Swiss Army Surplus
Alpenflage M70 • K31 • Stgw 57 • M83 TAZ • 200 Years Armed Neutrality
One of our deepest country-specific catalogs at 25 SKUs from the Schweizer Armee / Armée suisse — Switzerland's universally- conscripted citizen army that has maintained armed neutrality since 1815. The catalog spans the M70 Alpenflage (the iconic rust-and-green Swiss leaf-pattern camouflage), M83 TAZ camo field jacket and pants, K31 leather sling for Switzerland's legendary straight-pull Karabiner 31 rifle, the Swiss 1957 Bayonet for the Stgw 57 service rifle, M70 and M90 rucksacks, the M84 canteen, mountain gaiters, Swiss-bunker candles for the Cold-War civil-defense network that guaranteed every Swiss home had a fallout shelter, and the famous Swiss Army roller belt. From $2.95 NBC ponchos through $79.95 Stgw 57 bayonets.
About Swiss Army Surplus at Keep Shooting
Switzerland operates one of the most distinctive military systems in Europe — a universally-conscripted citizen army with no standing professional infantry, the world's longest continuous armed neutrality (recognized at the 1815 Congress of Vienna and unbroken since), a national civil-defense bunker network that until 2010 mandated fallout shelters in every newly-built home, and a domestic arms industry that has produced some of the most respected service rifles ever made (the K31 Karabiner Modell 1931 and the SIG 550 / Stgw 90 are both Swiss). Keep Shooting's Swiss surplus catalog is one of our deepest at 25 SKUs covering Alpenflage and TAZ camouflage, K31 and Stgw 57 firearm accessories, M70 and M90 mountain rucksacks, the famous Swiss bunker candles, and field gear from NBC ponchos through mountain gaiters.
Swiss armed neutrality — since 1815. Switzerland's neutrality was formally recognized at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, ending the Napoleonic Wars, and has been continuously maintained for more than 210 years — through both World Wars, the Cold War, and into the present. Unlike Sweden's neutrality (which ended with NATO accession in March 2024), Swiss neutrality remains in place; Switzerland is not a NATO member, not an EU member, and continues to operate as a non-aligned state. However, "neutral" does not mean "unprepared." Switzerland maintains one of the most thoroughly-organized defense systems in Europe through universal male conscription (women may volunteer), a militia- based reserve structure that places nearly every able-bodied adult man in the order of battle, and the famously thorough Swiss civil-defense infrastructure. Until legislative reforms in approximately 2010, every newly- built Swiss residential building was required by law to include a nuclear-fallout shelter — the result is that Switzerland has more bunker capacity per capita than any other country on Earth.
The Swiss militia and the rifle at home. Swiss military service follows an unusual pattern by Western standards. After completing initial conscript training (currently 18 weeks), Swiss soldiers transition to militia reserve status and historically kept their military service rifle at home along with sealed-canister ammunition. The "rifle in every closet" tradition was iconic of Swiss defense doctrine: the country's defense did not depend on a standing army responding from garrison — it depended on every adult male being able to take down his rifle, walk to a designated rally point, and form an organized defensive force within hours of mobilization. Modern reforms have modified some details (current practice generally separates the rifle from the ammunition issue, and the militia structure has been somewhat reduced in size), but the basic pattern of distributed citizen-soldier ownership remains.
The K31 — the Karabiner Modell 1931. The Schmidt-Rubin K31 (Karabiner Modell 1931) is widely regarded as one of the finest mass- produced military bolt-action rifles ever made. Designed by engineer Eduard Rubin (whose name appears on the Swiss rifle lineage from the 1889 Schmidt-Rubin onward) and produced from 1933 through 1958 with approximately 528,000 rifles manufactured at the Waffenfabrik Bern federal arms factory, the K31 served as the standard Swiss service rifle through the WWII era and into the early Cold War. The K31 is most distinctive for its straight-pull bolt action: rather than the rotary lift-pull-push-rotate sequence of conventional bolt-actions (Mauser, Mosin, Springfield), the K31 cycles with a single straight rearward pull and forward push, producing substantially faster cycle times than turn-bolt designs. Combined with extraordinary Swiss manufacturing tolerances and the precision 7.5×55mm Swiss (GP11) match-grade ammunition, the K31 regularly produces accuracy comparable to dedicated sniper rifles from the same era. Our K31 Leather Sling ($24.95) is the original-pattern Swiss leather carrying sling for the K31.
The Stgw 57 — the Cold-War Swiss service rifle. The Sturmgewehr 57 (Stgw 57, also exported as the SIG SG 510) replaced the K31 as Switzerland's primary service rifle in 1957. Designed by SIG engineers and chambered in the same 7.5×55mm Swiss as the K31, the Stgw 57 used a roller-delayed-blowback action derived from the same WWII German StG 45(M) prototype that produced the CETME and H&K G3 — making the Stgw 57 a cousin-platform to the G3 and CETME. The Stgw 57 served as the standard Swiss service rifle from 1957 through 1990 (when it was replaced by the Stgw 90 / Sig 550), and was the rifle that every Swiss reservist kept at home during the Cold War. Our Swiss 1957 Bayonet with Scabbard ($79.95) is the original-pattern bayonet for the Stgw 57 — well-built, period- correct, and the most expensive single Swiss item in our catalog.
Swiss camouflage — Alpenflage M70 and TAZ. Swiss military camouflage developed through several distinctive patterns. The M70 Alpenflage (1970–1990) is one of the most recognizable post-WWII military patterns: a four-color leaf-pattern design using dark green, light green, brown/rust, and tan on a sand base, with substantial red-rust presence that differentiates it from any other national pattern. Alpenflage was designed for the Alpine and sub-Alpine terrain of central Switzerland — high contrast in the rust-and-evergreen environment rather than the muted tones of woodland-type patterns. The TAZ 83 (Tarnanzug 83) introduced in 1983 was a transitional refinement of Alpenflage, and the TAZ 90 pattern adopted in 1990 is the current Swiss field camouflage. Our catalog carries M70 Camo Field Jacket (currently out of stock — high collector demand when available), M83 Camo Field Jacket ($18.95+) and M83 Camo Field Pants ($26.50+), and the Swiss Army Snow Camo Poncho ($19.95) for white winter cover.
The Swiss bunker candle — and Cold War civil defense. Among the more curious items in our Swiss catalog is the Swiss Army Bunker Candles ($13.95) — a long-burn paraffin candle pack produced specifically for the Swiss civil-defense bunker network. Swiss law required (until ~2010) that every newly-built residential building include a fallout shelter, and the national civil-defense program produced standardized equipment for those shelters including very-long-burn candles designed to provide emergency light during extended bunker occupancy. The Swiss bunker candles are extraordinarily long- lasting (typical burn times exceed 100 hours per candle), wax- formulated for low smoke and complete combustion, and are sealed for indefinite storage. They are now widely sought after by emergency-preparedness buyers, outdoor enthusiasts, and Cold-War-civil-defense collectors. Similarly, the Swiss Army Roller Belt ($4.95) — the military-grade adjustable nylon belt with a distinctive roller buckle — has become one of the most-recognized Swiss surplus items in the global EDC and outdoor-belt market.
Mountain warfare and Swiss field gear. Switzerland's military doctrine emphasizes Alpine and mountain warfare — the country's terrain is roughly 70% mountainous and any defensive operation will inevitably involve high-altitude combat. Swiss field gear reflects that focus. The M70 Rucksack ($4.95 sale, regular $9.95) is the heavy-duty leather-and-canvas Swiss field pack — built for sustained mountain carry, with leather reinforcements where most national packs use synthetic webbing. The M70 Rucksack with Straps ($8.95) is the same pack with full strap-system configuration. The M90 Rucksack ($30.23) is the modernized successor pack with updated materials. Our Swiss Army Mountain Gaiters (4-pack, $19.95 — currently out of stock) are the canvas leg-protection gaiters for snow and brush operations. The Swiss M84 Canteen ($8.95) is the standard Swiss-Army-issue field canteen. The Swiss Military Tent Pole Set ($9.95) and Swiss Water Bag (Black) ($30.45) round out the field-camping gear.
