There is something to be said
for recoil pads.
Fifty rounds through a steel-butted K31 is about like a half hour of involuntary CPR.
I loved the hell out of it, though. Couldn’t convince Partner to shoot with me, though he came and laughed at how much I suck. And he was right to do so, at 100 yards I was lucky to get them all on the paper, offhand.
Used to be I’d sit and hold a rifle for hours to get the muscle memory used to doing it, but I haven’t for a while, because of the pain in my hands and arms. Need to get bakc to doing it.
Probably won’t take my division like I have in years past, but at least I’m pretty sure I didn’t embarrass myself.
11 comments Og | Uncategorized
I shoot my K-31 with a strap on leather recoil pad. Yes, I am a sissy. Tough.
I bought two nearly matching K-31’s. Gave the better of the two away to a friend so we would have a matched set.
Fool that I am.
Heck of a piece of engineering, that rifle. The trigger alone makes it worth owning.
I don’t perceive my K31 to have nearly the recoil of my M-N M44. Next time I plan to run 50+ rounds through it in an afternoon, I do think I’ll wear Sorbothane or find a leather pad, though. That old C6/C7 break has been bugging me a lot in the last decade.
I did find a mint bayo for it a few months ago at CTD, so that makes me much happier. I love a good piece of sharp steel.
Og;
a cheap Uncle Mikes slip on rubber recoil pad takes the bite out of that steel buttplate. It also adds about 3/4″ to the stocks pull so that it fits American framed shooters a bit better. I do not believe that anyone would suggest you that you had wussed out had you done so.
Of course you could have bought an M1
Garand from the CMP and had a softer recoiling rifle and a piece of American heritage all rolled in one to punish yourself with.
Roger
Roger has the right of it. Pick up a slip-on Limbsaver pad or one of their wearable pads and never look back.
“Of course you could have bought an M1
”
Nah. I prefer to actually- you know- hit what I’m shooting at.
Actually I have a nice carbine, and if I live long enough I’ll get a Garand too. The K31 is just a nice shooting rifle.
The CMP awaits your order. The old warhorses get more expensive every year. (I paid $189.00 for mine from the DCM) Don’t wait till obie fundamentally changes all remaining Garands into melted puddles of historic steel.
You know you want one you know you need one. Go ahead listen to your inner self and send off your order. Ask for some Greek ammo too. And yes, get the slip on recoil pad to save yourself.
Partner has three, or maybe even four of the things. I can shoot one anytime I like. Bigger fish to fry before I can buy a Garand.
There can’t be a great deal of difference between the recoil of 7.5 Swiss vs. 8mm Mauser, but my VZ24 wallops the heck out of my shoulder. The K31’s recoil seems a lot milder by comparison.
I think the K31 is a heavier gun
I think Brownell’s has a replacement steel buttplate that’s threaded so you can screw a recoil pad to it.
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