[royke]

First one of these I have encountered. How common are these? Some people are unhappy with their recent gun/fun show experiences. I cannot complain. I found this M39; a really nice,
matching, 1912 Steyr 7mm Chilean Contract rifle; the nicest .32acp Remington I have seen in a long time; a decent P14; and a M1916 7mm Spanish Mauser.....

 

[Mike O]

Yikes! A super find indeed. Mucho rare M39 for sure.

 

[royke]

Serial number on M39 is 049xx, stamped on barrel and reciever. It has the early tiny CAI
import marking on the right side of the barrel just behind the front sight.

 

[Acutus]

Congratulations! So where's the pics!

 

[royke]

Congratulations! So where's the pics!

I don't have pic ability, sorry.......

 

[Pahtu]

Is your 1940 M39 VKT one of the cut down VKT M91's?

Pahtu.

 

[royke]

Is your 1940 M39 VKT one of the cut down VKT M91's?

Pahtu.

I am not sure how to tell......

 

[Pahtu]

I think the M91's had a different barrel diameter - Those who know much more about these sort o things may chime in here & set me straight

Pahtu.

 

[bones92]

Great find, Roy. Congrats.

 

[toolie]

Congrats Royce. Was that M39 on a private sale table in the back? Saw a rifle that had been parked, and didn't really look it over.

 

[Lemmy]

It seems, that your rifle has a shortened m/91 barrel. VKT did not produce m/39 barrels in 1940.

The first m/39 barrel orders to VKT were placed in 1941 and AseV1 started assembly in 1942. Until that SAKO was the only producer of m/39.

 

[guitarzan]

Somebody, I think it was Ted, turned me on to an easy way to tell if a M-39's barrel was made from a M-91. Take a 91/30 muzzle cover from a cleaning kit and stick it on the muzzle. If it fits, the barrel is from a cut down M-91. If it doesn't fit, the barrel being too big for the muzzle cover, then the barrel was made for a M-39.

 

[bones92]

Since the Finns made plenty of M39's from M91 barrels, I would not let the cut-down aspect bother me a bit. It is in every way a legit 1940 VKT M39.

This has to be one of the first 2 or 3 I've heard of being found.

 

[Pahtu]

"Since the Finns made plenty of M39's from M91 barrels, I would not let the cut-down aspect bother me a bit. It is in every way a legit 1940 VKT M39"

Oh yes, I agree. For sure it would have been bought quickly had I found it at a show! Cut down M91's turned into M39's are interesting! I would love to own a N.E.W. or a Remington M39.....Bill Burns posted a couple of them a few years ago...

Pahtu.

 

[bones92]

Pahtu, agreed. I'd love to find any M39 made from a non-Finn m91.

 

[OU812]

Wow! I would probaly like to see pic's. But I would probaly squirt myself. Congratulations!

 

[royke]

Congrats Royce. Was that M39 on a private sale table in the back? Saw a rifle that had been parked, and didn't really look it over.

That was probably it.......I had to look close to see the date but it is there.....The number
"8" is all that I can read on the tang, a capitol D and the number 26, (each in circles) are stamped on the underside of the reciever between the front of the magazine cut and where
the front action screw fits into the reciever......

 

[AWO425]

There is one way, to find out, if a m/91 was used to make a m/39.
But the diameter of the barrel in front of the sightguard ist NOT the way)
You have to measure the barrel dimeter behind the fornsightguard.
I do not have my rifles here beside me, but some fellows may provide a measurement from a SAKO barrel to compare your VKT to.

Chris

 

[FinnFunster]

40 vkt

Here is a picture of my 40 VKT M39. Serial # 05908. OD behind front sight is about 15.20mm. It would be interesting to see how many more are out there.

 

[wee]

Do you have the straight stock? If so, it's most propably original too. If not, it's propably changed at some point during the arsenal rework. Of course you can always get one later as a spare part, or change it from another rifle.