Dragunov sniper rifle - Business

Design details br Operating mechanism br The Dragunov is a semi automatic gas operated rifle with a short stroke gas piston system The barrel breech is locked through a rotating bolt left rotation and uses three locking lugs to engage corresponding locking recesses in the barrel extension The rifle has a manual two position gas regulator br After discharging the last cartridge from the magazine the bolt carrier and bolt are held back on a bolt catch that is released by pulling the cocking handle to the rear The rifle has a hammer type striking mechanism and a manual lever safety selector The rifle s receiver is machined to provide additional accuracy and torsional strength The Dragunov s receiver bears a number of similarities to the AK action such as the large dust cover iron sights and lever safety selector but these similarities are primarily cosmetic in nature br Features br The weapon is fed from a curved box magazine with a 10 round capacity and the cartridges are do uble stacked in a checker pattern br The Dragunov s barrel is ended with a slotted flash suppressor The barrel bore is chrome lined for increased corrosion resistance and has 4 right hand grooves with a 320 160 mm 1 12 6 in twist rate The rifled part of the barrel is 547 160 mm 21 5 160 in Later the twist rate was tightened to 240 160 mm 1 9 4 in which slightly reduces the accuracy of fire with sniper cartridges and reduces the muzzle velocity to 810 160 m s 2 657 5 160 ft s This was done in order to facilitate the use of tracer and armor piercing incendiary Ammunition These special bullet types required a shorter twist rate for adequate stabilization br For precision shooting specifically designed sniper cartridges are used developed by V M Sabelnikov P P Sazonov and V M Dvorianinov The proprietary 7N1 load has a steel jacketed projectile with an air pocket a steel core and a lead knocker in the base for maximum terminal effect The 7N 1 was replaced in 1999 by the 7N14 round The 7N14 is a new load developed for the SVD It consists of a 151 grain projectile which travels at the same 830 m s but it has a sharp hardened steel core projectile The rifle can also fire standard 7 62x54mmR Ammunition with either conventional tracer or armor piercing incendiary rounds br The Russian military has established accuracy standards the SVD and its corresponding sniper grade Ammunition have to meet Manufacturers must perform firing tests to check if the rifles and sniper grade Ammunition fulfil these standards To comply to the standards the SVD rifle with 7N1 sniper cartridges may not produce more than 1 24 MOA extreme vertical spread with 240 160 mm twist rate barrels and no more than 1 04 MOA extreme vertical spread with 320 160 mm twist rate barrels When using standard grade 57 N 323S cartridges the accuracy of the SVD is reduced to 2 21 MOA extreme vertical spread The extreme vertical spreads for the SVD are established by shooting 5 shot groups at 300 m range The accuracy of the SVD with sniper grade Ammunition corresponds to the American M24 Sniper Weapon System with M118SB cartridges 1 18 MOA extreme vertical spread and the M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System with M118LR Ammunition 1 27 MOA extreme vertical spread br The Dragunov has a vented two piece wooden handguard gas tube cover and a skeletonized wooden thumbhole stock equipped with a detachable cheek rest the latter is removed when using iron sights Newer production models feature synthetic furniture made of a black polymer the handguard and gas tube cover are more or less identical in appearance while the thumbhole stock is of a different shape br Sights br PSO 1 s unique reticle The rangefinder is in the lower left chevrons for bu llet drop compensation are found in the middle and stadia marks for windage to the left and right of the center reticule This is a Romanian sight the reticule is illuminated by radioactive tritium instead of a small battery powered lamp br PSO 1 scope and carrying case Note the proprietary quick release mounting bracket br The rifle features mechanically adjustable backup iron sights with a sliding tangent rear sight the sight can be adjusted to a maximum range of 1 200 m br The Dragunov is issued with a quick detachable PSO 1 optical sight The PSO 1 sight at a total length of 375 160 mm with a lens cover and sun shade 4x magnification and 6 field of view mounts to a proprietary side rail mount The PSO 1 scope includes a variety of features such as a bullet drop compensation BDC elevation adjustment knob an illuminated rangefinder grid