K31 inherent weakness - receiver ring cracks?

Sounds vaguely familiar. :)

Not to worry. Very rare and caused by troops putting excessive sideways loads on the receivers.
Just inspect them and see if there are any cracks in the area.

These cracks are not caused by firing, but can spread if rifle is fired repeatedly, then leading to the top of the receiver coming off.

Read the original posts:
http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/9965/What-wrong-with-this-K31

I posted this just to warn people to inspect their rifles, any rifles, for possible faults.
 
Last edited:
H Wally said:
I wonder if this is a similar issue to the one that blew up on this forum a while back?
Click to expand...

IMHO: Yes, I think it is at least related. The few cases of K31 top of receiver blown off cases all seem virtually identical. It's my belief those rare cases of blown receivers are caused by those cracks that have been there for quite some time and even the Swiss military lost track of separating these rifle for non-shooting purposes.
It wouldn't matter on a drill rifle now would it?
Can't you just see some troops using a rifle as a step for getting through an obstacle course?
 
cantom said:
Glad you found that thread, I was thinking about it too.

I think oversize cast bullets were the culprit there were they not?

Plus I recall Claven mentioning something about the metallurgy, possibly a hardening issue, as in too brittle?
Click to expand...

The bullets were cast lead, so I doubt they were the sole problem.

Possiblities
A) The stud on the operated rod may have given way causing bolt to partially unlock and case to rupture, Gusian original theory.
B) A fast burn rate powder like 2400(well know to blow up .44Mag Revolvers) used with already cracked receiver and cast bullets. Crack widens under very quick powder expansion.
C) Metal too brittle on receiver. Perhaps why it cracked in the first place.
D) A,B & C combined

I think most of the we "Olde Hands" on Swiss Rifles Message boards forum now agree on the crack being there before the blowup.

Bottom line: Inspect your rifles. No cracks and you should be good for a lifetime guarantee on your K31.
.
 
In the Swiss militia soldiers are trained to use a couple of rifles to assist evacuating wounded troops, by sitting them on them. This puts a lot of untoward strain on the rifle in a manner for which it was not designed.

On Swissrifles.com we had a recent poster with a K31 that had a tag noting its use for Sanitar [sorry, no umlaut on my Japanese keyboard] training - that is to say, fit only for use by battlefield medics. IF you have such a tag under YOUR buttplate, then your K31 may well have been relegated for such use and is [probably] not fit to shoot, having been thus relegated for good reason.

Be aware also that Swiss military have a habit of making temporary beds with a few guns, doing the same kind of damage as lifting a wounded comrade off the battlefield.

tac
 
diopter said:
From Tradeex? The one one they replaced?
Too bad. It was in nice shape otherwise.
Click to expand...

Darn strait, the wood I would rate at 8 out of 10 but the metal was 9.9 out of 10. It was a nice rifle. The crack was a surprise, but Anthony At Tradex is a good man and I got my money back. I just bought another one from him in the same phone conversation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom