svt 40

[protector76239]

anyone here purchased one? like it?

[8dDUCE]

No, not yet I had a post it is further down the page. Look at some of the responses, I belive there is a web adress in there. 8dDUCE.

[TinMan99]

I have a Russian SVT40 circa 1941 with the earlier 10-port muzzle brakes and scope rail cut receiver. Be aware there are three flavors of the SVT. The SVT38, SVT40, and Finn SVT40. The SVT38 is a bit more fragile than it's latter cousin and is easily recognizable in that the cleaning rod mounts on the side of the stock and not under the barrel. The SVT40 has two subtypes based on the muzzle brake design. Three and ten port holed varieties exist, if I am not mistaken. The Finn SVT40 may have a new barrel, but likely not, but almost certainly will have a new birch stock. The Finn models are generally cheaper than the original Russian models, but since both are drying up, the price difference is nominal.

As for performance and reliability, the weapon, if taken care of and maintained properly, should be a decent tin can slayer up to around 300-yards. The bores tend to be frosted if not dark, but so long as there's no sign of pitting, they'll shoot just fine.

Spares are hard to come by. Numrich and SurplusFirearms sometimes has parts for them, but don't hold your breath. Parts most likely to wear out are the gas regulator (commercial replacements are available), op rod, and firing pin. Mags are rare and hard to come by, expensive, and sometimes require hand-fitting to the weapon. Gas regulator will erode (more quickly if using corrosive primers). Op rod is a thin rod of steel, likely to bend if the receiver gets fouled and resists or jams during firing. Firing pin is sometimes improperly hardened and can break.

7.62x54R ammo non corrosive is available from Wolf and some former Eastern Bloc countries. Accessories are non-existant. Bayonets for them are rare and very expensive. Some canvas dog-collar slings can still be found.

It's a piece of history and fun to shoot. Much like a Garand in its performance. Impressive and attractive, but inspect thoroughly before laying any money down. Particular attention to the bore is warranted. If it's dirty or greasy, use a bore snake to clean it. If they won't let you clean it for inspection, walk. Expect rough machining on some barrels in the grooves on early war production rifles. This shouldnt affect accuracy. The Russians were rather pressed for time in 1941-1942 with that whole German invasion thing going on. Besides, the average Russian soldier issued an SVT40 wasn't expected to live three months at that time.

TinMan99

[biff]

i have 2 of them, but have fired neither. both seem like quality weapons, but they are long. also very loud too, or so i hear.

tinman u make it sound like such a POS, they cant be that bad can they?? only gripes ive heard are they are a bitch to clean and dont like softpoints.

[TinMan99]

These weapons are not a POS, quite the contrary. They are however not as robust as other Eastern Bloc weapons, subject to a distinct shortage of spares, and usually have had a rough life and reflect that in their condition at times. If you disassemble the rifle, you'll see the long, spindley op rod, the tiny gas regulator nut, and on many rifles, rough tooling and machining since they were rushed out to stem the German invasion. These weapons were never adopted as general issue arms due to their shortcomings and more delicate nature. They were issued to snipers and unit officers but they were not adopted as MBR's by anyone. I recommend getting one for anyone that can find one in good shape and is willing to hunt down some spares to have on hand. Otherwise, spend your money on something else.

TinMan99