SVT-40 to SVD Dragunov Build

[incorrigible]

I'm looking for some opinions as to what steel to use for a Dragunov receiver I'm working on.

I picked up some 3/16 plate and it looked right when I grabbed it. However now that it home its seems thick somehow.

A 1/4" seemed too thin though. This isn't engineered and I don't want it to cave on me. It has to be sturdy enough to mount a scope, barrel and hardware, handle recoil and not slide a bolt into my face

I could always mill it down, like the CZ 858, if it seems too heavy. For a Drag I'd want it a bit on the heavy side anyway.

Any thoughts?


**UPDATE** So I had my head into other projects ( I was really into .22lr builds for a while ) and missed the whole Photobucket sinking pic files debacle. So rather than trying to update the whole thread, I'm just going to put an short update here. It was a big project with way too many details to get into but here's some of the highlights however if there are any questions I'm happy to try to answer them the best I can. All work was done with hand tools in my living room.

The end result... so far anyways. I'm still not happy with the front sight but still chasing the dream

The bolt mod stripped the purple coating and reshaped the charging handle

The muzzle break was from and FN-C1 and then a front sling mount was added

While a front handguard and mounting brackets were sourced online a rear stock had to be made from scratch out of 1/16 Birch laminate that was finished with shellac.

The rear sight had to be raised, which in full disclosure without adjusting the front sight made them useless. But as I never was going to use them over the scope it was a non issue for me. Still would like to finish that front sight if I could find one

The trigger guard was another mess but can't find pics. There's was a bunch more but all in all I'm relatively pleased with the end results

 

[Deltasilver]

I'm looking for some opinions as to what steel to use for a Dragunov receiver I'm working on.

I picked up some 3/16 plate and it looked right when I grabbed it. However now that it home its seems thick somehow.

A 1/4" seemed too thin though. This isn't engineered and I don't want it to cave on me. It has to be sturdy enough to mount a scope, barrel and hardware, handle recoil and not slide a bolt into my face

I could always mill it down, like the CZ 858, if it seems too heavy. For a Drag I'd want it a bit on the heavy side anyway.

Any thoughts?

Hrmmmm. Where to start. And of course

 

[incorrigible]

Hrmmmm. Where to start. And of course

I'm not to humble to ask for assistance when I think I'm batting out of my league. I think I've accumulated all the parts I need to do it right except the collars for the front handguard. As side from that it's just this damnable receiver that gives me grief. If it was easy if likely wouldn't be as worth it though

 

[TERMINATOR101CA]

I would be weary of the legalities involved with the building of a receiver, so you might want to research that first before going any further.

 

[incorrigible]

I would be weary of the legalities involved with the building of a receiver, so you might want to research that first before going any further.

It's been done before. I won't be breaking any new ground here... I think? It just a matter of exchanging a wood stock for a metal one. I should have worded it better though. It's not the reciever that is changed, that stays the same with the rifle. Its the trigger housing/base that I'm looking to build.

It'll mount the trigger assembly, magwell, tie in the rear stock to the front, etc.

 

[TERMINATOR101CA]

It's been done before. I won't be breaking any new ground here... I think? It just a matter of exchanging a wood stock for a metal one. I should have worded it better though. It's not the reciever that is changed, that stays the same with the rifle. Its the trigger housing/base that I'm looking to build.

It'll mount the trigger assembly, magwell, tie in the rear stock to the front, etc.

Aha, for a moment I thought you were going to build a receiver from scratch and have the innards from an SVT40. What are you going to use to form it, or just cut&weld ?

 

[Deltasilver]

your pretty ambitious there Sparky. I can send you a pic of the two foot square sheet of 3/16" steel if you promise to learn to read

It's not far, so go back and give it another read, slowly this time so it sinks in.

If you've have productive input, dimensions or ideas I'd be happy to hear about them. However if you're just trolling to blow gas I'd motivate you to move along little doggy. I think there are likely a few people that would like to see this succeed and the more minds and information the better.

I'm not to humble to ask for assistance when I think I'm batting out of my league. I think I've accumulated all the parts I need to do it right except the collars for the front handguard. As side from that it's just this damninable reciever that gives me grief. If it was easy if likely wouldn't be as worth it though

'Kay, but first a quickie top up of the Ole Sense 'O Humor!

for "whatchabuilding", for "wowthat'sambitious", for well, I felt like razzing you, and the long banner IS kinda self explanatory...

It's been done before. I won't be breaking any new ground here... I think? It just a matter of exchanging a wood stock for a metal one. I should have worded it better though. It's not the reciever that is changed, that stays the same with the rifle. Its the trigger housing/base that I'm looking to build.

It'll mount the trigger assembly, magwell, tie in the rear stock to the front, etc.

So something along the lines of the unit Kasat built then?

 

[incorrigible]

Aha, for a moment I thought you were going to build a receiver from scratch and have the innards from an SVT40. What are you going to use to form it, or just cut&weld ?

With the 3/16 its a bit to heavy to bend without equipment so I was looking at welding. Starting with cardboard mockups to make the templates, then cut out the panels, tack them together and hope to hell it all holds.

So something along the lines of the unit Kasat built then?

