The Swiss have been making excellent quality firearms for centuries; longer then the first Europeans landed in America!
I suspect there are those of you who have a Swiss K-31 (Karibiner) chambered in 7.5 Swiss. The supply of them has mostly dried up; log gone are the under $200 deals for all matching serial numbered guns with a troop tag under the buttplate. I had three at one time; down to one.
This isn't about the K-31 however; it's about an earlier gun, two guns before the K-31; and it's transition/upgrade to a more modern gun.
One of the first Swiss Military Rifles to be chambered in the 7.5 Swiss was 1896/11. The Model 1889 (shooting a different 7.5 Swiss round) was upgraded to the Model 1889/96; which then morphed into the Model 1896/11. This was accomplished by adding a new barrel with new front and rear sights a pistol grip was grafted onto the stock of the rifle. The new rifles were also fitted with 6rd magazines, similar to the 1889/1900 pattern magazine, minus the reinforcing ridge, although the magazine did include a bolt hold-open feature for when the magazine was empty. A new trigger-guard was fitted to accommodate the new magazine.
I bought my 96/11 from a friend in Ohio. It had been his brother's and Fred didn't want it. It is an older import; fully in compliance with the laws at the time it has a sticker showing import by Interarms, Inc! This is not a carbine sized rifle; it has a 30.7" long barrel; the K-31 has a 25.65" barrel. While much of the bluing is gone from my example, the bore and action are almost perfect. The only problem encountered with shooting this gun is that the sights are regulated at 300 Meters! I have, but haven't installed, a taller front sight made to give it a 100 meter center. The s/n on my has a
P in front of it; meaning its been "privatized" - taken from service and kept by the person it had originally been issued to.....
