Swiss Schmidt-Rubin K31………………….(f 926) SOLD
Created on July 8th 2021
High condition K31 Schmidt-Rubin Rifle
Of standard specification for a Schmidt-Rubin K31 rifle. Matching serial numbers throughout reading, “953171” on bolt, action and magazine. This number indicates production in the year 1941, a year when Switzerland would want to be ensuring the security of its nation with turmoil all around it. The K31 was the final evolved version except for the Sniper rifle of the Schmidt-Rubin rifle and probably the best. It is shorter and more compact than the M1911 and therefore more easy to handle in confined spaces and vehicular transport. However in losing barrel length the designers had not lost any degree of accuracy, in fact there are those that maintain they had in-fact improved it. The biggest trick they had pulled of was a redesign of the bolt and locking system. The bolt was redesigned placing the locking lugs at the front and thereby shortening the action considerably. Any cartridge rock that may have affected accuracy was eliminated. The magazine was also redesigned and now would hold six rounds as well as be a detachable unit.
Overall the rifle was now 43.5/8″ long. The round blued barrel is approximately 25.1/2″ long and the trigger pull to centre is 12.1/2″. The bolt is finished in the white the balance being blued. The rifle is stocked in a straight grain European Beech with a semi pistol grip. Normally when found in Beech, the stocks are in a pretty sorry state with dents dings and scratches plus general loss of finish. This example has been professionally hand restored to a high condition. Interestingly the for-end has traditional finger groves but the Swiss have taken it a stage further, realising that in a normal case of a right handed person, staggering the grooves makes the hold entirely more effective. In the new position, clasped by the left hand, the thumb lays alongside the stock on the left of the for-end, which places the tips of the fingers of the same hand further back on the RHS of the stock. If you hold the weapon like that then the grip is improved and the rifle sits in the hand perfectly.
On strip-down it was found that the stock has the matching serial number stamped into the inside of the woodwork. Also on removing the butt-plate the troopers name tag was found on the inside along with his rank and the serial number. Apparently in 1931 Fuselier Edmond Badoux was responsible for this weapon. These tags are often, but not always found under the butt-plate and are made of some waterproof material like vellum. The conventional wisdom on the origins of this practice are that the rifles were often left on public transport and it was no big thing to have them returned by the local police. Hilarious by todays standards – image the hullabaloo if a serving soldier left his rifle on the tram on his way home from Sunday shooting practice. SWAT would be there! It would be on the national news for days. The poor unfortunate would be drummed out of the service. There would be a public enquiry costing the country millions and then they would ban guns for the military…..humm! surely not ! That would be silly wouldn’t it?
Steel furniture with a contoured steel butt-plate. A side mounted butt-plate mounting bar. Steel trigger guard and a combined nose-band with stacking hook, bayonet lug. Mid-band with side mounted sling point. The rear sights are of the sliding tangent type and graduated from 100 to 1500 meters. The front sight is protected by steel “ears” and is adjustable by tapping across within a diagonal slide. The blued action has a clear Swiss cross on a shield motif and there is more information on the barrel step between breech and rear sights. The last three digits of the serial number; “171 / the intertwined BP acceptance mark, / the cross over M / Swiss Military acceptance stamp. /21……” This shows it still carries its original barrel.” The bolt handle is the plain aluminium type.
Swiss acceptance stamp within a shield shape as a cartouche on the RHS of the butt, centrally placed. The stock is in fantastic condition, Beech is a clean light colour and may appear pale beside others – especially when refreshed. This may be closer to the condition these rifles were actually issued in – if not a little finer! The surface has been hand refinished to a smooth sealed result. There are still some dents and handling marks but that is not surprising for its age. Removal of everything would remove the rifles character and history. The surface is smooth almost glossy and pleasing to the touch. This is a top class example and in enviable condition. Butt-plate still strongly blued. Rifle freshly proofed in the normal calibre of 7.5 x 55mm at Birmingham 2021. Original leather strap also included. Action mechanically fine. Excellent uninterrupted four-groove RH twist rifling of good depth and very clean with strong lands and clean groves. If you miss with this one, its time to give up ……!
A classic which is becoming more and more desirable where accuracy also comes as standard. Its highly technical nature provides a sturdy reliability as normal expected from anything the Swiss have anything to do with. In exceptional condition.
Stock No’ f 926
£ 965. (Sold)
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