SVT-40 to SVD Dragunov Build

I wish I had a heated shop or time machine to fast forward to spring so I could get to work... I was also going to mention if you have a mill with an adjustable headstock could you not tilt to 45deg or buy a 90deg V end mill and make a perfect 90deg joint?
 
crazy insane said:
I wish I had a heated shop or time machine to fast forward to spring so I could get to work... I was also going to mention if you have a mill with an adjustable headstock could you not tilt to 45deg or buy a 90deg V end mill and make a perfect 90deg joint?
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I am not ashamed to say I have absolutely not idea what you are talking about. No slight on you though... it clearly me that doesn't understand, but I'm no maschinist. An amateur hack at best.

It's probably a good idea, however is there a way for you to dumb down the description for me a bit. I might know someone who can make it work if I can understand it enough to explain it to them.:redface:
 
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incorrigible said:
That is correct. Essentially the 3/16" sheet metal box will replace the 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:D
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My concern is that the SVT reciever must be precisely and closely fitted inside the SVD box. Because the scope will be mounted on the SVD box.

Good luck.
 
well if I had a diagram it would have been a little easier to picture but more or less if you think about making mitered cuts on pieces of trim in the corners of your house, instead now you would be welding them together either out of multiple pieces or just one simultaneous piece. If it gets above freezing this week I will try and get out and get to work on my receiver carrier and get some pics up since I have everything drawn up and ready to go.
 
pklassen said:
3/16 seems a little to thick to me. I would use 1/8"
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I thought of that too, but an 1/8" wouldn't give you the depth you need for items like the bipod trough and I'd want enough of a wall to thread a scope mount into. I want to work on it this weekend. Still waiting on a couple parts like 1/16" birch lamiante for the rear stock but it's starting to come together though...

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Thanks lads. I've recieved quite a few pm's as to how I'm going about the conversion in general, not just the reciever lower so that end I'll try to remember to document things as I do them.

I've been researching the bolts on the Drag's and none have the circular handle or plum colour. I may regret it later in regard to wieght of the bolt or perhaps protection of the metal but those features of the SVT-40 would have to go.

I forgot to take a pic but this is a good example of someone eles's SVT-40 that was shamelessly plagarized from the net

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... and the revamped bolt

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... to try and keep it more inline with the Drag bolt.

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Once its polished up it should be good for now.
 
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Another unexpected hurdle, the new bolt cover shroud wouldn't fit properly due to the stripper clip guide on the original... so the guide had to go.

Just a quick removal of the guide here...

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to allow the new cover shroud to sit flush like so...

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Not bad - I honestly didn't see the project making it this far :p

If you're going with the full SVD top cover, how does it affect the ejection on your gun? I seem to remember my SVT ejecting on a pretty steep angle to the degree it would strike the top cover.

Also, given any thought to milling out a lower for the gun? There are some very affordable gunsmiths out there that'll get it done for you and save you the time spent messing around trying to achieve the same thing out of sheet metal.
 
H Wally said:
Not bad - I honestly didn't see the project making it this far :p
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My wife says the same thing each time I get into one of these. She's patient with me because she knows I'm generally happier when I've got a project to chew on:D In her mind as long as I'm busy in the workshop I'm not out whoring it up with the lads so she's happy too... sort of;)

H Wally said:
If you're going with the full SVD top cover, how does it affect the ejection on your gun? I seem to remember my SVT ejecting on a pretty steep angle to the degree it would strike the top cover.
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Honestly, I won't know until she's running... part of the commissioning process I figure. I did consider it and thought worst case senario I could perhaps install a defector plate under the top cover like is required with a VZ 858 or SKS to protect the scope. Up until then it'll be one of those cross my fingers and hope that it works kind of things. If it works out that I have to chew into the top cover it'll be unfortuate. Cross that bridge when I get there I guess.

Incidentally I really appreciate when people come forward with constructive criticism as to me it helps. I'm no gunsmith and certainly wouldn't think of everything, so thanks!

H Wally said:
Also, given any thought to milling out a lower for the gun? There are some very affordable gunsmiths out there that'll get it done for you and save you the time spent messing around trying to achieve the same thing out of sheet metal.
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It may be an option. There's a one locally I have a lot of respect for. Everything I've brought to him has come back better than I expected, mostly because of his vast knowledge base I imagine. Currently I have an AK top cover in place, however the SVD cover should be here in a couple of weeks from Mother Russia(actually the Ukraine if I'm not mistaken;)).

