Today's haul from the gun show

[Modeler]

Came home from the Expo Center gun show today with two more rifles to add to the collection.

First, a 1941 Tula SVT-40. It's in overall good shape, the muzzle brake is gone and the stock has been bubba'd a little bit but not too badly. No magazine though.

Second, an FN-49 in .30-06 produced for the Luxembourg Gendarmerie. It's in really good shape, the metal bits are all matching although some of the paint is coming off. The stock is beautiful, but isn't number-matched to the action. Wikipedia claims there were only 6,306 produced in the Luxembourg order.

I'd say it was a good day!

(Pics to follow, my phone takes horrible shots)

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[Capn Jack]

SVT-40 A very interesting rifle

 

[IronMonster]

If you dont mind me asking what did you have to give for the SVT-40?

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Loved my Columbian FN-49 (.30-06)! Accurate, real reliable and.......well, cool! Enjoy your new rifles!!!

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

 

[rutilate]

Glad you found something good! I was there and at least for the stuff I looked at it seemed like things were very expensive. I almost had a new Ruger 10/22 anniversary design contest winner, but it was sold 5 mins before I came back for it. I found a number of blemished rainbow Kershaw knives I'm going to give to siblings for Christmas presents.

 

[Trailboss]

Was at the Expo show today as well. Picked up a nice Marlin Mountie 22. Saw a few deals but not on 22 ammo. Saw one fella selling used die sets for 30% more than Sportsman's charges for new ones. He wanted $70 for a used RCBS carbide 357 die set. Sportsman's wants $50. I ignored all of his tables and just walked on by. I won't bother looking at his other stuff if his dies are priced as such.

Was hoping to see a nice shooting mat, but no luck.

 

[Modeler]

I'll get there, I just don't have a good camera right now. Give me a couple days

If you dont mind me asking what did you have to give for the SVT-40?

You will all hate me if I tell you. Seriously, I told one guy and he muttered "f&*% you" under his breath.... I bought both guns from the same guy, he had been somewhere where someone had told him what they were and the approximate range of value. He showed me the ranges he had and them promptly asked for less than that; I couldn't say no. I didn't even bother negotiating. I feel like I should feel bad, but he had the numbers in front of him and chose his starting price, so.... I don't feel bad having paid $900 for the pair.

 

[bolus]

Nothing like an election to bring out people to a gun show. It was busier than I've seen in a long time

I either saw you carrying around the SVT-40 or saw the person you bought it from because it caught my eye and I remember saying "ooh, what is that?" Now I know what it is

I picked up a Rock Island Armory 1911 double stack in 22 tcm. Grips are crap but I've already ordered new ones. Basically similar ballistics but half the price of a Five and Seven



Next to a 9mm

 

[Capn Jack]

I remember reading a write up on that one. Rock Island Armory (ARMSCOR) makes the pistol, but they are also the ones that developed and manufacture the cartridge.
For some reason that kind of bothered me.

 

[bolus]

I remember reading a write up on that one. Rock Island Armory (ARMSCOR) makes the pistol, but they are also the ones that developed and manufacture the cartridge.
For some reason that kind of bothered me.

Fred Craig developed the ammo first ( <broken link removed> ) and then Armscor built the gun for it. I think they were hoping it would catch on.

Its a little less expensive than the 5.7X28 ammo. It shoots at 2100 FPS

might be a fad. But all it takes is a barrel change to make it a 9mm if they quit making the ammo.

 

[Capn Jack]

"But all it takes is a barrel change to make it a 9mm if they quit making the ammo".

I could live with that. I bought a .22lr adapter for the wife's 9mm.

 

[Modeler]

Got the camera out tonight before going to work, the pictures aren't wonderful but they convey the idea

The FN-49. S/N 10XX, Luxembourg contract. Stock is in great shape but has a different number stamped.





The SVT-40. It's been mildly bubba'ed, the muzzle brake and bayonet lug are gone (possibly removed for AWB reasons?), the stock has been thinned a bit around the magazine well and the stock has had a monte carlo style cheekpiece carved into it. I'm thinking a new stock is in order.





The SVT-40 also had a peep sight screwed into the stock; I removed it. Turns out it's a Marbles W1 and is worth a couple hundred dollars. It just keeps getting better!

 

[Capn Jack]

Better is Better for sure...

Hickok45 did a video on your SVT-40

 

[Modeler]

I've been doing some more research, it appears that the SVT-40 was a Finnish capture rifle that was imported in the 1950's, which means no import marks! The missing muzzle brake and bayonet lug are easily fixed, apparently the whole assembly is a sleeve that screws on over the barrel; I ordered the part from Numrich. Once it gets here I can dig into it and see what else is needed to get it back to working order. I'm thinking of getting a stainless piston and cup to protect against corrosion and corrosive ammo as well. Now to find an unmolested stock....

 

[trainsktg]

Make sure you do not use HB in the SVT, LB only. I had a Finn SVT and my first experiment with HB, intuitively safe considering the gas valve, yielded unfavorable results. I later sold it with full disclosure at half the price I had originally paid for it.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?234922-SVT-40...wall-hanger-or-part-out

Keith

 

[Modeler]

Make sure you do not use HB in the SVT, LB only. I had a Finn SVT and my first experiment with HB, intuitively safe considering the gas valve, yielded unfavorable results. I later sold it with full disclosure at half the price I had originally paid for it.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?234922-SVT-40...wall-hanger-or-part-out

Keith

I assume LB means "Light Ball"? Does HB mean "Heavy Ball"? I have plenty of 147 gr silver tip surplus ammo, I assume that's safe to shoot?

 

[trainsktg]

Yes, the 147gr. is standard light ball and will be safe to shoot. Start at the lowest (smallest) port setting (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5 1.7 on Russian gas valve, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 2.0 on Finn gas valve) and increase the setting incrementally until you achieve 100% feeding and extraction. Don't be surprised if you need a setting of 1.5 or even 1.7 to achieve this. I'd also recommend repeating this procedure each time you shoot ammo from a new country or year of manufacture.

Keith

 

[Modeler]

Yes, the 147gr. is standard light ball and will be safe to shoot. Start at the lowest (smallest) port setting (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5 1.7 on Russian gas valve, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 2.0 on Finn gas valve) and increase the setting incrementally until you achieve 100% feeding and extraction. Don't be surprised if you need a setting of 1.5 or even 1.7 to achieve this.

Keith

Thanks Keith. It'll be a couple weeks before I get everything assembled and ready to take to the range, I'll use the light ball for sure.

 

[Modeler]

Took the FN-49 out to the country property with the new firing pin the other day for a function test, it cycled through 4 rounds flawlessly. Still waiting on parts that I forgot to order to put the SVT back together.