My Russian Garand is here

[vit]

Got my GunBroker treat in the other day. A 1943 Tula SVT40.
Cleaned it all up and it looks better than described, the "frosted bore" was mostly crud - bore is not mint, but looks better than expected.
As this was my first time cleaning an SVT, I came to realization that I would not want to disassemble it in the field, no wonder Russians took it out of service so quickly. Wouldn't take much to loose something in the dirt and end up with a straight pull bolt action. Also, it is interesting to see how Soviet weapons evolved from it into SKS and AK.
I'll take it out to shoot it (with some non-corrosive) ammo once the outside temperatures and humidity die down.
Some pics:

[Partisan1983]

awesome man!!! She sure is a beauty.

[vit]

[mriddick]

Neat rifles, I hope you like it. It will be interesting to see how it groups.

[old Grump]

Cleaned up nice but oh boy does that stick its nose way out front. What is the overall length and barrel length on that rifle?

[1 Patriot-of-many]

That is SWEEEEEET. How much?

[bovver]

lucky

[mriddick]

That is SWEEEEEET. How much?

Last one's I've seen for sale were in the $900-1200 range, back when I had my shop in the 90's we bought them for $125...

[O.S.O.K.]

I had one several years back - when they were running $600-$700.

Cool historic rifles.

[vit]

That is SWEEEEEET. How much?

Got lucky for just around 650 all said and done. Put ina ;low ball bid before going to bed and expected to lose. Woke up a winning bidder.

[vit]

Cleaned up nice but oh boy does that stick its nose way out front. What is the overall length and barrel length on that rifle?

http://surplusrifle.com/svt40/specifications.asp
Surprisingly light for its size.

Barrel Length: 24.02 Inches
Overall Length: 48.27 Inches
Weight: 8.9 lbs.
Rifling: 4 turns, right hand twist
Action: Semiautomatic
Caliber: 7.62x54r
Magazine Capacity: 10 round, detachable box

[mriddick]

Got lucky for just around 650 all said and done. Put ina ;low ball bid before going to bed and expected to lose. Woke up a winning bidder.

I knew you'd work a deal..

[vit]

I knew you'd work a deal..

No way I pay retail...

[Schuetzenman]

Nice rifle, I've put a copy of your thread in the C&R forums Military Sime-Autos forum.

[vit]

Thanks!

[El Laton Caliente]

I still have mine, but never shoot it.... That looks like a nice example.

[Schuetzenman]

I was doing a Gun Show in Raleigh, NC years ago and a customer walked up with an SVT 40 that looked every bit that good and they only wanted $275 for it. I was so excited, I was really thinking "I'm going to get this one"! Then I racked the bolt back to lock it open and put my bore light in from the breech end and saw the black crusty bowls of hell! The fucking idiot shot it and didn't clean it! I said, that's a shame, handed it back and followed up with "Good Luck on selling your rifle".