Swiss K31 how to decipher the tag?

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I recently purchased a K31 after being caught up in the whirlwind of rumors of accuracy and a fascination with the mechanism. My tag didn't quite have all the information I had hoped for, but it still is rather fascinating to me. Can anyone tell me more about what it all means?

I chose from a selection of five and this example was by far the cleanest. I'm still learning more about these rifles but so far the trigger has impressed me. Very long take up but crisp as all get out at the end. Having watched videos of people shooting with irons at a 2 foot by 2 foot plate from a distance of one mile with surplus ammunition I am even more excited to clean it and take it to the range.

It seems everyone always wants pictures of the rifle and while I must apologize for the lesser quality, I didn't forget.

 
nice rifle i think the tage saying the soldiers name ,in this case capt Marcel the rifle was either issued to him or given back to the crown in 1943 and his address.
Court JB
13 Ave-Site17
 
Thanks very much Tootall, I've been looking through the abbreviations and find them fascinating. I haven't found anything for "Capt" or "recr" though. My english bias says captain and recruit, but I haven't found any listing for "capt" and recruit would be "rekr".

I would assume that 1943 could be the date of birth? Other resources lead me to believe the serial number points to 1952 as the year of manufacture.
 
Sir - he had a French name - Marcel - and a French rank - Capitaine. So he lives/livedin a French-speaking part of Switzerland. German for 'Captain' is Hauptmann. 'Rekr' might be the Germann abbreviation for recruit, but the French word is also abbreviated as Recr.

To Mr Byrne - Sir, the crown has nothing to do with any Swiss arm. Switzerland has not had a king for almost 800 years.

This is a very strange tag. Does the carbine have a P stamped on it anywhere? This would indicate that Capitaine Marcel acquired the arm at a much later date. Perhaps he was part of the local militia after having served his time out as an officer? It is very unusual to see a K31 with an officer's name on the tag.

BTW, the 'Beausite' is a famous hotel in Interlaken, Switzerland, not a place.

tac
 
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Well that would explain why I kept coming up with a hotel for a location. I'll look over the rifle to see if I can find any P marking. So far in the photos I have I only have the serial number in multiple places with no P at the end and 62 on the upper tang which doesn't coincide with the serial number.

Interesting that it is a strange tag. It wasn't what I would have expected to find after seeing pictures of other examples. In case anyone was wondering there didn't seem to be anything on the reverse side of it.

It struck me as odd that it appeared to have the rank of captain as well. with my rudimentary knowledge I would have expected that rifle to be issued to a low level who then progressed through the ranks so it would be an equivalent to private rather than captain.
 
I think in french it would read, Recrue Marcel Capt. In this case Capt is a family name and not a rank. I Googled the name and there are several people in Switzerland with that name. See Link: ht tp://www.moneyhouse.ch/fr/pp/marcel-capt
 
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Not impossible, it seems, and indeed, far more likely than my explanation. Military names are not so uncommon - I was in the Army at the same time as Sergeant Roger Sergeant, and Major Bob Major. His brother, Captain Gavin Major, was adjutant for a while, and all three were serving at our depot at the same time. Confusion reigned.

It also explains the 1943 date of birth. He would have been issued the K31 in 1961 - the year of his eighteenth birthday. Hence no 'P'.

He may have lived at the hotel with his parents who were perhaps living-in members of the staff.

tac
 
Ha! That is rather funny and logical. I myself seem to recall meeting a Constable Constable. Seems we're solving the mystery. Now I just have to talk myself out of buying more K31's so we have more mysteries for us to solve.
 
JP said:
I think in french it would read, Recrue Marcel Capt. In this case Capt is a family name and not a rank. I Googled the name and there are several people in Switzerland with that name. See Link: ht tp://www.moneyhouse.ch/fr/pp/marcel-capt
Click to expand...

That's it: Recrue Capt Marcel, Court Jura Bernois, Rue Beausite 17
 
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The internet is awesome for finding out details like this!
I just wrote and submitted an article to a gun magazine about my own search recently.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...g-under-Swiss-K31-rifle!?highlight=swiss+tags
I mention in my article that I initially had it wrong, and another CGNer corrected me.

I dont want to "scoop" myself, so I wont post my article here now.
After it is published, I will post it.
 
I'm looking forward to reading it. I have to admit I've long had a fascination with Enfields, but these K31's are just so fascinating with their tags. Even though it can easily be said an Enfield saw use in the field, it's far more fascinating to me to have the name and address of the man who carried my rifle. When he did I'm sure he worried that the Germans could invade and that rifle would be his only means to protect his friends, family and country.
 
Well I finally got some range time. I can say I believe the rumors about accuracy now. No issues at all with a boar gong at 300 yards with gp11. Nailed that sucker first shot at distance both unsupported and supported. Even with some heat in the barrel accuracy out to 400 yards was no issue as well.

I don't see myself installing optics on this old girl anytime soon. These things are the best kept not so secret milsurp I've gotten my grubby mitts on.
 
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