I would have taken it over to him anyway to mill in the bipod / magazine troughs and install the FAL flash hider anyway. When the top cover gets here (so I have the proper dimensions) perhaps I should take what I have over to him and get his thoughts milling out the proper lower. It wouldn't hurt just to get his thoughts anyway. Thanks again for the input.
 
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maple_leaf_eh said:
The back of the trigger guard is where the upper and lower lock. The safety lever is there too. I wouldn't monkey around with anything there.
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Your comment got me thinking. As I can't seem to get my hands on a svd trigger pack my thoughts were to remove all of the trigger guard with the exception of the safety and replace it with a more correct version.

If, as the drop out trigger locks the reciever to the lower, would removing the trigger guard comprimise the rigidity to the trigger mechanism adversely? And would replacing the guard with another increase that rigidity back to close to original? Looking at it I think it'd be ok, especially once the replacement guard is reinstalled.

Incidentally, anyone else find their trigger pack exceeding difficult to install and remove?
 
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Deckard said:
What are you doing for the flash eliminator?
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Once my efforts to find a svd flash hider bore no fruit I gave some thought to how to amend the current one. The plan is to shave off the current flash hider behind the gills and install a FN FAL long type (either threaded on or welded directly... or both). They are very similiar if not the same in design, function and calibre.

If anyone has been sitting on a SVD flashider or can get one feel free to give me a pm. I know of a guy who's looking for one;)

EDIT: I've been able to source an SVD flashider, however it wasn't the complete version with the sight tower and bayonet lug. But my man in the Russia is on the hunt so we'll see. I don't see a huge advantage to the SVD FH over the FN but I suppose for consistency sake I might try to grab it.
 
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incorrigible said:
Your comment got me thinking. As I can't seem to get my hands on a svd trigger pack my thoughts were to remove all of the trigger guard with the exception of the safety and replace it with a more correct version.

You're comment got me thinking if, as the drop out trigger locks the reciever to the lower, would removing the trigger guard comprimise the rigidity to the trigger mechanism adversely? And would replacing the guard with another increase that rigidity back to close to original? Looking at it I think it'd be ok, especially once the replacement guard is reinstalled.

Incidentally, anyone else find their trigger pack exceeding difficult to install and remove?
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Yes it is an SOB to get the trigger group off - until you know how much the collar has to go into the receiver to function the lever. As for stiffening, I don't think the trigger guard adds much overall strength. But its alignment is more important than anything. If you change the safety, you are asking for accidents. Leave the one in place (it works and is discrete), and make a moveable dummy if you really have to.
 
starting the rear stock today. I sourced the front set but haven't been able to find a rear so I had to make it. I know the SVD uses laminate stocks for strength based on pics like this one;

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So problem one was finding the correct wood. As it turns out the Birch cabinet plywood it took me a week to find had 1/4" laminations, which is way to big. I was able to source very close 1/16" laminate from fellow nut RR who runs Opuntia Lake Sports, a fine purveyor of laminated stocks, so this was the best possible material to use( big props to RR, he didn't have to and stepped up to save the day). Especially considering the SVD's legendary kick and open stock design.

Next I found the best pic I could of an SVD stock. Took measurements from sites like Wikipedia and compared those numbers to pics online with a ruler. Then with a little grade 8 math I worked out a reasonable approximation of the dimensions. Then I blew up the pic on the office photocopier until the scale was correct. Once the correct size was copied I matched it to other pics I found online and items I'd purchased and hopefully it should work out.

Here's the Laminate base piece;

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and the pic next to the fore end stock piece;

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and one of an actual fore end and butt stock compared;

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and finally the pic glued to the base piece ready for cutting;

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Should be close if I don't f it up as I'm no woodworker, thats for sure. I'll probably have to buy a scroll saw as I don't know anyone yet in the Edmonton area that owns one and I don't trust this to my old jigsaw. Ratty for an item I'll likely only use once (maybe twice if you consider the VSS Vitronez I've almost finished who's stock will come off this same piece).
 
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