Help me decide between...

DaveMachine

DaveMachine

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The Swiss K31 and the Swedish Mauser. I think both of these rifles are both very interesting rifles and from accounts I've read seem well made.

I'll plan on reloading for either of them whenever I happen to purchase one (at the moment I don't have reloading gear). I'd like to know which one is more economical to load for or are they roughly the same? Is brass available for each or can brass be formed from other brass that is more commonly available? Are bullets available for each?

I really know nothing about these rifles so I'd like to hear about the various pros and cons and how they compare with each other.
 
I havent handled a K31, but I have however owned a m96 (swedish mauser).

They are very impressive rifles, smooth and solid mauser action, very well built, nice and tight and extremely solid.
 
Both are very acurate rifles, try to feel them both and go with whatever feels best for you. The market right now has quite a few K31's to choose from, the Swede comes available quite often and for the most part they both are usually in very good shape. IMHO the ammo for the Swede is more abundant but X2 on getting both rifles, you will enjoy each characteristic of each.
Good luck, no one said collecting milsurps was easy, it's just like the energizer bunny, it just keeps going and going.
 
DaveMachine said:
For those of us who don't know so much about milsurps, mind telling me why?
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Nice examples are still around, for now. Commercial ammo will be available for a long time. K31 ammo (7.5 Swiss) is already a reloading-only proposition which will always limit the price of the K-31 rifles. I predict they will be available without much effort for years to come at non-inflated prices.

Also, the Swede Mausers often did see action in Finland, ww2. The K-31 has seen lots of action on... the training bases and parade gronds?

The swedish Mausers have more accessories and there's a great Collector Grade publication to guide you through your Swedish Mauser experience (the Crown Jewels by Dana Jones). No equivalent work exists to enhance the K-31 experience.

The K-31 is ugly to look at. The M96 - no so!
 
Why even ask the question? Why debate which is better? You have already decided you want both, so just buy the first good one that comes along, then when ready buy the one you're missing.

I have one K31 that I have shot a few times and several Swedish M96's and M38's that I shoot quite often. It's not a "war record" thing where I'm somehow anti-Swiss - I have several Swiss Veterllis and love them. To me (and you will form your own preference), a Swedish Mauser is beautiful to behold, and to shoot. The K31 is accurate, and generally I'd tip my hat to it over the Swedish Mauser in that regard, but not an attractive firearm IMO. Someone described the bolt as looking like a part that fell out of washing machine - that's extreme and an opinion, but the straight-pull bolt is what distinguishes the K31 from just about everything else, and you will learn to love, like or hate it. There is not that precise feel you get with a bolt when you chamber a round, rather you must drive the assembly forward, without a real positive indication that it is fully home. You can get away with neck sizing, but the indication that you must F/L size comes not with a difficult to close bolt handle, but a click and no bang.

Again, comes to personal preferences, but that is moot as you want both. Buy the first good deal that comes along. IMO the K31's at Tradex satisfy a good deal that is available now. They won't last long, whereas the Swedes are in the country in good numbers and change hands regulalry on CGN and at gunshows.
 
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Though still frequently available, the Swedish Mausers have been rising in price over recent years and are a bit more of a hit and miss proposition as to finding one for sale. At least one importer in Montreal has a quantity of K31s in stock right now in the $250-350 range, and while I don't expect these rifles to remain plentiful forever (the importers in the US are currently selling their stock for about double the price of one or two years ago, the total production of these rifles being only about 500 000), the lack of ammo availabilty of these rifles suggests that you can buy your Swede and then save up for the Swiss rifle.
 
Beadwindow said:
Though still frequently available, the Swedish Mausers have been rising in price over recent years and are a bit more of a hit and miss proposition as to finding one for sale. At least one importer in Montreal has a quantity of K31s in stock right now in the $250-350 range, and while I don't expect these rifles to remain plentiful forever (the importers in the US are currently selling their stock for about double the price of one or two years ago, the total production of these rifles being only about 500 000), the lack of ammo availabilty of these rifles suggests that you can buy your Swede and then save up for the Swiss rifle.
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My apologies..... I sent this without reading the previous post. Not being a regular attendee at gun shows, I was unaware of the availability of Swede Mausers at those events. In that case, you might just want to get a K31 from Tradeex and keep your eyes open for a Swede Mauser as your next buy.

Cheers,

Frank
 
Actually, P&S militaria and Tradex BOTH have Swede Mausers right now. Not many though. they have FAR more K-31's available.

Relying on a gun show to "maybe" find a nice swede someday is like saying "I don't need a pension fund or RRSP contributions. Something will come up to save me in my old age - maybe the lottery?"
 
I have one CG.
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I have have many K31s.
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Guess which I shoot more. :yingyang:
 
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