SVT40 or M1 Garand

[Father Knows Best]

Gewehr98 -- THAT'S IT! I know it wasn't chambered in 7.62x39, so it must have been that other cartridge.

So are those decent rifles? Was I correct in assuming it is based on the SVT 40?

Also, what's a typical price for one in good surplus condition?

 

[slzy]

the svt would have fared better if they had had non-corrosive ammo. they gave better service in southern sectors where you could work on them bare handed.

 

[Gewehr98]

They're decent rifles, but...

They stopped importing them quite some time ago. Ammo has all but dried up for the 7.62x45 versions. Those who snagged a 7.62x39 version are in considerably better shape.

A couple places like Buffalo Arms and myself offer reloadable 7.62x45 brass, so all is not futile. It's a soft-shooting gun, heavy for the chambering, and quite a lot of fun. If you field strip one, you can tell right away that the rifle is a combination of many different concepts, from the M1 Garand trigger group to the annular ring gas system, to the side-folding bayonet. A little bit of info here:

http://mauser98.com/vz52.html


If you get a chance to inspect that VZ-52, take a good hard look at the bore. If it's clean and shiny, then it's probably worthwhile to grab, price allowing. If it looks like 20 miles of bad sewer pipe, leave it alone. (All of the military issue ammo was corrosive)