Poked my head into G.I Joe's last night just a few minutes before they closed, figured I'd eyeball the rifle rack for a minute.  Four or five K98s that looked VERY nice.  One or two I could have sworn were literally brand new.  The stock on one in particular looked like hand-varnished mahogany.  Drool.

Lo and behold, what's that in the back?  My God, it's one of the mythical K-31s that are freaking impossible to find around Seattle.  And it's on sale!

A little rust on the barrel bands and one of the sling loops, but none anywhere else.  Nothing some gentle steel wool and gun blue won't fix.  Bore looks beautiful.  Has the original sling on it.  And the serials all match, even the mag!  No tag under the buttplate, though.  Oh well.

Sold, for $99 plus tax.  Poor salesguy was a little irked at having to do paperwork at closing, but he said it was the fastest NICS clearance he'd ever seen.  (I'm a good little boy. here
2 -- Suggestions for cheap 7.5 ammo?  I can't really afford Norma at $50 for a box of 20 (which is all that's stocked at the two places within a 15 min drive from me)

3 -- Can I use my MN 91/30 cleaning rod and jag for this, or should I get something else?

4 -- How do I tell what year it was manufactured?

5 -- Why can't I stop oogling this thing?! hego to the Issy Joe's, at all costs.  Didn't check the prices, but if the bores match the outside, they're exquisite.

I don't remember what the tape signifies.
Cheap ammo is the surplus that sells for about $24.00 per brick of 60 rounds. It's match grade.
Use a good cleaning rod and jag. The bore on the Swiss rifles is outstanding and needs to be kept that way. The Swiss were fanatics about maintaining their rifles. Use a .30 caliber jag and brush.
The year of manufacture can be found HERE using the serial number.
You can't stop looking because it is a very well made firearm, and pretty too. Just wait until you shoot it.

HTH,
Jim

good deal glad to see you have caught the swiss flu. Not shure about the tape, but try aim surplus for ammo they sell swiss surplus for real cheap if you can call it that. $21.00 for sixty rounds last time I checked. It is noncorrosive and is real accurate.
Charles

i want one of those sweet K98's!  


here's a deal on 7.5X55 ammo

Cabela's is also selling the Wolf *boxer* primed ammo at the same price as the SG price on the 60 rd. deal. $9.99 a box of 20 and it can be reloaded, if you reload.

The tape or band signifies that the rifle was inspected before a match.

Aim's $21 for 60 rds is the cheapest ammo I've found.

That is a good price, but that is actually GI Joe's normal price. I worked for them over the summer and again at Christmas time. Unless they have raised prices recently, $99 K31s is the norm, and the K98s are about $199. Our only problem was getting enough in. As soon as we got some, they'd be gone. Anyway, they are a good deal; I don't know of any other ammo sources aside from those listed, so good luck.

I forgot to add that the Swiss surplus ammo is designated GP-11. That is the best ammo available. The rifle was actually designed around the ammunition. The barrel has a short throat, which is what can give a handloader fits. The ogive on the GP-11 bullet can be matched- the Berger VLD is the closest match, but long ogive bullets won't work in the K31.
At around $6.00 per box of 20 ($24.00 per 60 is a high average) it's the cheapest match grade ammo you will ever come across.
Handload to hunt, or buy commercial, but the GP-11 will probably be more accurate than any commercial ammo, and the accuracy is difficult to equal handloading.

Jim

Yeesh...  I just shoot the things, man, I don't build 'em. have
Thanks for the tips, though.  I'm gonna write all this down and file it away with the receipt & paperwork.

Cngrats on the great find!

I picked up one last week. Still haven't fired it yet. The pawnshop was out of ammo and I haven't ordered any yet either.

Check out my thread in this forum for some good info and links.

www.SwissRifles.com is a good place for info.

I just looked. AimSurplus has a better price than Sportsmans Guide for the ammo.