New K31 -- I am impressed with this rifle!

Tung Oil is our choice every time. Sand lightly and don't use a stripper! Use 000 Copper Wool between coats. You can leave it as a satin finish by finishing the 6th coat with Copper Wool. Don't finish with copper wool and you get this........

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Officersk31.jpg


Finish with Copper Wool and......... satin

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Latigo
 
Nope. Its not a refinish. The edges are sharp and the finish is correct. It could have been mostly in private hands. Is there a "P" in the serial number, front or back? It will appear to be not quite straight or even a slightly different font.

Forgot to ask............. If you remove the bolt, does the Op-rod have any bluing on it or is it shiney?

Latigo
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Music to my ears! Yes it does have P mark after the serial number (but upside down) on the barrel and on the receiver under the stock. This means it was given to the soldier when he retired, correct? Op-rod: are you referring to the piece on the bolt that the bolt handle is on? If so it has about 50-60% bluing with several spots where it has been polished off by contact with receiver.

If this stock wasn't original with the cartouche and serial number I would love to refinish the walnut. I think that the current finish doesn't do the wood justice. A darker stain and tung oil finish would really make this rifle look amazing. The finish on your rifles is beautiful Latigo.
 
Also since I have some time tonight I will post some pictures of some of the markings that are not on that website and hopefully someone will be able to help.

Here is the first batch from the bolt:

WC 1942 and then right above that is stamped Mo +
3fa1c483-orig.jpg


A odd symbol like a weird squiggle in a circle
boltmark.jpg


This is a CV+ followed by a crescent shape:
b458b3fe-orig.jpg


This is a mark on the bayonet lug that is a perfect triangle
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There are more marks on the receiver under the stock. I post those after supper and when I break her down again.
 
Okay here are some more that I can't figure out

Here is the SIG stamp and the letters "SM" ?
24e05304-orig.jpg


Here are the letters "G" and "F1" ?
96a013c6-orig.jpg


On the trigger there is what looks like a bow and arrow mark and also that mark "Mo +" there is also a P stamp
0f75c0e1-orig.jpg


And lastly there is both the SIG mark and this mark which looks like a WF with a circle around it?
b47922eb-orig.jpg



Ok that's all the marks that I can find that are not on the "Swiss Markings" website...
 
Latigo,

Do you have any links to properly refinishing a walnut k31? I'm afraid to sand... so I wanted to use stripper and clean it off. What sand paper grit etc. do you use? And how do you do the finger grooves on the stock?
 
KnightofCydonia said:
Didn't they use BLO on the walnut stocks and shellac on the beech ones?
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Yes that's what is commonly found. I have seen photo's of walnut finished with shellac reported as original. I think Tung oil gives you a better looking finish but it's not correct if your doing a restoration.


zfk55 said:
Nope. Its not a refinish. The edges are sharp and the finish is correct.
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A sanding block would keep those edges sharp and well defined also. That stock has a lot of shine for a 65 year old shellac job. It is possible it spent it's life in a gun cabinet, but the metal wear doesn't match the wood finish.
 
Congrats on a beautiful gun. You have great taste in rifles. I have an m39 too, and love it. The k31 will be next. Now go get some rounds downrange!
 
Super busy today and I'll be back when I can Meatsaw.
Any bluing on the op-rod is usually an indicator of little useage. If it were mine I wouldn't refinish that particular rifle. The P does mean private and that's a good indicator it was likely very well cared for. My rifles with the fine finishes began as a bit on the rough side.

There's a lot of good info on refinishing here.

http://theswissriflesdotcommessageb...q=stock+refinishing&orderby=created_at&forum=

Its hard to get a dark stain out of a stock, but I have done it with careful bleaching. Try not to get the fore end too wet for too long with any medium. They're slender and actually can be warped.
Raw Linseed Oil is usual and careful sanding can give you a great base to begin with. This is a lengthy subject and determining whether a k31 is refinished or not isn't always easy without the rifle right in front of you. Its not likely that a rifle with a finish like yours with minor dings and dents was refinished. If someone did refinish it (professionally looking) its also not likely there would be any denting at all. Nothing is cast in stone and it is hard to tell from photographs. One last point... Most refinished k31s will show a minor difference in color between the stock and the finger grooves.
Back when I can.

Latigo
 
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One thing you might check. The Madcrater has a point. Check the year on the stock itself. It's not at all unheard of for the arsenal to do a stock replacement if the original was not repairable. There's often a difference between the manufacture year of the rifle and the date on the stock, but usually not more than a few years.
A good photo of the finish on the full exposed part of the receiver and the bolt handle would help too. The bayonette lug seems to have a few dings, but............... who knows for sure?

Latigo
 
The stock manufacture date was August 1943. The serial number on on the parts (8003xx) puts it in the 1944 range. This makes sense: the stock was made in '43 and then assembled with all the other part and serial numbered in 1944. I will edit this to add some pictures of the receiver/bolt handle. But I just got home from work and I require some food.
 
don't refinish that rifle. f you want a walnut rifle to refinish I have a nice one I'd trade you for that. it has the more normal darkish color. that one is nice and it's different.
 
I can see the dents and dings on that stock, and the cartouche is still strong. I don't believe it to be a refinish. The only other possibility is maybe the stock is from a different rifle, but I think it's unlikely.
From the op-rod photo it appears to have a lot of bluing on it........ but........ who knows for certain. All we have are opinions.

Latigo
 
And the K31 continues to impress. Was able to go to the range today with my daughter and I was able to put some time on the K31 while she was shooting the .22. I also brought along my M39 too. Of the 2 the K31 is noticeably more accurate. At 50 yards with iron sights I was shooting 5-shot, 1" groups with the K31 and 2" groups with the M39. The sights are better on the Swiss as well. The one thing that I did like better on the M39 is the stock. It has a slightly longer length-of-pull and the pistol grip is much more comfortable in my hand. I found that I was able to find a much more comfy shooting position with the M39 over the K31. I think if I put a butt pad on the K31 to make it a little longer it will help! Both are a joy to shoot and I am very happy to own them both.
 
Perfect. I took some dimensions of the butt and no one makes a butt pad that is small enough. Are the butt pads adapter dimensions the same as stock? The grind-to-fit ones make me a little leery, how do you grind soft rubber?
 
I know I will catch hell from some of you but I needed to do something with the finish. In some places the original shellac was really good but it other places it was quite terrible (flaking, gone, etc.). After much deliberation I conceded to give her some new life. To be clear: sandpaper never touched this. I used alcohol to remove the original shellac with 0000 steel wool. I then mixed a dark walnut and red mahogany oil based stain. This was a delicate procedure because I was pretty picky about how I wanted the color to come out. Not dark, not light...just right with a touch of red. Once I got that I then went over it with several light coats of tung oil varnish.

I am so much happier with this rifle now. Collector value doesn't matter to me as much as some people here: having a rifle that's mine, that makes me happy is the important thing. I am taking it to the range tomorrow to zero the iron sights.

Next up: recoil pad, and the Swiss mount and a scope.

k31stock_finish.jpg


k31stock_butt.jpg
 
Here's the latest and greatest on this fine rifle. I put a Swiss Products scope mount topped with a Vortex 4-12x40. I used Brownell's Warne 7.3 steel rings. This is about as solid as they come. I can't wait to take it out to the range tomorrow and see how she shoots. I am very impressed with quality of all of the above products. The scope is EXCELLENT for spending less than $200.

k31_scope2.jpg


k31_scope1.jpg
 
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