SVT-40 Sniper
Tula Arms Plant · Sniper Rifle · Out Of Production · 1940
Also known as: SVT-40 Snayperskaya, Tokarev Sniper, Snayperskaya vintovka Tokareva
Overview
The SVT-40 Sniper was the designated sniper variant of the Soviet Tokarev SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle, equipped with a 3.5x PU telescopic sight mounted on a dedicated bracket. Selected from standard production rifles for superior accuracy, approximately 51,710 SVT-40 sniper variants were produced between 1940 and 1942. The semi-automatic action gave Soviet snipers a significant advantage in rate of fire over bolt-action alternatives, though the rifle's accuracy was ultimately considered inferior to the Mosin-Nagant M91/30 PU, leading to the termination of sniper variant production in 1942.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3850 g (135.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4200 g (148.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1226 mm (48.27") |
| Barrel Length | 625 mm (24.61") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Short Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 830 m/s (2723 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3660 J (2699 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| 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, 7.62 Mosin-Nagant
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Safety Catch
- Features: Pu 3-5x Telescopic Sight, Semi Automatic Action, Detachable Magazine, Gas Operated Short Stroke Piston, Muzzle Brake, Hand Selected Barrel
Variants
- SVT-40 (Standard) — Standard Infantry
- AVT-40 — Automatic Variant
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Red Army · adopted 1940 · as SVT-40 Snayperskaya
- Soviet Naval Infantry · adopted 1940
Conflicts
- World War II (Eastern Front) (1940-1945)
- Continuation War (1941-1944)
Production
Estimated total produced: 51,710 · Production years: 1940-1942
Approximately 51,710 SVT-40 sniper variants produced before sniper production was terminated in 1942 in favor of the Mosin-Nagant M91/30 PU. Total SVT-38/40 production was around 1,600,000 rifles of all types.
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Fedor Tokarev
Discontinued: 1942
Notes
The SVT-40 sniper variant featured an additional locking notch on the receiver for a see-through scope mount. Despite being capable of semi-automatic fire, the rifle suffered from vertical shot dispersion caused by receiver-to-stock fitting inconsistencies, making it less reliable for precision sniping than the simpler Mosin-Nagant bolt action. The Soviet military ultimately concluded that the bolt-action Mosin-Nagant was more suitable as a sniper platform, producing over 271,000 Mosin sniper rifles compared to roughly 52,000 SVT-40 snipers. Many surviving SVT-40 sniper rifles had their scopes removed post-war and were converted back to standard infantry configuration.
Background
Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the deadliest female sniper in history with 309 confirmed kills, used an SVT-40 with a 3.5x PU scope for her initial combat deployments near Belyayevka and during the siege of Odessa. Known as 'Lady Death,' she demonstrated the SVT-40's effectiveness in skilled hands before later transitioning to a Mosin-Nagant for longer-range engagements at Sevastopol. Her fame eventually led to a 1942 tour of the United States where she befriended Eleanor Roosevelt.