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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:54:21 PM EDT
[#1]
I have both you need to get both
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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:55:25 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have both you need to get both |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:56:11 PM EDT
[#3]
Get both is a good idea but I enjoy shooting the k31 more. It's just a more unusual rifle than an otherwise fairly normal Mauser style 30-06.
Both are very accurate and will do well at the range. I traded my 1903 and 1917 a few years back. I don't miss the 1903 at all really, although I do regret the 1917. It was a good trade overall though. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:57:04 PM EDT
[#4]
Both are very accurate rifles. If you look at vintage military rifle match scores, you'll see them both in the top places.
The '03-A3 will cost you more; you won't find a decent one for less than $600-700 these days. The upside to the '03-A3 is that ammo is easier to find. While I don't have a K31, I do have a K11, as well as a Remington '03-A3. If you asked me to pick one, I'd keep the '03-A3. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:59:01 PM EDT
[#5]
K31 is a better rifle, 03a3 has better sights.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:59:17 PM EDT
[#6]
The 03a3 has history and that is very cool, but at the end of the day it's essentially a Mauser.
The K31 is a fantastic shooting gun with an interesting action and superb milsurp ammo. Shooting the K31 is a joy. So, it depends on if you to want to buy history or you want to shoot a gun. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 12:59:46 PM EDT
[#7]
I'd keep the K31. Wait, I did. The straight pull aspect makes the difference. I dont shoot old guns very much and I certainly am not a collector. You can get "a bolt action" in about a 100 different flavors. There aint many straight pull rifles out there......
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:00:26 PM EDT
[#8]
Swiss rifles when shot with their ammo are more like a thick match rifle than anything else. The action is the smoothest ever (with apologies to SMLE fans) the trigger is amazing and the accuracy is unreal.
The 1903 is a standard caliber, has the US History aspect and is a damn fine shooter. I own both and the K31 is my favorite. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:03:01 PM EDT
[#9]
For the money I would go K31.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:03:46 PM EDT
[#10]
I like the 03A3's sights better, but it's otherwise a standard Mauser.
The Swiss rifles are not only more interesting, but they are built to a level of quality that exceeds all other military surplus firearms and most civilian stuff. If the K-31 was built today, it would be retarded expensive. The catch is ammo. The Swiss GP-11 has supply shortages, and it's drying up, but realistically, you should be thinking about reloading either way. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:04:30 PM EDT
[#11]
I have both, and my aging eyes find the 1903A3 sights easier to aim with.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:13:19 PM EDT
[#12]
I have both, get both
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:17:04 PM EDT
[#13]
M1903A3 is a true blue American battle proven weapon in an easy to find caliber.
The K91 is built like a...well...SWISS watch..err..gun. Truly a pleasure to shoot. Ammo can be hard to find and expensive when you do. I have both and I would not want to part with either. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:17:47 PM EDT
[#14]
K31 is a fucking dream to shoot
both are awesome but I vote K31 |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:18:24 PM EDT
[#15]
This thread needs more pictures of Schmidt-Rubins and '03-A3s.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:20:41 PM EDT
[#16]
K31s are quite possibly the finest made military surplus rifle you will find. IMO the only others close in quality are earlier Swiss straight pulls and Swedish Mausers.
Beautiful fit and finish, extremely accurate, and made to last. I have 2 and will buy a few more some day |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:22:01 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
K31s are quite possibly the finest made military surplus rifle you will find. IMO the only others close in quality are earlier Swiss straight pulls and Swedish Mausers. Beautiful fit and finish, extremely accurate, and made to last. I have 2 and will buy a few more some day |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:26:29 PM EDT
[#18]
a nice K31 is way cheaper than a nice 1903. Also, once the K31s dry up I dont think many people will sell them as they are that nice of a rifle.
