Swiss K31 as a sniper rifle

[cuirc]

I have a Swiss K31 that shoots very well so much that I would like to convert it to the extent possible as a sniper rifle. But I don't want to put any modern scope that is readily available on it. I would like to keep it a close to what an original would be. Does anyone know what is the best scope in this situation. I understand the the Valdada is as close as any but new ones are as much as a Nightforce. Problem is I have drawn a blank on locating a vintage scope feedback from anyone with a source would be appreciated.

 

[Winchester M70 Van Orden]

Hi cuirc,

Your wish is very well understandable. Yes. Thats what quite a lot of K31-owners think. (included me ) Not all are courageous enough to point that out publicly. The are since a long time many different K31-Sniper-resp. Targetrifle-conversions known. Some examples in the pics below.

The technical aspects depend particularly on the time or period to which your K31 should match then. For example 1950, 1970, 1990, perhaps ?
To the scopes yourself: As far as I know - there are just 3 old scope-types which have actually been installed here in the Swiss Army - including test-examples and serial-rifles. The K31/42, K31/43 and the K31/55 resp. Zfk 55. The most comfortable of them is in general opinion the 3,5x of the Zfk55. But that is probably not easy to find nowadays. Unfortunately, I don't have a source for that now.. .

Some 100 K31 around 1949 with probably 4x-Kahles-Scopes, were first sent to Nicaragua. But they reached then Israel as far as we know. Pic down. I remember there was an article to that subject, some years ago. A journalist could find one of the gunsmiths from then by Hämmerli. This said that he is not really sure with that Kahles-Scopes.. .

The more comfortable 6x scopes only appeared - generally - in significant numbers in the 1970s. Maybe you can find an older Schmidtund-Bender or Pecar with 4x-power.

My Zfk 84 (f for fictive)-Conversion with his 10x-Zf is too modern in that case.. .

What is then a suitable scope for you, cuirc ? Which reticle and which magnification, f.e. ?

Just my 2 cents

 

[Ledzep]

This is what the original sniper rifles look like on the right half of this photo. There is one other export version that I believe wound up in Israel.

This is the variant that found its way to Israel. Optic is akin to the ZF-39 found on many K98k sniper rifles of WWII.

The K31/42, K31/43, and K31/44 all have a dovetail machined into the left side of the receiver for the optic to directly attach. Some of the early (first 120 or so) 31/42's were even welded after being press-fit dovetailed. Obviously good luck finding a suitable optic for that. Likely doesn't exist. The ZFK 55 has scope mount bosses machined into the receiver integrally.

The Israeli variant would be the easiest to clone if that's what you're going for. I believe some German scopes were tried in the 1930's as prototype experiments and the Swiss weren't very impressed with the durability and repeatability of the mounting systems (hence the welding of the scope tube to the receiver in the K31/42's). Those German scopes are all 26.5mm main tubes and finding rings might be a problem. It might be possible to make some K98k side-mount solutions fit on the K31 but you may also run into problems with the top-eject nature of the action.

The "easy button" IMO is a Weaver K4 or K6 with one of the St. Marie clamp style mounts. I suppose if a guy could find appropriate sized rings a ZF39 could be mounted to one of those as well, or maybe even some of the 7/8" tube optics of the era.

 

[Winchester M70 Van Orden]

Now without words