Greetings everyone and happy Easter!

I just thought I'd write to see if people here could help me troubleshoot towards finding the precise cause and cure of extraction/ejection issues with my 1941 Tula SVT40 refurb.

I took the rifle out once about a year ago and had no luck getting it to extract without a mallet. At the time I discovered that my initial cleaning of the rifle still needed to get at the cosmolineicon in the chamber flutes, so I did a much more thorough cleaning and put her away. I should note that cleaning her out really chewed up the wires at the end of my Garandicon combo tool, so do keep that in mind if you clean the chamber with a brush!

I took the rifle out again two weekends ago and had some progress. We figured that the rifle would partially extract and then slam the fired case back into the chamber, which then needed to be tapped out. After a while, we found that the rifle would extract to the point where the front of the case would catch against the edge of the chamber and hold the action open (kind of like a stovepipe except that the case was facing down the length of the receiver). The progress went so far as two or three proper extractions, but that was out of maybe 40-50 rounds fired.

The ammunition used was laquered Czechicon silvertip, five rounds of some copper-washed surplus ball that a friend was shooting, and two rounds of Sellier and Bellot 180gr SP, the latter two types fired to see if they'd make any difference. There was no noticable difference between the results with brass or laquered cases and no sign of burrs in the chamber. The springs operating the bolt and gas system weren't stiff, and the gas settings used were 1.5 (initially) and 1.7 (the latter giving the 2-3 positive extractions). In the process of shooting, I did learn of the importance of tightly locking the gas system in place and properly aligning the gas ajustment setting, so those issues could be eliminated as the reason for my problems.

So what gives? Clean chamber, different ammos, properly tightened gas system at higher settings and yet I still couldn't get consistent extraction, turning it inot a slow single shot with a mallet or wood to open the action. At least the gun showed some suprprising accuracy despite the having to bring out the mallet between shots, and notwithstanding a dark bore with strong rifling.

I should add that I was at the range with a friend who regularly rebuilds numerous Chinese M14s, ARs and other rifles, who though not an expert on Sovieticon firearms he was able to walk me through much troubleshooting and observation of what the rifle was doing. All he could see as a cure would be to open up the highest gas setting, though imagining the scacity of that part, and wanting to get the rifle working at its regular gas setting I am at a loss as to what to do. Can anyone here advise?

The rifle seemed like a great buy (about $300 out the door at Epps) and it looks like it will be accurate enough (at least 2-3 MOA with suprlus ammo) once I get get her shooting normally. It feels pretty good in the hand and might become my favourite shooter once the bugs are worked out.

Please help....I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,

Frank
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