Question about a Rifle I saw this Weekend

[CITADELGRAD87]

Trying to ID a rifle I saw this weekend. By the time I thought to ask the guy what it was, he had gone.

It looked "kind of" like a Garand, seemed definately a milsurp piece, seemed from WW11 era or so. Large, stock and handguards went up about as far as a Garand. About the size of a Garand.

Semi auto, round op-rod or bolt handle. Fed from strippers through the top, probably 5-8 rounds. Conventional sights.

Fired a rimmed round, cases seemed about as big as a loaded .308, with a gradual taper to at least .30. Ejection was stout, about 20' to the right front.

Any ideas?

 

[Mike Irwin]

Well, the "round op rod or bolt handle" and rimmed round description says to me that it was a Soviet SVT semi-automatic rifle.

Did you notice if it had a box magazine that protruded beneath the body of the rifle?

How about a muzzle brake?

Here's the best picture I found on the web...

See if this rings a bell.

http://www.winterwar.com/Weapons/SuSmallArms/SURifles.htm#SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE M/38 TOKARJEV ( SVT-38 )

 

[CITADELGRAD87]

No, no protruding mag, no conspicuous flash hider or brake, but those Russian ones are pretty small, otherwise they look pretty close.

I don't think the action stuck up from the wrist of the stock so severely, if at all.

Argh! I should have just shouted to the guy, but I was busy running through my first set of reloaded ammo.

 

[SDC]

The only other rifle that I can think of other than the SVT that looks sort of like what you're describing is the FN-49 (also sometimes called the SAFN), but they were chambered for rimless ammo (30-06, 7x57, and 8mm Mauser). They look "Garandish" (but with a stripper-fed box mag), and have a round bolt handle.

 

[James K]

A thought. Are you sure it was semi-auto? The Steyr straight pulls have large round bolt knobs that do not turn down, although they do have protruding magazines.

Jim