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"Sporterizing" the K31

14K views 57 replies 24 participants last post by  Doby 
#1 ·
Has anyone done anything to the K31 stock to make it thinner and easier to hold? Seems to me that I read that K31 sniper guns were half stock guns to avoid barrel deflection. Wouldn't the K31 be improved by a similar action.?
 
#2 ·
Actually I don't think shortening the stock on the K31 would really help much. The 31/55 sniper has a shorter stock but it feels wider to me and the whole thing is much heavier. Most of us here on the board don't really like to sporterize though as always its your gun so do as you see fit. There were some stocks available somewhere that changed the feel but from the results I've seen the guns are plenty accurate as they are. Most of us are not as capable as the rifles......

Just my opinions and your mileage may vary. Check the swissrifles.com site as well for info on who was making stocks.

Frank
 
This post has been deleted
#7 ·
machination of satan!!

If the good lord had intended k31 stocks to be shorter, he would have caused them to be made shorter!

Read and be ashamed!


23. For the children of the house of woe, in their ungodliness and misery, looked down upon the issue stock, and, behold, it was abominable in their eyes and they were sore downhearted.

24. And so it was the the elders and the sons of the children of the house of woe cast about their number, asking, one to another, 'how this be made better, and more passing good in our eyes, that we may be lightened of our grievous burden?

25. And one came among them, secretly in the night, a stranger, but spoke in their tongue with pleasing words of honey, for he was satan. And coming among them, he spake thus - 'o elders and children of the house of woe, take into thy hands an saw, that ye may cut down the length of the issue stock, that it may be more pleasing in thine eyes, and thus a lesser burden upon thy back'.

26. And, behold, the elders and children of the house of woe, yea even the sons of sons, and their daughters, took up the saw, sawing an great saw, they cut down the stock, that it might be more pleasing in their eyes, and a lesser burden to their backs. And they made an great fire of the wood thereof, and killed a fatted calf that they had slew beforetimes, ere the stock had been shortened by their will. For though the stock be ungainly, and unpleasing in their eyes, the k31 was mighty accurate.

27. And behold, the lord looked down upon the children of woe, and he wrathed an great wrath, and was sore offended at their affrontery, that they chose to act in such a way, contrary to his design, and so saying, he spoke to them - 'what do ye do to so offend me, and make an work so unwelcome to my sight? Yea, though it make the k31 look spiffy in thy sight, yet it is not so to mine, and i am sore offended by it.'

28. And he caused their barrels to be bent, that they might not achieve their aim, and from that day forth, and forever, the elders and sons and daughters of the children of woe went hungry all the days of their lives.

Here endeth the lesson.

Tbtg.

Tac
so let it be written, so let it be done!!!!
 
#5 ·
Sporter Stocks

He-he. I thought I'd smoke sure purists out of the woodwork with that comment. I like the rifles. I just think the wrist of the stock is too fat. I just may produce a half stock with a thinner pistol grip and bed it properly to see if a good rifle will shoot better. I certainly have no use for the stacking hook (or is it part of the bayonet mounting system), and eliminating the front half of the stock furniture will do away with that also. I have some good plain maple I can carve a stock from and see what happens.
 
#8 ·
Tac I noticed that thread and moved it out of sight, there are three subjects at these forums that can cause "hot" responses and they are politics, religion and sporterizing being ok or not (that last subject is even prohibited at some boards) and you used a mix of two of these in one post.

You clearly gave your opinion about sporterizing and as you noticed that does not necessarily mean that everybody agrees, you stepped on a couple of peoples toes with that posting and while most ignored it one felt offended and replied the hard way.

It's all in the game....

Guisan.:)
 
#9 · (Edited)
It was meant to be amusing, not to attack anybody's religious beliefs or undermine their way of life, Heck, I don't know the guy who responded so forcefully from Adam [sorry if THAT offended anybody's religious beliefs and undermined their chosen way of life by mentioning a person whose name is also mentioned in the bible].

I wonder how the poster would have reacted to Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'?

I note with interest that this terrible offensive post has now been removed in its entirety, by you, it seems. I thought better of you, Sir, and I'm disappointed. I guess that you could use your influence on THIS board to get it pulled here as well. Be my guest - it says a lot about me making a mistake, but more especially about chosing people I'd call friends.

But you know, I'll get over it.







Hey, I'm over it.

As I said, some folks should lighten up a bit. You're a long time dead.

Bye, and thanks for all the help in the past.

tac
 
#10 ·
I know that it was meant to be amusing Tac but the combination of the title "Sporterizing GRRRRRR" and text triggered something with one guy, you could have gone into discussion with him about it so he would have edited his reply but you choose different that's why I did put it out of sight, it does not add to a friendly atmosphere anymore the way it ended up.
Your post was not offending for most but some simply say it's my gun and what I do with it is my decision and that's their good right no ?

It's all no big deal, things happen.

Guisan.:)
 
#15 ·
"I've learned my lesson and I'm gone for good. With only three Swiss long-arms, it's not as though I had anything of value to offer there, anyhow."

LOL Tac, that board is the best mix of Swiss gun knowledge from sources all-over the world and I'm keeping it that way.
It's a challenge to be a referee there and I know that this incident was not intended to hit you personally, both you guys involved are a good match of two obstinate members.

As we are used to say here "They drunk a glass, did a pee and all staid as it was".

Anyway whatever you decide is your choice.

Guisan.:)
 
#17 ·
That's what I had in Mind!

Look at those double-set triggers, the nice thin stock and the rail-mount scope! Now I'm really inspired! I have a scope just like that. Guisan, can you find me a set of mounts like that? How about some double-set triggers?
 
