I just picked up my new to me K11 from my FFL. I am pleased w/ it. The steel needs a little cleaning no big deal. All numbers match except on the muzzle cover device. Sling is nice with great stamps. Got a good deal from Simpson Ltd. on her. They said the wood was beat up(I really don’t think so) but, they described the bore as excellent. It is!!! Like a mirror w/ strong rifling!!! I haven’t seen a clean buttplate on a Swiss like this one. The screws are a little buggered up so I haven’t gone digging for the soldier’s tag yet. I have a feeling this thing is going to be a great cast bullet slinger!!!

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Congratulatements! I've had mine since 1989 and put a ton of ammunition through it in an effort to wear it out.

And failed dismally.

It shoots just the same now as it did the day I bought it.

Luckily, you live in a country where GP11 is still available -at least, I'm constantly reading crowing messages about how 'I just scored four battle packs and a coupla thousand loose'.

Shooting cast is OK is you have to, but reloading is a cinch. Any .308Win bullet from 150 to 180 works well, and the best, around 168 - 175, can be astonishing. My K11 was converted from a rifle in 1914, and STILL makes MOA groups at 100m.

Just remember NOT to oil it - the Swiss figured out back in the early 1870s that their grease, mostly natural stuff, was good to go - in fact, they still use a modern version of it with MS02 in it. Just use any light grease to lube and clean.

Enjoy!

Cast is fun. I have a feeling this thing is going to shoot w/ my Finn M39. That thing shoots lights out!! About the only thing I use jacketed bullets for anymore is my Garands, my semi auto BAR, and my semi auto M1919A6.

I had a K31. Just never warmed up to it. This Karbine feels so much better in the hands. And you are right the Swiss rifles called for grease, just like the Garands enjoy. I have a case of those little brown grease pots that went into the buttstock of your Garand. She got her coating of grease last night.

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:I have a case of those little brown grease pots that went into the buttstock of your Garand. She got her coating of grease last night.

That's funny. I still have MY little grease pot, although the Garand has been gone since 1986...

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:I have a case of those little brown grease pots that went into the buttstock of your Garand. She got her coating of grease last night.

That's funny. I still have MY little grease pot, although the Garand has been gone since 1986...

You need a couple? Believe me I got plenty. I use it on all rifles including on the bolt lugs of bolt guns. I believe it works so much better than oil.

Thanks for the kind offer. I live in UK, and got a couple of 2.5kg tubs of the real thing about fifteen years back. Add that to my ten-pound tub of Shakespeare spinning real grease and I'm good to go for the next couple hundred years!

As you might know from my other posts, the Swiss have been using waffenfett - a totally natural vegetable and sheep-tallow mix, since the late 1870s - all my Swiss schtuff gets it and the barrels are like new, end-to-end.

Tac,
Do you have a link to the natural Swiss stuff that you use? Sounds like it’s worth a try.

Never mind Tac. Seems like I missed out on the Waffenfett. It seems to be very difficult or even impossible to find Waffenfett’s replacement Automattenfett here in the states.

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:
Never mind Tac. Seems like I missed out on the Waffenfett. It seems to be very difficult or even impossible to find Waffenfett’s replacement Automattenfett here in the states.

Automatenfett is NOT a replacement for waffenfett. It contains MS02 and works best when hot, as it was intended to do when used to lubricate semi-and full-auto small arms. The name alone tells you that - automaten = semi/full-auto gun grease.

TBH, ANY good quality light grease would do the job just as well, like, for instance, Lubri-plate or any light yellow grease - water-pump grease is another.

I just lucked in to a bunch of the real thing, and to me, it smells just like it did on the range back in 1962 when I first shot a K31 on a village range near where we were staying in Switzerland.

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:
Never mind Tac. Seems like I missed out on the Waffenfett. It seems to be very difficult or even impossible to find Waffenfett’s replacement Automattenfett here in the states.

Automatenfett is NOT a replacement for waffenfett. It contains MS02 and works best when hot, as it was intended to do when used to lubricate semi-and full-auto small arms. The name alone tells you that - automaten = semi/full-auto gun grease.

TBH, ANY good quality light grease would do the job just as well, like, for instance, Lubri-plate or any light yellow grease - water-pump grease is another.

I just lucked in to a bunch of the real thing, and to me, it smells just like it did on the range back in 1962 when I first shot a K31 on a village range near where we were staying in Switzerland.

Ok. Didn’t know it was not a replacement. I always learn stuff from Tac. That would have been a cool range day back in ‘62!!!

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:
Never mind Tac. Seems like I missed out on the Waffenfett. It seems to be very difficult or even impossible to find Waffenfett’s replacement Automattenfett here in the states.

Automatenfett is NOT a replacement for waffenfett. It contains MS02 and works best when hot, as it was intended to do when used to lubricate semi-and full-auto small arms. The name alone tells you that - automaten = semi/full-auto gun grease.

TBH, ANY good quality light grease would do the job just as well, like, for instance, Lubri-plate or any light yellow grease - water-pump grease is another.

I just lucked in to a bunch of the real thing, and to me, it smells just like it did on the range back in 1962 when I first shot a K31 on a village range near where we were staying in Switzerland.

Ok. Didn’t know it was not a replacement. I always learn stuff from Tac. That would have been a cool range day back in ‘62!!!

It is still there - almost EVERY 'dorf' in Switzerland has its own 300m range - a necessity for a truly citizen army to undertake frequent practice. On my first visit, just 16-y/o, I got to shoot, in order, a Gew1900, K11 and K31, and the then recently-issued StGw57. We only stopped shooting when it got too dark to see well.

I go back there every once in a while, too, and meet some of the people who were there at the same age as me. All the others, of course, are long gone.

A handy helpful tint and hip - get a cleaning rod ready for when you stop shooting, slather the patch with grease and while the bore is still hot, run the patch up and down TEN TIMES without it clearing the muzzle.

Then leave it alone.

Next time you go shooting, patch it all out - the crud comes with it.

Leaving it in the bore will result is a large puff of greyish smoke [don't ask how I know this]. If you were on a village range in CH you would instantly be made a butt of comment - our range used to give the 'smoker' a little badge to wear for the rest of the session.

Like the size of a garbage can lid.

Thanks for the tip and the story. Really cool.

Nice rifle, OP! I've been really kicking myself for not snagging one of those 10 years ago. The straight-pull seems like a really interesting action.

That is a great story, Tac. I've watched some of those Swiss rifle shoots on YouTube. There's a British guy who goes by Bloke on the Range who has participated in some, and it looks like a really good time. The Swiss definitely have an interesting gun culture, and a fine tradition of "civilian" marksmanship (if you can really call it "civilian" when everybody is in the reserves). Never heard of the smoker badge before, though...that's some good stuff .

The K11 and the K31are the finest military roles ever made IMO.I have several of both and bought them back in the 80's when almost all were in excellent shape and they cost less than $100.

quote:

Originally posted by samnev:
The K11 and the K31are the finest military roles ever made IMO.I have several of both and bought them back in the 80's when almost all were in excellent shape and they cost less than $100.

I know the feeling, Sir.

My two - a K11 and K31, were 'remaindered' in our R&GC here in UK, on account that the airman brought them into the country and THEN found out about the stupid gun laws here.

The K31 was a whopping $79.95, with sling and muzzle cover. I snapped it up as I was on TDY and eligible to use the facility. The following week I went back and 'stole' the K11, with a hundred rounds of GP11 [no idea where the former owner got it from, tho']. Because of the ammo AND sling AND muzzle cover, that was $89.95.

In 1989.

Had them both and loved them both since then. I'll be shooting them tomorrow, IF I'm spared.