Hammerli FK-31: Diopter Competition Rifles for the Haganah
Added 2024-01-15 12:00:03 +0000 UTCIn 1949, Israel was still fighting its war of independence, and purchasing arms internationally was difficult to do. The recently-formalized IDF wanted sniper rifles, and looked to Hammerli in Switzerland for a variant of the K-31 straight-pull bolt action action. Two different models were purchased; 100 of the ZK-31 with 4x Kahles scopes, and 100 of the FK-31 with target diopter sights. The Swiss could not legally ship them directly to Israel, and so the order was placed for Nicaragua instead. Mysteriously, the freighter carrying the rifles somehow sank off the coast of Egypt, and the guns ended up in Israeli hands. They were taken into IDF service, and saw use in the early days of Israeli independence.
Video on the scoped ZK-31: https://youtu.be/E3ZVFDonYXo
Comments
I’d like to know how accurate these rifles are in that caliber
Reed Gregory
2024-01-16 01:35:58 +0000 UTCOhhh, it's a beautiful rifle, I'll swap you my old Otterup for it... 😜 The sling, however... Yea, I know it was there for storage, but it made me laugh anyway because I've seen people trying to use it like that.
Alfred Gawron
2024-01-15 17:04:12 +0000 UTCK-31s are great rifles - interesting history here. Thanks.
Mrgunsngear
2024-01-15 16:02:05 +0000 UTCscreams precission! this has to be such a tackdriver with those sights... very cool rifle!
Guido Schriewer
2024-01-15 13:55:02 +0000 UTC
