Rare Matching Finnish Capture Russian Tula SVT-38 7.62x54r WWII
SOLD FOR: $7,978.00
LSB#: LSB250917GD006
Make: Tula Arsenal, Russia
Model: SVT-38
Serial Number: VD738
Year of Manufacture: 1940 / C&R
Caliber: 7.62x54r
Action Type: Semi-Auto, Short Stroke Tilting bolt Rifle Fed by a Detachable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the receiver at the barrel chamber is marked with Cyrillic “VD” and “738”. The top of the receiver at the chamber is marked with “1940” and several proof marks along with a Finnish “SA” capture mark. All serialized parts of the rifle are matched to the receiver. The right side of the stock has the Tula star and, “1940”. The magazine is non matched. The bayonet is marked in Cyrillic, “UGe” and 205”. There are several proofs throughout.
Barrel Length: 24.5” before muzzle brake, 26.75” after muzzle brake
Sights / Optics: The front sight is an adjustable hooded post. The rear sight is a “U” notched sliding sight escalator marked from “1-15”.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a three piece wood set with a vented metal heat shield, forend cap w/ sling loop, vented top handguard, barrel band, semi-pistol grip, straight comb, sling loop, and steel buttplate. The right side of the stock has a cleaning rod inset into it with a push button release. There are heavy scratches, pressure dents, and several small chips throughout. There are no cracks. The LOP is 13.25” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall the stock rates in Good condition.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: 1x 10rd magazine in Very Good condition. This mag has spots of thinning and light scratches.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original to Factory Refurbishment
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is mostly sharp. There is faint erosion in the bore along with moderate stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 7.5/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are light spots of thinning, scratches, and small nicks throughout. There is light patina throughout. The action has light to moderate wear. The screw heads are lightly tooled and pins are mostly unmarred. The markings are worn and blurry in spots. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition. The bayonet is in Very Good condition with light handling wear, however the scabbard has patina and surface rust and the frog is damaged.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with an installed cleaning rod in the stock, leather sling, SVT-38 bayonet, and 10rd magazine.
Our Assessment: The SVT-38 (Samozaryadnaya Vintovka Tokareva) was the Soviet Union’s first widely-issued semi-automatic battle rifle and a major leap forward in small arms design at the outset of World War II. Developed by Fedor Tokarev and fielded in limited numbers beginning in 1938, the SVT-38 was intended to modernize the Red Army’s infantry firepower. Though advanced for its time – featuring a 10-round detachable magazine, gas-operated short-stroke piston system, and muzzle brake – the SVT-38 was complex, costly, and had teething issues in field service. It was replaced after only a brief production run by the more refined SVT-40. Surviving examples, especially those from the final months of production in 1940, are rare – rarer still are Finnish capture rifles with matching serial numbers. This example is an extraordinary find: a 1940-dated Tula Arsenal SVT-38, one of the last of its kind before the transition to the SVT-40, complete with Finnish “SA” capture stamp and all serialized components matched to the receiver. The rifle retains about 90% of its factory-refurbished finish, with honest field wear and patina that speaks to its history. The bore is semi-bright with mostly sharp rifling and moderate fouling, rating 7.5/10 in this writer’s opinion. The three-piece wood stock, with its vented heat shield, forend cap sling loop, and integrated cleaning rod is in Good condition, showing scattered dents, scratches, and small chips—but no cracks. Also included is a correct SVT-38 bayonet, a leather sling, an installed cleaning rod, and a 10-round magazine (non-matching but in Very Good condition). Though the bayonet’s scabbard shows surface rust and the frog is damaged, the presence of these accessories adds significantly to this rifle’s completeness and historical value.
SVT-38s were never produced in large numbers, and most saw hard service in brutal conditions. Surviving, matching, Finn-captured examples are extremely rare and highly desirable to collectors of WWII and Soviet arms. This rifle represents a fleeting chapter in early Soviet semi-automatic rifle development, with ties to both the Eastern Front and the Continuation War. It would make a prized centerpiece in any collection of WWII-era firearms or rare Soviet martial arms. -R.E.
