The quick identification points SVT40 variations

[maple_leaf_eh]

I had a chance to do some interweb research and then examine a selection of SVT40 rifles. My question was how to identify which features varied between SVT40 models, so I made a quick reference list. I found that the plum-coloured recent imports are like most M1 Carbines and M1 Garands, subject to mixing of early and late parts, regardless of year of manufacture. Comments? Criticisms? Wise cracks?

The quick identification points SVT40 variations:

Incorrect statement, not borne out by further examination • Lightning reliefs along sides of bolt carrier – no early, yes later; (if the profile of the front 1/4 carries all the way to the rear, it doesn't have the lightning reliefs
• Holes in each side of metal front handguard – 8 early, 7 standard;
• Slots in flash suppressor – 6 per side early, 2 per side later;
• Trigger guard width – narrow early, wider later; (If the trigger guard is approx 1/2" wide and the same width as the trigger group itself, it is later.)
• Sniper scope grooves in receiver - yes for almost all early ie up to end 1942, none if later;
• Locking slot on rear receiver bridge – selected for snipers;
• Safety clearance in stock – two sides AVT40 stock reissued, one side SVT40;
• Sling space on front band – wire swivel early, machined slot later;
• Rear sling swivel - wire loop early, none later;
• Sling slot in stock – no early, yes later aka Navy;
• stamped letter A on side of butt – AVT40 stock reissued;
• stock wrist (viewed from top) – thin standard, thicker later;
• Receiver bridge where year and arsenal appear – rectangular converted SVT38 action, square standard SVT40;
• Magazine floor plate – cupped SVT38, flat standard SVT40.
• Clip guide transition to sheet metal receiver cover - sloped early, squarer later
• Stock finish - thin peeling shellac, original finish, new shellac arsenal refurbished

Triangle and arrow – ISHEVSK;
Five-pointed star – TULA;
Five-pointed star over square – TULA converted SVT38 receiver;
Oval and arrow – KOVROV (also called Podolsk);

SA on receiver or magazine floor plate – Finnish Army WW2 capture;
Plum coloured bolt carrier - recent arsenal refurbished, likely imported from Ukraine;
Plum coloured bolt carrier and laser engraved German proof marks - mid-2000s import from same source as other arsenal refurbishment but a different export route;
Stamped serial number on butt - recent arsenal refurbished;
Hand engraved serial numbers - recent arsenal refurbished ;
Stamped serial number on trigger guard - no if Finnish capture, yes but not necessarily if recent arsenal refurbished. Most serial numbers seem to have been sanded off before refinishing.
(Added) Buttplate - unfinished SA capture, blackened or black painted Ukraine import

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Further to the differences noted above, I'm going to suggest that all or most SVT40 rifles left the Tula and Ishevsk factories with the rifle serial number stamped by hand on the following parts, at least up to 1942:

- the bolt carrier, under the protruding handle
- the bow of the trigger guard
- the bolt, visible when the bolt is closed and the magazine removed.

I have examined two 1940 Ishevsk recent imports and a 1941 Tula Finnish capture. Despite such a small sample, there are some inferences for Russian ordnance practises. The most visible sign that the rifles were "refurbished" for war reserve storage is the repetition of the serial number on the major components with a handheld electric engraver, the so-called electropencil. The numbering I describe is with handheld stamps struck with a heavy hammer.

Numbering the bolt carrier, trigger guard and bolt make sense if a nation's military has a strict policy of keeping pieces together in service. Gunmakers on continental Europe fitted then numbered and marked many parts. Germany for example had many plants making service rifles, and collectors seek out matching numbers rifles. In WWII Britain and the US had many plants and subcontractors building parts with semi-skilled labourers, their work was checked by inspectors, and only a few plants did the final assembly with skilled labour. For example, the British No.4 rifle has only two numbers, and the M1 Garand has only one. In principle all parts should be interchangeable. The Russians weren't stupid, but if their manufacturing principles were based on tradition and iron-clad adherence to instructions, then if the instructions were to handstamping the receiver serial number on other parts, it seems reasonable to believe this practise would have been carried forward. In 1940 and 1940 the Finns were very busy fighting the Russians, and had their hands full making service weapons with whatever tools, consumables and skills were available. I have a hard time believing, they would expend valuable resources adding more numbers to functional firearms. If the engineers were worried, they could have ordered the troops, 'don't mix up rifle parts', and left it at that.

