Thoughts on the Tokarev SVT 40?

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SlasH58

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Hi folks,

I haven't been around for a few years, I guess. My shooting buddy passed away suddenly at 42 and it kinda took the fun out of range time. :(

Anyway, I'm trying to get back into range shooting and saw a SVT 40 today that caught my eye when I went into my local gun store to buy ammo.

I searched this section for information, but it seems to be buried in other thread topics for the most part.

So, getting to my question; what do you-with-far-more-experience-than-I think about the SVT 40 for a range toy? Are they reasonably accurate? Can parts be bought for them? What about upgrade or alterations (i.e.; a different stock!) availability? Any help is greatly appreciated! BTW, I already have a Norinco M-305, but this rifle just seems to "call" to me! Should I tell it to stop? ;)

Thanks in advance!
Frank
 
Arloashean said:
There's tons of stuff in the Red Rifles area, but searching can be tricky, especially when you don't ask it to search into the distant past (defaults to a week or something silly like that). So try another search but switch to longer in the past.

For example... http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422435&highlight=svt-40
Click to expand...

Thanks, Arloashean, I'll give that a try! If you, or other members have personal experience, either good or bad, I'd really like to hear that as well. Now, to try that search! :)
 
The SVT-40 is nasty accurate as a range gun or hunting rifle. Many loads available, take your pick. This rifle is no longer unknown to North America. Get one. I did.


175 yards, heart shot.

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Nice!!

Wow, nice, congrats on the great shot! I'm leaning hard towards it after seeing some of the information in here....

Thanks, fiddler!
 
I got mine at TradeEx, accurate and fun.
$595 with 500rds soft point, non-corrosive ammo
$629 with 880 rds, corrosive ammo
Either comes with fast, free shipping
Won't be disappointed.
 
I have 3. Just as fun as an SKS to shoot, a little harder to strip and clean. Worth it though, as many have WW2 history behind them. The SVT 40 directly influenced both the M1 Garand and German G43, along with the FAL and other legendary rifles. Accurate, fun, cool, and historic - what's not to like?
 
SlasH58 said:
Wow, nice, congrats on the great shot! I'm leaning hard towards it after seeing some of the information in here....

Thanks, fiddler!
Click to expand...


I'll give you some harder information: Wear hearing protection or learn to no longer hear. These babies are LOUD LOUD LOUD



I can't speak for everybody, but from what I've seen. these rifles fit everyone and aim themselves.
 
Very accurate,adjustable gass system, lots history all in all great rifle. Not to mention there great conversation generaters such as whats that or were did you get that rifle from.
 
The trick is to buy a couple crates of Russian 7.62x54 ammo while it is still available. The supply will dry up when someone up the food chain decides we're having too much fun. The rifles sloshing around the countryside are in three or four batches. The newest imports have 5-shot cut off magazines. The next oldest ones have pinned or welded 10-shot mags. Both of these have reddish bolt carriers. There are other batches that do not have this refinishing quirk. The desireable batch have SA stamped on the receiver ring from the Finnish Army.

I have trouble getting my SVTs to shoot round groups. One rifle only shoots a tall skinny group. It improves when I pack paper and shims to keep the front end metal and top wood from rattling.
 
I really like them. I'm not much of a milsurp person.

I currently have 6 of them. One is a sniper version with a Navy AVT stock. The rest are examples of the three manufacturers and various dates. The first one I bought was going to be for a Dragonov project. When the rifle arrived, I just couldn't modify it. I liked it too much the way it was, and I didn't want to mess with a piece of history.

The triggers aren't bad. But they are better on the more used ones. The sniper I have has a fairly heavy trigger, but the bluing and actual metal compenents look as if they have never been fired. The rest seem to vary. Overall pretty decent.

Shooting them is a real joy. Loud yes, but very little recoil. You could see how these would have been very effective in WWII.

I have one outfitted with an aftermarket scope mount and a Burris Fullfield II 3-9x. I'll be loading up some 174 grain SMK rounds in 7.62x53r Lapua Brass. I've fired some 180 grain hunting stuff and they seemed pretty good. The rifle shot fairly well, especially with iron sights.

Here's an overview of the rifle:
-Semi auto, piston system with a tilting block design (Same principle as the FN FAL, and copied by the Germans after they captured SVT40 examples).
-10 round detachable mag (AK like)
-Built in muzzle brake (6 or 4 ports)
-7.62x54r (between 308 and 30-06)
-24" barrel with 1:10 twist (pretty common for modern 308 rifles these days)
-Non restricted
-Very long, but then again so is an AR10

I personally consider the SVT40 to be a much nicer rifle than the SKS. It feels more like a modern rifle. The finish I also find to be more elegant/sophisticated. Take down pins for example instead of levers. The SVT40 is a nice rifle.

They can be found for $300 if you don't mind not being able to choose. I've seen them slightly less, but $300 seems to be the going rate for the current ones. Badger I believe has some, and they have replaced the cut down magazine with a regular one if I recall correctly from their thread.
 
SlasH58 said:
Hi folks,

I haven't been around for a few years, I guess. My shooting buddy passed away suddenly at 42 and it kinda took the fun out of range time. :(

Anyway, I'm trying to get back into range shooting and saw a SVT 40 today that caught my eye when I went into my local gun store to buy ammo.

