By Vladimir Onokoy

Venerable Russian SVDM Sniper Rifle Nearing End of Service with Russian Forces

The semi-automatic Dragunov sniper rifle, originally called “SVD” (sniper rifle designed by Dragunov), is very well known all around the world. To this day, SVD remains the main DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) in the Russian Army and in a number of ex-Soviet states.

Unfortunately, complete absence of imports to the U.S. and other Western countries created a certain information vacuum regarding new modifications of this venerable rifle, namely the SVDS and the latter Dragunov SVDM.

This article will try to showcase some of the features of the latest Dragunov variant, since, back in the day, this author was involved in some of the technical and military trials for this rifle.

The Original SVD Dragunov

The original SVD Dragunov is still in production in its original form; the only difference one can see right away is that the original wood stock and handguard are now made of black polymer.

The civilian version of SVD Dragunov is called “Tigr,” which means—you guessed it—”Tiger.” This rifle is in high demand and is very popular with Russian hunters and gun enthusiasts who want to own this piece of Soviet small arms history.

The main difference between the SVD and the Tigr is the barrel twist rate. The original twist rate of the SVD barrel is 1:12, which proved to be very effective with 7.62x54R sniper ammo but did not work well with tracers or armor-piercing rounds.

Around 1975, the Soviet military demanded that Dragunov rifles should be able to be effectively used with all types of ammo, and after some additional testing, the twist rate was changed to 1:9. It made overall accuracy slightly worse (some claim 25% worse), but hooray, now you can accurately shoot tracers out of your sniper rifle. Isn’t that what a sniper needs the most?
It should probably come as no surprise that some veteran Russian snipers prefer Dragunovs made before 1975. The good news is that civilian “Tigers” remained at the original 1:12 twist and can often be more accurate than military SVDs.

The SVDS

The next big thing was the SVDS, DMR rifle with a folding stock designed for Airborne troops.

SVDS, designed in 1991 and accepted into service in 1995, features a folding stock that folds to the right side of the weapon (and no, you cannot shoot with a folded stock) and a shorter barrel (22.2 inches) instead of 24.4 inches with the original SVD.

Everything else remained the same. On both the SVD and SVDM scopes are mounted via a side mount, and there is no easy way to use modern front-mounted night vision and thermal devices in conjunction with a day optic.

A number of private companies offered modernization kits for the SVD, the most notable being Sureshot Armament Group (sureshot-armament.com). They offer kits for both SVD and SVDS, and recently, their products gained considerable popularity with both civilians and military snipers.

However, before those updates became available, both the Russian military and Izhmash factory came to the realization that SVD in its original configuration has certain shortcomings that should be addressed.

First, it is not easy to mount a bipod on a Dragunov. Over the years, a number of bipods were developed for the SVD, but unfortunately, none of them caught on.

By the end of 2010, modern scopes such as Nightforce, SWAROVSKI and Schmidt&Bender became very prolific in the Russian Special Forces, and SVD shortcomings designed for side-mounted scopes became very apparent.

New Generations

That is why the Izhmash factory decided to develop a new version of the SVD with integrated bipod and Picatinny rail. The first prototype was demonstrated in 2012.

The final version of the rifle was ready in 2014. It featured a quick-detachable bipod, similar to the one used in the new version of the SV98 rifle, with railed receiver cover, folding stock and a very thick and heavy barrel.

Unlike previous generations of the Dragunov, SVDM features a gasblock that is combined with a front sight, the receiver cover with the Picatinny rail is hinged, and to open it, you have to rotate the lever in the back of the receiver downward. SVDM uses standard 10-round Dragunov magazines.

There is no official information about the users of the rifle, but as always, you can get a lot of information from the open sources. For example, SVDM was demonstrated during the Open Day of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division.

Another sighting of SVDM was rather unexpected. To put things into perspective, imagine the most iconic view of Russia—Red Square. After looking at the photos, we can say that the SVDM is definitely used by the unit of Federal Protection Service that is similar to U.S. Secret Service Counter-Assault teams.

As for my personal impressions, I would say that SVDM is in an entirely different class compared to the regular SVD. A much heavier barrel and heavy optics make the SVDM less maneuverable and better suited for shooting from a static, well-prepared position. It is certainly too heavy for a classic DMR used on the squad level.

During technical trials, one thing that definitely needed improvement was the optic that came with the SVDM—the 1P88-4 variable power scope. I remember once, before a demonstration shoot, I grabbed the scope to mount it on the rifle and get on with zeroing. I opened the caps and wanted to check the quality of the glass, but to my surprise, I could not see the reticle.

The Russian military industrial complex is a close-knit community, and in a minute, I was dialing on my cell phone the number of the senior design engineer from the factory that made the scope. The conversation was rather short:

“Hello, buddy! I’ve got your scope, and I can’t see the reticle. Anything you can recommend?”
“Yes, that is actually quite normal! Just play with the magnification knob; eventually the reticle will be seen.”
“Thanks pal!”

And he was right. When I got the scope to 12x magnification, the reticle suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “Well—I thought—it is true what they say, Russian scopes do actually have some very unique characteristics.” I am sure that since 2014, that scope has improved a lot.

SVDM’s Last Stand?

