Sniper rifle Dragunova has been in service with our country since 1963 and is the second most popular sniper rifle in the world after those created on the basis of the American Remington 700.
Excellent specifications even today, the recognizable appearance and the original sound of the shot made the SVD popular among civilians. It is present in games, books, there are many stories about its accuracy and penetrating power, often with a bit of fiction.
History of creation
In the 50s, the USSR army was rearmed, which required a modern self-loading sniper rifle firing single shots.
E. F. Dragunov, who has been working since 1945 as a senior gunsmith, and is known for creating his sports firearms, in 1962 he began to design his rifle. In parallel, the development was carried out by A. Konstantinov, both designers completed their projects at about the same time, the Dragunov weapon proved to be more accurate in tests and demonstrated greater accuracy of fire.
In 1963, the rifle, called the SVD, was adopted by the Soviet army.
Peculiarities
The future rifle was supposed to fulfill only certain goals and versatility was not required from it, but the goals set were not easily achievable. High reliability was required, implying increased clearances between moving parts, while high accuracy implied as rigid a design as possible with minimal clearances.
Also, heavy weapons have better stability and show higher accuracy when firing, but it was required to create a light rifle.
When creating Dragunov, he used the design of the shutter, which he used in sporting weapons. The bore was closed by a bolt that turned counterclockwise and had two lugs, plus used a cartridge rammer as a third. Such a scheme of work makes the area of the lugs no longer changing the dimensions of the shutter itself, which has a positive effect on the accuracy of fire.
The safety lever not only blocks the trigger, but also locks the bolt carrier, preventing it from moving backwards. The only shooting mode is single. There is a flash hider on the barrel, which protects the barrel from contamination and masks shooting at night.
The magazine contains 10 cartridges of caliber 7.62x54R, ordinary, tracer, armor-piercing-igniting rifle cartridges, 7N1 and 7N14 sniper cartridges, cartridges with JSP and JHP expansive bullets are used.
Specifications, accuracy and accuracy
Thanks to self-loading, produced using the energy of powder gases, the SVD has a good combat rate of fire - up to 30 rounds per minute.
The PSO-1 sight is used, which provides shooting at a distance of up to 1300 meters, however, such shooting is not accurate and makes sense only as a distraction or in the presence of group targets.
The rifling in the barrel when adopted was in increments of 320 mm, later the pitch was reduced to 240 mm, due to which the dispersion of armor-piercing incendiary bullets decreased, but the dispersion of others increased from 8 to 10 cm when firing at a distance of 100 meters.
It is possible to use a specially designed sniper cartridge, which includes a bullet with a steel core, which increases accuracy by 2.5 times.
According to the regulations, the range of a direct shot at a target 30 centimeters high is 350 meters, at a target 50 centimeters high - 430 meters, at a moving target at the speed of a running person 150 centimeters high - 640 meters.
Excellent performance characteristics allow experienced shooters to hit helicopters and planes flying at low speed. In 1989, a Cessna A-37B jet attack aircraft was shot down, and cases of RQ-11 Raven reconnaissance drones are also known.
SIDS
In 1991, the rifle underwent modernization, having received a shortened barrel, improved flame arrester along with a gas outlet assembly, a right-folding stock and a new PSO-1M2 sight.
The modernization was caused by the need to reduce the length of the original weapon, which made it inconvenient to transport it inside military equipment.
SVDK
In 2006, a large-caliber modification 6B9 appeared, designed to destroy targets protected by bulletproof vests inside light equipment or behind cover.
A 9.3 × 64 mm 7N33 cartridge is used, whose bullet has an energy of about 4900 J, which makes it possible to penetrate armor 1 cm thick with an 80% probability at a distance of 100 meters.
Created on the basis of the SVD, however, many nodes have undergone changes in order to adapt the weapon to use a powerful cartridge.
The barrel is partially covered with a perforated steel casing, designed to reduce the load on the forearm and bipod. The buttstock and pistol grip are similar to those used on the SVDS, but the butt pad made of rubber is significantly increased due to the increased recoil when firing. Installed a replaceable flame arrester.
