SVT 40 problem

cote_b

cote_b

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I had my '43 SVT 40 out 2 weeks ago, shooting only PRVI factory ammo, and I had no issues at all with it. Today, I took er out and shot about 20 rounds of surplus, and it was nothing but problems the whole time. Not one case ejected without me manually cycling the action. Either the action would open part way and then rechamber the spent case, or the case would get pushed back against the outside of the chamber and jam up.

Any ideas what the problem is? The ammo? Maybe the gas system needs to be ajusted?
 
X 2, sounds like a gas system related issue. There should be 5 settings. I have mine right in the middle at 3 and it works like charm with MFS ammo. Anything below that I can imagine it not completely ejecting spent cartridges.
 
:agree: x3 nice thing about the svt40 is it's adjustable gas setting.I would invest in a repro $25 svt gas adjusting tool and tune her just till she cycles properly.Only prob I find with my svt is she beats the hell out of brass! So now I only feed her Milsurp!save the brass for my Mosin Nagant :)Don't get me wrong I love my svt40!!more than all my milsurps, including my Garand! Way ahead of her time(in mho) nice lines,looks wayyyy cool and shoots like a dream! (Muzzle break helps a lot)anyhow I'm rambling............
Congrats,hope this helps.
 
There is a five sided little nut at the front of the gas block, it is labelled. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 i think.
Turn it up one value.
The difference in ammo and temperature can be enoug to warrant a gas adjustment. If you take the heat shield off, then the piston cup. Loosen the gas piston, the nut should move my hand.
 
be sure to loosen the piston BEFORE attempting to move the gas regulator.....otherwise you will round off the head......and clean it when you are at it.
 
cote_b said:
Im very new to the SVT 40, how do I know what setting it is currently at? How do I adjust it?
Click to expand...
After removing the heat shield,you have acces to the gas system components, no need to remove the wooden handguard, just the heat shield.

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Pull back the piston rod so you can slide the piston off the gas tube.
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Loosen about 1 turn the gas tube then with your finger you can turn the gas regulator to another setting. After adjusting, tighten the gas tube back snugly.
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You can find complete disassembly procedure on Sticky.:)
Jocelyn
 
Don't you hate the design of that tiny little piece? I can't read the numbers on it even with my normal reading glasses. The guys in the field must have lost a lot of them if they ever stripped them down while in the boonies. And a 5 sided head? Cleaning it after a few days of shooting in the muck must have been fun.
That being said, it was pretty damned good for what it was. It's easy to find fault from the 21st century looking back. A little harder when you were right there and in a hurry.
 
Ya, I tend to agree. If you haven't got the tool made for the gas valve, its easy to round off. Its the only flaw I see with my SVT's.
 
Once of my SVT's isn't happy unless the gas system is closed (between settings).

I know some people like the system, I see it as a flaw in the system. I like a rifle that works in all conditions regardless of adjustment.
 
agentcq said:
Once of my SVT's isn't happy unless the gas system is closed (between settings).

I know some people like the system, I see it as a flaw in the system. I like a rifle that works in all conditions regardless of adjustment.
Click to expand...

Just set it on 1.7 then. It will work in all conditions.

The adjustment is to minimize gunk in the piston. I like that feature as it reduces wear and time cleaning the piston/regulator. If you dont care for that feature, just set it on 1.7 and dont think about it again. Not a flaw, just an extra feature.
 
dannyd123 said:
Just set it on 1.7 then. It will work in all conditions.

The adjustment is to minimize gunk in the piston. I like that feature as it reduces wear and time cleaning the piston/regulator. If you dont care for that feature, just set it on 1.7 and dont think about it again. Not a flaw, just an extra feature.
Click to expand...

Tho 1.7 makes its real hard on the system and will probably make it were a lot faster but if you only shoot a few rounds I guess I can be justified
 
I have two SVT's - one will eat any kind of ammo and it's set at 1.3 and the other chews the hell out of brass but loves MFS and it's set slightly higher at 1.5

I don't have the adjustment wrench - I just pop the entire assembly out during a deep cleaning and pop it back in where I want it by hand...
 
"The SVT cycles too hard i find on the high settings...."

Very true, in this climate, in the Summertime. Try it again at -45C with dodgy old ammo hat should have been scrapped 30 years ago: you'll be happy that it works at all, but it will. That's WHY they were designed that way.

The term SVT stands for "Samozaradnaya Vintovka Tokarev": "Mr. Tokarev's Self-loading Rifle". It went into series production in 1940 which is SEVENTY-TWO years ago. Your rifle should have been eligible for the Old Age Pension about 7 years ago, so don't knock her for not having a self-regulating piston which was not invented until 10 years after she was out of production. The Tokarev is a most interesting stage in the development of modern weapons systems. Amongst other things, it shows what could be done, and a few things which could NOT be done, with the available technology in the Russia of 72 years ago. Looked at in that light, the critter is damned near a miracle.

ANY gas-operated semi-auto rifle will last its longest, beat itself up the least, be easiest on the empties and shoot its most accurately with the gas system set so that the brass just pops out of the action and lands beside you. That's WHY the gas-adjustment on the Tokarev rifle. It was a specialist's rifle and the correct tools were issued with it; they just got separated in the many years since the rifles were put into storage. Some day (hopefully) they might surface.... along with the bayonets and ALL those spare mags.
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