Rationalizing Recent K-31 Purchase from AIM

[toolness1]

K-31's, by accuracy and quality of materials and craftsmanship, are crazy awesome deals at today's prices IMO.

I've barely avoided pulling the trigger on a walnut hand select from AIM for the last few days. I just have a Beech excellent from SAMCO and a 1911 from SOG.

But I also want a 1911 carbine and SOG has them............. Decisions decisions.

Kind of leaning towards the 1911 since way less were made.

 

[501st]

Would be nice to see how these compare to the rifles offered by samco last year.

 

[toolness1]

Has anyone asked AIM to elaborate on "extremely fine"

One time I was about to pull the trigger on a Yugo Mauser from Wideners. Their description said, and I quote, "These are in great condition"

When I asked them to translate that into the actual NRA grading scale, they said they were in fair to good.

SO glad I didn't order one.


true story

 

[DennisCA]

K-31's, by accuracy and quality of materials and craftsmanship, are crazy awesome deals at today's prices IMO.

I've barely avoided pulling the trigger on a walnut hand select from AIM for the last few days. I just have a Beech excellent from SAMCO and a 1911 from SOG.

But I also want a 1911 carbine and SOG has them............. Decisions decisions.

Kind of leaning towards the 1911 since way less were made.

Instead of looking at SOG, how about Simpsons, LTD?

 

[toolness1]

Instead of looking at SOG, how about Simpsons, LTD?

Good call, thanks. Didn't realize they had such a selection!

Does anyone know if they will take an emailed C&R copy, or do you have to use snail mail?

 

[BinaryBoris]

Has anyone asked AIM to elaborate on "extremely fine"

I talked to a guy at AIM at length yesterday afternoon, about 20 minutes before they were closed for the day. I probed him about condition, basically asking him if he thought I'd be better off using my hand select fee for condition rather than for year. He pretty much said that they were all in great shape - especially the metal. He also suggested I use my hand select fee to get the year or year range I wanted. My takeaway was that the rifles are pretty much all in the same condition.

I know that's nowhere close to an actual NRA grade, but it seemed to fall in line with their advertised claim of having picked the "better ones" out of the shipment so that they could offer better quality than their competition.

For what it's worth, anything I've ordered from AIM has far exceeded my expectations as far as condition goes. I haven't found them to embellish at all (although I could have had just good luck). The two P64's I ordered - no hand select - looked to be virtually unfired.

 

[BinaryBoris]

Here are some highlights from the K31 therapy I employed today to help justify the purchase of #3 (although this thread has helped in that respect even more).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHj5hZWyDC8&feature=youtu.be

"Having ordered my third Swiss K31 last night, I thought it was only right to celebrate today by lobbing a few rounds down range from 200 yards out. These are truly remarkable rifles and are still the one of the best values you will find when you consider the combination of price, accuracy, reliability, historical value, and flat out sexiness.

Yes, I realize the video editing is crude and the narrative is lacking. The only way to learn how to put a video together is to damn the torpedoes and just do it, so here you go …"

 

[BinaryBoris]

Rifle just arrived and AIM definitely delivered on their description and $20 hand select.

I only had time to give it a quick once-over, but the stock is in great shape as is the metal. There is a bit of wear around the muzzle but nothing extreme. I also checked the trigger pull and the 2nd stage breaks at right around 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 pounds.

They also came through on the request for a low serial number. I ended up with a 562xxx, which places it as a 1937 and in the first 45,000 manufactured.

Very pleased. I'll have some photos posted by this evening.

No need to rationalize any more - very happy with my decision to the point that I'm going to order a blonde. (Gotta hand select one from the 1950s!)

 

[Pretoria78]

I'm tempted to pick another up...... I've got a 1942 and a 1950 that need company......

 

[Threeband]

You are trying to bankrupt me, aren't you?

 

[Machodoc]

Rifle just arrived and AIM definitely delivered on their description and $20 hand select.

OK ... break out the camera!

 

[Abulg1972]

Good call, thanks. Didn't realize they had such a selection!

Does anyone know if they will take an emailed C&R copy, or do you have to use snail mail?

Simpson will take e-mail, scan, smoke signal, whatev. You'll pay more at Simpson, but the benefit is you will get the exact rifle you are looking at and you can talk to them about it. Chances are, the import mark will be WAY better than the ones at SOG. SOG has never done me wrong, but I would pay more to avoid that PW Arms import.

 

[BinaryBoris]

Yes.

 

[BinaryBoris]

Well Swiss Flu is in full effect.

I just got off the phone with AIM. Ordered 1 Beech K31 and added not one, but two hand selects.

I requested a rifle in the serial number range of 937,000-999,999 or anything from the 200,000's. If they grab one in the first 5, evidently they'll use the second hand select fee for condition.

That brought the base total to $340 + $25 shipping. I realize that's getting a bit pricey, but hopefully it will complete my "K31 Through the Decades" collection: the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Plus I'll have two blondes and two brunettes.

Fingers crossed!

 

[MacGuns]

Include an example of the import mark when you post the photos.

Congrats on the purchase.

 

[BinaryBoris]

Thank you. I am pretty darn happy with the condition of the rifle, especially considering it's 78 years old. I don't find the import stamp to be too offensive, personally. The butt of the stock is nicely devoid of any notable beaver chewing, which is a plus.

Here come the pictures ...

 

[BinaryBoris]

Now to clean it up and get it looking reallll purdy

 

[Rack&Roll]

It's a sickness I tell ya, a sickness.

 

[BinaryBoris]

It's a sickness I tell ya, a sickness.

Damn straight. Well, if this fourth K31 comes through and is from the 1950's, at least I can take my foot off the pedal for a while. (in theory)

Of course, other than the K31 I "only" have a 96/11, which means a K11 is needed at some point. God help me….

 

[Abulg1972]

That's a real looker. Great score.