The SVD Dragunov is a 7.62-mm, self-loading rifle. Due to its reliability and long-range accuracy, it is the standard issue sniper rifle of the Russian Ground Forces. It is also fielded by some Eastern European armies. It was designed by the gunsmith Alexandr Dragunov in 1960, and it was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1963. He used the rotating bolt action mechanism of the AK assault rifle as the baseline for the development of this infantry precision weapon. Thus, it is different from Western armies’ sniper rifles, most of which are bolt-action. “SVD” stands for ‘Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova’.
The SVD basic design has changed little from the original version of 1963. It has only been modified for special missions. Today there are three different variants of this sniper rifle; the SVD, the SVDS, and the OTs03 SVU (bullpup), with the first two models being manufactured by Izmash, and the latter by Tula KBP factory. This Russian sniper rifle is well known in the Western hemisphere as it has been sold to civilians there. All three versions employ the 7.62x54R cartridge, which is a powerful round that imparts the bullet a flat trajectory.
This accurate sniper rifle has been used in many armed conflicts of the Cold War, such as the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1986), the Vietnam War, and the 1970s Angolan Civil War. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the SVD would be used again in the ferocious urban warfare of Kosovo War and the Chechen Wars.
Specifications
Type: sniper rifle
Mechanism: gas-operated piston, semiautomatic
Cartridge: 7.62x54mm
Weight: 4.68 kg
Barrel Length: 56.5 cm (22.3 in)
Effective Range: 1,200 m
Muzzle Velocity: 830 m/s
Magazine: 10-round detachable box
Sights: iron / optical
Below, the SVDS variant of the Dragunov, with folding stock, and the PSO-1 optical sight. The one at the bottom is fitted with a IPN51 night sight.