Three bolts were closely examined. On the SA Tula, there is a deeply stamped number on the bottom surface, visible when the bolt is closed. The same area on both Ishevsk Ukraine refurbishments is a different surface texture and a slightly dished profile. This suggests there was a number there. When the Ukrainian arsenal had time and materials after the war, they probably gave a worker a box of parts and told him/her to take off the number with a sander or fine grinding wheel.

Likewise, three bolt carriers were examined. The lightening recessess on the Tula have sharp edges. Both Ishevsks have rounded edges, and the worker's stroke against the wheel can be seen. The most obvious differences are on the flats and rounds of the bolt handle shank. The serial number and various arsenal marks were removed on the top and bottom surfaces of the handle. The SA Tula has sharp transitions from the flat edges to the handle, those have been sanded off on the Ishevsks.

Finally, and here is where I started this examination process. I recently bought an Ishevsk which was advertised as having a serial number on the trigger guard bow. I had not seen this feature on other rifles. It is possible there was a number was removed before the current serial number was added. However, I like to think this rifle and its original trigger guard stayed together throughout its service life and through rebuild. On the other Ishevsk with a strong light at an angle, it is possible to see the shading of a different rifle's number. What seals the conclusion is there is a similar ghost on the SA Tula. There is a small Tula star on the SA trigger guard, so I suspect it may be the original piece, but cannot explain whether the Finns removed the number or it is just coincidentally a 'scrubbed' Tula part from someone's big bin of refurbished trigger guards.

Questions? Comments? Rude remarks?

 

[Horilka]

That was quite an effort to perform research and put it all together. Unfortunately (because of limited resources?) apart of the correct conclusions you also made partially correct and totally incorrect ones.
Just couple of examples:

- Wide/Narrow trigger guard. True, early SVT-40s had narrow one, late wide one. However one has to remember that before SVT-40 there was SVT-38 with wide trigger guard. SVT-40 was initially "lightened" with narrow one, then reinforced back to wide triggerguard because of realities of service at war. On refurbished SVT-40 rifles one can find all three types of trigger assemblies: wide SVT-38, early narrow SVT-40, late wide SVT-40.

- Sling slots in stock briefly appeared on 1941 Podolsk made rifles, so it would be incorrect to call them "late feature". Sometime in mid (don't recall exact month) of 1944 they started producing only stocks with slots.

- Kovrov is incorrect name, forget about it.

- Plum coloured bolts firstly appeared on Tokarev's trial rifles in 1940 I think, and since the end of 1941 all bolts were plum. During refurbishing most of the bolt were re-blued. Some escaped it.

- Stamped serial number on the triggerguard could be both original and refurbishing feature. In the case of refurbishing font will be different. And if you see SA rifle with no serial on triggerguard I can bet it was removed to make it "more number matching".

- Original serials were stamped on 6 parts: magazine (up 3 magazines actually), stock, receiver, bolt, bolt carrier (on top on early rifles, bottom late), trigger guard.

I can keep ranting more and more on my favourite subject but I don't have time now unfortunately. There was great compilation made by Ratink (I can't find it). It was and still is the best starting point / reference for every SVT collector. So as for now, if you have any specific question - don't hesitate to shoot me PM, I'll do my best to answer it.

EDIT: Found it - http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...pril-12th***?p=9046598&viewfull=1#post9046598

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Thanks for the acknowledgement! And yes, a small number of observations will result in errors in conclusions.

 

[bp2626]

"• Clip guide transition to sheet metal receiver cover - sloped early, squarer later"

Would someone kindly show me a photo comparison between these two features? I'm not exactly sure what this referring to. What time periods do they belong to?

 

[iger13]

Thanks for help guys