K31 Sight Picture Issues

[Userdenied]

On a good note I got to take my K31 out and shoot it today for the first time. It was great. It shot dead on and I love it. However I have noticed that the sight picture with the iron sights is very small and very hard to focus on.

Does anyone else on here have a K31 and have any kind of solution for this problem? I don't want to remove the stock sights and replace them, I was thinking of getting some high contrast paint and adding small dots to the sights like what is on my pistol sights. Any other suggestions?

 

[92LX]

worn sight?

On several of my milsurps the bluing, black oxide, whatever coating has rubbed of to shiny bare metal. This usually help obscure the sight picture. I have used the old trick of letting lighter soot blacken up the sights for a better picture before.

I would try something like that, or charcoal, that can be wiped off before painting. Though acetone or alcohol would probably take the paint off if you wanted to try to paint, but might remove bluing or black oxide as well.

 

[Claddagh]

Birchwood Casey makes a spray-on product called "Sight Black" that's a bit easier to use than the old carbide "smokers" or a lighter, etc. It doesn't affect the original finish and comes off with regular cleaning solvents.

I've used Testor's plastic model enamel, fingernail polish and similar stuff to add contrast to front sights before. Most work pretty well and i've never had any trouble with removing any remaining factory or military finish using acetone (for nail polish) or mineral spirits (for enamel) along with the paint. The one type of older military firearms finish where I'd be concerned about that would be the baked-on black enamel that many European/Asian states once used, EG: India's Ishapore Rifle Factory on the 2A/2A1 rifles, later SMLEs, some FN FAL models and a good many Warsaw Pact/Soviet Bloc weapons from the '50s/'60s era.

 

[indiucky]

I am going to say it before anyone else does.

The k31 is built like a swiss watch.

Enjoy it. I have had a couple come through the shop. They are just so darn "Swiss" you have to love them. They are like certain "cult" guns. They will sit on a rack for two months and no one will even want to see it and then some guy (or girl) will see it. Say "Is that a K31? I will take it!" and tremble as they are filling out the paperwork with a big ol grin on their face.

I heard there was a sniper version but I have only seen them in photos and there is a club out west that has shooting matches with them. I think someone makes a rear sight that is a little more "user friendly" and is adjustable that most of the competitors use. It does not affect the integrity of the weapon and may actually be made for match shooting. The artiicle was a long time ago but I bet you could google and find out.


Here is a link you may like.....
http://www.swissrifles.com/sr/sights/index.html

It appears the Swiss already recognized this. I like the dipoter sights.

 

[boozoo]

You can buy repop diopter sights if you look around. Made by Swiss Products. They're pricey as hell though.

Snipers: There were three versions I am aware of, but two are nearly identical (K31/42 and the K31/43). The first two had a swing-up periscope optic that is... well, not that great LOL The last one was the Zfk55 which looks a lot like a K31 but isn't, really.

 

[PMY]

The Swiss K-31 comes with bad sights as a matter of fairness. If they had good sights, they would so dominate vintage rifle matches there would be no reason to shoot anything else.

 

[Userdenied]

On several of my milsurps the bluing, black oxide, whatever coating has rubbed of to shiny bare metal. This usually help obscure the sight picture...

This isn't the problem. Everything is still the same dark color it's supposed to be. The issue I'm having is that everything is just so small. I just have trouble focusing on it. I'm going to have to check out some of the upgrade options out there. It's just good to know I'm not the only one with this problem.

On a related side note, do any of you reload, or know anyone who reloads 7.5x55? I have several hundred rounds left, but if I can find someone who reloads I'll start saving my brass for the day when I eat through those. I don't really want to pay the nearly $1 per round of the new stuff.

 

[Ljungman]

The swiss made some "Oh my god awesome" sights for that rifle. They are true to the rifle...they are not cheap but they were used late war towards the end of the rifles use. I cant think of the term i keep wanting to call them diopter sights but there is another name for them. They worked out Fantabulously on my K31.

 

[Claddagh]

The diopter Match receiver sights, either Swiss made or the St. Marie Graphics/Swiss Rifles ones, are Olympic-quality precision instruments and are priced accordingly. Extremely fine increments of adjustment for windage and elevation and even the aperture's size is adjustable. Unless you're into serious competition or just plain wealthy, you're probably not going to want to lay out the cash for them. IIRC, you could buy nearly two more K31s for the same money.

St. Marie also makes three different scope mounting outfits for K31s I believe. Two are "no gunsmithing" types and the other requires that four (again, IIRC) holes be drilled and tapped in the receiver. One of the others is a "Scout" type which utilizes the base of the issue rear sight (it must be removed, but it's an easy DIY) and uses a long eye relief scope. The other is made to clamp onto the receiver using existing holes to secure it. It's one big drawback is that it's offset, much as those for the M1-C/D were, and thus requires holding-off for both elevation and windage at ranges other than the one it's been zeroed for. Can be tricky to learn to do well, but it can be done.