Am I one of the few that absolutely loves this rifle? I take it with me every range trip and am stockpiling milsurp ammo every time I see it on sale somewhere as I shoot ~300 rounds every range trip.
Being an owner of an SVT-40 has been a learning experience, though. Especially with respect to cleaning and maintaining the rifle so it functions flawlessly every range trip.
I can see why your average Soviet soldier didn't like the thing. Learning to disassemble it was a big of a pain at first (it's second nature, now. I can pretty much do it blindfolded) and it's definitely not "peasant simple" like a com-bloc battle rifle should be. The gas regulator is both a great feature and a pain. It's great because you can fine-tune the gas to the different types/pressures of ammo out there and it cycles perfectly once you find the setting it likes. It's a pain because it's something you have to adjust at all, and unlike a FAL the front-end of the rifle needs to be disassembled and the gas piston loosened off to turn the regulator.
Accuracy is pretty good. I can get all my holes in a baseball sized group at 100 yards off the bench using milsurp ammo. The sights are definitely not the best, but for a WW2 battle rifle you get what you get.
Mine's the simple iron sight model with no provisions to mount a scope. In hindsight I wish I'd have spent a little more on a sniper back in the day but when I bought this thing for $200 at a gun show years ago I didn't know much about them and frankly didn't think it was a rifle I'd keep. It has quickly become one of my favorites. It is a 1941 Tula refurb with a plum colored bolt and in an AVT stock.
Anyway, some other learnings of this rifle:
-Invest in a chamber brush. The flutes in the chamber are designed to assist with extraction and can get plugged up with crap which may cause the rifle to have stoppages. Especially if you're using lacquered cased ammo.
-Keep a rubber mallet in your shooting bag. If the gas system doesn't cycle the rifle properly it can be a real pain to open the action and eject the spent casing.
-Invest in the proper tool to adjust the gas system. a 5mm box end wrench is the next best thing, but eventually even that will knarl the gas regulator plug. Repros of the gas tool can be had for as little as $20.
-Magazines are hit or miss. The repro I've got works flawlessly (better than the matching original) but I've heard guys complain that some repros need work to fit and function properly.
-Don't over-gas the rifle. 1.2 seems to be the ideal gas setting for this Chinese and Bulgarian 147 gr ball I have. Too much gas will really beat the crap out of the action and the springs. The casings shouldn't eject violently or far. Every rifle is different. Start at 1.1 and work your way up until the rifle cycles and the casings gently eject and land a few feet away.
-The line on the regulator plug HAS to line up EXACTLY with the line on the gas block, or the rifle won't function. The lines are a real pain to see so a lit magnifying glass helps immensely.
-This rifle gets VERY hot very quickly. After only 100 rounds the foreend on mine where the ventilation holes are is really smoking and you need gloves to hold on to it without burning your hand. I generally set the rifle down to cool off and shoot something else for awhile if I'm planning on shooting my SVT a lot that day. Not sure if and what damage can be caused by overheating but I personally don't like to overheat it when I can let it cool down.
-This rifle can be very LOUD. Especially at an indoor range that allows surplus. I always get some reactions when I have it at the range. Most people don't mind.
-Finally, after a shooting session with corrosive ammo, the gas system needs to be cleaned meticulously. Special attention needs to be paid to the gas block, piston cup and regulator. All the regular methods for cleaning after corrosive ammo need to be followed for the barrel and action/bolt.
Anyway, that's my take on this neat piece of history. Constructive comments or criticisms are appreciated. I'm still learning about this fantastic rifle and always appreciate more information. Especially from experienced shooters.
Cheers! Merry Christmas!
Being an owner of an SVT-40 has been a learning experience, though. Especially with respect to cleaning and maintaining the rifle so it functions flawlessly every range trip.
I can see why your average Soviet soldier didn't like the thing. Learning to disassemble it was a big of a pain at first (it's second nature, now. I can pretty much do it blindfolded) and it's definitely not "peasant simple" like a com-bloc battle rifle should be. The gas regulator is both a great feature and a pain. It's great because you can fine-tune the gas to the different types/pressures of ammo out there and it cycles perfectly once you find the setting it likes. It's a pain because it's something you have to adjust at all, and unlike a FAL the front-end of the rifle needs to be disassembled and the gas piston loosened off to turn the regulator.
Accuracy is pretty good. I can get all my holes in a baseball sized group at 100 yards off the bench using milsurp ammo. The sights are definitely not the best, but for a WW2 battle rifle you get what you get.
Mine's the simple iron sight model with no provisions to mount a scope. In hindsight I wish I'd have spent a little more on a sniper back in the day but when I bought this thing for $200 at a gun show years ago I didn't know much about them and frankly didn't think it was a rifle I'd keep. It has quickly become one of my favorites. It is a 1941 Tula refurb with a plum colored bolt and in an AVT stock.
Anyway, some other learnings of this rifle:
-Invest in a chamber brush. The flutes in the chamber are designed to assist with extraction and can get plugged up with crap which may cause the rifle to have stoppages. Especially if you're using lacquered cased ammo.
-Keep a rubber mallet in your shooting bag. If the gas system doesn't cycle the rifle properly it can be a real pain to open the action and eject the spent casing.
-Invest in the proper tool to adjust the gas system. a 5mm box end wrench is the next best thing, but eventually even that will knarl the gas regulator plug. Repros of the gas tool can be had for as little as $20.
-Magazines are hit or miss. The repro I've got works flawlessly (better than the matching original) but I've heard guys complain that some repros need work to fit and function properly.
-Don't over-gas the rifle. 1.2 seems to be the ideal gas setting for this Chinese and Bulgarian 147 gr ball I have. Too much gas will really beat the crap out of the action and the springs. The casings shouldn't eject violently or far. Every rifle is different. Start at 1.1 and work your way up until the rifle cycles and the casings gently eject and land a few feet away.
-The line on the regulator plug HAS to line up EXACTLY with the line on the gas block, or the rifle won't function. The lines are a real pain to see so a lit magnifying glass helps immensely.
-This rifle gets VERY hot very quickly. After only 100 rounds the foreend on mine where the ventilation holes are is really smoking and you need gloves to hold on to it without burning your hand. I generally set the rifle down to cool off and shoot something else for awhile if I'm planning on shooting my SVT a lot that day. Not sure if and what damage can be caused by overheating but I personally don't like to overheat it when I can let it cool down.
-This rifle can be very LOUD. Especially at an indoor range that allows surplus. I always get some reactions when I have it at the range. Most people don't mind.
-Finally, after a shooting session with corrosive ammo, the gas system needs to be cleaned meticulously. Special attention needs to be paid to the gas block, piston cup and regulator. All the regular methods for cleaning after corrosive ammo need to be followed for the barrel and action/bolt.
Anyway, that's my take on this neat piece of history. Constructive comments or criticisms are appreciated. I'm still learning about this fantastic rifle and always appreciate more information. Especially from experienced shooters.
Cheers! Merry Christmas!