Wool and cold-weather layering. Swiss military cold-weather gear includes the Swiss Military Gray Wool Neck Gaiter ($7.95 — a tubular wool neck warmer in the modern military gaiter form rather than rectangular scarf), the Swiss Wool Overseas Cap ($4.95+ — the traditional folding boat-shaped wool cap), and the Swiss Army Balaclava ($4.95) for full-face cold-weather coverage. The Swiss Olive Drab Overpants ($4.95+) are the military-issue OD trouser overpants worn in colder field conditions. The Swiss Army Tricot Shirt ($12.95+) is the Swiss-Army-issue knit athletic shirt — combat-and-PT configuration.
Eyewear and miscellaneous gear. The Swiss Army Suvasol Sunglasses ($13.18) and Swiss Eye Raptor ($40.90+) are tactical-eyewear offerings — the Suvasol being a more traditional Swiss-military sunglass and the Swiss Eye Raptor being a modern ballistic- rated tactical sunglass design. The Swiss Customs Combat Pants ($9.95+) are uniformed border/customs- service trousers from the Swiss federal customs administration — not military proper, but Swiss-uniformed-service surplus. The Swiss NBC Poncho ($2.95) is one of the most aggressively-priced items in our entire catalog — a full-coverage rubber/PVC poncho designed for nuclear-biological- chemical environments, repurposable for general rain and weather protection at the kind of price commercial rain ponchos cannot approach.
Note on the "Swiss Army Knife". Worth a quick note for context: the famous red-handled Swiss Army Knife made by Victorinox (and previously also Wenger, before Victorinox acquired Wenger in 2005) is licensed to use the Swiss federal coat-of-arms cross-shield logo and is a contracted supplier to the Swiss military. The actual Swiss military issue knife is a more utilitarian design than the consumer-popular Tinker / Officer's Knife / Swiss Champ configurations — though all share the basic pattern. We do not currently stock Swiss-Army-Knife models in this catalog, but for broader cutting tools see our Knives & Tools department and the specialized Multitools category for the broader multi-tool selection that the Swiss Army Knife pioneered.
Alpine and Western European surplus context. Swiss surplus sits within the broader Alpine and Western European ecosystem. The Austrian Army Surplus catalog is the natural Alpine companion (Austria and Switzerland share substantial Alpine military doctrine and cross-border tradition); the German, Italian, and French Army surplus catalogs cover the three other Swiss border-state militaries. For broader surplus shopping see our Military Surplus hub. For Swiss-specific clothing categories see Military Surplus Jackets and Pants; for packs and load-bearing gear see Military Surplus Bags & Packs; and for the Stgw 57 bayonet alongside the broader bayonet catalog see Military Surplus Bayonets.
Keep Shooting ships all Swiss Army surplus from our Pennsylvania warehouse with free shipping on orders over $49.95 and hassle-free returns. Whether you are a K31 owner stocking the original-pattern leather sling, an Stgw 57 collector after the period-correct bayonet, an emergency-preparedness buyer building out a serious bunker kit with Swiss-grade long-burn candles, an Alpenflage-camo enthusiast sourcing the iconic M70 jacket, a mountain hiker building a serious Alpine pack with Swiss M70 / M90 rucksacks, or simply a Cold-War civil-defense student collecting the unusually-deep Swiss material — every Swiss item in our catalog is genuine Schweizer Armee surplus, not commercial reproduction.
Frequently Asked Questions — Swiss Army Surplus
Keep Shooting carries a wide selection of Swiss Army Surplus products from trusted brands. Browse our catalog to see the full range, and use the filters on the left to narrow by brand, price, or product type.
Yes! All orders over $49.95 qualify for free shipping, including Swiss Army Surplus products. Orders typically ship within 1–2 business days.
Keep Shooting offers hassle-free returns on Swiss Army Surplus products. If you're not completely satisfied, contact our customer service team for a return authorization. All products must be in original, unused condition.
If you need help choosing the right Swiss Army Surplus product, our team is available to assist. Check individual product descriptions for detailed specifications, or contact us directly and we'll help you find the best fit for your needs.