SVT40 and combat
- Thread starter ricohman
- Start date
Eaglelord17
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sault Ste. Marie
Not saying it didn't happen just that it wasn't nearly as large a issue in WWII as some make it out to be.
The Bulgarian ones are a bit of a mystery. The only thing they did to them was sand the stock, and re-stamp the exact same number vertically. They also added the serial number to the handguard underneath.
Nothing else was done. No refurb mark either. These rifles have their own criteria and are NOT soviet refurb guns. Bulgaria got them un-issued, and for some reason, decided to "refurb" them.
They are generally matching original serial numbers as well. See Horilka's thread on it.
So in conclusion, yes, they are likely un-fired since factory. Bores are usually 10+/10. Minty.
Edit: I should also add that the Bulgarian refurbs are incredibly scarce, and fetch much more than the average SVT-40, especially since numbers are often stamped originally matching.
Sounds like a communist make work scheme - sand the new stock, re-stamp the same number in a different way, probably kept hundreds busy for months.
Are you asking about Bulgaria?
I was not a witness to tell how SVTs from Bulgaria came to Canada to know how it was with magazines. I have observed two types of magazines - late production rough mags (that are correct to 1943/44 rifles) with stamped numbers and sometimes numbers are very close to rifle serial, so I suspect they were sold from Bulgaria with matching magazines. Second type I observed is scrubbed early magazines with no new serial applied at all but with Bulgarian quality acceptance markings.
I was not a witness to tell how SVTs from Bulgaria came to Canada to know how it was with magazines. I have observed two types of magazines - late production rough mags (that are correct to 1943/44 rifles) with stamped numbers and sometimes numbers are very close to rifle serial, so I suspect they were sold from Bulgaria with matching magazines. Second type I observed is scrubbed early magazines with no new serial applied at all but with Bulgarian quality acceptance markings.
Did they also deliberately mis-match the mags?
All 5 of my SVT's have mags that have new different numbers electro penciled on them, and none match the guns.
I'm starting the think the mags are NOT supposed to match!
The Bulgarian mags are a different story than Soviet ones.
Your rifles are Soviet refurb rifles, and yes originally they would have had 3 mags matching to the gun if early war, and if non-refurbed.
Soviet refurbs have 1 mag, which is theoretically supposed to be matching electropenciled. However, importers that need to pin them mixed all the mags when pinning, hence the mismatched mags.
I have seen some refurbs with matching electro penciled mags, but that's usually because of luck or the importer cared about matching them up again after pinning.
Same story with most SKS floor plates.
Check out Horilkas thread on SVT-40's. Lots of info there.
Bulgarian refurbished SVT-40's are very different than Soviet refurbed ones.
I know that but soviets didn't really like them. I just don't trust the thing same way I trust Mosin, K98 or modern rifles like SKS or VZ. Like I said, it's fun to shoot and I don't mind fiddling with the thing to adjust gas etc. after switching ammo but I'd really hate to do it when somebody is shooting at me. At least Mosin or K98 go bang 99% of the time
I was using soviet milsurp ammo from 1950s during our last outing. Ran out and switched to friend's ammo of the same kind but from a different crate. Rifle decided to stovepipe 2-3 out of 5 until I cranked up gas. Same thing and FTL happened to another SVT after person switched from soviet to Romanian 147gr milsurp. Anyways, when it works it works. 200-300 rounds at the time, no problem. When it decides to act up it just goes ape #### 
put me in battle I would choose an SVT over a mosin nagant or Mauser unless I was at long range, 10rds rapid fire with 7.62's is devastating. Though I have to reload but still devastating said the poor tree beside my target while I tried sighting in my scoped SVT..... poor tree.
Comedy aside,
Yes Russia charged doomed men over fields of landmines if "nessesary" as it was statistically similar in casualties to assaulting enemy troops, and strategically allowed flanking maneuvers.
Yes Russia and many other armies had "penal" or penalty battalions that served dangerous purposes. To live out a sentence of even a month or up to 3 from what I have read must have been harrowing indeed.
Yes Russia had one of if not the Best land army in the world in 1941, strategically poorly deployed against the attacking Germans allowing for large capture of arms allowing the continuation of the war essentially.
My theory SVT's (i have 4 now) are a rifle to their own put together in haste due to the large numbers of early editions being captured by the Axis Forces/Finns. This is why most of these rifles saw service, I see them coming off the line thrown in a truck and driven up the road to be distributed where needed. Excellent defensive weapon making a company of 80 men similar to a few machine guns in rate of fire, and nearly as accurate as some bolts. You can litterally look at the rifle see how it was built/where it was built/the situation of the time can be seen in these guns. I love the SVT for its history, still wish my first sighting day went better with my SVT serialed with the year I was born 1980 Birthday Rifle. Poor tree, Iron sights worked great put 5 out of six in the black at about 80 yrds just but non sighted scope was waay left.
Comedy aside,
Yes Russia charged doomed men over fields of landmines if "nessesary" as it was statistically similar in casualties to assaulting enemy troops, and strategically allowed flanking maneuvers.
Yes Russia and many other armies had "penal" or penalty battalions that served dangerous purposes. To live out a sentence of even a month or up to 3 from what I have read must have been harrowing indeed.
Yes Russia had one of if not the Best land army in the world in 1941, strategically poorly deployed against the attacking Germans allowing for large capture of arms allowing the continuation of the war essentially.
My theory SVT's (i have 4 now) are a rifle to their own put together in haste due to the large numbers of early editions being captured by the Axis Forces/Finns. This is why most of these rifles saw service, I see them coming off the line thrown in a truck and driven up the road to be distributed where needed. Excellent defensive weapon making a company of 80 men similar to a few machine guns in rate of fire, and nearly as accurate as some bolts. You can litterally look at the rifle see how it was built/where it was built/the situation of the time can be seen in these guns. I love the SVT for its history, still wish my first sighting day went better with my SVT serialed with the year I was born 1980 Birthday Rifle. Poor tree, Iron sights worked great put 5 out of six in the black at about 80 yrds just but non sighted scope was waay left.
Maybe at Tannenberg but certainly not during the Brusilov offensive, the Russians were by then very well equipped and almost caused the collapse of the central powers by crushing Austria-Hungary
