SVT-40

SVT-40
Type	rifle
Service history
Wars	WW2
Specifications
Mass	3.85 kg, 8.5 lb unloaded
Length	1226 mm, 48 in

The Samozaryadnaya Vintovka Tokareva 40 is a Soviet semi-automatic rifle. Design of the gun traces back to early 1930's when Fedor Tokarev gave up his attempts to design a recoil-operated self-loading rifles, and concentrated on gas operating principle. Stalin had a great interest on semi-automatic infantry rifles, and in 1935 a design competition was held, which was won by rifle designed by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov, which was accepted to service next year as AVS-36. However, problems with AVS were quickly manifested, and another competition was held, to which both Tokarev and Simonov submitted their improved designs. This time, Tokarevs rifle was chosen (reportedly, partly because Stalin knew Tokarev personally). The rifle was accepted to production under designation SVT-38, and it was supposed to become a new standard issue rifle of the Red Army. Ambitious production plans were made: the production was supposed to be increased to two million rifles per year by 1943. Production began at 1939.

SVT-40

The SVT-38 quickly saw its combat debut in Winter War. Reaction of the troops to this new weapon was negative: rifle was too long and cumbersome, difficult to maintain, magazines fell off etc. Part of the problems can be assigned to insufficient training and incorrect maintenance, but the problems of the design were obvious. Production of SVT-38 was terminated at April 1940 after some 150 000 examples were made. An improved design, SVT-40, took over. It was more refined design, lighter, magazine release modified and some changes were made to simplify production. Cleaning rod was now housed under the barrel. Production of this improved weapon began in July 1940 at Tula, and later factories at Ishevsk and Kovrov also began production. At the same time, production of old Mosin-Nagant M91/30 rifle was discontinued.

At the time of German invasion June 1941, SVT-40 was fairly profilic rifle in Red Army. In Soviet infantry division TO&E, one-third of rifles were supposed to be SVT's (though in practice this was seldom achieved). First war months were disastrous for Soviet Union, and hundreds of thousands of these rifles were lost. To make up enormous amount of lost weaponry, old Mosin-Nagant rifles were taken back to production. By contrast, SVT was more difficult to make, and many troops with only rudimentary training had problems maintaining it. In addition, submachineguns like PPSh-41 had proven their value as simple and cheap but effective weapons tu supplement infantry firepower. This all led to gradual decline in SVT production: in 1941, over a million SVT's were made, but only 264 000 next year and production declined until order to cease production was given in January 1945. Total production of the SVT-38/40 was probably around 1.6 million. SVT was also used as a sniper rifle, usually with the PU scope.

See also

• Johnson M1941
• FG 42
• Garand
• Gewehr 43

External links

• History and technicalities of the SVT-40
• U.S. Intelligence Report on Tokarev M1940
• SurplusRifle.com's SVT Section