 10, 2011, 06:57 AM

The $100 K31 days are over. A more typical price at this time is $250 for a good condition rifle. I bought my last K31 for $125 about 4 years ago - A guy had 3 of them at that price at a local gunshow. Another dealer bought the other two and put them up for resale at $225.
Considering what you are getting, a K31 for $250 is an amazing deal.

zfk55 · June 10, 2011, 11:13 AM

I remember when my Father bought 5 of them for $89 each maybe 14 or 15 years ago.

cracked butt · June 10, 2011, 08:04 PM

They are all the same- literally. I have 6, and they are boringly consisent. I do have one walnut stocked one but honestly it doesn't get shot much. The one I shoot the most is also my favorite- only because I paid $59 for it in a AIM surplus special sale.

I never paid more than $100 for one- at the time the stores/surplusers seemed to not be able to give them away- the ammo was 'expensive' compare to the 8mm and 7.62x54 that you could easily buy 1000 rounds for under $100. I wish I would have bought a 1/2 dozen more and a few more thousand rounds of gp-11..
I had another that simply sat in storage and I never even cleaned the cosmoline off it. I sold it to a friend a few years ago for his first rifle and he shoots the heck out of it.

MEATSAW · June 12, 2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

You're closer, MCB. Beech began in late 1943/early 44 because Walnut had run out due to wartime demands on Walnut from other countries and couldn't be found in any quantity till near 1952.

Latigo

I see that Simpson's has quite a few walnut stocked K31s with serial numbers that place them being made in 1944. Is this possible or have they been definitely re-stocked?

kadima · June 13, 2011, 09:20 AM

The cutoff date isn't so exact. sure there were some leftovers of walnut stocks used when almost all the production was beech...

June 7, 2011, 03:06 AM	#1
Rustle in the Bushes Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2011 Location: Canada- West Posts: 175	What year milsurp(k31) to buy? What year k31(milsurp) to buy? So this is kind of a general question, both my brother and I have been looking at milsurp rifles lately. When picking from an online dealer (id rather see the gun but its not possible) what kind of things do you ask for? Would you ask for a newer year for a model with less wear. Or an older one with more historical value? Do you just tell them to pick you a nice one? Any other things youd ask before buying?

June 7, 2011, 06:23 AM	#2
zfk55 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 391	Its hard to find a k31 that doesn't have a shiney bore with sharp lands/grooves. The war years rifles are mostly all Beech and the pre and post war rifles will be Walnut, but other than that the year doesn't seem to make much difference to condition other than stock dings being more prevelant in the early rifles. The Swiss used the same maintenance and storage methods on all Swiss rifles and that method is what gives us 80 year old rifles that puts most all others to shame for condition. Read through this for comments on the "best year" k31's http://theswissriflesdotcommessagebo...t=Search+Forum Latigo __________________ www.swissproductsllc.com An'' ole' Brer' Rabbit, he set in de bushes, he watch an' he wait, lay low an' he don' say nuffin'

June 7, 2011, 12:13 PM	#4
zfk55 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 391	You're closer, MCB. Beech began in late 1943/early 44 because Walnut had run out due to wartime demands on Walnut from other countries and couldn't be found in any quantity till near 1952. Latigo __________________ www.swissproductsllc.com An'' ole' Brer' Rabbit, he set in de bushes, he watch an' he wait, lay low an' he don' say nuffin'

June 9, 2011, 06:39 PM	#6
zombieslayer Senior Member Join Date: September 11, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,198	I have to get my hands on one of these rifles. Be sure and post some pics and your comments when you find one and get ahold of it. I'm trying to nail down who has the best ones at the best price right now myself. I may wait and see how you do... __________________ "An angry prophet, denouncing the hypocrisies of our time"

June 10, 2011, 11:13 AM	#9
zfk55 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 391	I remember when my Father bought 5 of them for $89 each maybe 14 or 15 years ago. __________________ www.swissproductsllc.com An'' ole' Brer' Rabbit, he set in de bushes, he watch an' he wait, lay low an' he don' say nuffin'

June 7, 2011, 10:15 AM	#3
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	Latigo, I thought that the furniture was walnut until 1946 when they started using beech. My early rifles are walnut and late are beech. I have one early rifle in beech but it's a replacement stock dated 1954. As far as picking a year I can give you this info broken down by serial number. after 550651 Hardened magazine boxes, this is in 1936 after 540001 Hardened receivers, this is in the middle of 1935 production. Just choose if you want beech or walnut furniture and add the 10-20 bucks for "hand select" it's worth it.

June 8, 2011, 07:10 AM	#5
ksstargazer Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2004 Location: Flint Hills of Kansas Posts: 316	I think any year would be fine. The K31 does not have the history that other milsurps might have. The walnut stocked ones bring a little more money but all shoot very well. I have two K31's, one is a walnut stock war year and the other a beech stock post war year. Both were in very good condition and both are 1 MOA or better in accuracy. I got them early and paid about $125 for each. I scoped the Beech stocked one and it got me a deer at about 300 yards last year. Prior to the K31, I would have never attempted a shot at that distance. I had no doubt of killing the deer with the K31.

June 9, 2011, 07:48 PM	#7
ripnbst Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 1,552	I se some posts mentioning hundred dollar rifles but most are older. Can these Swiss K31's still be had for close to $100? Most I see are 300-400. Thanks in advance.

June 10, 2011, 06:57 AM	#8
ksstargazer Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2004 Location: Flint Hills of Kansas Posts: 316	The $100 K31 days are over. A more typical price at this time is $250 for a good condition rifle. I bought my last K31 for $125 about 4 years ago - A guy had 3 of them at that price at a local gunshow. Another dealer bought the other two and put them up for resale at $225. Considering what you are getting, a K31 for $250 is an amazing deal.

June 10, 2011, 08:04 PM	#10
cracked butt Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2001 Location: southeastern wisconsin Posts: 537	They are all the same- literally. I have 6, and they are boringly consisent. I do have one walnut stocked one but honestly it doesn't get shot much. The one I shoot the most is also my favorite- only because I paid $59 for it in a AIM surplus special sale. I never paid more than $100 for one- at the time the stores/surplusers seemed to not be able to give them away- the ammo was 'expensive' compare to the 8mm and 7.62x54 that you could easily buy 1000 rounds for under $100. I wish I would have bought a 1/2 dozen more and a few more thousand rounds of gp-11.. I had another that simply sat in storage and I never even cleaned the cosmoline off it. I sold it to a friend a few years ago for his first rifle and he shoots the heck out of it.

June 13, 2011, 09:20 AM	#12
kadima Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2010 Posts: 190	The cutoff date isn't so exact. sure there were some leftovers of walnut stocks used when almost all the production was beech...

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