Schmidt-Rubin K-31 as a Competition Rifle

Briareos

It seems I have access to a Swiss K-31 with good metal (from what I can tell), good bore and a stock that could use replacing.

Now, I've heard these rifles are very accurate and the Swiss put a high premium on individual marksmanship in their soldiers at the time of the rifles' manufacture. Seems like a no-brainer for a competition rifle right?

If you didn't already know, I'm an absolute beginner; you couldn't get any ignorant than me about competition shooting. Are these rifles even ALLOWED in any sort of competition? I live in Illinois so I'm in a fairly gun-unfriendly neighborhood and have yet to find many shooting clubs, albeit my efforts have been lax (got a lot going on at the moment with physical therapy on the knee's).

Anyway, I would love to get a new stock, perhaps one geared towards competition (free-floating barrel? glass bedding? re-barrelling? etc)and get out there and shoot until I get to any sort of respectable shooting level in NRA or any other large gun organization; I promised long ago that I would...

I used to shoot as a young-man in the scouts, and would hands down every single time there was any sort of competition. And we weren't using the hand-me-down's most scouts receive, we had very nice CMP target rifles and for some reason I was a natural (probably the only thing I'm gifted in; shooting a rifle).

Anyway, I'm rambling now and I'll let you guys mull over my situation.

Thanks for the replies!

sandwarrior

Briareos,

To answer your two questions I will say first that the K-31 would be an excellent competition rifle. It is extremely accurate. And, yes there is a dedicated NRA sanctioned competition for rifles like the K-31. It includes Mausers, Mosins and Japanese rifles. I do believe the rifle has to be in original configuration for it though.

The bullets made for the K-31 are the exceptionally high BC 174 gr. FMJ. I can't swear by it but I think they are a soft cupronickel. They chrono out of my two K-31's just under 2600 fps. I like these bullets but find I get a little better accuracy using Nosler Custom Competition 168 gr. bullets.

Briareos

Ok, I've gone over the NRA.Org/home.aspx site over and over and while there is a wealth of information, there isn't nearly enough. I can't find the different classes of shooting groups you can be involved in and rankings and such. Anyone know of another site I could get started with?

I'm also thinking of going with the M1 Garand in .308 (good idea in this caliber?) and the M1A. Smallbore using an Anschutz that I've shot before (the 64 action; which I actuall prefer) that a friend has offered to me. It's the model 64 R Sporter Target.

Anyway, any beginner information is welcome!

nononsense

Briareos,

This is the guy to talk to:

Bill Poole
www.arizona.rifleshooting.com
To Bill's homepage: http://bill.poole.com
Mail: arizona@rifleshooting.com


Phoenix Rod and Gun Club_K31 in a 300m Match


This is a link to 57 Public Gun Clubs in Illinois. Type in 'IL.' in the second box marked State, scroll down and change the 'Access' button to 'Public' and select the search button:

http://www.reloadbench.com/specs/form.php?form_type=search&table_name=ranges

Best.

jonk

It depends. If you want to shoot a vintage military match, the gun must be as issued. Meaning if you replace the stock it must match original dimensions. No scopes or aftermarket sights. If you want to shoot it as a match rifle in other competitions I would suggest a Boyd's stock, and diopter sights (or a scope of course).

CHEVELLE427

if you change you K31 all up, keep all the items you take off for when /if you ever part with it, it will bring more in org condition.
i have a K11 and am working on a deal on a K31 now,

The last mil gun match here, the K31 were in the top 4 spots.

PA Shootist

In my area, I have helped to organize at times, and I have participated other times, in mil-surp bolt-action rifle matches, at 100 yards and with the format of an NRA vintage military match (standing slow fire, sitting rapid fire, and prone slow fire). The tough guns to beat are often the K-31's and the Swedish 6.5 Mausers. They tend to have excellent bores, good triggers, reasonable iron sights, and accurate ammunition. The Swiss GP-11 ammo is especially high quality surplus ammo.

Briareos

Thanks for the info! I have already setup bags/boxes/etc for saving all the part that I didn't plan on using in a conversion.

What sort of competitions can I compete in besides the military/vintage ones with a modified K-31; can it shoot 300m+ with/without scope?

If it already isn't obvious, I'm ridiculously new to competitive shooting.

You guys got a link with some basic info that can get me started?

Thanks again!

jonk

quote:Originally posted by Briareos
Thanks for the info! I have already setup bags/boxes/etc for saving all the part that I didn't plan on using in a conversion.

What sort of competitions can I compete in besides the military/vintage ones with a modified K-31; can it shoot 300m+ with/without scope?

If it already isn't obvious, I'm ridiculously new to competitive shooting.

You guys got a link with some basic info that can get me started?

Thanks again!
Sure. I'd think that if you are going to modify it with a scope or aftermarket sights, and with a good bedding job and a free-floated barrel, it would probably even do fine at 1000 yards.

cbyerly

Check the results of the Camp Perry vintage match if you want to see how K-31s shoot.

reindeer

The stock looks junky because they were used to knock the snow off the boots of the soldiers. There is lots of snow in Switzerland. These guns are dynamite for their price. The carbines also kick like a mule but they hit. I put 10/10 in the black, offhand at 200 yrds. on my first time out. Leave the wood alone. Buy it and shoot it but get a front sight adjustment tool; it's how you adjust for windage. reindeer