Aiming takes place using the 1P70 Hyperon sight, accuracy when firing at a distance of 300 meters is at the level of 18 centimeters.
SVU
The shortened sniper rifle appeared in the 90s and is used as a sniper weapon used in urban environments. Created on the basis of SVD, but with a bullpup layout, which provides for the removal of the trigger in front of the magazine and percussion mechanism.
There is a silencer on the barrel, which reduces the sound of the shot by 10% relative to the SVD and disperses it to make it impossible to determine the position of the sniper, and also suppresses the muzzle flash.
It is capable of automatic bursts of fire, but this mode is used only in emergency situations due to the high recoil and low-capacity magazine.
conclusions
Despite its impressive age, the rifle remains relevant even today. The successful design makes it an ergonomic and balanced weapon, from which aimed shooting is carried out with convenience, and the rate of fire, reaching 30 rounds per minute, distinguishes it from ordinary sniper rifles.
The Dragunov sniper rifle (caliber 7.62 mm) has been in service since 1963, and there are no plans to replace it with something else yet. Despite the fact that the SVD is already obsolete, it still does an excellent job with its main tasks. However, talk that this rifle should be changed to a new shooting system is heard more and more often.
The Dragunov rifle in terms of prevalence in the world is the second after the clones of the M24 rifles of the American army. The SVD is called legendary - and for good reason, because it is recognized "on the move": a unique profile, a characteristic sound of a shot and excellent technical characteristics. The legends about the penetrating power and accuracy of the rifle are generally innumerable. This rifle has a unique and interesting fate.
History of SVD
The biography of this rifle starts in the 1950s. It was then that the mass rearmament of the Soviet army took place. The development of a new sniper rifle was entrusted to Evgeny Dragunov, a well-known creator of sporting firearms.
During the design of the sniper rifle, the Dragunov design team encountered a lot of difficulties, mostly related to the gaps between the various parts of the rifle. It was necessary to ensure optimal density in order to achieve high accuracy of fire. But large gaps also provide good resistance to dirt and other influences. As a result, the designers came to a reasonable compromise.
The design of the rifle ended in 1962. Dragunov competed in this work with A. Konstantinov, who developed his own sniper rifle. They started at the same time and finished almost at the same time. Both models were subjected to various tests, but the victory was won by the Dragunov weapon, which surpassed the Konstantinov rifle in both accuracy and accuracy. In 1963, the SVD was adopted.
The tasks that were assigned to the sniper rifle were quite specific. This is the destruction of sedentary, moving and stationary targets, which may be in unarmored vehicles or partially hidden behind shelters. The self-loading design significantly increased the combat rate of fire of the weapon.
SVD firing accuracy
The Dragunov sniper rifle has excellent technical characteristics, including very high accuracy for this type of weapon. For the most accurate combat, the optimal barrel rifling pitch is 320 mm. Until the 1970s, the rifle was produced with just such trunks. With the 7N1 sniper cartridge, the accuracy of the battle was 1.04 MOA. This is better than many repeating rifles (a self-loading rifle, all other things being equal, shoots somewhat less accurately than a non-self-loading one). For example, the M24 repeating sniper rifle, adopted by the United States, shows an accuracy of 1.18 MOA when using a sniper cartridge.
But with a cutting step of 320 mm, it is almost impossible to use cartridges with armor-piercing incendiary bullets - in flight they began to tumble and went past the target. In the 1970s, the rifle was given greater versatility by reducing the rifling pitch to 240 mm. After that, the rifle was able to shoot any type of ammunition, but the accuracy characteristics decreased:
- up to 1.24 MOA - firing cartridge 7N1;
- up to 2.21 MOA - when firing with an LPS cartridge.
The Dragunov sniper rifle with a sniper cartridge can hit the following targets with the first shot:
- chest figure - 500 m;
- head - 300 m;
- waist figure - 600 m;
- running figure - 800 m.
The PSO-1 sight is designed for shooting up to 1200 meters, but at such a range you can only fire harassing fire or shoot effectively only at a group target.
