Thinking of sporterizing k31

[Oldschool280]

So i have this rifle i bought 10 years ago from saamco for a hundred and fifty bucks. Always read that they were great shooters. I had the oportunity to take it to the range recently( for the first time) and was very impressed by its accuracy with open sights. I have been considering something else for longer range work on medium game than my 280 carbine and wonder if it's worth the investment to sporterize this unit and remove it's historical significance ,if there's any being the swiss never really had to use them. Maybe this is due to the fact that they are so **** accurate. Bottom line its about $ 650 to put a rock solid scope mount and bluegrass furniture onboard. Plus optics ($600-900 or so left in budget). Or should i just leave the old girl alone and purchase a late model 300 win mag or something along those lines.? Can i beat the performance of this proposed sporter k31 rifle for 12-1500 with optics? For say cxp2 critters? Is there anybody else doing work to the k31 that i should look at? As always thanx for the input...oh yea im a lefty

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just simply my opinion, for what it's worth...

If you're looking to be around the $1,200-1,500 range, I'd put the k31 in the safe and keep it original for the nostalgia, and pickup a cheap used Rem 700 BDL rifle and start from there. The Rem 700 has nearly infinite aftermarket accessories to build it exactly how you want it.

Or you could pickup a new Rem 700 Long Range for around $650-700, and drop a Timney or Jewell trigger in it, and bed and float it in the B&C Medalist Tactical stock that it comes in from the factory. That would be a good cheap starting point. And it might shoot great without needing anymore work than just the trigger swap and bedding job.

 

[mpwmont]

I'm shooting 200gr gamekings with reloader 17. Rifle is shooting 1 MOA. I use the swiss products clamp on mount with a vortex pst. Amazed that an old military gun shots this well. Going 1300 fps at 1000 yards. Check out the swiss products website, lots of accessories.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Just simply my opinion, for what it's worth...

If you're looking to be around the $1,200-1,500 range, I'd put the k31 in the safe and keep it original for the nostalgia, and pickup a cheap used Rem 700 BDL rifle and start from there. The Rem 700 has nearly infinite aftermarket accessories to build it exactly how you want it.

Or you could pickup a new Rem 700 Long Range for around $650-700, and drop a Timney or Jewell trigger in it, and bed and float it in the B&C Medalist Tactical stock that it comes in from the factory. That would be a good cheap starting point. And it might shoot great without needing anymore work than just the trigger swap and bedding job.

+1...I do this to all my Remington 700s (BC or HS stock), and I am not disappointed to say the least. Personally, I am not a fan of sporterized military rifles. Leave them alone and enjoy the piece of history you have.

 

[ShootnMathews]

K31's are nice rifles. Personally I'd keep it original. If you feel like sporterizing something get a good ole Mosin Nagant. There's about a bazillion of those out there that they shoveled up off the battlefield. I sporteriEd one a few years ago. It's one of my favorite shooters. I take it to the range every time I go out. It shoots .3 -.5" at 100 yards with the factory barrel. The gun IS NOT accurate enough to repeat this, but one day I shot a 1-7/8" group at 750 yards with it. It will do 4-5" groups at 750 pretty repeatably.

You don't know exactly how one will shoot though. If you're wanting a sub moa shooter for sure you might as well get a modern rifle and work on it some.

Here's my Mosin Nagant 91/30

 

[RT2506]

Leave the K31 as it is. It is now worth $350 to $400. Factory ammo is a limiting factor because of availability and selection. Handloading long heavy bullets is a problem because the throat is really short in these rifles and the bullet has to be seated deep in the case limiting capacity and thus velocity. 1200 to 1500 yards is a pipe dream for serious accuracy shooting. Yes I know some have and I have also done some 1000+ yard shooting with these old military rifles but hitting something the size of a pickup truck now and then is not what I call accurate. If you want to do serious long range shooting you need to be serious and get some serious equipment and burn a whole lot of powder to find accuracy. If you want to shoot the K31 and have fun try to find some vintage service rifle matches and load some 150 to 175 gr match bullets with IMR4064 burn rate powders. Yep the old k31s in good condition are really accurate for military rifles and on average are number 2 as to the most accurate military rifles I have ever owned. Number 1 on average accuracy is the 96 Swede Mauser 6.5x55. I have one of my K31s with a clamp on scope mount that I have used to kill a few deer with just for kicks.

 

[FearNoWind]

Swiss rifles have a reputation for accuracy and your K31 is no exception
I've always felt that sporterizing a military rifle was heresy. So my opinion here is biased.
In your place I'd do one of two things with the K3.

Get yourself a good scope mount for it and use it for a hunting rifle without sporterizing it:
http://www.brownells.com/optics-mou...s/schmidt-rubin-k31-scope-mount-prod1666.aspx

Clean it up real nice, put it in your gun safe and maintain it with loving care. It's not worth a fortune but has some real value as an original; it will have very little value sporterized.
Pick up a mid range Remington or Savage and use that to hunt with.

 

[BountyHunter]

Keep it original and save your money.

Go buy a great used custom build for what you have planned to spend, shoot it and then rebarrel to what you want THEN and be happy.

If you watch here, 24hourcampfire and snipershide you can find a great deal if you have money ready to go.

 

[Oldschool280]

Thanx for the input, i suppose i'll put the clamp on mount and leave it original, as far as the mosin nagant i have two and they dont shoot nearly as well as the k31 even with match ammo. Maybe i'll go back to the 700 . I really like the tikka's also