stubbicatt
02-18-2013, 18:40
I remember when the Russians offloaded a bunch of really neat surplus rifles back in the early or mid 90's. At that time I was new to firearms, having only been messing with them for about 10 years prior, and in the pre-internet days, when knowledge was more rarified than it is now, housed as it was in the minds of a few experts, I learned of the SVT 40 or "Tokarev" rifle as folks were wont to call it in those days. You could buy them for $199 on sale. They sold quickly. Then, as now, by executive order I understand, further imports were banned.
I passed on several that were available then, as I was into other firearms at that time.
Years passed, and I realized what a mistake it was not to buy at least one of them at that time. I've been watching auction sites and WTS postings for some time and never was able to find one I was willing to buy. I DID see an original sniper at a dealer in Colorado Springs, but at a price well north of $2k I was not able to swing that deal at that time.
At the Tanner gunshow this weekend, nearly lost in a jumble of other odds and ends, there it was. A very nice example of SVT 40, dated 1941, from Tula arsenal. No import marks on it anywhere, and bolt and carrier in the white. The rifle just screamed of a pre GCA 1968 import, such as those surplussed by Finland in 1954 or so. But no telltale "SA" acceptance mark on it anywhere. Mystery rifle? A bring back from some conflict somewhere? I don't know but the mysterious origin clenched the deal.
Paid more than I wanted to, but I brought it on home. Gas system is as expected, a bit corroded, but on a positive note the bore is bright and shiny with square shoulders on the lands, and the gas regulator set at .9 still cycled the action reliably. --I ordered up a stainless tappet/piston set, which should arrive in a couple weeks I'd guess, with which I ought to be able to shoot corrosive ammo without causing any more wear or deterioration to the original parts.
To parse a few words, here are some photos:
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/stubbicatt/Tula%20SVT40/IMG_0188_zps7f52566f.jpg
Early style muzzle brake and original cleaning rod. Not original sling, soon to be rectified.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/stubbicatt/Tula%20SVT40/IMG_0187_zpsd89a8fd8.jpg
Original Soviet era magazine, and last round bolt hold open.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/stubbicatt/Tula%20SVT40/IMG_0186_zps8136e846.jpg
Starboard side full length view.
Upon taking the rifle apart, I was really impressed with the design, if not the execution, of this rifle. Typical to war time production, the outside finish of the milled parts such as the receiver, and areas such as the underside of the bolt carrier are pretty rough. The magazine itself has to be made of a very thick gage steel. I saw several design elements that show up on later rifles... ferinstance, the tilting bolt, ejector block, and the dust cover, which show up on the FAL, the fluted chamber (at least the neck and shoulder) common to the HK designs. The detachable box magazine, which while not originally introduced in this rifle, was certainly innovative for its time (pre 1938 genesis). The ease of installing sniper scopes, not so different in concept from the HK claw mount, while different in execution.
I always thought the receiver dustcover would be a stamping, a la FAL, but it is machined.
There is a little swinging door on the rear of the receiver, which when opened serves a dual function. If one presses a loaded cartridge, bullet-first, in there, it pops the trigger group out the bottom of the rifle, and secondly, if one wishes to, one can easily slide a cleaning rod through the little hole to clean the barrel from the breech. Nice touch I thought. :) The muzzle brake does tend to make the rifle even louder than a Mosin Nagant while shooting the same ammunition, which has a very distinct basso report which tends to get people's attention at the range.
It is suitably accurate, or at least as accurate as I am, which with not-so-great vision I have difficulty seeing the front sight post. :)
In short, I had been looking for one of these rifles for many, many, years. Without forewarning, there it was at the local gunshow. And to think all I had to do was to sell a SIG556 which really didn't speak to me, and received in its place my "grail gun."
Regards,
Stubb
I passed on several that were available then, as I was into other firearms at that time.
Years passed, and I realized what a mistake it was not to buy at least one of them at that time. I've been watching auction sites and WTS postings for some time and never was able to find one I was willing to buy. I DID see an original sniper at a dealer in Colorado Springs, but at a price well north of $2k I was not able to swing that deal at that time.
At the Tanner gunshow this weekend, nearly lost in a jumble of other odds and ends, there it was. A very nice example of SVT 40, dated 1941, from Tula arsenal. No import marks on it anywhere, and bolt and carrier in the white. The rifle just screamed of a pre GCA 1968 import, such as those surplussed by Finland in 1954 or so. But no telltale "SA" acceptance mark on it anywhere. Mystery rifle? A bring back from some conflict somewhere? I don't know but the mysterious origin clenched the deal.
Paid more than I wanted to, but I brought it on home. Gas system is as expected, a bit corroded, but on a positive note the bore is bright and shiny with square shoulders on the lands, and the gas regulator set at .9 still cycled the action reliably. --I ordered up a stainless tappet/piston set, which should arrive in a couple weeks I'd guess, with which I ought to be able to shoot corrosive ammo without causing any more wear or deterioration to the original parts.
To parse a few words, here are some photos:
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/stubbicatt/Tula%20SVT40/IMG_0188_zps7f52566f.jpg
Early style muzzle brake and original cleaning rod. Not original sling, soon to be rectified.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/stubbicatt/Tula%20SVT40/IMG_0187_zpsd89a8fd8.jpg
Original Soviet era magazine, and last round bolt hold open.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/stubbicatt/Tula%20SVT40/IMG_0186_zps8136e846.jpg
Starboard side full length view.
Upon taking the rifle apart, I was really impressed with the design, if not the execution, of this rifle. Typical to war time production, the outside finish of the milled parts such as the receiver, and areas such as the underside of the bolt carrier are pretty rough. The magazine itself has to be made of a very thick gage steel. I saw several design elements that show up on later rifles... ferinstance, the tilting bolt, ejector block, and the dust cover, which show up on the FAL, the fluted chamber (at least the neck and shoulder) common to the HK designs. The detachable box magazine, which while not originally introduced in this rifle, was certainly innovative for its time (pre 1938 genesis). The ease of installing sniper scopes, not so different in concept from the HK claw mount, while different in execution.
I always thought the receiver dustcover would be a stamping, a la FAL, but it is machined.
There is a little swinging door on the rear of the receiver, which when opened serves a dual function. If one presses a loaded cartridge, bullet-first, in there, it pops the trigger group out the bottom of the rifle, and secondly, if one wishes to, one can easily slide a cleaning rod through the little hole to clean the barrel from the breech. Nice touch I thought. :) The muzzle brake does tend to make the rifle even louder than a Mosin Nagant while shooting the same ammunition, which has a very distinct basso report which tends to get people's attention at the range.
It is suitably accurate, or at least as accurate as I am, which with not-so-great vision I have difficulty seeing the front sight post. :)
In short, I had been looking for one of these rifles for many, many, years. Without forewarning, there it was at the local gunshow. And to think all I had to do was to sell a SIG556 which really didn't speak to me, and received in its place my "grail gun."
Regards,
Stubb