Author Topic: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV  (Read 2860 times)

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Offline 100Acre

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SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« on: January 13, 2019, 03:50:27 PM »
Is one any better than the other? I'm curious as to wether an SVT 40 is a better rifle or investment over a PSL Draganov rifle. I know someone that has a PSL but won't sell it for less than $2500 because he says that's what they're selling for. I checked GBer's past sales and no PSL has exceeded $2000. Is any one more collectable than the other, or because the PSL's are newer, they might be more technologically better? I dunno. I am thinking the SVT's are more collectable because of their age and history, but with the Russian import ban, I'm thinking the PSL's may be in short supply as well? I'd like to have a PSL again. I had one a long time ago but sold it because every time you fired it the whole scope would fall off. I have some SVT's and would like to round out my collection with a PSL. I even offered him a M44 thrown in to sweeten the deal and he still said no. Anyway, thanks for your feedback.

Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2019, 04:27:04 PM »
One disadvantage to a PSL is no heavy ball ammo, you can beat the rear trunnion out of it, the SVT can be adjusted for it, provided the gas system in in good shape. Also there is not any real war history to the PSL like the aura and history of an SVT.  However, from a shooters opinion PSL is alot easier to deal with in cleaning and I would go for a better scope, the factory LPS 4x leaves a little to be desired for playing with targets.

Lately... PSLs have really increased, I bought one back in '07 for less than 700 bucks. Would I trade a SVT for a PSL... That's a tough one... If your a collector, keep the SVT.... If you want to hammer targets and shoot alot, go for the PSL. SVTs are fun to shoot....but I hate to clean the many little pieces and parts afterward, and it would really suck to break a part, so my SVT is a look at, pretty rifle. The PSL, I will happily shoot, it's just a big arse AK.
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline 100Acre

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2019, 06:36:34 PM »
I all of a sudden have 9 SVT's. I haven't shot any of them. I'd like to maybe get a good shooter or 2 PSL's but from what I'm seeing, they're priced similarly. It'd be nice to find someone who wants to do some trading. I've spent way too much money lately.

Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2019, 06:48:44 PM »
Money :o Lord knows I could have bought a few new cars over the past 15years or so,  nea1 cars are over rated and lose value.. I have a Honda and an Acura and try to break them... Besides.... Ya can't take it with you. Well I guess you could line your coffin with it or something rofl
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline 100Acre

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2019, 07:25:17 PM »
I'm on another forum Called hondasxs. We're into Side by sides and crazy backcountry trail riding. I have a Honda pioneer 500. T's waaaay too small for me. Like a Wee clown car for my 6'9" frame. I could've bought a Pioneer 1000 which is the model I need, but I done gone an spent all the money on collectable firearms instead. I can make do with the 500 for now and it was easier to spend the money in smaller increments on fire arms, than all at once on a new Pioneer 1000. Plus with the release of the new Honda Talon, I figured many folks would be dumping their 1000's on the market to buy the new toy, AND collectable firearms typically don't decrease in value like cars and side be side/ATV's. Even if it is a Honda.

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2019, 08:26:31 PM »
Short version. Basically I agree with GM (scary, I know)  rofl


Long Version

SVT-40: It has the history of extensive usage in WWII. They were meant to be a standard issue squad rifle but production wasn't high enough to issue one to every soldier. Originally also meant to be a scoped DMR, like the PSL. Their tendency to be inconsistent from the first 1-2 cold shots to the remainder of the magazine dampened that role. They were effective enough that the Germans borrowed heavily from the design to field the G43/K43s. The SVT-40s are mostly selling for $1600-2000 now, depending on condition, matching numbers (usually force-matched during refurb), etc. Nearly all of the examples imported from the former Soviet Union are refurbs. Finn [SA] marked examples fetch a few extra $ depending on the buyer. In general, I expect their value to climb faster than PSLs, that are of course still being made.

PSL: It's a cool rifle with recent history of interest to Americans, due to its use by various local armies and militias in Iraq and elsewhere in those hot spots. I suspect 30 years from now these will have similar desirability to the next generation of collectors, like  the weapons of the Vietnam War are revered by the current generation of collectors. The difference is that the PSLs we have in the US will NOT have been there and done that like our Vietnam SKSs, Type 53 Mosins, etc. The PSLs are mostly new production for export to the US or built from Romanian parts kits in the US and our servicemen serving in the sandbox can't bring BFPU examples home like they could from Indochina.

