The SVT 40 Tokarev ***updated april 12th***

I found an SVT-40 in a garage sale the other day that is very rough shape, and I was thinking about trying to restore it to it's "as-issued" state as much as possible. Like, this stock has big cracks on it everywhere and half of the shellac is missing.

It's a '41 Tula. What would have been the original as-issued finish on the wood?
 
jonyork: Try to post some photos here for feedback. If this is an older import you may not want to restore it. The only one in this kind of state I've found is a Finn capture which I'm certainly not restoring! As to original wartime finish, good question. I've been slowly trying to translate the Chumak book and he comments that there was a wartime relaxation in standards to allow for some kind of oil or bitumen finish with varnish but I can't see comments about what the original standard was. Maybe someone with good Russian skills can help?

milsurpo
 
KGB2014: If I can find any reference to original finish I'll take you up on that offer but, for now, can't see one. It is an excellent book with lots of photos.

milsurpo
 
I apologize if its already been discussed, but I am unclear of what was originally blued on the svt40. Specifically the rear cover and front metal hand guards. Barrel/receiver?
 
Horilka said:
Until the end of 1941 bolt and bolt carrier were not blued. Everything else (exterior) was blued.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. The reason I ask is that my back receiver cover appears to be blued over pitted, rusty steel giving a finish that closer resembles paint. The front guards also appear to be blued, but with bits of black paint over top. Just trying to figure out what to do with it.
 
If you were handling one of these , in a gun store Shopping.

What would be the things you would look for on a checklist type scenario that would make you say Yeay or Nay to buying a SVT-40?

example.
year's
features?
markings?
certain sub models and how to quickly identify it?

I think a checklist would be good to have in this sticky for people potentially shopping for one.
their is tons of info on SKS's and what to look for but not so much for SVT-40's.
 
Philthy1 said:
Thanks for that. The reason I ask is that my back receiver cover appears to be blued over pitted, rusty steel giving a finish that closer resembles paint. The front guards also appear to be blued, but with bits of black paint over top. Just trying to figure out what to do with it.
Click to expand...

Sometime over the bluing you can see some spots of touch up black paint. That is part of pre-sale preparation and was made in Ukraine before rifles were exported to Canada. Those touch ups mostly cover places with some spots of rust or significant bluing loss.
 
leonard said:
If you were handling one of these , in a gun store Shopping.

What would be the things you would look for on a checklist type scenario that would make you say Yeay or Nay to buying a SVT-40?

example.
year's
features?
markings?
certain sub models and how to quickly identify it?

I think a checklist would be good to have in this sticky for people potentially shopping for one.
their is tons of info on SKS's and what to look for but not so much for SVT-40's.
Click to expand...

There was a great topic started by Ratnik, explaining all the features of SVT-40. Can't find it though.
To make the long story short - if you buy a shooter, look for the bore and the rifle you like, though one of my best shooters has probably the worst bore. If you want to collect them - find 1942 Podolsk, sell me and get several regular rifles :) Jocking aside if you want to collect hem, then find the Ratnik's thread here or on GB and decide what you want to collect - all 6 years, all makers, all features or anything else.
 
Well, "rarity" is very relative thing. Most beginner SVT collectors don't know that 1942 Tula with rails is more scarce than authentic 1942 Tula sniper, so it was took me just one year to find couple of those. But it was much easier than finding 1942 sniper. Should have been vice versa. I mean ppl mostly pay attention to sniper-nonsniper, type of the stock and other feature that are on the surface. I don't know how many 1942 Podolsk (well, technically they are not Podolsk, but have same oval with arrow) around, I suspect that maybe none. Have you seen one? I haven't.
 
I would be talking about your average joe looking for a good shooter not wanting a lemon.

meaning was there any bad years? not so much good years but years to watch out for and not buy since perhaps they had some issues that were not fixed yet.

any things particular to this rifle that it needs if the user wants to mount scope down the road properly that might be missing on certain years to to watch if its missing.

and bad refurb process to watch for and see if they have something better in the back before settling?

stuff like that in a checklist would help our users.
 
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