I've owned my SVT for a few years now, but I don't enjoy shooting it. The length of pull is completely wrong for me. I find that when I move my face up the stock to see the sights, but thumb is almost touching my nose. The result is I punch myself in the face every 2nd-3rd shot. I've never had this issue with any other rifle I've owned (and there has been quite a few....). My question is; is this from a too short length of pull? If so, what are my options? I don't want an ugly slide over buttpad. I'm average height, I cant see why this hasn't been brought up more often.
SVT LoP
- Thread starter kaskirov
- Start date
justinb1981
Regular
- Location
- Hamilton, Ontario
Don't wrap your thumb over the grip. Hold it it with your thumb along the side instead.
Hard to describe but typically if you put the butt plate into the inside of your elbow and reach up to grab the wrist and put your finger on the trigger, unloaded of course.
If the LOP is correct your finger should just be able to engage the trigger for squeezing. If you have to reach, it's too long or if you basically can over shoot the trigger it's too short. Unfortunately with our soviet stock fittings you have to account for the following.
Average height of the conscript soldier in WWII. Thickness of uniform, outer coat and webbing. One size fits all. Can you successfully crush a coconut with a butt smashing maneuver. After that is taken into consideration you may have to do some sizing.
If you don't like the typically available butt pads that slip and slide, try this. If you can get an extra butt plate or if you don't care just use yours. Clean the surface and using contact cement glue a rough cut piece of a black flop flop to the butt. Trim after it's dry and make holes for the screws. It will add 1/2" and decrease the shoulder pain by a few psi. Did this to my M44 and it works wonders. If you need thicker, you will have to find similar material that is thicker or try layering the flop flop material.
If the LOP is correct your finger should just be able to engage the trigger for squeezing. If you have to reach, it's too long or if you basically can over shoot the trigger it's too short. Unfortunately with our soviet stock fittings you have to account for the following.
Average height of the conscript soldier in WWII. Thickness of uniform, outer coat and webbing. One size fits all. Can you successfully crush a coconut with a butt smashing maneuver. After that is taken into consideration you may have to do some sizing.
If you don't like the typically available butt pads that slip and slide, try this. If you can get an extra butt plate or if you don't care just use yours. Clean the surface and using contact cement glue a rough cut piece of a black flop flop to the butt. Trim after it's dry and make holes for the screws. It will add 1/2" and decrease the shoulder pain by a few psi. Did this to my M44 and it works wonders. If you need thicker, you will have to find similar material that is thicker or try layering the flop flop material.
I find any russian milsurp is too small. Like Beermaker said, a slip on pad will lengthen it, or I found the UTG 1" buttpad spacer for an SKS fits the butt end of a SVT nicely. The screw holes don't exactly line up, but you can make a new hole easy enough with a drill press, or it's a pretty snug fit as it fits over slightly like a slip on, should stay on there no problem.
Eaglelord17
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sault Ste. Marie
The simple solution is the rubber butt pad. Since you don't want that the next best solution is either to hold your thumb to the side instead of the rear of the stock or to adjust where you put your head. Third solution is to machine or make a wooden or metal spacer which fits between the buttplate and the stock (also you would have to make longer proper thread wood screws as well). Final solution is to make a longer stock yourself.
The length of pull on Russian rifles is based around the average conscript in 1945, about 5'6", tall plus in winter the average soldier was wearing a very thick layer of clothing so length of pull needed to be much shorter than the average western guy wearing normal clothing. I have added a butt pad to my SKS which gives an extra 3/4" but still too short. I have tried slip ons but not too impressed. I just suck it up and shoot with the short pull. Remember Russian rifles don't have the best of accuracy anyway although my SVT is pretty good when cold. I kind of think it is all part of the experience. I have other guns for precision.
Bingo
I think that my biggest issue is that slip ons tend to move when shooting, especially with the Mosin, and adversely affect the already not great accuracy.