I have both and I would sell my 1903 first before the K31. Buy a K31 and get a case of GP11 while its still around. Prvi makes reloadable ammunition as well Oh and get a nice bayonet. They are so cool and mine is made by Victoria. crappy ass picture with my steyr. f'ed up by photobucket  Attached File |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:29:30 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
a nice K31 is way cheaper than a nice 1903. Also, once the K31s dry up I dont think many people will sell them as they are that nice of a rifle. I have both and I would sell my 1903 first before the K31. Buy a K31 and get a case of GP11 while its still around. Prvi makes reloadable ammunition as well Oh and get a nice bayonet. They are so cool and mine is made by Victoria. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:30:32 PM EDT
[#20]
K31
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:31:11 PM EDT
[#21]
Of the two rifles, with their period-correct issue ammo, the K31 is far superior.
In competition 03's will often edge out the K31's for 1st place though, just because of the huge body of work already done on .30-06 handloads tweaking every last bit of performance out of them, and the larger ecosystem of '03 gunsmiths, and all the various aftermarket parts and accessories designed around the '03. And then there's the in-depth knowledge in America of all the '03s parts and various pedigrees, as they apply to the quality and accuracy of the rifle. So if you're the kind of guy who gets in "deep" with a particular rifle, does tons of research and reading, spends weeks on load development and testing etc. then the '03 has the edge. If you just want to get out and shoot vintage military style matches with the best turn-key ready solution with as little fuss as possible, the K31 is going to be the better choice, even with the more expensive surplus GP11 than hand-rolled .30-06. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:37:56 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The Swiss rifles are not only more interesting, but they are built to a level of quality that exceeds all other military surplus firearms and most civilian stuff. If the K-31 was built today, it would be retarded expensive. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:39:02 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
An Argentine 1909 would debate the quality issue, but the sights are not as usable as Swiss sights. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:43:12 PM EDT
[#24]
Poll is live
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:48:47 PM EDT
[#25]
I've owned a lot of rifles.
My K31 is my favorite rifle. Do it! |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:52:26 PM EDT
[#26]
Of my milsurps, the K31 is easily my favorite.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:55:19 PM EDT
[#27]
K31 is a pretty neat rifle and would cost a lot of money to reproduce today. 03 is another good rifle I own an 03 MK1 myself along with many Mausers, and a LE No4MKII.
Get both if you have access to both. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 1:58:50 PM EDT
[#28]
The K31 is one incredible rifle. I have two. One with the St. Marie (?) offset no gunsmithing scope mount and one with the Mojo no gunsmithing peep sights. One in walnut, one in birch. Both edge out my 03-A3 and 1917 accuracy wise. Both also had troop tags under the butplate which was a nice little historical bonus naming the citizen solder and canton they were from. With that said all the mentions of ammo being more expensive and more scarce are right on. Reloading is the answer as any .308 projectile will work. 155 gr. Nosler custom comps are fantastic in mine. Easily 1/2 moa in the scoped one.
So the answer is not "get both". It is get all four! |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:01:42 PM EDT
[#29]
K31 will be cheaper if you shop around. The straight pull is odd, but natural. The GP11 ammo is expensive, but it is the best milsurp ammo. Have fun.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:02:53 PM EDT
[#30]
Damn, that's a hard choice. Both are great rifles.
I would choose the 1903a3 because I think 30.06 is cheaper than 7.5X55 (I may be wrong though) |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:07:43 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Damn, that's a hard choice. Both are great rifles. I would choose the 1903a3 because I think 30.06 is cheaper than 7.5X55 (I may be wrong though) Nope, GP11 is about 60 cents per round and is practically match grade. You won't get 30-06 of the same quality anywhere near that price |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:11:24 PM EDT
[#32]
I've had both. The 03A3 has better sights, better ammo, better safety. The K31 is rarer, the 03A3 is a better rifle.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:30:20 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The K31 is one incredible rifle. I have two. One with the St. Marie (?) offset no gunsmithing scope mount and one with the Mojo no gunsmithing peep sights. One in walnut, one in birch. Both edge out my 03-A3 and 1917 accuracy wise. Both also had troop tags under the butplate which was a nice little historical bonus naming the citizen solder and canton they were from. With that said all the mentions of ammo being more expensive and more scarce are right on. Reloading is the answer as any .308 projectile will work. 155 gr. Nosler custom comps are fantastic in mine. Easily 1/2 moa in the scoped one. So the answer is not "get both". It is get all four! 
