Difference between SVT 40 Variants

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HasegawaYamato

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Im planning on get a SVT 40, did some research, seems like there are two main variants for the SVT: the army version and the navy version. If I understood correctly, the only difference between them is the rail for scope mount on the upper reciever. Am I right? Or there are more differences between them?
Thanks in advance for any info on it!
 
AVT usually with brass re-inforcement bolt/screw at the wrist. FA was basically uncontrollable.NFG.
 
Grizzly Adams said:
"navy" version has a heavier stock and was originally select fire.

Grizz
Click to expand...

There never was a navy version. Select version of SVT was AVT-40.

Landed naval personnel from lost ships naturally possessed more knowledge on mechanical maintenance than illiterate peasants in the army and ended up with more of them simply due lower rate of attrition.
 
HasegawaYamato said:
Im planning on get a SVT 40, did some research, seems like there are two main variants for the SVT: the army version and the navy version. If I understood correctly, the only difference between them is the rail for scope mount on the upper reciever. Am I right? Or there are more differences between them?
Thanks in advance for any info on it!
Click to expand...

Be aware that with the standard refurbs we are dealing with most rifles have virtually no original parts on them (beyond the barrel and receiver). You can try to find one that has appropriate parts for its manufacture date such as the 6 port muzzle brake on an earlier dated rifle. Similarly you can attempt to find an example that has the correct stock type for its manufacture date. Locate and use Horilka's collecting thread which lists all the variations and how rare they might be. There are simplified versions of Tula and Podolsk receivers (I can't remember if Izhevsk ever had one) that lack the siderails for the scope mount and are less common. From a practical standpoint some of the rarest SVT 40's are examples with excellent bores. They are out there and worth looking for. With the muzzle-brakes, the early 6 port variety is very efficient and does reduce recoil more than the later 2-port type. Refurbed original sniper versions will be a fair bit more expensive than non-snipers but they are not really "rare". There is one other varient faily commonly seen in Canada- the "Bulgarian light refurb". These are mainly 1943 dated but 1944 examples exist. They have mainly original parts with stamped, matching bolt/ carrier/ triggerguard/ stock. Good luck finding one! Lots of fun at the range.

milsurpo
 
BlackVoid said:
There never was a navy version. Select version of SVT was AVT-40.

Landed naval personnel from lost ships naturally possessed more knowledge on mechanical maintenance than illiterate peasants in the army and ended up with more of them simply due lower rate of attrition.
Click to expand...

Interesting tidbit there. Any idea where you came across that info?
 
Bore condition, gas system (piston and cup) condition and a good stock fit are the things to look for. Bonus if it also has features appropriate to the year of manufacturer.
 
kjohn said:
Interesting tidbit there. Any idea where you came across that info?
Click to expand...

How naval infantry brigades ended up with more SVTs?

This is an extensive topic. If you are looking for a direct quote, I can't give you one. Things I remember from reading various books on history of the Soviet Navy.

Navy had a higher relative percentage of SVTs than army to begin with. So when naval battalions started to form from ship crews and base personnel in 1941 they got more SVTs and tended to keep them longer.

Pretty much any period photo has sailors with SVTs. What vets later told was that they posed for photos with "coolest" guns possible and even used crossed MG belts for an added dramatic effect. In reality they were using stripper clips to load, not pulling rounds one by one from a MG belt.

Mosins were very common in 1941 but later replaced by sub-guns as Naval infantry tended to be used as shock troops. SVTs and later AVTs were retained as squad support weapons (what is usually called a Navy stock in NA, is just an AVT stock). They also tended to have more DPs, if available.

Naval infantry formations of 1941 were very different from formalised naval infantry brigades of 1942. But even in 1942 they still tended to be extremely light compared to army counterparts, lacking anti-tank, anti-air, support artillery and logistic train, reflecting their use as a shock landing force.

There were also Naval Rifle Brigades. Those were on Army's TO&E and only thing naval about them was the source of manpower.

SVT's gas system fouled fast due to the use of land-lease gunpowders and required extensive cleaning. Adjusting the gas system involved a partial disassembly of the rifle and a tool, so rifle was usually left overgassed to deal with fouling of the gas system.

Army recruits with any technical knowledge/experience were directed first to tanks, artillery and signals. Rest to the infantry. So it usually got peasants and non-slavic people with rudimentary command of russian.

