UGACherokee
05-13-2002, 02:24 AM
I dunno if it was the word "Panzerbekämpfungsgeschossen" or if I felt sorry for the last lonely K31 in the shop, but it wound up coming home with me:
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=UGACherokee&album_id=72069&image_id=0&courtesy=1
The upper is the K31 I already owned -- the 1944 with laser-like accuracy -- and the lower is the new kid: a 1943.
About the 1943:
The first thing I did was to check the "tag", and it was one I had never seen before; instead of a soldier and address, on this tag was simply typed:
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=UGACherokee&album_id=72069&image_id=2&courtesy=1
...which according to the Swissrifles site translates as the Swiss Federal Arsenal for the Zürich Canton.
Did the arsenal change out the owner's tag when the rifle came back in, or was this a "range gun"? Call me sentimental, but until I find out to the contrary, I'm going to guess that I rescued an orphan range gun that never had a true owner for 59 years.
The condition of the rifle is standard for the K31 shooters; approximately 70 - 75% bluing with furniture that has taken it pretty hard. Said furniture appears to be walnut and has wonderful grain -- at one point in this rifle's life it was absolutely gorgeous.
The bore has a mirror finish and sharp grooves -- the bore surface is superior to my other K31 but the rifling -- while good -- is not quite as sharp.
How's it shoot? I'll find out this week. The front sight post has been drifted nearly halfway to the left side. I dunno if this was done intentionally or by accident, but we shall see where the bullets land.
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=UGACherokee&album_id=72069&image_id=0&courtesy=1
The upper is the K31 I already owned -- the 1944 with laser-like accuracy -- and the lower is the new kid: a 1943.
About the 1943:
The first thing I did was to check the "tag", and it was one I had never seen before; instead of a soldier and address, on this tag was simply typed:
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=UGACherokee&album_id=72069&image_id=2&courtesy=1
...which according to the Swissrifles site translates as the Swiss Federal Arsenal for the Zürich Canton.
Did the arsenal change out the owner's tag when the rifle came back in, or was this a "range gun"? Call me sentimental, but until I find out to the contrary, I'm going to guess that I rescued an orphan range gun that never had a true owner for 59 years.
The condition of the rifle is standard for the K31 shooters; approximately 70 - 75% bluing with furniture that has taken it pretty hard. Said furniture appears to be walnut and has wonderful grain -- at one point in this rifle's life it was absolutely gorgeous.
The bore has a mirror finish and sharp grooves -- the bore surface is superior to my other K31 but the rifling -- while good -- is not quite as sharp.
How's it shoot? I'll find out this week. The front sight post has been drifted nearly halfway to the left side. I dunno if this was done intentionally or by accident, but we shall see where the bullets land.