TTX rifles
- Caliber SVD - 7.62 mm
- Muzzle velocity - 830 m / s
- Weapon length - 1225 mm
- Rate of fire - 30 shots / min
- The supply of ammunition provides a box magazine (10 rounds)
- Cartridge - 7.62 × 54 mm
- Weight with optical sight and loaded - 4.55 kg
- Barrel length - 620 mm
- Rifling - 4, right direction
- Sighting range– 1300 m
- Effective range - 1300 m.
Design features
SVD is a self-loading rifle. Its automation works on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel of a weapon when fired with the channel locked by 3 lugs by turning the bolt.
The weapon receives ammunition from a detachable box magazine that holds 10 rounds of 7.62x54R.
Shooting from SVD can be carried out:
- rifle cartridges with ordinary, tracer, as well as armor-piercing incendiary bullets;
- sniper cartridges (7N1, 7N14);
- cartridges with expansive bullets of the JSP and JHP brands.
Quite often, the design of the SVD is compared with the design of the AKM, but despite the presence of similar elements, the Degtyarev rifle has characteristic features:
- the gas piston is not rigidly connected to the bolt carrier, which reduces the total weight of the moving parts of the rifle during firing;
- the barrel bore is locked on three lugs (one of them is a rammer) while the bolt is turning;
- shock- trigger mechanism SVD trigger type assembled in one building;
- the safety of the rifle is controlled on the right side of the rifle by a fairly large lever. The fuse blocks the trigger in the on position, including restricting the movement of the bolt frame back, which provides protection during transportation from external contaminants;
- The rifle's flash hider also functions as a muzzle brake-recoil compensator. The flame arrester has five slots;
- the butt and handguard of the weapon were made of plastic (previously made of wood);
- an unregulated cheek rest is attached to the butt.
Sights
Especially for SVD rifles in 1963, the PSO-1 sniper optical sight was developed. This is the main optical sight of the Soviet, as well as Russian sniper weapons.
The design feature of the sight is a rather successful reticle, which allows the sniper to determine the distance, as well as to take the necessary horizontal corrections in the course of firing, without rotating the flywheels. This ensures fast aiming and shooting.
The sight is airtight, it is filled with nitrogen, which eliminates fogging of the optics during temperature changes. It comes with a carrying bag, filters, carrying case, power adapter, power supply and spare bulbs.
PSO-1 is designed to fire at well-camouflaged and small targets. Mounted on a dovetail mount. The illumination of the reticle makes it possible to aim at dusk. It is possible to enter aiming angles based on the distance to the target, including lateral corrections (target movement, wind). PSO-1 is designed for firing up to 1300 meters.
In addition to the optical sight, night sights can be mounted on the rifle. When the optical sight fails, the shooter can perform the task with the help of standard sights, consisting of an adjustable rear sight and a front sight in the front sight.
SIDS modification
In 1991, Izhevsk designers created a modernization of the SVD with a folding stock. SIDS, unlike SVD, has:
- improved flame arrester and gas outlet assembly;
- shorter trunk;
- modified optical sight PSO-1M2.
SVD turned out to be not always convenient when landing troops and when transporting in equipment due to its large length. As a result, a more compact version of the rifle was developed, which did not lose the main combat qualities of its predecessor. This task was entrusted to a team led by A. I. Nesterov. As a result, the SVDS butt began to fold onto the right side of the receiver. When folding the butt, there is no need to remove the optical (or night) sight. The SVDS rifle is equipped with optical (PSO-1M2) and standard open sights.
Video about the Dragunov rifle
SVDK modification
In 2006, the army adopted a large-caliber sniper rifle created bybased on SVDunder 9 mm cartridge. The weapon was designed specifically to defeat the enemy, who is behind an obstacle, has protective equipment(body armor), as well as to destroy light equipment.
According to the device, the SVDK rifle is a further development of the SVD, however, its main components have been modernized and designed for the use of a more powerful cartridge:
- part of the rifle barrel was placed in a special casing;
- the folding metal butt and pistol grip were borrowed from the SVDS sniper rifle, but at the same time, the area of the rubber butt plate was noticeably increased due to stronger recoil during firing.
