I had to leave this Tokarev SVT40 at a gunshow overnight, and pray that it was still available the next day when I could come back with enough cash. Amazingly, it was still there, and I was only too happy to fork over the $800.
Sometimes a milsup with no import marks, and lack of refurbishment marks or capture stamps can create mysteries and misgivings. Is it live, or is it Memorex - real or humped? When something looks too good, these questions must be asked. And without any clear verifiable proof of provenance, sometimes a preponderance of evidence needs to be considered.
First, it's a Tula arsenal, with typical receiver markings, but non-matching. All stock cartouches are completely erased.
Next, the metal is all original finish. No rebluing of the receiver or small parts, bolt carrier in the white, and no refurbishment or capture stamps.
The stock is definitely sanded. It has a very uniform oil finish, with one repair - a wooden plug in the wrist, to reinforce a small crack emanating from the top rear of the receiver.
For the lack of any definitive property stamps on the rifle, there is a definite [SA] Finnish Army marking on the detachable magazine. And without going too far out on a limb, I'll declare the rest of the gun to be a Finnish Capture from the Continuation War, judging from the preponderance of evidence, including: the lack of import marks, original metal finish, the [SA] stamped mag, and the sanded stock with oil finish.
Now, throw in a wild card, and I'm sure that some of you caught it in the picture of the cracked stock. The top rear of the receiver is cut with a notch, or keyway, that allows a scope mount to be secured in place with a locking pin. The notch is a concentric shape, and appears to have been machined with a curved milling arbor.
The notch is not original to the rifle when manufactured. Machined edges are simply too sharp, when compared to the dinged and worn edges of the remainder of the receiver contours. It isn't known when the notch was added, or by whom, but it has been there at least since before the previous collector purchased it in 1988. Bluing in the notch is faded, and extremely consistent with the color of the remaining bluing on the receiver. Patina and mild pitting are present inside.
It's possible that the Finns added the notch. The machining would likely have been made after the rifle was pulled from active service in 1944, as it shows no appreciable pin wear from recoil absorbtion. The concave shape and apparent aging of the notch can be observed on a handful or two Finnish SVT's, with otherwise non-refurbished features on the rest of the rifle. But again, there is no absolute confirmation on when the machining was added, or by whom.
It is my fortune, however, that the notch is present, and that the previous owner equipped the rifle with the repro mount/scope combination that were available through Numrich in the early 2000's. The mount has the rough cast finish, and isn't marked. The scope is a 1943 KOMZ tube, and refurbished to the CB calibration of the PU optics.
For the price, the package came together quite well.
Last of the pics, and thanks for looking.
Sometimes a milsup with no import marks, and lack of refurbishment marks or capture stamps can create mysteries and misgivings. Is it live, or is it Memorex - real or humped? When something looks too good, these questions must be asked. And without any clear verifiable proof of provenance, sometimes a preponderance of evidence needs to be considered.
First, it's a Tula arsenal, with typical receiver markings, but non-matching. All stock cartouches are completely erased.
Next, the metal is all original finish. No rebluing of the receiver or small parts, bolt carrier in the white, and no refurbishment or capture stamps.
The stock is definitely sanded. It has a very uniform oil finish, with one repair - a wooden plug in the wrist, to reinforce a small crack emanating from the top rear of the receiver.
For the lack of any definitive property stamps on the rifle, there is a definite [SA] Finnish Army marking on the detachable magazine. And without going too far out on a limb, I'll declare the rest of the gun to be a Finnish Capture from the Continuation War, judging from the preponderance of evidence, including: the lack of import marks, original metal finish, the [SA] stamped mag, and the sanded stock with oil finish.
Now, throw in a wild card, and I'm sure that some of you caught it in the picture of the cracked stock. The top rear of the receiver is cut with a notch, or keyway, that allows a scope mount to be secured in place with a locking pin. The notch is a concentric shape, and appears to have been machined with a curved milling arbor.
The notch is not original to the rifle when manufactured. Machined edges are simply too sharp, when compared to the dinged and worn edges of the remainder of the receiver contours. It isn't known when the notch was added, or by whom, but it has been there at least since before the previous collector purchased it in 1988. Bluing in the notch is faded, and extremely consistent with the color of the remaining bluing on the receiver. Patina and mild pitting are present inside.
It's possible that the Finns added the notch. The machining would likely have been made after the rifle was pulled from active service in 1944, as it shows no appreciable pin wear from recoil absorbtion. The concave shape and apparent aging of the notch can be observed on a handful or two Finnish SVT's, with otherwise non-refurbished features on the rest of the rifle. But again, there is no absolute confirmation on when the machining was added, or by whom.
It is my fortune, however, that the notch is present, and that the previous owner equipped the rifle with the repro mount/scope combination that were available through Numrich in the early 2000's. The mount has the rough cast finish, and isn't marked. The scope is a 1943 KOMZ tube, and refurbished to the CB calibration of the PU optics.
For the price, the package came together quite well.
Last of the pics, and thanks for looking.
