SVT 40 value question

[Dan81]

Rifling very visible to the naked eye couln't take pics for **** down the bore thou.

[Emdawg]

Well, I do see a crack in the wrist, which is very common in the original stocks (many were changed to AVT stocks to circumvent this problem).


If you do feel the need to sell it, I am sure members of this forum would be very appreciative to have it.


Try taking a picture of the receiver top if you could.

[TRAP55]

Dan, the stock is a SVT stock, the stocks were replaced with the stronger select fire AVT stocks when they were refurbed. The AVT had more wood in the wrist. The break is repairable, and many times done in the Russian arsenals with glue and brass screws. You can see one used to reinforce the hand guard, that was done whether they were broke or not.
If the stock crossbolt is missing, being shot without it, most likely caused the break. They're available, and a SKS/AK front sight tool works on the SVT front sight, and doubles as a SVT crossbolt tool. I'd be glad to help you get it running again, cause once you shoot it, you would never "consider" selling it.

[mosinnagantm9130]

Thanks for adding more pics, I appreciate it.

I don't see anything on the rifle that would suggest the rifle was captured by Finland, which is unusual because the handful of original matching SVTs I've seen all came out of Finland. The vast majority of non-import marked SVTs in the US came via Finland in the 60s, but I don't think this is one of them.

Coming to the US illegally from Canada is also out because it has it's original 10 round mag, and the OP says his family has had it for decades...

The only other way I can think of an SVT getting here to the states in original condition like that would be a rifle captured and used by the Germans (the SVT was popular with German troops), then captured and brought back by a GI. That's a bit of a long shot I admit, but I don't know of another way a non-Finn, non-import marked original matching SVT would have made it to the states decades ago. I suppose coming back from Korea or Vietnam is possible, but I don't know if the SVT was used in either of those wars.

It's a remarkable rifle. I think you should post this rifle on gunboards and see if they have more info than me, there are far more knowledgeable SVT folks over there that could probably give a more accurate estimate of value and historical provenance than me.

A word of advice though, don't refinish the stock or reblue the metal. You'll cut the value quite a bit if you do, both monetary and historical. I wouldn't do much to it outside of keep it cleaned and oiled.