The SVDK rifle, unlike the SVD, does not provide for the possibility of attaching a bayonet. For better stability when firing a powerful 9-mm cartridge, the weapon is equipped with a bipod. SVDK, like the SVD rifle, in addition to the special 1P70 Hyperon optical sight, also has an open sight.
Dragunov rifle in action
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Snipers with SVDS rifle. Compilation-3SIDS (index GRAU-6V3)- Russian self-loading sniper rifle, created in 1991. SIDS is one of the modernization of the SVD rifle for the needs of the Russian Airborne Forces, who wanted to get a more compact SVD rifle to perform their combat missions. The rifle was adopted by the Russian army in 1995. The abbreviation SVDS stands for Folding Dragunov Sniper Rifle..
History of creation
The problem of the SVD rifle for paratroopers was its long dimensions, which created many problems when landing or transporting in armored vehicles due to their limited space. The problem of transporting SVD in armored vehicles became more acute during the 1979-1989 war in Afghanistan, after which the GAU gave the task of creating a shortened SVD rifle. Two design bureaus undertook to create a new rifle. Initially, two modifications were created SIDS: SIDS-A And SVDS-D. SVDS-A-"army" a shortened SVD rifle had a 620 mm long barrel. The second version of the rifle SVDS-D - "landing" had a barrel length of 590 mm. As a result, it was decided to stop only on the name SIDS, and reduce the barrel length to 565 mm (for a standard rifle, the barrel length is 620 mm). The modernization of the rifle was originally led by its creator, Evgeny Fedorovich Dragunov, but due to age and illness, he was unable to complete the modernization of the rifle. Azariy Ivanovich Nesterov, who had 40 years of experience in the design of small arms, was entrusted with finishing work on the modernization of the rifle.
When upgrading the SVD rifle, it was decided to reduce the size of the rifle by installing a folding stock and reducing the size of the barrel. To solve such problems, it was decided to increase the thickness of the barrel, reduce the size of the barrel and flame arrester. Increasing the thickness of the barrel solved the problem of barrel oscillations, reducing heating, which positively affects the accuracy of fire. The regular butt was replaced with a folding tubular butt, which folded on right side and a pistol grip. The creation of a folding butt turned out to be the most challenging task even though it seems simple. The butt had to be washed, so ideally that there would be no backlash before and after the shot, since the backlash significantly reduces accuracy during firing. On the butt there is a non-removable "cheek", which is fixed in position for firing from an optical or mechanical sight. The butt end is made of polyamide. During the modernization, the receiver underwent a change, since it was necessary to place a folding butt mount. In addition, the body of the trigger and the trigger mechanism have undergone a change. To simplify construction and maintenance, the gas regulator has been eliminated, although options with a regulator are available. The barrel does not provide a mount for a bayonet-knife; it is abolished as an archaism.
Automation
Automation SIDS works by removing part of the powder gases from the bore. The exhausted gases press on a long-stroke piston, which pushes the bolt to complete a new recharge cycle. During the rollback, the barrel is unlocked and the sleeve is extracted. When the barrel rolls back, the trigger is cocked and the mainspring is compressed, which pushes the bolt to its original firing position; when it returns, the bolt captures and sends a new cartridge into the barrel bore. The cartridge is locked by turning the combat larva by the ledges of the receiver. USM trigger type. The piston rod does not have a rigid fastening with a shutter, plus a relatively long shutter stroke - increase the reload time (by a fraction of a second). Increasing the reload time reduces recoil and does less damage to the cartridge when it is sent into the barrel, which has a positive effect on the accuracy of fire. The introduction of fire is provided only semi-automatic (single). The rifle is powered by 10-round metal box magazines. For aiming from a rifle, you can install various optical sights using the dovetail mount; if the optical sight malfunctions, you can use a mechanical sight. The safety of the rifle is provided by a safety lever that blocks the movement of the bolt and trigger.
