AVS-36

Lore & Background

The AVS-36 was designed by Sergei Simonov, who began work on a gas-operated self-loading rifle in 1930. The first prototype was ready in 1931, and a trial batch of an improved design was made three years later. In 1935, a competition between Simonov's design and a rifle by Fedor Tokarev was held; Simonov's rifle won and was accepted into service as the AVS-36. It was first seen in public during the 1938 May Day parade in Moscow, displayed by the 1st Rifle Division. The American public became aware of it through an article in the August 1942 issue of the American Infantry Journal.

Once in service, the AVS-36 proved unsatisfactory. Its operating mechanism was overcomplicated, and the rifle's construction allowed dirt to enter the weapon. It was particular about ammunition quality. The muzzle brake was successful, giving little overall climb, but the intense recoil impulse made the rifle impractical in automatic fire. The magazine was deemed too long. Production was terminated in 1940 after about 34,000 were produced. A new design competition was held, to which Simonov and Tokarev submitted improved designs. In 1938, Tokarev's SVT-38 was also adopted. A politicized dispute erupted in 1939 within the Soviet elite over which design should prevail; Simonov's rifle was lighter and had fewer parts, while Tokarev's was considered sturdier, partly due to firing pin breakages on Simonov's rifle. Stalin ultimately sided with Tokarev, and by a decision of the Defense Committee dated 17 July 1939, mass production concentrated on the SVT-38.

The rifle first saw service in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol and later in the Winter War, but did not perform well. Some problems were caused by incorrect maintenance—many rifles went into combat without being cleaned of storage grease, which froze solid. About 300 AVS-36 examples were captured by the Finns and used by them. After large numbers of more serviceable SVTs were captured, the AVS-36s were largely withdrawn from service. In the Soviet Union, the AVS was quickly marginalized and apparently withdrawn during 1941, though pictures exist of it in service as late as 1944. Remaining AVSs were mostly scrapped. The US Ordnance Corps tested the weapon in the early 1950s, noting that the gas system's sleeve, which moved around the rear sight, loosened the rear sight over time, causing inaccuracy. During the Lebanese Civil War, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party used 60 AVS-36 rifles. Today, the AVS-36 is a rare collector's item; most remaining rifles are in Finland.

Reader's Guide

The AVS-36 holds significance as one of the earliest selective-fire infantry rifles formally adopted for military service, representing an ambitious step in Soviet small arms development. Its design by Sergei Simonov introduced a gas-operated system with a vertical sliding locking block and secondary locking flappers, but the mechanism proved overcomplicated and prone to malfunction, particularly from dirt ingress and ammunition sensitivity. The rifle's muzzle brake was effective in reducing climb, yet the recoil impulse made automatic fire impractical. Production figures are disputed, with official Soviet breakdowns showing 106 made in 1934, 286 in 1935, 10,280 in 1937, and 24,401 in 1938, while an estimated total of 65,800 AVS-36s were manufactured until production stopped in 1940; exact figures for some years are not reported. The rifle's legacy is tied to its failure in service, being quickly marginalized and withdrawn during 1941, though it saw limited use as late as 1944. Its capture by Finnish forces and later testing by the US Ordnance Corps provided additional documentation of its flaws. Simonov later applied his experience to more successful designs, including the PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle and the SKS carbine, which employed a simpler tilting bolt operation. The AVS-36 remains a rare collector's item, with most surviving examples in Finland.

Did You Know?

• About 300 AVS-36 examples were captured by Finnish forces and used by them.
• The US Ordnance Corps tested the AVS-36 in the early 1950s, noting that the gas system loosened the rear sight over time.