Army TO&E had SVT-40 and AVT-40 up to the end of the war, but any late war photos show troops with mosins and subguns, SVT photos are rare.

Irrelevant tidbit, SVT had a nickname SVeTa, SVeTka, which is short for Svetlana.
 
milsurpo said:
Be aware that with the standard refurbs we are dealing with most rifles have virtually no original parts on them (beyond the barrel and receiver). You can try to find one that has appropriate parts for its manufacture date such as the 6 port muzzle brake on an earlier dated rifle. Similarly you can attempt to find an example that has the correct stock type for its manufacture date. Locate and use Horilka's collecting thread which lists all the variations and how rare they might be. There are simplified versions of Tula and Podolsk receivers (I can't remember if Izhevsk ever had one) that lack the siderails for the scope mount and are less common. From a practical standpoint some of the rarest SVT 40's are examples with excellent bores. They are out there and worth looking for. With the muzzle-brakes, the early 6 port variety is very efficient and does reduce recoil more than the later 2-port type. Refurbed original sniper versions will be a fair bit more expensive than non-snipers but they are not really "rare". There is one other varient faily commonly seen in Canada- the "Bulgarian light refurb". These are mainly 1943 dated but 1944 examples exist. They have mainly original parts with stamped, matching bolt/ carrier/ triggerguard/ stock. Good luck finding one! Lots of fun at the range.

milsurpo
Click to expand...

Thanks for those very useful info! Really appreciated!
 
BlackVoid said:
Naval infantry formations of 1941 were very different from formalised naval infantry brigades of 1942. But even in 1942 they still tended to be extremely light compared to army counterparts, lacking anti-tank, anti-air, support artillery and logistic train, reflecting their use as a shock landing force.

There were also Naval Rifle Brigades. Those were on Army's TO&E and only thing naval about them was the source of manpower.

SVT's gas system fouled fast due to the use of land-lease gunpowders and required extensive cleaning. Adjusting the gas system involved a partial disassembly of the rifle and a tool, so rifle was usually left overgassed to deal with fouling of the gas system.

Army recruits with any technical knowledge/experience were directed first to tanks, artillery and signals. Rest to the infantry. So it usually got peasants and non-slavic people with rudimentary command of russian.

Army TO&E had SVT-40 and AVT-40 up to the end of the war, but any late war photos show troops with mosins and subguns, SVT photos are rare.
Click to expand...

So the naval infentry was under the command of the army? Sry if its a stupid question, not very familiar with red army structure :/
 
BlackVoid said:
How naval infantry brigades ended up with more SVTs?

This is an extensive topic. If you are looking for a direct quote, I can't give you one. Things I remember from reading various books on history of the Soviet Navy.

Navy had a higher relative percentage of SVTs than army to begin with. So when naval battalions started to form from ship crews and base personnel in 1941 they got more SVTs and tended to keep them longer.

Pretty much any period photo has sailors with SVTs. What vets later told was that they posed for photos with "coolest" guns possible and even used crossed MG belts for an added dramatic effect. In reality they were using stripper clips to load, not pulling rounds one by one from a MG belt.

Mosins were very common in 1941 but later replaced by sub-guns as Naval infantry tended to be used as shock troops. SVTs and later AVTs were retained as squad support weapons (what is usually called a Navy stock in NA, is just an AVT stock). They also tended to have more DPs, if available.

Naval infantry formations of 1941 were very different from formalised naval infantry brigades of 1942. But even in 1942 they still tended to be extremely light compared to army counterparts, lacking anti-tank, anti-air, support artillery and logistic train, reflecting their use as a shock landing force.

There were also Naval Rifle Brigades. Those were on Army's TO&E and only thing naval about them was the source of manpower.

SVT's gas system fouled fast due to the use of land-lease gunpowders and required extensive cleaning. Adjusting the gas system involved a partial disassembly of the rifle and a tool, so rifle was usually left overgassed to deal with fouling of the gas system.

Army recruits with any technical knowledge/experience were directed first to tanks, artillery and signals. Rest to the infantry. So it usually got peasants and non-slavic people with rudimentary command of russian.

Army TO&E had SVT-40 and AVT-40 up to the end of the war, but any late war photos show troops with mosins and subguns, SVT photos are rare.

Irrelevant tidbit, SVT had a nickname SVeTa, SVeTka, which is short for Svetlana.
Click to expand...

Stalin's daughter ?

Grizz
 
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