SVDS rifle is a continuation of the SVD rifle, retaining all its main qualities: high reliability, ease of maintenance, good performance characteristics for self-loading rifles. The rifle is distinguished by an affordable price and its conveyor production. SIDS Designed for armament of medium-trained army personnel. The rifle is designed for firing at a distance of up to 1300 meters, the effective range is 800 meters. The declared target range of 1300 meters is possible when firing at group targets or conducting "harassing fire" so that the enemy does not stick his head out of cover. The rifle is widely used in the Russian Army.
| Number of shots | 10 rounds |
| barrel caliber | 7.62x54 mm, 565 mm barrel length |
| combat rate of fire | 30 shots per minute |
| Maximum rate of fire | no data |
| Sighting range | 1300 meters |
| Maximum firing range | 3800 meters |
| Effective Shooting | 600 meters |
| Initial departure speed | 810 m/s |
| Automation | gas outlet, locking by turning the latch |
| Weight | 4.2 kg dry + 0.6 kg sight + 0.2 kg magazine with cartridges |
| bullet energy | 3500 J |
| Dimensions | 1135 mm unfolded, 875 mm folded |
SVD - Dragunov sniper rifle 7.62 mm (GRAU index - 6V1) - a self-loading sniper rifle developed in 1957-1963 by a group of designers led by Evgeny Dragunov and put into service Soviet army July 3, 1963, together with the PSO-1 optical sight.
SVD sniper rifle - video
Ammunition and equipment
For firing from the SVD, rifle cartridges 7.62 × 54 mm R with ordinary, tracer and armor-piercing incendiary bullets, 7N1 sniper cartridges, 7N14 armor-piercing sniper cartridges are used; can also fire JHP and JSP expansion bullets. The fire from the SVD is carried out by single shots. The supply of cartridges during firing is carried out from a box magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds. A flame arrester with five longitudinal slots is attached to the muzzle of the barrel, which masks the shot and protects the barrel from contamination. The presence of a gas regulator to change the recoil speed of moving parts ensures the reliability of the rifle in operation.
A small-scale tactical suppressor-flame suppressor, known as TGP-V, was produced for the SVD, developed by NPO Spetsialnaya Tekhnika i Svyaz, mounted on top of a regular flame suppressor, but its effectiveness was quite controversial.
Operating principle
When fired, part of the powder gases following the bullet rushes through the gas outlet in the barrel wall into the gas chamber, presses on the front wall of the gas piston and throws the piston with the pusher, and with them the bolt carrier to the rear position.
When the bolt frame moves back, the bolt opens the bore, removes the sleeve from the chamber and throws it out of the receiver, and the bolt frame compresses the return spring and cocks the trigger (puts it on the self-timer cocking).
The bolt frame with the bolt returns to the forward position under the action of the return mechanism, while the bolt sends the next cartridge from the magazine to the chamber and closes the barrel bore, and the bolt frame removes the self-timer sear from under the self-timer platoon of the trigger and the trigger becomes cocked. The shutter is locked by turning it to the left and entering the lugs of the shutter into the cutouts of the receiver.
SVD with plastic stock and fore-end, optical sight PSO-1
To fire another shot, release the trigger and pull it again. After the trigger is released, the rod moves forward and its hook jumps behind the sear, and when the trigger is pressed, the rod hook turns the sear and disconnects it from the cocking of the trigger. The trigger, turning on its axis under the action of the mainspring, strikes the striker, and the latter moves forward and pricks the primer-igniter of the cartridge. There is a shot.
When the last cartridge is fired, when the bolt moves back, the magazine feeder raises the bolt stop, the bolt rests against it and the bolt frame stops in the rear position. This is the signal to reload the rifle.
SVD with a wooden butt
Accuracy and Accuracy
When the SVD was put into service, there was no sniper cartridge for it yet, therefore, in accordance with the “Manual on Shooting”, the accuracy of the rifle battle is checked by firing conventional cartridges with steel-core bullets and is considered normal if, when firing four shots from a prone position at a distance 100 m, all four holes fit in a circle with a diameter of 8 cm.
In 1967, the 7N1 sniper cartridge was adopted. When firing with this cartridge, the dispersion is (depending on the rifling pitch) no more than 10-12 cm at a distance of 300 m.
