several SVTs stovepiping/cycling strangely

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ADHDCanuck

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I was wondering how cold sensitive these things are.
After being stored indoors in the warm, being very clean... I took a few SVTs to an outdoor range in temperatures that ranged from 0 degrees to -10 degrees.

They really had a hard time of it... stovepiping regularly... or not ejecting properly at all so I had to treat the semi action like a bolt action and rack it manually to eject the brass.

The gas systems are set at default.

Is this a normal thing, i thought i read somewhere that they need to be turned up in cold weather....
They are all really beautiful hand selects from lever... and all the components are mint.
 
Not cycling? Turn the gas adjustment to the next largest setting, that's what it's there for. It should always be set to the lowest setting that will reliably cycle the action.
Also, what are you using for oil/lubricant? It could be congealing and bunging things up. I find not much can touch G96 for cold weather use.
 
using hoppes elite. the things were cleaned really well when i got them, high pressure steam and chemical bath for all components so no cosmo left... then oiled, test fired, cleaned with hoppes elite and put away.

Ive never adjusted the gas, didnt want to turn it up and have it be another problem and have the extra force make it worse or break something..

But thats the next step, adjust it upwards a notch?
 
indeed, i've recleaned and oiled the gas systems on all three of my SVTs (light oil with a wipe) and they slide/compress super duper smooth...
i'll test fire them tomorrow and adjust the gas system up a bit in any case.. probably all set to default 1.2....
 
ADHDCanuck said:
indeed, i've recleaned and oiled the gas systems on all three of my SVTs (light oil with a wipe) and they slide/compress super duper smooth...
i'll test fire them tomorrow and adjust the gas system up a bit in any case.. probably all set to default 1.2....
Click to expand...
No oil on anys parts of the gas system, doing that is asking for trouble. And ofc you may need to turn up the gas.
Joce
 
test firing all of them produced almost zero residue on the internals of the gas system, primarily on the gas nozzle and the inside of the piston cup... then on the part of the rod that fires into the chamber.

I noticed all three of my SVTs were set to 1.3 from the shop. I set one to 1.2, and one to 1.5, and left one alone.

Tomorrow I'll be taking all three out and running rounds through, with tools on hand.

Hopefully that will sort it out, then back inside to thoroughly clean them all... using non corrosive for testing since I have some handy but still...

I wiped the gas system down with oiled patches then wiped with dry patches, that shouldnt leave too much of a finish... if i notice its getting gummed up i'll make sure to bone dry it in future.

I hope that all sounds logical and works out.. fun experiment anyways.

These things are great with how they label and adjust everything :)
 
I was shooting mine in -10 and it acted flawlessly with a 1.3 gas setting. Went thru 35-40 rounds without a single hick up. I'm using Ballistol as a lube, works like charm...
 
Shot my SVT in -30 C last December and no problems with cycling. It was and is still set at 1.3 and I'm using Chinese surplus ammo.

Good luck with your testing. Hope you sort things out.

Cheers !!
 
When I first got my SVT had this problem. Started using frog lube ane have had zero issues. It may just be my rifle but it helped me. Also always have had the gas on 1.3. It cycled suprlus and MFS just fine.
 
the gas systems all wanted to be set to 1.5
at 1.3 they cycled nicely for the most part too but ejection was really solid at 1.5 and 100% perfect cycling.


I found that 2 of my 3 SVT mags were having trouble feeding. They were shooting 200 grain SCDS ammo, modern stuff.. soft point. Itd shoot one then not lift the next round up high enough to catch, sometimes you could just work the action as if the mag wasnt there, and sometimes it would lock open as if the mag was empty.

Not sure how to fix that...
 
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