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The K-31 will shoot but had beautiful closely machined parts clearances that I suspect would suffer if the rifle were taken into the sand or the jungle. So what? The Swiss weren’t going either place. From a tall Swiss hill, the K31 would have been capable of “delivering a large volume of accurate fire” and is said to have figured in Germany’s decision to let the Swiss alone in WWII.

Bottom line: great rifle. Swiss GI 174-grain ball shoots better than my hand-loads and will give you x-ring groups at least out to 500 yards. I’m keeping mine to play with some more.

1903-A3

About fifty years ago in Dallas, there were five shooters who got caught up in the local competition scene and who participated in what was called “military rifle” matches in which any issue military rifle could be used. The course of fire was the national match course and it attracted a wondrous array of WWI and WWII rifles and cartridges. One of the five ordered a Springfield from the Director of Civilian Marksmanship. When it arrived it came into the form of a “U.S. Smith Corona 1903-A3” with a “C” stock, sheet metal hardware and a slick four groove SC-7-43 barrel.