Initially, the SVD was produced with a barrel rifling pitch of 320 mm, similar to sports weapons and providing the best accuracy of fire. However, with such a step, the dispersion of B-32 armor-piercing incendiary bullets is doubled. As a result, in 1975, it was decided to change the rifling pitch to 240 mm, which worsened the accuracy of fire by 25% (when firing conventional cartridges at a distance of 100 m, the allowable diameter of the hitting circle increased from 8 cm to 10 cm).
Interestingly, the last updated edition of the Manual on Shooting for the SVD was published in 1967. All subsequent editions - 1971, 1976 and 1984 were stereotypical copies of the 1967 edition. Therefore, in the "Manual" nothing is said about either the sniper cartridge or the change in the rifling pitch.
Direct shot range is:
- according to the head figure, 30 cm high - 350 m,
- according to the chest figure, 50 cm high - 430 m,
- according to the running figure, 150 cm high - 640 m.
The PSO-1 sight is designed for shooting up to 1300 meters. It is generally believed that at such a range it is possible to shoot effectively only at a group target, or to conduct harassing fire. However, in 1985 in Afghanistan, sniper Vladimir Ilyin killed a dushman from a distance of 1350 meters. This is a record not only for SVD, but for 7.62 mm rifles in general.
Incomplete disassembly of the SVD
1 - barrel with receiver, sights and butt; 2 - bolt carrier; 3 - shutter; 4 - cover of the receiver with a return mechanism; 5 - trigger mechanism; 6 - fuse; 7 - gas tube; 8 – gas regulator; 9 - gas piston; 10 - pusher; 11 – pusher spring; 12 - forearm pads; 13 - shop.
The main difficulty when shooting at long ranges are errors in preparing the initial data for shooting (this is true for all sniper rifles). At a distance of 600 meters, the median error in height (in determining the range equal to 0.1% of the range) is 63 cm, the median error in the lateral direction (determining the crosswind speed equal to 1.5 m / s) is 43 cm. For comparison, the median deviation of the dispersion of bullets for the best snipers for 600 m is 9.4 cm in height, 8.8 cm in the side.
There is a known case when a soldier of the FMLN partisan detachment managed to shoot down a jet attack aircraft of the El Salvador Air Force with a shot from the SVD. It happened on November 12, 1989 near the village of San Miguel. The Cessna A-37B attacking aircraft successfully fit into the sight and was hit (later a lucky sniper said that he was aiming at the cockpit). The bullet hit the pilot, after which the plane lost control and crashed. Iraqi militants used the SVD in a similar way, declaring the destruction of RQ-11 Raven small reconnaissance UAVs by fire from sniper rifles.
SVDS - a variant of SVD for airborne troops with folding butt and shortened
Options
SVDS - a variant of the SVD for airborne troops with a folding butt and a shortened but thickened barrel; created in 1991, put into service in 1995.
SVU - a variant of the SVD with a bullpup layout.
SVDK - a large-caliber version of the SVD chambered for 9.3 × 64 mm with a folding stock similar to that of the SVDS.
TSV-1 is a training rifle chambered for .22 Long Rifle, developed by Evgeny Dragunov for initial education snipers. In fact, an independent weapon, only repeating in general terms appearance SVD.
SVDM - added Picatinny rail on the receiver cover. Removable bipods.