It wasn't the inspiration, but it is the idea. I started down the path after seeing Dimitri's CZ and thought about how I could make it work in 7.62X54R. Almost at the end of the plan I came across Kasat's. I'm no machinist and his was some really nice work.

 

[that guy]

I'm looking for some opinions as to what steel to use for a Dragunov receiver I'm working on.

I picked up some 3/16 plate and it looked right when I grabbed it. However now that it home its seems thick somehow.

A 1/4" seemed too thin though. This isn't engineered and I don't want it to cave on me. It has to be sturdy enough to mount a scope, barrel and hardware, handle recoil and not slide a bolt into my face

I could always mill it down, like the CZ 858, if it seems too heavy. For a Drag I'd want it a bit on the heavy side anyway.

Any thoughts?

3/16 is thinner than 1/4, just a thought...

 

[H Wally]

I would say price out what it would cost to have someone chunk out a mock reciever (I would start calling it that to avoid getting anyone unduly alarmed or interested) for you. A sheetmetal reciever will likely be a pain and probably always loot a little odd.

I built most of an SVT to SVD conversion and sold it off a few years ago - the mock reciever is pretty basic as far as shapes go to fit the SVT reciever. I got bored before the fitting process though, so that's about as far as I can help with.

 

[incorrigible]

3/16 is thinner than 1/4, just a thought...

too true. I won't go into what I do for a living to save the shame but suffice I should have picked up on that

The plate I have looks like 5/32 now that its been measured (3.97 mm) which the more I look at it should be just about perfect.

It look like I'll be scaling dimensions off pictures I find on the net. I've been on the hunt for over a week now and no dimensions for the Dragunov lower.

 

[broncoo]

.250" and thinner is still considered sheetmetal

as for your question i cannot comment other than why not find out how thick svd reciever walls are and go from there

 

[TERMINATOR101CA]

With the 3/16 its a bit to heavy to bend without equipment so I was looking at welding. Starting with cardboard mockups to make the templates, then cut out the panels, tack them together and hope to hell it all holds.



It wasn't the inspiration, but it is the idea. I started down the path after seeing Dimitri's CZ and thought about how I could make it work in 7.62X54R. Almost at the end of the plan I came across Kasat's. I'm no machinist and his was some really nice work.

How about cutting partially(removing say 3/32 deep by 3/16 wide) where the bend is needed so you can control it , then put a clean bead of weld on the inside of the bend to reinforce. It would look cleaner on the outside also stronger,no ?

 

[incorrigible]

How about cutting partially(removing say 3/32 deep by 3/16 wide) where the bend is needed so you can control it , then put a clean bead of weld on the inside of the bend to reinforce. It would look cleaner on the outside also stronger,no ?

I was thinking about this, especially considering I only have access to a 110v mig. Your way will provide the nicest outside edge, especially if I can find a way to preheat it first

Anyone know if there's any benefit to heat treating it once everything is in shape, and if so how? I can get my hands on a tiger torch and probably a oxy/acetylene setup if I need to.

There's a bit of profile I can grind in (based on this pic for instance) based on this pic.

Give it a good polish and blue it up after its all finished, then send it to the local engraver when its all done for some SVD sweetness.

The trigger group will just slide in but I can see a new trigger guard in its future.

The only outstanding issues are the front and rear trunnion, any thoughts on those would be appreciated. The rear isn't an issue as all of the stress is in the upper so it just has to hold the rear stock mount. The front however has to tie in the upper some how. Have to give that some more though

 

[fat tony]

Very nice project.

 

[mg4201]

i think that you are very ambitious

Good for you for doing things in the way you want to. So do I undersatand correctly that the svt 40 will fit inside the sheetmetal that you are building. and the new furniture will attach to the sheet metal?

 

[incorrigible]

Good for you for doing things in the way you want to. So do I undersatand correctly that the svt 40 will fit inside the sheetmetal that you are building. and the new furniture will attach to the sheet metal?

That is correct. Essentially the 3/16" sheet metal box will replace the current SVT-40 wood stock.

At that point I'll just have to attach some of the goodies I've been collecting i.e. rear stock, fore end stock, sight, flash hider, rear sight, POSP 8x scope and SVD mount, and a few other sundry tid bits. The elusive Dragunov 10/5 rd mag is still outstanding however I was chatting with one of the lads over at Interammo (a great source for the POSP scopes incidentally - awesome customer service). As a dealer for the Medved rifle as well, which is essentially a Dragunov in drag, they deal with Izhmash directly. They will enquire if I can order altered 10rd Dragunov mags direct from the manufacturer. So there is hope, albiet very faint, that they may be able to solve the mag issue.

If I get time it shouldn't take more than a few weeks to get it together... hopefully

 

[mg4201]

sounds badass good luck

I think it will be super cool. i look forward to more post as this progresses.

 

[that guy]

I think it will be super cool. i look forward to more post as this progresses.

+1, im definitely in for updates, dont lose interest in this one

 

[incorrigible]

Found the proper SVT reciever mounted bipod out of Europe. What a pita it was sourcing that one piece. It'll make for a nice addition when it gets to here from across the bid pond

There are plenty of barrel mounted options out there but I wouldn't want anything that'd mess with the POI.