SVT-38 sells for $6500 at Switzers
- Thread starter themouser
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Coyote Ugly
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"Bid High, Buy High and Sell Low" may be the Buyers signature line!
- Location
- British Columbia
Well, it was an old crack, with dowel repairs typical of Finn field work so was likely a capture during the Winter War. The fragility of the stock was one of the reasons the SVT38 was withdrawn from service and replaced with the SVT 40 although even those have a more delicate stock than a service rifle should. As for what it was worth, well, with only 100,000 or so manufactured in 1938-39, so most being destroyed during either the Winter War or Barbarossa, I suppose it is worth what someone is willing to pay for a rare rifle. Can't be many left in the world. Obviously, there were two people at least who thought it was worth what it went for.
Ed
You got several things wrong.
In this case unrepaired crack in the stock is the telltale of post-war damage. Rifles in Finnish service were either repaired or cannibalized for parts for repair of other rifles. Also post war repair and refurbishing brought us to the current condition for most of Finnish surplus rifles - refinished mixmasters.
SVT-38 did not have fragile stock and thus it could not be the reason for update to model 1940. It's actually quite opposite, model 1940 introduced lighter stock because army changed requirement for the weight. And when problem was evident they re-introduced beefier stock in 1942, approximately same profile as was on model 1938.
Total number of rifles made was twice more - 192,000, they were manufactired in '39 and '40, never in '38.
Price opinion is of course very subjective. I would not pay even $2k, just my opinion on the price of damaged rifle, but that's easy to say when I have beautiful '38 in my safe. Definitely there were at least two ppl who thought it was worth $6500 plus premium and taxes, close to $8,500 in ON.
In this case unrepaired crack in the stock is the telltale of post-war damage. Rifles in Finnish service were either repaired or cannibalized for parts for repair of other rifles. Also post war repair and refurbishing brought us to the current condition for most of Finnish surplus rifles - refinished mixmasters.
SVT-38 did not have fragile stock and thus it could not be the reason for update to model 1940. It's actually quite opposite, model 1940 introduced lighter stock because army changed requirement for the weight. And when problem was evident they re-introduced beefier stock in 1942, approximately same profile as was on model 1938.
Total number of rifles made was twice more - 192,000, they were manufactired in '39 and '40, never in '38.
Price opinion is of course very subjective. I would not pay even $2k, just my opinion on the price of damaged rifle, but that's easy to say when I have beautiful '38 in my safe. Definitely there were at least two ppl who thought it was worth $6500 plus premium and taxes, close to $8,500 in ON.
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- Location
- British Columbia
i stand corrected! I always thought it was around 100,000 made. Regardless of whether 100,000 or 192,000 manufactured they will be rare, especially in the West. As for the stock repair issue, I have seen quite a few Finn rifles with Dowel repairs; presumably such rifles would have then been refurbed post war but only if they were subjected to an official refurb. I doubt this specimen was put through any program post war as it would have been withdrawn as a white elephant.
As for the reason for withdrawing from service, I know there were issues with complexity of manufacture and maintenance, especially compared with the poor level of education of those using it--that cleaning rod tucked into its own groove along the stock, for instance... Also the lack of reinforcement around the magazine well led to stock damage and mags just falling out in action. I have only ever seen one SVT38, so you are fortunate to have a nice one in your safe. At least you now know what it might go for.
Ed
As for the reason for withdrawing from service, I know there were issues with complexity of manufacture and maintenance, especially compared with the poor level of education of those using it--that cleaning rod tucked into its own groove along the stock, for instance... Also the lack of reinforcement around the magazine well led to stock damage and mags just falling out in action. I have only ever seen one SVT38, so you are fortunate to have a nice one in your safe. At least you now know what it might go for.
Ed