The performance characteristics of the SVD
– Adopted: 1963
- Constructor: Dragunov, Evgeny Fedorovich
- Designed: 1958-1963
- Manufacturer: Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant
SVD weight
- 4.3 kg (SVD, early release, without a bayonet-knife, with an optical sight, an empty magazine and a butt cheek)
- 4.5 kg (SVD, modern version, without a bayonet-knife, with an optical sight, an empty magazine and a butt cheek)
- 4.68 kg (SVDS with an optical sight and an unloaded magazine)
- 0.21 kg (magazine)
- 0.26 kg (bayonet-knife without scabbard)
- 0.58 kg (Sight PSO-1)
SVD dimensions
- Length, mm: 1225 (SVD without bayonet-knife); 1370 (SVD with bayonet-knife); 1135/875 (SVDS with unfolded/folded stock)
- Barrel length, mm: 620 (SVD, total); 547 (SVD, rifled part); 565 (SIDS)
– Width, mm: 88
– Height, mm: 230
Cartridge SVD
- 7.62×54 mm R
Caliber SVD
Rate of fire SVD
- 30 shots / min (combat)
SVD bullet speed
- 830 m / s (SVD); 810 m/s (SIDS)
SVD target range
- 1200 m (open sight); 1300 m (optical sight); 300 m (NSPUM and NSPU-3 night sights)
SVD magazine capacity
- 10-round box magazine
Maximum range
- 1300 (sighting); 3800 (lethal action of a bullet)
Work principles: Butterfly valve, removal of powder gases
Aim: open sector (reserve), sighting line length - 587 mm, there is a mount for installing optical (for example, PSO-1) or night (for example, NSPU-3 or NSPUM) sights
Photo SVD
SVD stands for Dragunov Sniper Rifle.. In the army of the USSR and the Russian Federation, it passes under the GAU-6V1 index. The rifle is designed according to the cartridge 7.62x54R mm and has gas automatics. The development of the rifle from 1958 to 1963 was carried out by the team of the Izhevsk Design Bureau "Target Sporting Weapons" under the leadership of Evgeny Fedorovich Dragunov. The rifle was adopted by the Soviet Army on July 3, 1963.
After WWII, tactics and warfare became different, which required new weapons for snipers. In this connection, the Main Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense gave the task to create self-loading rifle chambered for 7.62x54 mm. E.F. presented samples of his rifles. Dragunov, S.G. Simonov, M.T. Kalashnikov and A.S. Konstantinov. The new rifle was supposed to replace the SVT-40 and Mosin sniper rifles, as they did not have a sufficient rate of fire and accuracy of battle. SVD it also had to replace the SKS carbine under an intermediate cartridge, since the carbine could not fully replace the sniper rifle, and the melee weapon was already replacing the AK-47. The problem of all rifles was the creation of a sniper rifle with automatics, since automatics negatively affect many characteristics when shooting, as there is recoil from the bolt, loss of power when part of the powder gases are removed. After competitive field tests in 1959, in terms of accuracy, a sample of the SSV-58 rifle designed by E.F. Dragunov was sent for further improvement. In 1963, Dragunov introduced a modified version of his OSV-61 rifle. After comparative tests with the Konstantinov rifle, the rifle " 7.62 mm Dragunov sniper rifle - SVD. In fact, the army received an intermediate version of the rifle, between the "sniper" and "combat" rifles.
Ammunition
To fire from SVD rifle cartridges 7.62x54 mm R are used. The range of cartridges for SVD is quite wide: tracer, armor-piercing, armor-piercing incendiary, expansive, simple, etc. Shooting out SVD provides only a single fire, a box magazine for 10 rounds is used to supply cartridges. The advantage of this ammunition during the battle is its prevalence, since it is in every tank or armored personnel carrier or PKM machine gunner.
Automation
Dragunov sniper rifle has a gas outlet. During the shot, part of the powder gases from the bore enter the gas chamber in which the piston is located. Powder gases press on the piston, as a result of which the bolt frame is pushed to the rear position and compresses the return spring, cocks the trigger, when returning to the firing position, the bolt snatches a new cartridge and sends it into the chamber. After shooting all the cartridges from the magazine, the bolt stops in the rear position, which makes it clear to the fighter that the rifle needs to be reloaded. At the end of the barrel there is a muzzle brake-flash suppressor to reduce recoil, reduce recoil and protect the bore from dirt. You can also attach a knife bayonet to the rifle for hand-to-hand combat. Most likely, the bayonet-knife became an attribute after the Second World War from the Mosin rifle with its bayonet, it is doubtful that it will be used in battle SVD as a melee weapon.
