A simple trigger block safety for the swiss k31

[tinsmith]

I am planning to deer hunt with my Swiss k31 this fall. It is an accurate rifle for my needs as most of my shots are taken from a tree stand or ground blind at under 100 yards. But, the only safety on the rifle is that cumbersome ring on the rear of the bolt. I discovered that a fired 20 ga. shotgun shell placed between the trigger and trigger guard works perfectly. With the two stage trigger on the Swiss K31, one would really have to crush the 20 ga. hull to get the rifle to fire! Upon sighting a deer, it should not be a problem to quickly and quietly push the hull out from behind the trigger. Happy hunting.

[Dale in Louisiana]

As the Russian officer said when explaining the safety on a 91/30 Mosin-Nagant: "Is GUN. Is NOT safe!"

Compared the the Mosin, the K-31 safety is positively elegant. I' also rather fond (snicker!) of the safety on Japanese bolt actions, too.

dale in Louisiana

[btreanor]

Another option would be to decock it after closing the bolt on a round. This is done by sticking your thumb through it and holding it back as you pull the trigger. You can then release it slowly. I've found the cocking ring to be pretty easy to use.

[Multigunner]

Another option would be to decock it after closing the bolt on a round. This is done by sticking your thumb through it and holding it back as you pull the trigger. You can then release it slowly. I've found the cocking ring to be pretty easy to use.

I'm not familiar with this action, but wouldn't that leave the firing pin contacting a live round with possibility of something striking the cocking ring and setting it off?

The French MAS36 has been fitted with aftermarket trigger block safeties. I examined a Vietnam bring back sporter version that had one of these. A thumb lever that moved side to side under and behind the bolt end cap.

I've seen a trigger block safety that was fitted to a trigger guard, don't remember what model weapon this was on. A simple L shaped lever was hinged so that when engaged the lower leg was held in place by the back of the middle finger till deliberately released and pulled back. The upper leg blocked rearward movement of the trigger.

[ukrifleman]

Another option would be to decock it after closing the bolt on a round. This is done by sticking your thumb through it and holding it back as you pull the trigger. You can then release it slowly. I've found the cocking ring to be pretty easy to use.

Not a good idea, as you have the firing pin impacting on the primer and the potential for an AD. If it was a safe practice, there would be no need for safeties.
ukrifleman.

[roverboy]

I agree, I wouldn't decock the bolt on a loaded round. I don't see anything wrong though, with something between the trigger and trigger guard.

[junkbug]

How is fumbling with a loose spent shotgun hull less awkward than pulling and turning a very well designed and executed ring safety? It looks archaic, but has always been very easy for me to use, and you are the first person I have ever encountered who thinks its "cumbersome". The spent cartridge trick is an ancient makeshift method that makes sense on a hammerless gun with no safety at all, like a Martini Henry or any of the French rifles, but why on a rifle with a very sensible, if a little bit ugly, real safety? That is monkey rigging something that is truly "not broke"

[1Shirt]

The cocking ring on the K-31 is quite manageable. The round back of the jap rifle is about impossible to put on or take off safety with cold hands.
1Shirt!

[Multigunner]

The cocking ring on the K-31 is quite manageable. The round back of the jap rifle is about impossible to put on or take off safety with cold hands.
1Shirt!

I always turned the end cap with my palm, which worked with or without gloves. I figured it was designed for that purpose.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Practice with it for awhile and it will become easy (ish) to use. Just make sure your gloved fingers will fit through or use fingerless gloves.

[KCSO]

There are at least 3 different designs for triggerguard safteys for these rifles. I made up a Mosin sporter with a nice sliding safety in the trigger guard. The problem is that it requires so much machine work to convert them that it's not cost effective. Who wants to spen $100 putting a safety on a $90 rifle?

[blackbike]

I`m not suggest you use it this way.
But a K31 will not fire, out of battery. If you slip the operating rod back 1/4 in.(notice the ser. # on top of bolt) it is out of battery, and will not fire.
With your right hand in the firing position slip your thumb forward and you can fell the back of the operating rod stick out (even in the dark), and can push it back forward into battery.
If you do pull the trigger when out of battery, it will make a loud clunk( give away your position when hunting) and jump back into battery, but will not fire. Of course, try this with a primed case only(no powder or bollit)
There is plenty of info. on the net about the swiss K31.
Hope this helps, bb

[madsenshooter]

The cocking ring on the K-31 is quite manageable. The round back of the jap rifle is about impossible to put on or take off safety with cold hands.
1Shirt!

Got to agree on both points. The K31 I can deal with, even with a scope. Just don't rotate it the full 90 degrees, and it works best for me if I always use my middle finger on the ring. T38s, some are ok, if the rifle has iron sights, but the scoped carbine I have, it really needs a trigger block safety. The standard safety is nigh impossible to work under that scope bell.

[Skunkworks]

Try asking here:

http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/

I think i read of such a contraption there some months ago.

[Syntax Error]

Mimicing others who have said it: I would definitely not let the firing pin rest on a live primer as a means to decock the gun. Just use the safety function on the K-31; it's not too difficult to use.

[koehlerrk]

On the thought of decocking the K31... that's what the safety does when used as designed. While it may not be as quick to use as a tang-mounted safety like my Savages, it most certainly can be quieter, and that goes with putting it on or taking it off safe.

On keeping the bolt out of battery as a safety... that's a real good way to break some fine and getting harder to find pieces. Not to mention noisy no matter how you proceed from there, either finishing closing the bolt or pulling the trigger. Plus you run the risk of a tree branch knocking the bolt open.

Nope, much better to learn how to run the rifle as designed. The engineers who designed that safety did a heckuva job. It decocks the firing pin spring while moving the firing pin into a safe "parking" location where it cannot hit the primer. It also locks the bolt closed, preventing any debris from falling into the action. The best part is that with a little practice you can go from safe to ready to shoot with no sound at all. Just pull the ring back slowly, twist, and slowly let it slide forward until it hits the stop. Very little sound at all, much quieter than the "snick" of my Savages.

[Ole]