Another Combat Vet SVT40

[RyanE]

Picked another combat vet (and likely vet bringback) SVT40 up today, and it is quite interesting.

It is a 1941 Factory No.314 Tula from the MK block (more on that later) and is all matching and all original factory finish. No Finnish markings or modifications. Many of the parts, however, are not Tula manufacture. The entire triggergroup is Izhevsk, as is the barrel band, muzzle brake (note the plum color!), and upper heatshield. The bolt is Podolsk as is the plunger lock. Bolt and carrier are blued (correct for SVT/AVT 1942-1945). Receiver is not cut for rails and is the somewhat simplified Type 2.

Given how centralized Soviet production was, seeing other manufactures parts on a rifle is almost unheard of. My almost certainly correct theory is that the MK block is the first block of SVT40 produced at Factory No.314 Mednogorsk, previously located in Tula, in November and December 1941. 9930 rifles were manufactured at Mednogorsk in 1941 (910 in November and 9020 in December) which likely fell in one letter block. The MK guns generally show some or all of the later features--unnotched rear sight, 4 port brake, wide triggerguard,etc.--as well as the abbreviated (i.e., no prefix on the triggergroup or bolt carrier) numbering style used by Mednogorsk on all rifles 1942-1945. The use of parts from the other manufacturers who shut down SVT40 production around the same time Factory No.314 was evacuated to Mednogorsk (October-ish) also leads to the conclusion that this rifle was built very late in 1941, probably December.

 

[Bigdibbs88]

yessssssss. good thing i "let you have that"

 

[endurokarter]

Stunning!

 

[kar66]

Svt40

NICE STV40, you don't see many like that one. Where do you get all your information about them? You seem to know more about them than I have ever saw in print. I have had a few over the years and read everything I could find about them and that is very little. Is there a good informative book about them?

 

[RyanE]

NICE STV40, you don't see many like that one. Where do you get all your information about them? You seem to know more about them than I have ever saw in print. I have had a few over the years and read everything I could find about them and that is very little. Is there a good informative book about them?

There is virtually nothing in English that is of much value, so I track down original examples for study. No small task, I assure you. There is a lot I still do not know. 1940 examples seem particularly elusive. Most untouched rifles you see are 1941 (single largest year of production, captured in enormous numbers by the Germans) or unissued 1943/44 AVT40 in Russia/Ukraine.

I also take a look through Russian forums (guns.ru mostly) where good info is often posted. Google Translate let's me get a general idea of what is posted. One very knowledgeable Ukrainian collector generously answers the occasional question for me also.

There is a new book with tons of info, but it is entirely in Russian and somewhat expensive. That is the source for the production numbers above.

 

[jhv 41]

Nice rifle and appreciate the background on these.

Can't blame a soldat for a battlefield pickup of one of these in the heat of a firefight......

 

[kar66]

Thanks

Thanks for sharing what you have learned. I have learned more for reading your posts about the SVT40 than from reading what little I found in books and magazines in 40 years. I have owned three over the years all 41s and all early imports. It has been a while since any have been out of the safe. Years ago when Norma was the only non-corrosive ammo I use to reload to shoot them. Thanks again.

 

[my66coupe]

Very nice Ryan Looks like you're on a roll with this one and that sweet rework you picked up! Seeing this gives me the itch to add a SVT to the collection.