Often automatic SVD compared with AK-47 automatics, since both have gas exhaust automatics, rotary locking of the cartridge in the barrel, a similar shutter shape, UDS mechanism. But SVD designed to perform other tasks, for this reason, automation SVD compared to the AK-47, it has longer reload cycles, which reduces recoil and increases the smoothness of the mechanism. The piston with the shutter are not a single unit. The gas outlet unit has a powder gas outlet regulator to adjust the operation of the shutter depending on the ammunition and the contamination of the barrel. The safety of the rifle is provided by a safety lever on the right side.
Target range.
The standard sight for the Dragunov sniper rifle is the PSO-1 sight, which is designed for shooting up to 1300 meters. It is generally accepted that shooting at such a distance is possible at group targets or for conducting intimidating fire. With the POS-1 sight in Afghanistan, Vladimir Ilyin managed to hit the enemy at a distance of 1350 meters, which for SVD is a record, as well as rifles with a caliber of 7.62 mm. In reality, a rifle can fire effectively at 600-700 meters.
Accuracy standard for SVD there was shooting at a target at a distance of 100 meters with four cartridges with a steel core, if the spread of hits was 8 cm, then the accuracy was considered normal. In 1967, while shooting from a rifle SVD began to use the 7N1 sniper cartridge. When firing at 300 meters, holes from the 7N1 cartridge were placed in a circle of 10-12 cm.
First SVD produced with a rifling of the barrel 320 mm, like in sporting rifles, which provided excellent accuracy of fire. But with the same rifling pitch, the B-32 armor-piercing incendiary cartridges had poor accuracy, and therefore in 1975 it was decided to produce rifles SVD with a rifling pitch of 240 mm to increase the accuracy of the B-32 cartridges, which negatively affected the accuracy for simple cartridges, the accuracy increased from 8 cm to 10 cm when firing at 100 meters.
For firing there is a mechanical sight. It is possible to install night sights NSPUM and NSPU-3 with the ability to conduct aimed fire at night at 300 meters. There is an opinion that SVD obsolete, but this can be refuted by the fact that the rifle is intended for company snipers "the first step of a sniper", these snipers are not trained in long-range shooting, and when shooting at long distances there are other rifles for such tasks, the second point is a weak PSO-1 for such distances.
Sighting range of a direct shot:
- according to the head figure, target size 30 cm-350 meters,
- according to the chest figure, target size 50 cm-430 meters,
- according to the running figure, the size of the target is 150 cm-640 meters.
To improve convenience SVD has an orthopedic buttstock with a handle in a wooden box, later the stocks were made of anti-nuclear plastic.
On the basis of the SVD rifle were created:
- SVDS is a variant of the SVD with a folding butt and a shortened barrel, the rifle is designed for airborne troops, created in 1991, in 1995 it was adopted by the Russian army.
- -SVU-version of the bullpup SVD, the bolt mechanism with the magazine is up to the handle with the trigger.
- -SVDK-SVD designed for 9.3x64 mm cartridge
- -TSV-1-SVD "Small" chambered for 5.6x15.6 mm
- -SVDM-modified version of SVD. Added picatinny rail removable bipod.
- -SVU-AS-short, automatic, with bipod. Appeared in the early 1990s
The rifle is in service not only with the countries of the former USSR, but also with many countries in Europe and Asia. Produced/moose in Yugoslavia, China, Romania, India.
SVD fully fulfills its tasks for army units, when fighters can fire secondary training and are almost always included in reconnaissance units or DRGs. High reliability and simplicity explain its popularity all over the world and its practical use during major military conflicts. Among the shortcomings of the rifle, its PSO-1 sight can be distinguished, since it has only a 4-fold increase.
| Number of shots | 10 rounds |
| barrel caliber | 7.62x54 mm |
| combat rate of fire | 30 shots per minute |
| Maximum rate of fire | no data |
| Sighting range | 1300 meters |
| Maximum firing range | 3800 meters |
| Effective Shooting | 600 meters |
| Initial departure speed | 830 m/s |
| Automation | gas outlet |
| Weight | 4.5 kg dry + 0.6 kg sight + 0.2 kg magazine with cartridges |
| bullet energy | 3500 J |
| Dimensions | 1225 mm |
