Dragunov SVD

[rastamanila 313]

Can I get any reactions from Dragunov SVD owners? Is it true that IZHMASH manufactures them too? I'm going to inquire at my dealer if they can get me a NIB one.

Edited July 27, 2009 by rastamanila

[sudaevpps43 31]

Can I get any reactions from Dragunov SVD owners? Is it true that IZHMASH manufactures them too? I'm going to inquire at my dealer if they can get me a NIB one.

 

Yes Izhmash makes the SVD ( http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/svd.shtml ). Unfortunately you won't find many U.S. SVD owners. Only about 100 authentic Izhmash military pattern SVDs were imported into the U.S. before their importation was stopped in the mid 1990s, due to a mutal agreement the U.S. signed with Russia during the Yeltsin era. There were some other Dragunov pattern rifles, the Tigrs and the NDM-86s, imported into the U.S. up until the mid-1990s as well. I've never been able to find any source that knows exactly how many Tigrs and NDM-86s were imported into the U.S., but the estimate I've heard is about 2500 Tigrs and about 1500-2000 NDM-86s, so even if the Tigrs and NDM-86s are included into the overall total, in the grand scheme of things there still really aren't that many Dragunov pattern rifles here in circulation in the U.S. (remember there are tens of milions of firearm owners in the U.S.). I have never seen let alone fired an SVD myself, so I can't say anything about how they shoot, but some who do own them have have posted range reports over on Dragunov.net ( http://www.dragunov.net/range_reports.html ) and Rusmilitary (see the bottom of this webpage http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/firearms_svd.htm ).

Edited July 28, 2009 by Frogfoot

[vbrtrmn 167]

PSL's are easier to find if you're not too picky, a buddy has one and loves it.

 

I've heard that SVDs are nice and fun to shoot, I've never seen on in person. There's on on GunBroker for $4100, item number 135338714.

 

A lot of the 7.62x54R ammo out there is steel core and a lot of ranges have banned firing it.

[sudaevpps43 31]

......A lot of the 7.62x54R ammo out there is steel core and a lot of ranges have banned firing it.

 

True, but rastamanila isn't in the U.S., so that may not even be an issue for him.

[jama555us 1]

Can I get any reactions from Dragunov SVD owners? Is it true that IZHMASH manufactures them too? I'm going to inquire at my dealer if they can get me a NIB one.

 

Yes Izhmash makes the SVD ( http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/product/svd.shtml ). Unfortunately you won't find many U.S. SVD owners. Only about 100 authentic Izhmash military pattern SVDs were imported into the U.S. before their importation was stopped in the mid 1990s, due to a mutal agreement the U.S. signed with Russia during the Yeltsin era. There were some other Dragunov pattern rifles, the Tigrs and the NDM-86s, imported into the U.S. up until the mid-1990s as well. I've never been able to find any source that knows exactly how many Tigrs and NDM-86s were imported into the U.S., but the estimate I've heard is about 2500 Tigrs and about 1500-2000 NDM-86s, so even if the Tigrs and NDM-86s are included into the overall total, in the grand scheme of things there still really aren't that many Dragunov pattern rifles here in circulation in the U.S. (remember there are tens of milions of firearm owners in the U.S.). I have never seen let alone fired an SVD myself, so I can't say anything about how they shoot, but some who do own them have have posted range reports over on Dragunov.net ( http://www.dragunov.net/range_reports.html ) and Rusmilitary (see the bottom of this webpage http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/firearms_svd.htm ).

Hi. Could not resist replying to this post. I once was a proud owner of a Chinese NDM-86, in .308, and a Romanian paratrooper, Romak III. Here is a site that will tell you everything you want to know. My Romak III was a kit gun, with a shortened barrel, but still fun to shoot. Kicked lick a horse. My NDM was not one of the recalls with the firing pin issue safety. I loved both of them but sold them both to a guy at a very fair price. The NDM-86 is very accurate, open sites, has a great trigger, and is just cool. However, only 2000 were ever made, and 1000 were every imported to the USA. Parts are next to impossible to get, and if you do find them, they are ungodly expensive. http://www.dragunov.net/

 

That is why I sold both. I felt that there was no point owning a gun, that I did not want to shoot for fear of losing value, and no availability of parts plus people who are not trained to work on them. The NDM-86 is a work of art. The guy who bought them both want a safe queen and a work horse. I think it is more practical to own a Saiga. Parts are available, and not too expensive. They are easy to work on. And you can still get them. Hope this th

[shade_1313 2]

I own one of the approximately 100 KBI imported SVDs, and a Tigr that's four inches of barrel short of being back to mil-setup.

 

For the US buyer, they cost sooo much that I would advise purchase pretty much only if you really dig the SVD, but then I started obsessing about them back when I was about 7 years old. *shrug*

 

I do enjoy shooting them, although I don't get to take them to the range as often as I'd like, as I really don't want to shoot corrosive surplus ammo through them... and they DO kick like mules, at least with the 180 gr. rounds I usually have available to put through them.