Page 1 of 3
Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:29 am
by Aircooled
I had been putting this off, because these are fairly complicated rifles, but they are the one of the few bargins we can get up here in Canada. A decent mosin Nagant will run 170 - 200 {more for the carbines}. A crate of 7.62 X 54r milsurp runs 300 clams.
This refurbed 1941 Tula SVT 40 ran me 300, .. 385 with tax and shipping.
[album]551[/album]
[album]550[/album]
There are some great videos on u-tube to show us first time owners of these, how to carefully take them apart and clean them. I probably watched the same two great videos 10 times each before I tackled the task.
[album]553[/album]
Bore looks good after a couple of cleanings. It will be non-corosive ammo for this puppy.
[album]554[/album]
I'm ordering the gas adjustment wrench from a place in the US, in case it needs re-setting after I try it out. It's set at 1.3 and I'll be using 185 gr FMJ. From what I've read this combination should work well, but if any of you know different, please let me know.
They're pinned to 5 rounds up here, but I might get an extra mag down the road, unpin it, and just stash it in my locker, in case the day comes when all hell breaks loose.
Lot's of strange stamps marks on the beauty. A "2" on top and bottom of the stock, by the butt plate. Below the bolt on the stock there is a diamond with an "M" over "16-M" in it. Bolt side of the receiver has a square with a tombstone in it, and an "8" turned sideways in a diamond. The Tula star on top of the receiver has a diamond with a horizontal line through it, on the right, and a diamond to the left of the star, with what looks like an upside down "Y" in it.
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:40 am
by hoshow
I like it

. Enjoy it when the weather is good enough to go shooting. Probably a dumb question, but do you have ranges in Canada?
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:45 am
by Junk Yard Dog
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:04 pm
by Aircooled
" do you have ranges in Canada?"
Yes there are 2 outdoor ranges close to me. I will be checking one out that has a 400 meter run as a guest, this summer. I'll be trying out my VZ 24 and this handsome rifle. I'm dying to do some long distance target shooting, and see if the old eyes can nail target far off. lol Up until now I have been going to a great sand pit, deep in the bush, on crown land, about 2 miles from our farmhouse. I bring a pizza plate screwed to a stake, and have a ball. It's quiet, relaxing, peaceful, but only about 90 yards from end to end. I don't know if I will become a member at a range? We'll see?
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:09 pm
by Junk Yard Dog
Sounds like you have a good setup already, I shoot someplace like that, but it's private land not state.
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:11 pm
by tjtM38
A very nice rifle. It's nice to know that you can still get a semi-auto up there, and with a rifle like this, I don't think a five round limit is much of a big deal. I hope the Feds don't limit us down here in the U.S., but you deal with the law wherever you live.
I know nothing about the shooting and care of these rifles, but I would think corrosive-primed surplus ammo could give you some fits with the care and cleaning of the gas system. Do you also own other rifles in 7.62x54r? I'm hoping the Mosin Nagant bolt action platform is readily available in Canada, although I never hear about too many people from Canada shooting the caliber. SKS also seems to be a popular type where you are. Have fun with the SVT.
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:09 pm
by mosin430
I want one but there so expensive
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:02 pm
by Aircooled
TJ, "I would think corrosive-primed surplus ammo could give you some fits with the care and cleaning of the gas system. Do you also own other rifles in 7.62x54r? I'm hoping the Mosin Nagant bolt action platform is readily available in Canada, although I never hear about too many people from Canada shooting the caliber."
Yeah I will be shooting non-corrosive ammo only with the SVT 40, just for that reason, and once I get the gas system tuned for a certain round, I'll stick with the same round.
Yes Mosins are available up here. I have two. A 1925, and a 1942. Both are jems. And a fair supply of ammo {both corrosive and non-corrosive}, although not as much as some of the guys here. lol
Folks in my area really aren't into the Russian guns.... yet. Who knows down the road? I learn from the web and U-tube.
I have no new rifles. Only milsurp. I see the new rifles at the gun show, and I'm not impressed. Six to 800 hundred clams and up with plastic everywhere? Are they kidding? lol Not for me.
A bit about Canadian gun laws.
Handguns are classified as "restricted" up here, so it would mean another 4 day course, test, another license, and way more hassle than I'm willing to put up with. I'd have to phone the cop shop to tell them I'm going out shooting, and where I'm going? If I were to divert from the direct route to a range, {say to pick up some farm eggs for the wife} I could be charged if caught. It's just not worth the crap for me. I have the non-restricted license {Long gun ticket} so I'm not subject to the extreme rules, and I'm fine with that.
A footnote: In the US, a mares leg, or a ranch hand, are considered pistols. Here in Canada they are classified as a short rifle, so you can get one with the Non restricted license.
So there is one modern firearm in the safe. It's nice to share our hobby with our wives and get them interested and relaxed, and safe around firearms, so after quite a bit of looking around and talking about what she would be comfortable with, I got my wife a Rossi Ranch hand in .44 mag/special. She loves it and has booked her "Non-restricted" course to get her ticket.
She's gotten so comfortable with the ranch hand, that she tried out my SKS one day, so.... we make a fun day of it when we go. Like a target shooting picnic in the woods.
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:52 pm
by WeldonHunter
You may have high dollar 7.62x54R but the price of SVT 40s sure makes up for that. This was for sale at AIM earlier.
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx? ... &groupid=6 Not your standard SVT but even the standard versions are about $1000. Some of the guys here say the SVTs are a PIA to clean the gas systems on.
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:20 am
by Junk Yard Dog
The SVT is a pain in the ass to clean , the gas system anyway, I consider them an interesting historical oddity, but my Garands see the range a lot more than the SVT.
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:50 am
by Greasemonkey
Nice looking SVT, and nice price
My SVT has been out several times, and it takes alot of time and is somewhat of a pain to clean. Mine had a badly corroded gas system piston and cup, I replaced those parts and the recoil springs with these
http://www.ppsh41.com/SVTitems.html.
They are stainless steel and won't corrode, made a world of difference in adjustments and firing. It responded much better to smaller adjustments and made life a little easier, other than cleaning

Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 1:33 pm
by Aircooled
Thanks guys, and thanks for the link Greasemonkey. I bookmarked it.
It did take a while, but I went slow and I rewatched the u-tube vids when I was uncertain about some point. There wasn't a speck of rust anywhere in my parts. Some areas did have a thick coat of a heavier oil that was filthy in places, but the parts looked mint after I cleaned them and put a light smear of Hopps back on. The springs front and rear looked great also, and it took a lot of gentle strength to reassemble the recoil spring/bolt end.
One question. With these or the mosins, when they are refurbished back at the Russian factories, do you think they are test fired, before going in the crates?
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 1:35 pm
by Junk Yard Dog
The Mosins are all sighted in the same way, to shoot with the bayonet mounted, I would think they did something similar with the SVT's also
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:13 am
by Brian the Brit
Ha , I got mine through today , dated 1940 , will post photos later , same price .
Should be good fun
Have you seen the K98's that have become available ? $669 A friend of mine got one ,,,,NICE ,,,,,

Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:48 pm
by Darryl
Brian the Brit wrote:Have you seen the K98's that have become available ? $669 A friend of mine got one ,,,,NICE ,,,,,

K98's from where. There are no more in any arsenals except Russia. All the rest were imported years ago. Where are they getting these from now? Maybe Russian Capture K98's?
Dolk
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:41 pm
by Aircooled
Hey Dolk. Nice to meet you.
"K98's from where. There are no more in any arsenals except Russia. All the rest were imported years ago. Where are they getting these from now? Maybe Russian Capture K98's?"
Yes they are Russian refurbed K98's coming in. I think Brian was talking about this shop, near Kingston Ontario?
http://www.theammosource.com/index.php? ... def980cc3e
Also, a small local shop in my area has a bunch of K98's, but they don't have a website so they just post them up on the Firearms Canada site.
http://www.firearmscanada.com/ads/k98-mauser/
His don't say Russian refurbed, but I'm pretty sure they are.
If you poke around in the Canada Firearms site, after looking at the Mauser's you'll get a good idea of what weapons are "Non-restricted", "restricted", and the third catagory is "banned" in Canada. I'm guessing those would be for display only.
Brian, I got a sweet VZ 24 for Christmas from this shop near Monteal.
http://www.tradeexcanada.com/content/br ... 8mm-mauser
[album]539[/album]
And with the SVT 40..... I'm broke for a while.

Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:08 pm
by Darryl
OK, Down here the RC Mausers go for less then that. At that price I was wondering what they could be getting in.
But I understand you guy can buy SVT40 for a $1.95!

or some ridiculously low price! Too bad we couldn't do an "exchange program"
I know, I know........
Dolk
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:04 pm
by Brian the Brit
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:39 am
by Greasemonkey
Re: Finally picked up an SVT 40
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:51 am
by Junk Yard Dog