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.
Facts
Classification
Service Status Weapon Classsemi-automatic designated marksman rifle / sniper rifle 1 Introduced Year Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category) FAQs
Was the Dragunov the standard Soviet sniper rifle?
Yes; it was the standard Soviet and Warsaw Pact sniper rifle for much of the Cold War.
Yes. The Dragunov SVD was the standard Soviet and Warsaw Pact sniper rifle during a bulk of the Cold War years, and it remains in service today with many operators around the world.
Connections
Associated With
Soviet-Afghan War, Wars Soviet marksmen carried the Dragunov sniper rifle during the Soviet-Afghan War
Operated By
Source MilitaryFactory.com: Dragunov SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka sistemy Dragunova)
Source MilitaryFactory.com: Dragunov SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka sistemy Dragunova)
Source MilitaryFactory.com: Dragunov SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka sistemy Dragunova)
Source MilitaryFactory.com: Dragunov SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka sistemy Dragunova)
Source MilitaryFactory.com: Dragunov SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka sistemy Dragunova)
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Wikidata: Dragunov Sniper Rifle
Sources
1. Wikipedia: SVD (rifle)
Lead section, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SVD_(rifle)
is a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle/sniper rifle chambered in the 7.62×54mmR cartridge, developed in the Soviet Union.
Development and adoption history, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SVD_(rifle)
Dragunov's proposal chambered for the 7.62×54mmR fully powered cartridge being accepted into service in July 1963.
service status
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
Infobox: cartridge
7.62×54mmR
Infobox: service
1963-present
Caliber attribute (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.
View the SourceWikidata: Dragunov Sniper Rifle
Wikidata Q159509, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source MilitaryFactory.com: Dragunov SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka sistemy Dragunova)
MilitaryFactory.comOperated By: People's Liberation Army, Operators
[ Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Cuba; Czech Republic; Czechoslovakia; Egypt; Ethiopia; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; India; Iran; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Lebanon; Republic of Macedonia; Moldova; Mongolia; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Palestine; Philippines; Poland; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Sudan; Soviet Union; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Uzbekistan; Ukraine; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen; Zimbabwe ]
Operated By: Egyptian Armed Forces, Operators
[ Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Cuba; Czech Republic; Czechoslovakia; Egypt; Ethiopia; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; India; Iran; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Lebanon; Republic of Macedonia; Moldova; Mongolia; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Palestine; Philippines; Poland; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Sudan; Soviet Union; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Uzbekistan; Ukraine; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen; Zimbabwe ]
Operated By: Finnish Defence Forces, Operators
[ Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Cuba; Czech Republic; Czechoslovakia; Egypt; Ethiopia; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; India; Iran; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Lebanon; Republic of Macedonia; Moldova; Mongolia; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Palestine; Philippines; Poland; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Sudan; Soviet Union; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Uzbekistan; Ukraine; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen; Zimbabwe ]
Operated By: Soviet Armed Forces, Operators
[ Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Cuba; Czech Republic; Czechoslovakia; Egypt; Ethiopia; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; India; Iran; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Lebanon; Republic of Macedonia; Moldova; Mongolia; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Palestine; Philippines; Poland; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Sudan; Soviet Union; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Uzbekistan; Ukraine; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen; Zimbabwe ]
Operated By: Turkish Armed Forces, Operators
[ Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Cuba; Czech Republic; Czechoslovakia; Egypt; Ethiopia; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; India; Iran; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Lebanon; Republic of Macedonia; Moldova; Mongolia; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Palestine; Philippines; Poland; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Sudan; Soviet Union; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Uzbekistan; Ukraine; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen; Zimbabwe ]
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