I recently picked up a NIB (2018 Cugir manufacture) PSL with a Russian lighted reticle PSO-1 4x scope (Novosibirsk) for $1840 + tax from my LGS. It is definitely simple to break down and clean, like the AK from which it was spawned. Market rate seems to be around 2K except for Classic (bend over the barrel) Firearms, who want $2.9K banghead1

Was it worth 2K? I don't know. I guess it was to me. I have my reasons for jumping on it now. Good shop, good relationship building. WA laws on semiautomatics kick into effect on 7/1/19 that accelerated my desire to add one to the collection (we can still buy them, just more strings and another $25 fee. Discussion for a different thread in a different sub-forum). I'm definitely looking forward to getting it out and sighted in and smacking the 200-450 yd gongs at the range. See if it can shoot 1.5-2 moa, which seems to be what they are known for, i.e., not a sniper rifle but a DMR.

PS, the PSL isn't a Dragunov, which is a Russian design (by Yevgeny Dragunov) that is not an AK derivative. The PSL is a direct AK derivative with an RPK style 1.5mm thick receiver, beefed up trunnions, and beefed up bolt and bolt carrier modified to shoot 7.62x54R.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2019, 08:31:22 PM by Phosphorus32 »

Offline 100Acre

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2019, 08:53:27 PM »
Thanks , that was very enlightening. Maybe I'll just hold onto these SVT's a little longer. I do like the idea of a slightly newer 54r firing gun like the PSL though. I think I just need to take these SVT'S to the range and play. It can't hurt having 9 of them I guess just like my newly acquired 8 russian sks's. A boatload of Mosins and a partridge in a pear tree.....

Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2019, 09:38:21 PM »
You might be able to get or find a Vepr in x54r a little less than a PSL.
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline 100Acre

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2019, 10:47:08 PM »
You might be able to get or find a Vepr in x54r a little less than a PSL.
I'm not familiar with the Vepr. I'll look into it and thanks -OH Monkey of Great and Glorious Grease Injections. May your bullets fly forever forward.

Offline 100Acre

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2019, 10:59:49 PM »
I checked Guber and legslist for Vepr in 54r and only found two. One at $2200 and the other at $3500 with no past sales references on Guber at all, only magazine sales.

Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2019, 01:06:25 AM »

PS, the PSL isn't a Dragunov, which is a Russian design (by Yevgeny Dragunov) that is not an AK derivative. The PSL is a direct AK derivative with an RPK style 1.5mm thick receiver, beefed up trunnions, and beefed up bolt and bolt carrier modified to shoot 7.62x54R.

You can see the family resemblance..  chuckles1



One down side I find with the PSL... it's great, fun, fairly accurate for what it is and you can touch stuff off in the distance that a regular Ak can only dream about touching, but, it has a weakness... you heat it up and it strings shots due to the large cartridge and relatively thin pencil barrel. It's great to shoot it in moderation......slow shooting.

I checked Guber and legslist for Vepr in 54r and only found two. One at $2200 and the other at $3500 with no past sales references on Guber at all, only magazine sales.
:o  Geeze... all any one makes any more is dinky Aks.. No .308, 7.62x54r, 8mm.... I've seen 2 Veprs locally recently, they ran about $1350, thats why I bought it up, I haven't been watching prices on them.....too much other junk interests me  chuckles1
« Last Edit: January 14, 2019, 01:20:05 AM by Greasemonkey »
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2019, 08:05:29 AM »
I checked Guber and legslist for Vepr in 54r and only found two. One at $2200 and the other at $3500 with no past sales references on Guber at all, only magazine sales.

Do an advanced search and check completed sales if you want to see what they’re selling for, instead of what people are asking. Since Molot acted as an agent for the sanctioned Russian arms makers and got themselves added to the sanctions list for their trouble, VEPRs stopped getting imported to the US and prices have definitely gone up.

Offline 100Acre

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Re: SVT 40 VS PSL DRAGANOV
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2019, 09:53:33 AM »
Thanks, I did check the past completed sales. Not looking too promising as of yet.