I searched this section for information, but it seems to be buried in other thread topics for the most part.

So, getting to my question; what do you-with-far-more-experience-than-I think about the SVT 40 for a range toy? Are they reasonably accurate? Can parts be bought for them? What about upgrade or alterations (i.e.; a different stock!) availability? Any help is greatly appreciated! BTW, I already have a Norinco M-305, but this rifle just seems to "call" to me! Should I tell it to stop? ;)

Thanks in advance!
Frank
Click to expand...
The SVT 40 is a wonderful rifle! I got 3 of them, 1 sniper included. They can be very accurate,field strip easily once you know the rifle, they have an awesome look,loud as hell so earing protection is a must. I prefer my Tokarev'S over my Garand. If you want one, the SVT with the heavier AVT stock is great. Ton of thread in the milsurp section:)
Jocelyn
 
Three of them!!

Wow, it sounds like you really do like them (user name giveaway).

Are there ways to identify the sniper variant from the "regular variant? Also, can a scope be fitted on the latter? Who makes brass (or loaded ammo in brass) for reloading? My store seems to have Milsurp ammo only.


Thanks again to everyone for their input; I'm going to the store this afternoon!
 
Sellier and Bellot makes SP load ammunition, PRIVI makes loaded SP and FMJ.

Sniper variets have a notch going across the receiver at the rearmost point before it ends. Also has small rails machined in the sides of the receiver. I think westrifle has a pic on their site, use the banner up top to take a look.
I have two SVTs btw and love them!
 
SlasH58 said:
Wow, it sounds like you really do like them (user name giveaway).

Are there ways to identify the sniper variant from the "regular variant? Also, can a scope be fitted on the latter? Who makes brass (or loaded ammo in brass) for reloading? My store seems to have Milsurp ammo only.


Thanks again to everyone for their input; I'm going to the store this afternoon!
Click to expand...

Tokarev built until 1942 have grooves each side of receiver for scope mounting but the sniper have an additional notch on top rear of receiver to lock the scope mount. They were good sniper rifle but at longer range, they were not as good as the bolt action sniper rifle. The scope mount the tokarev use is not the best setup, the mount tend to move upon firing. With a better system, the Tokarev would be a better sniper rifle. The sniper were not made after 1942. I didnt have the chance to try my sniper yet, putting a scope back on a ex-sniper is expensive, i bought a repro mount for mine since the original are very hard to find, i bought a original ww2 scope, mount+scope cost $700+ and about $400 for the rifle. A scope can be fitted on the tokarev but will require modification to the rifle, as a milsurp guy, its innaceptable for me to alter a rifle to scope it(its me...) As for ammo and brass, norma make brass and in canada, we have prvi soft point ammo with reloadable case. Tokarev can be hard on brass, i have die to reload but i will stick to surplus ammo as long will be somes available. Here's pic of my 3 russian soldiers:)
Left to right, Tula 1941, Tula 1944 and Tula 1941 sniper
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here's a little tuttoral for field stripping you may find useful

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=591362
 
A quick read of history finds that the Garand was first built in 1924

The SVT is an improvement on the SVT38 first produced in 1939.
 
Watch how far the brass flies as it comes out of the rifle. With almost ANY semi-auto rifle, you will get the best accuracy when the brass is just coming out of the rifle and GOING the least distance. This holds for the FN-FAL, the Tok, the SAFN, AG-42B: any of them.

Tok is not a completely original design. Much of it was stolen from the basic Saive patents which were registered to FN in 1936. Worked, anyway. The gas system was a cobble-together which was cobbled well nough that the Germans did pretty much a straight COPY for the G/K-43, with the gas adjustment removed for some strange reason.

Erik Eklnd doubtless had a Tok on the table in front of him when he designed the AG-42. He kept the bol system, trashed the gas system and stuck in a gas system from the old Cei Gas Rifle (1903)..... meaning no system at all, just a tube. Eugene Stoner swiped this and put it onto the AR-10 which became the AR-15 which became the M-16 which became the C7.

In the hands of a good shooter, there is very little that the Tok is NOT capable of doing. They are reasonably reliable, reasonably rugged and they CAN be made to work in 40 below. They went out of production because they were essentially a specialists' rifle, and that just is not the best thing when most of your army can't read and write. The bolt action would take more sheer abuse, so the semi-auto, despite all its good points (and there are quite a few) bit the dust.

The one weak part in the rifle is that long, skinny rod from the gas-cup to the bolt-carrier. Itcan flex and damage itself. Replacing this part with a tubular member with a little more meat to it likely would have cured the problems.

They are a good rifle. Thnk I just might get one of the new Russian ones; they certainly are in better shape than my old Finn Mixmaster! Work better, too!
.
 
My sincere apologies for hijacking this thread...Here's a little pictorial(too lazy to translate) history on development of Soviet Automatic and Self-Loading Rifles and particularly SVT from 1925 to late 1930's. Please note, that this Dr. Bolotin's extremely comprehensive work covers the period of 50 years(1917-1967)of development of Soviet Small Arms and does not cover the work on M1912 Avtomat Fedorov'a. Some of the info cannot be found anywhere on Inet, except in this book...
SVT's are amazing rifles, enjoy them! I have one all original, stamped matching all throughout, completed with original leather sling and bayo...
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