ive seen pictures of what looks like bubba'd "scout rifle" modifications and rails mounted to the top of the receiver... DETAILS PLEASE!!! |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:32:19 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I like the 03A3's sights better, but it's otherwise a standard Mauser. The Swiss rifles are not only more interesting, but they are built to a level of quality that exceeds all other military surplus firearms and most civilian stuff. If the K-31 was built today, it would be retarded expensive. The catch is ammo. The Swiss GP-11 has supply shortages, and it's drying up, but realistically, you should be thinking about reloading either way. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:32:21 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Wait..... you can put an optic on the k31!!!
ive seen pictures of what looks like bubba'd "scout rifle" modifications and rails mounted to the top of the receiver... DETAILS PLEASE!!! |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:34:21 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Wait..... you can put an optic on the k31!!!
ive seen pictures of what looks like bubba'd "scout rifle" modifications and rails mounted to the top of the receiver... DETAILS PLEASE!!! |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:41:17 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'll take some pics of the rifle my wife has, its got a side mount for the scope, if I remember correctly this requires no modification to the rifle at all I have the same Mount on one of mine. Clamps to right side of receiver and mine has never come loose accidentally. Scope will be offset to the right slightly, which is fine for my left handed self. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 2:57:28 PM EDT
[#38]
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Posted: 8/3/2017 3:12:20 PM EDT
[#39]
FPNI
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Posted: 8/3/2017 3:20:43 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'd put the Argie '91 there too. Same sight issue, but the '91s are works of art. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
An Argentine 1909 would debate the quality issue, but the sights are not as usable as Swiss sights. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 3:24:23 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ever handle a VZ 98/29 Persian Mauser? Works of art. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 3:27:38 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Both are very accurate rifles. If you look at vintage military rifle match scores, you'll see them both in the top places. The '03-A3 will cost you more; you won't find a decent one for less than $600-700 these days. The upside to the '03-A3 is that ammo is easier to find. While I don't have a K31, I do have a K11, as well as a Remington '03-A3. If you asked me to pick one, I'd keep the '03-A3. OP, unless you want the shorter length, go with a 96/11 or a 1911 SR They are WAAAAAAAY more pleasant to shoot than a K31 (which is still fun), slicker action too |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 3:33:19 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Doesn't the K11 have a 2"+ shorter barrel |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 3:52:36 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Nope, GP11 is about 60 cents per round and is practically match grade. You won't get 30-06 of the same quality anywhere near that price Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Damn, that's a hard choice. Both are great rifles. I would choose the 1903a3 because I think 30.06 is cheaper than 7.5X55 (I may be wrong though) It looks like the going rate for a case (480rnds) of GP11 is ~$275 right now. So, you can probably still get a K-31 and a case of that awesome ammo for the price of a good 03A3. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 4:06:14 PM EDT
[#45]
I believe the price of 1903s has stabilized, so I'd buy the Swiss rifle first.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 4:09:12 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Swiss rifles when shot with their ammo are more like a thick match rifle than anything else. The action is the smoothest ever (with apologies to SMLE fans) the trigger is amazing and the accuracy is unreal. The 1903 is a standard caliber, has the US History aspect and is a damn fine shooter. I own both and the K31 is my favorite. |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 4:13:48 PM EDT
[#47]
K31 all day, every day. 1903 was just a shitty Mauser knockoff.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 5:24:51 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you had to pick one and sell the other, which would you choose. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I have both you need to get both |
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Posted: 8/3/2017 5:31:53 PM EDT
[#49]
I have a bunch of american battle rifles except an 03, so 03.
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Posted: 8/3/2017 5:47:46 PM EDT
[#50]
These clamp on no modification needed scopes for the k31, how good are they.
do they hold zero? do they damage the weapon? as for the -03a3, I know they were the "sniper" variant. How accessible is the optics mount department for it? i want to put an optic on whatever I grab; but I don't want to do anything to the origionality of the gun. |
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