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I have several of both & really like both but would pick the Swede M38. I like the Swiss even though it's butt ugly compared to the Swede & lots more bullet choices Swede. Either one can be more accurate if you hand load & depending on condition. I have Swede 96 that was redone by Kimber when they were going broke that a lazer. I owned a shop 30 years ago & dealt in Milsurp mostly. The chinese sent all used SKSs till they were gone then started sending new for $69.95 in green cases of 10, just as easy to clean 10 as 1. Ammo was $69/1000. Used to have the thick caologs with my store name from Ellett Bros which had all ladies in sales. Went to a place in Joliet called Paragon Sales, a huge warehouse of MilSurp & ammo. Then the 1st postal shooting happened & my insurance increase was 1050% or 10.5 times what it was prior. Was a 45/70 fan & have some Siamese Mausers in 45/70 & great shape. Had a Johnson I regret selling, a 1911 given to a private by a general for saving his like. Had the orid holster & box of steel cased ammo with 7 shot, I shot 7 put a stupid high price on my "Keepers" & they all sold. I really miss it. Sorry to run on :s0128:
 
Krico 650SS my favorite :D
Only seen one here in 40 years!!

Velzey - needless to say, I have gazillion photos of it. Mine is ex-harrumph German 'police', and has a chrome bore and an added 1kg weight in the butt for static overwatch times. Apart from that it's perfectly standard.

However, it get must get pretty boring for you guys, seeing the same old from me all the time, posting the same pics here, since I only have a limited number of guns, unlike you guys, and no handguns at all except a Ruger Old Army and a Super Redhawk with orthopedic extensions.
 
I have 2, one in 7.5x55 & one in 308 both appear factory to me so maybe some were done in 308 to use NATO ammo I don't know but both look new & shoot great.

Not factory, but sold by Stoegers as 'Alpine Sporters' in the 50's and 60's. Also in thutty-thutty. - handy as the bullet diameter is the same for all of them.

The Swiss never felt the need for anything other than their own calibre - even the machine guns are 7.5x55 - still, in every military vehicle that carries and on-board MG. You have to admit that when you have a cartridge that does everything that you need, with maximum terminal effect out to 800m or more, why change? Only in 1990 did the Swiss succumb and adopt the 5.56x45 NATO round.
 
Wow! My K31 was a factory work-over, and although it got a new bolt shroud, the armourer also removed the tag, and my K11 used to be a Model 1900 rifle before conversion in 1914, and lost the tag somewhere along the way................
 
Right now, although there is a LOT of GP11 coming into the USA @$479 + shipping for a 480 battle-pack, there will always be a lot more 6.5x55 ammunition around.

If you want to get a Husqvarna Arsenal-marked m/38 then it will probably not have the mana of a converted m/96.

And no m/38 or m/96 will ever shoot like a K31 in good condition, like one from Simpsons, fer'instance. No list of goodies for the Swedes, either, if that matters. I have an m/96 as well - it's a good shooter with reloads.

Supta you.
What tac said...
 
This post from another forum, by my pal Diopter, will help to disenfungle those of you wondering what all the letters and numbers mean with regard to the Swiss schtuff...

K11 is Karabine. 1911 and 96/11 are the long full length rifles. All use the same action.
Front sight assembly on the K11 is different. Original K11 version later used on the K31.

Swiss nomenclature for these rifles varies according to the three main language used in the various 22 cantons of the country, German, French and Italian, with a smaller bit of Romansch for spicing.

LG or G for German Lang Gewehr "long rifle" or Gewehr for Rifle: LG 1889, LG 96/11, LG 1911 or G1889, G96/11 and G1911
And Karabine(r) German for carbine length rifles. K11 & K31

M for French Mousqueton for Karabiner and "Model"of the long rifles+year. this is where most of the confusion sets in.

There were also short rifles, but most were converted into K11s
That covers the majority but not all.

Schmidt-Rubin Series and for manuals [helps to speak German] - Schmidt-Rubin Series
 
I have a hole in my collection, I think. But I cannot be sure. And since the want to try section didn't seem to last, I'm going to post this here.

I want to shoot a K31 Swiss straight pull rifle. If someone has one around the central Willamette Valley and is willing to spend some time at ARPC, I'd love to give one a try before I commit to purchasing one.

I'd happily bring my milsurps to shoot and either trade or reimburse for ammo. I hope they are as good as people think say they are.

Mountainbear, my good friend, they are every bit as good as you have heard. I have shot against them in military rifle shoots and they just perform flawlessly and are exceptionally accurate. Probably some of the most accurate military rifles out there, ranking right up there with the Swedish mausers... Lilhigbee has a couple, maybe bend his ear a bit and he'll fill you in on how good they are... Good luck with your search..
 
I guess it's time I finally took mine out to shoot it. 42 years of ownership and have never shot it, then every once in a while I see a thread like this and remember it.
 
I have a K31 made circa 1953, sn 999, -something. Very clean rifle, I've had it for about 16 years, cost when purchased was modest, about $160. But money even only 16 years ago was worth a lot more. Anyway, the soldier's tag was under the butt. I wrote away to him in Switzerland and got a response. One of his comments was something like, "Why wasn't I allowed by US customs to send Swiss chocolate to a friend in US, but they let you have my old service rifle?"
 
I have an old K31, made in '37. It had a troop tag. I showed it to my cousin last year who was visiting from Switzerland. He laughed when he saw the tag and the town on it. He said the town is a very small town near where he lives, and he drives through it every day on his way to work!

I asked him if he happened to know anyone in that town that he could ask about the name on the tag. He said no; the Swiss have a rather closed culture, not terribly open to outsiders. As an American he didn't feel very comfortable asking around where he didn't know anyone.
 
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I took my K31 out today and ran a number rounds through it.
I also took a M96 Swede. My Swede is prettier but nothing shoots like a K31.
 
He said no; the Swiss have a rather closed culture, not terribly open to outsiders. As an American he didn't feel very comfortable asking around where he didn't know anyone.

That response is exactly why we had a native Swiss compose the letter to the owner, or his descendant. Some are happy to share, and others are not - it's a 50/50 chance you take.
 

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