[FluffyTheCat]

Today I scored an amazing rifle. This piece is a Swiss K-31 that was re-barrelled in .308 Winchester. The work was done in Switzerland and this rifle is an amazing piece of Swiss precision.

The rifle bears a sticker that indicates that it was used in the 300th Swiss Jubilee Shooting Contest in 1992. The rifle also has a sticker indicating that it was used by the St. Galische Canton Shooting Team

The rifle has a superb trigger--similar to that of a Tac Ops. The rifle has a beautiful walnut stock. It is absolutely awesome. The only problem is that Squinty's bulldog won't let me near it.

 

[FluffyTheCat]

 

[FluffyTheCat]

Here is the sticker on the handguard It indicates that the rifle was used in the 300th year jubilee shoot that was held on June 19-21 and 26-28 in 1992. The sticker also says "St Gallisches Kanton" I think this rifle was used in the Jubilee Shooting Match by someone from the Gallisches Kanton rifle team.

There sticker mentions the 300th anniversary of "Schützenzunft Glis"
My German is crappy, but I think this means the Shooting Guild of Glis. Glis is a place in Switzerland and the shooting guild originated in 1692. I believe they were originally a league of riflemen tasked with protecting the city. I also believe that later on, the guild continued as a target shooting organization.

 

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Here is the Swiss test target that accompanied the rifle. I have to still read the German on the back of the target.

 

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Here is the name tag under the buttplate. Bernhard Ochsner is still living at that address.....And here is the match sticker that appears on the handguard

 

[FluffyTheCat]

Calgary Shooting Centre

 

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SIG 552 | Rifles | Pistols - Colorado Gun Sales

 

[FluffyTheCat]

The new barrels are installed in Switzerland. No one in Canada or the US installs new barrels on the K-31. There are far too many precision timed cam surfaces and installing the barrel requires special tools, experience and lots of skill.

Even in Switzerland, it is a daunting task. Over there it costs about a thousand bucks to install a new barrel.

There is one smith in the US, who installs a new barrel by threading it onto the original barrel stub. But this does not count in my book. A new barrel has to be new from stem to stern.

I should also tell you that back in the 1980s, a company called Mandall Shooting Supplies imported .308 K-31s from Switzerland and back then they cost about $1000.

.308 K-31s are never going to be cheap. So if you can find a nice 7.5x55mm rifle, it might make sense to snap it up and spend the money saved on brass.

 

[FluffyTheCat]

Mike Rescigno has the necessary skills to install a K-31 barrel; however, he would need to make the necessary tools or to obtain them from Switzerland.

But it would be cheaper and easier to simply buy another K-31 for $400 from Simpson's Ltd. .Anyway, I bought this .308 K-31 because it was an unusual piece and because it had been used in a major Swiss match.

It is a beautifully machined precision rifle and it is a refreshing change of pace from some of the disposable guns so often seen today.

By the way, Larry Racine works on K-31 rifles and I understand that he does fine work. He does not replace the entire barrel. Here is a link to Larry's website.

http://www.lprgunsmith.com/K31_rifles.ht

 

[FluffyTheCat]

I tricked the dopey dog. I put on "Full Metal Jacket" and the dumb dog stood at attention staring at the screen for hours. She is scared spitless of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman.

 

[FluffyTheCat]

I received a wonderful e mail today from Bernhard Ochsner. He sent me a number of pictures and here he is holding my K-31 in 2002.


And here is Mr. Ochsner at the Thun Schutzenfest in 1995. Look at all the black rifles around him!

 

[FluffyTheCat]

In 1995 at the Federal Shooting Championship at Thun, Bernhard Ochsner finished first in the field shooting event. That's the Swiss equivalent of winning at Camp Perry. The man is an extremely talented shooter and he used my rifle to win this major championship.