a reticle that enables target acquisition in low light conditions as well as an infrared charging screen that is used as a passive detection system The PSO 1 sight enables targets to be engaged at ranges upwards of 1 300 m effective ranges in combat situations have been stated at between 600 to 1 300 m depending on the nature of the target point or area target quality of Ammunition and skill of the shooter br Several other models of the PSO sight are available with varying levels of magnification and alternative aiming reticules Rifles designated SVDN come equipped with a night sight such as the NSP 3 NSPU PGN 1 NSPUM or the Polish passive PCS 6 and can be used to engage targets at night br Accessories br A number of accessories are provided with the rifle including a blade type bayonet AKM clipped point or the AK 74 spear point bayonet four spare magazines a leather or nylon sling magazine pouch cleaning kit and an accessory maintenance kit for the telescopic sight br Variants br The SVDS variant br Pair of Dragunovs imported to the U S as Tigers Top rifle has cheek pad tw o 10 round magazines and flash suppressor Bottom rifle was marketed as a hunting carbine It has no cheek pad two 5 round magazines and no flash suppressor br In the early 1990s a compact variant of the SVD designed for airborne infantry was introduced known as the SVDS short for Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova Skladnaya Dragunov Sniper Rifle with folding stock which features a tubular metal stock that folds to the right side of the receiver equipped with a synthetic shoulder pad and a fixed cheek riser and a synthetic pistol grip The barrel was also given a heavier profile the receiver housing was strengthened the gas cylinder block was improved and a ported conical flash hider was adopted br The SVDS also comes in a night capable variant designated SVDSN br In 1994 the Russian TsKIB SOO company currently a division of the KBP Instrument Design Bureau developed the SVU sniper rifle short for Snayperskaya Vintovka Ukorochennaya Sniper Rifle Shortened offered to special units of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs MVD br The SVU compared to the SVD has a considerably shorter overall length because of the bullpup layout and shortened barrel that also received a triple baffle muzzle brake with an approx 40 recoil reduction effectiveness The rifle was equipped with folding iron sights rear aperture sight in a rotating drum and the PSO 1 telescopic sight br A variant of the SVU designed with a selective fire capability and using 20 round magazines is called the SVU A A Avtomaticheskaya br In 1998 Poland adopted a modernized variant of the SVD designated the SWD M which uses a heavy barrel bipod mounted to the forearm and LD 6 6x42 telescopic sight br Commercial Variants br The Dragunov also served as the basis for several hunting rifles In 1962 the state armory in Izhevsk developed the edved Bear rifle initially chambered first in the 9x53mm cartridge and later in the 7 62x51mm NATO round for export In the early 1970s Izhevsk introduced the igr Tiger hunting rifle with a fixed thumbhole stock without a cheekpiece and chambered in 7 62x54mmR Russian 7 62x51mm NATO and 9 3x64mm Brenneke They were originally produced individually but since 1992 they have been made serially in batches br Another variant of the SVD is the Iraqi 7 62 160 mm Al Kadesih sniper rifle The Al Kadesih while stylistically very similar to the SVD has some key differences The Al Kadesih has a unique pressed metal receiver which is longer than that of the SVD although the overall length of the rifle is similar to that of the SVD It is fitted for and uses the Soviet era PSO I Optical Sight Further the barrel is pinned rather than screwed to the receiver although it is of the same length as that of the SVD The fore end has four longitudinal slots on each side instead of six short slots Another readily visible distinguishing feature of the Al Kadesih is that the magazine has an ornamental relief pattern showing a stylised palm tree br Deployment br T he Dragunov is an original rifle design for several reasons First it was not meant for highly trained and specialized sniper teams but rather for designated marksmen spread in every basic infantry unit In every platoon of Warsaw Pact troops there was a Dragunov rifle marksman In the DDR Deutsche Demokratische Republik arsenals alone there were almost 2 000 Dragunov rifles while in many Western armies there was not even a single sniper rifle except in special forces units as example in the Italian Army until the 1990s but