AVS-36 Simonov
Soviet State Arsenals · Battle Rifle · Out Of Production · 1936
Also known as: AVS-36, Simonov 1936, Avtomaticheskaya Vintovka Simonova
Overview
The AVS-36 (Avtomaticheskaya Vintovka Simonova obraztsa 1936 goda) was one of the world's first selective-fire infantry rifles adopted for general military service, designed by Sergei Simonov and accepted by the Soviet Red Army in 1936. Chambered in the full-power 7.62x54mmR rimmed cartridge, it used a gas-operated action with a vertically dropping locking block and fed from a 15-round detachable box magazine that could be topped up with stripper clips. To tame the violent recoil and muzzle climb of a full-power cartridge fired on full-automatic from a 4.2 kg rifle, Simonov fitted a large, distinctive multi-baffle muzzle brake; the rifle also mounted a bayonet that could be affixed vertically to act as a monopod. In practice the AVS-36 proved too complex, expensive, and maintenance-intensive for mass conscript use, and its open action was prone to fouling in the cold and dirt of field conditions. It saw limited combat in the 1939-1940 Winter War against Finland and in the opening stages of the German invasion in 1941, but was officially superseded in Soviet service by the simpler, semi-automatic Tokarev SVT-40 in 1940. Between roughly 35,000 and 65,000 were built before production ended.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4200 g (148.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1260 mm (49.61") |
| Barrel Length | 627 mm (24.69") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Short Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 15 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 840 m/s (2756 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3387 J (2498 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 800 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.62x54mmR · primary — also known as 7.62x54R, 7.62 Russian, 7.62mm Mosin
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Stripper Clip Loadable
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Fire Selector
- Features: Gas Operated, Select Fire, Vertically Dropping Locking Block, Large Muzzle Brake, Detachable Box Magazine, Stripper Clip Loadable, Bayonet Lug, Folding Bayonet Monopod
Variants
- AVS-36 sniper variant (scoped) — Designated Marksman
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Red Army · adopted 1936 · as AVS-36
Conflicts
- Winter War (1939-1940)
- World War II (Eastern Front) (1941-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 65,000 · Production years: 1936-1940
Estimates range from roughly 35,000 to 65,500 rifles. Production ended in 1940 when the AVS-36 was replaced by the Tokarev SVT-40
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Sergei Simonov
Discontinued: 1940
Notes
Sources disagree on several figures. Overall length is given as 1230 mm (Wikipedia) or 1260 mm (modernfirearms); barrel length 612 mm or 627 mm respectively. Empty weight is cited at 4.2-4.3 kg. Production totals range from about 35,000 to 65,500 units, built 1936-1940 (Wikipedia attributes manufacture to IZhMASh / Izhevsk; the precise arsenal split is uncertain, so the generic Soviet State Arsenals manufacturer id is used). Action is gas-operated with a vertically lifting/dropping locking block rather than a rotating bolt. Effective full-auto fire was largely impractical owing to recoil; the rifle was mostly used in semi-automatic.
Background
The AVS-36 was one of the first full-auto-capable battle rifles ever issued to a regular army, but firing a full-power 7.62x54mmR on automatic from a 4-kilogram rifle was so uncontrollable that Simonov bolted on a massive muzzle brake - and even then troops mostly used it in semi-auto. Captured examples surprised Finnish soldiers in the Winter War, who had not expected the Red Army to field automatic rifles at all.