#18 ·
That's a typical hunting set-up and not a rail-mount but a EAW pivot mount, with a parts price of 369 euros plus the cost of drilling and threading it's a good start...
http://www.eaw.de/eaw/index_uk.php/item/296

I never noticed any ready to fit set triggers for sale for the K31 anywhere, these are also typical for custom made hunting rifles.

Guisan.:)
 
#19 · (Edited)
Rail mount

Guisan,

It's probably just a difference in terms. I was referring to the dovetail-shaped rail on the bottom of the scope. I see from the EAW website that they call the bottom rail on the scope a "prism". Go figure.

We call the tube that the bullet passes through a barrel and the Germans call it a canon. Both refer to a different older technology to describe a firearm.

It appears from the photo that the rear "foot" is offset to one side. Is that true, or is it centered?


We can get EAW mounts here through New England custom guns. I'll have to look into that.
 
#21 · (Edited)
We call the tube that the bullet passes through a barrel and the Germans call it a canon. Both refer to a different older technology to describe a firearm.
German for barrel, as in gun-barrel, is 'lauf'.

'Prismen' is the term used to describe the shape we call a 'dovetail'.

'Prismenschiene' is the scope-rail.

Their use of the word 'foot' for base, is derived directly from the German word 'FuSS' [sorry, no proper German letter on this Japanese key-board] - foot.

It helps greatly when reading their text if you are already a German speaker.

As Guisan notes, there are no standardised interchangeable terms between German and English, although it has to be said that the German terms are far more basic in their etymology, historically speaking. However, Americans and other English-speakers use the same words for firearms' related subjects - thankfully.

tac
 
#20 · (Edited)
Well problem is that there is no "universal" technical gun English, EAW uses the British flag for English and I can tell you that those speak a little different from what you are used to, it's not older, just different and interesting to dig into but that's another subject LOL......
In fact there is no rail, there are two shorties at the front and rear.

But...as long as we understand each other there's nothing to worry about, btw canon is French for barrel and sometimes they mix up languages.

That "foot" might be offset a bit but the scope attaches right in line with the bore.
As far as I understood they make a special mount set like this for the K31.

I'm simply not familiar with these parts, I'm more into the standard military stuff and hunting seems a bridge too far for me.

Guisan.:)
 
#33 ·
Not Swiss But Definitely On Point

Here is my Czech Mauser G 33/40 rifle. Early production model Code 945 & 1940 dated. Graying out a bit, this rifle is completely original and in excellent condition EXCEPT: The stock comb has been fluted, the ejector box shadowed & varnish applied. Not really a horrible job er se. Yet small changes can equal big loss of future value.
I bought this about 30 years ago at which point the G33/40 was already particularly collectible because so many of them had fallen victim to being action organ donors for transplant into lightweight custom sporters. I got in it right at the time, but the appreciation has been limited severely by seemingly simple alterations.
It's an old friend now and still a good shooter so I'll never try to change it. BUT it is a sterling example of how just a little 'customizing' of a common rifle today may generate a substantial loss down the road. Swapping stocks sounds great. Just retain the original components and make restoration a screwdriver job away!
My thoughts!
 
#34 · (Edited)
Exquisite K31 Sporter

That K31 sporter is a work of art. I doubt the owner would be willing to part with it, too. Which demonstrates the entire purpose of a custom rifle. It is customized to its owner’s preferences. Why would he want to sell it? Perhaps he will be lucky enough to have a child who can appreciate every nuance of the customized rifle, preserving a reflection of the original owner.

Here is a thought to ponder next time somebody tells you some rusty old military rifle is or will be worth something. Some are, some may, but most are not worth anything because they were made by the MILLIONS (the Mosin-Nagant and M1 come to mind). For K31s a half-million, I guess a bit rarer than many. Most commercial rifles are never made in such numbers, so from a pure numbers standpoint, the rarity of a given military rifle is probably less than a given commercial rifle. Many commercial rifles are no longer made, or are not made in particular chamberings. Rarity is an important part of collectability. Desirability is the other component. For those that desire a beautiful rifle that hits its target in the skilled hands of a rifleman more than a rifle meant to be used by a farmer that could not be trusted to avoid using the rifle as a sledge hammer (read a the K31 manual), the exquisite K31 sporter above has decidedly more value and an issue K31.

Some then would say, why not make a commercial custom? It think it is a good idea. Midway is selling Remington 798s right now for a few hundred with this exact idea in mind. But why limit yourself? A K31 has a very unique action and some unique features that make it undoubtedly cool. The safety for example. Or the detachable magazine. The straight pull mechanism is fascinating. Not to mention cheap (picked up a beaver chewed one for $180 at a gunshow not too long ago). Anyone able to turn it into the exquisite custom above has my admiration, which does not extend to tasteless or poorly crafted customization (known as bubbization). Those that insist to just leave it do not have my admiration, either. Anyone can do nothing. This is what animals do. Can you imagine a cow speculating about how she could make the grass taste better? Of course not! An element of what makes us human is or desire to improve. That is why people eat salads. Oh, except for the purists; they insist that mixing different species of plant together is heretical and that anointing vegetation with flavored oils destroys their future value.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Whenever you say you want to alter a rifle you own in any way the forums "Democrat liberals" come out of the woodwork to tell you that you cant and their way is best. Its your rifle and you have the freedom do what you want with it .Personally I build custom rifles on military rifles whenever I can ; it turns a clunker into a beautiful useful rifle. and please ,don't start with that "collector" silliness ; Griffin and Howe, Sedgley ,Holland & Holland, BSA, Jeffery, Westley Richards, Sako, Jaeger and even Rigby built fine sporters off of military rifles and these rifles today are far more collectable than they were in their original state
 
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