I would use 1.3 as a good base setting. Two of mine run flawlessly at 1.3, the other likes 1.5. If they throw brass too far, adjust it down one setting at a time until you get FTE's, then dial it up to the next higher setting. An SVT in decent shape should function reliably with only a little bit of fiddling with the gas system. I was worried when I first started suing mine from al the posts about it, but trust me, its not tough.