in Warsaw Pact troop formations the Dragunov marksmen were widespread among the regular units To fulfill this role the rifle is relatively light for a sniper rifle but well balanced making it easier to use in a dynamic battle It also is a semi automatic rifle a rare feature for accuracy orientated rifles in the 1960s except for customized ordnance like M1 Garands to allow rapid fire and quicker engagement of multiple targets In order to fire effective API Ammunition its accuracy potential was slightly downgraded by shortening the twist rate another uncommon priority for a pure sniper rifle Its precision is good but not exceptional also because it has a relatively light barrel profile Like an assault rifle the rifle has mounts on the barrel to fix a bayonet The detachable bayonet of the Chinese version can even be used to cut barbed wire Lastly the rifle was meant to be a relatively cheap mass produced Firearm br These features and unusual characteristics were driven by the tactical use doctrine of Dragunov armed marksman which was from just behind the first line targeting high value targets of opportunity and providing special long distance disrupting and suppressive fire on the battlefield even with sudden close encounters with enemy troops in mind A relatively small number of marksman could assist conventional troops by combating or harassing valu able targets and assets such as enemy key personnel like officers non commissioned officers and radio operators exposed tank commanders designated marksman and snipers machinegun teams anti tank warfare teams etc br Users br A Hungarian soldier takes aim with the SVD br Kazakh soldiers on exercise br A U S Marine receives instruction on the SVD br 160 Afghanistan br 160 Belarus br 160 Bulgaria br 160 China Norinco made copy of the SVD known as the Type 79 Equipped with a 4x magnification optical sight which is a copy of the PSO 1 The rifle has a slightly shorter butt Also produced a modified Type 85 and several other commercial copies of the SVD br 160 Czech Republic br 160 Finland Known as the 7 62 TKIV Dragunov which stands for tarkkuuskivri henkilmaaleja vastaan precision rifle anti personnel purpose br 160 Georgia br 160 Hungary br 160 India Used by Designated Marksmen in the Indian Army built in India under license br 160 Iran Locally produced variant called the Nakhjir Sniper Rifle br 160 Iraq Al Kadesiah made based on SVD and PSL Official Iraqi designation is either Al Qadissiya or Al Gadissiya br 160 Kazakhstan br 160 Kyrgyzstan br 160 Nicaragua br 160 Poland br 160 Romania Built under license br 160 Russian Federation br 160 Soviet Union Entered service with the Soviet Army in 1967 br 160 Tajikistan br 160 Turkey Used by Gendarmerie units of the Turkish Army br 160 Turkmenistan br 160 Ukraine br 160 Uzbekistan br 160 Venezuela Currently being bought for the Army of Venezuela br See also br Mosin Nagant the rifle replaced by the SVD br VSS Vintorez a suppressed sniper rifle also used in limited numbers in Russia br FAMAE FD 200 a Chilean sniper rifle based on the SIG 542 rifle br Puca Semiautomat cu Lunet PSL a Romanian designated marksman sniper rifle that resembles the SVD chambered in 7 62x54mmR br Zastava M76 a Yugoslavian designated marksman sniper rifle that resembles the SVD chambered in 7 92x57mm Mauser br Zastava M91 a Serbian designated marksman sniper rifle that resembles the SVD chambered in 7 62x54mmR br U S Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle used in a similar role br References br Chrome lined Gun barrels br Evgeniy Dragunov Creator of Firepower abstracts from a forthcoming book br in Russian br PSO 1 Manual PDF AR15 com http www ar15 com content manuals pos1 pdf Retrieved October 29 160 br snipersparadise com discussion on the SVD effective range by sniper instructors users br UN judgement dealing with sniping during the Yugoslav wars br DRAGUNOV OPTICS APPLICATIONS br List of DDR weapons br Po Enrico Dragunov RID Magazine June 1997 p 49 52 br a b c Miller David 2001 The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns Salamander Books Ltd ISBN 1 84065 245 4 br a b c d e f g h i j k l Jones Richard D Jane s Infantry Weapons 2009 2010 Jane s Information Group 35 edition January 27 2009 ISBN 978 0710628695 br a b Type 79 85 Sniper Rifle Retrieved on Septem ber 21 2008 br a b 7 62 mm SNIPPING RIFLE Retrieved on September 29 2008 br NDM 86 Retrieved on September 21 2008 br NDM86 Retrieved on September 29 2008 br http www army cz assets files 9334 zbrane_definit pdf br The Finnish Defence Forces 7

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