Dragunov Sniper Rifle

The Dragunov, formally the SVD, is a Soviet semi-automatic sniper rifle designed by Evgeny Dragunov and adopted by the Soviet armed forces in 1963, chambered for the 7.62x54mmR cartridge shared with the older Mosin-Nagant rifle and issued at the squad level as a designated marksman weapon rather than a specialized long-range sniper tool used sparingly by dedicated snipers alone. Its gas-operated action, distinctive skeletonized wooden stock and standard-issue PSO-1 telescopic sight gave Soviet and allied infantry an organic long-range precision capability integrated directly into ordinary infantry units, a doctrine distinct from the more selective use of dedicated sniper rifles by Western militaries of the period. Widely exported and produced under license or copied in numerous countries, the Dragunov and its many derivatives remain in service with a large number of national militaries, insurgent and irregular forces around the world.