For now, it looks like the SVDM will be the last iteration of the famous rifle. Its potential successor is the SVCh, a semi-automatic DMR designed by design engineer Chukavin from the Kalashnikov group. The SVCh is meant to slowly replace Dragunovs, first in the Russian Special Forces and later in the “Big Army.”

However, without any doubt, even if it happens, Dragunovs will remain popular in the conflict zones such as the Middle East in Africa for many years to come.

Major James Gebhardt does it again in this valuable translation of the Soviet manual on the SVD sniping rifle. Designed by Evgeniy Fedorovich Dragunov and adopted by the Soviet Army as their standard sniping rifle in 1963, the SVD has been shrouded in mystery. The first rifle ever designed from the ground up specifically for the task of sniping, it is still standard issue in the Russian Army. Russia has a long tradition of employing snipers that dates all the way back to the Crimean War of 1854. Even the Germans played catch up to the Soviets throughout the Second World War when it came to sniping. Using this vast wealth of practical wartime experience, they designed the SVD Dragunov sniping rifle and PSO-1 scope.

While instantly recognizable, there has not been a lot of information on the Dragunov or its scope available, and some of what has been written is incorrect. With numbers of these rifles in the U.S. (and the Romanian FPK/PSL sniper rifle based upon the RPK but still utilizing the 7.62x54R cartridge), this manual will be of great interest and a great help. Not only does it teach stripping, maintenance, troubleshooting, and firing positions with the Dragunov, but also much more. All the little accessories for the rifle AND the scope are covered. Ammunition is covered, as well as using the PSO-1 scope, and there is a vast array of excellent ballistic charts for the 7.62x54R cartridge. From zeroing the weapon to leading parachutists, there is a lot of interesting and valuable information here.

This book also dispels some false information. It has been stated that the Russians never taught the use of the sling as a shooting support- incorrect. The same goes for the Russians never issuing special sniping ammunition. The manual not only talks about it, but also tells you how to identify it (I have fired some of this ammunition out of my SVD and it grouped into 2 3/4 inches at 300 yards). Anyone who has an SVD or Romanian FPK should have this manual- it will answer all your nagging questions.

HANDGUN STOPPING POWER
The Definitive Study
By Evan P. Marshall
Edwin J. Sanow
Published by Paladin Press
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder, Colorado
80306
1-800-392-2400
$45.00 plus S&H
Reviewed by David Fortier

What actually happens when someone is shot with a handgun? Do hollowpoints work? Is it true that ‘they all fall to .45 ball’? What’s the best handgun load for self defense? What IS stopping power, how does it work, and how much is enough?

Only 12 or 15 years short years ago the above questions did nothing more than stimulate endless debate. There were lots of opinions, but little for hard facts. Evan Marshall and Edwin Sanow changed all that in this landmark book. For the first time the results of thousands of actual shootings were recorded and compiled by caliber and load. Years in the making, the author’s goal was to provide accurate unbiased wound ballistics and ammo information that street cops and civilians alike could use. The information gathered was compiled from police reports, autopsies, and victim statements. Through this information we can see how well individual loads actually worked in real life shootings. Or, how poorly they did.

For anyone who carries a handgun, this is a must read book. In 224 pages the authors explain the medical mechanisms of collapse, previous theories of stopping power, and why they don’t work, actual street shootings, tissue simulants, new ammo developments, predicting stopping power using street results, and more. This book contains a lot of information, and once you start reading you won’t want to stop. The chapter on actual street shootings that goes over actual incidents by caliber and load is impossible to put down. I loaned this book out and had a hard time getting it back.

For too long we guessed at what the best caliber and load for defensive use was. The arguments seemed endless and heated. Untold quantities of duct seal, phone books, paint cans, and even chickens were perforated in an attempt to ‘prove’ one theory or another. Those days are over. Now you can find out how well the load in your pistol actually works, or doesn’t. Read this book.

Japanese Explosive Ordnance
(Army Ammunition, Navy Ammunition)
TM 9-1985-5, Department
Of The Army
Reprinted And Published by
Julian Books,
5282 Ridan Way
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418
Price $25.00 plus 4.50 S&H
Review by Stephen Stuart

While walking around the tables at Knob creek this past April, I noticed the immense amount of inert ordnance on the dealer’s tables. Everything from American practice hand grenades to Russian anti-tank rocket launcher tubes. The only thing missing were books detailing to ordnance collectors what exactly they were purchasing. Being a Japanese collector of militaria, I always wished I could find a good copy of the rare two-part U.S. training manuals describing Japanese ordnance published by the U.S. Army. As luck would have it, I found a copy of the second volume at a gun store the week I got back from Knob creek.

Volume two is now being offered by Julian books in Palm Beach Florida. The person reprinting the manual is none other than Fred Honeycutt, Jr. Mr. Honeycutt is well known in the Japanese military arms field with two small arms works under his belt, Military Rifles of Japan and Military Pistols of Japan.

The manual begins by covering the basic firearm cartridges of Japan; the 6.5mm, the 7.7mm rifle rounds, and the 9mm, 8mm Nambu handgun rounds. The text then goes on to describe rockets, mortars, and projectile fuses used by the Japanese Army and Navy. The reprint is clear with easy to understand text and line drawings. The ammunition is also shown in cross section, detailing the internal components. The only thing I can say about this book is, that it is excellent. If you like ordnance or Japanese ammunition, buy the book. And maybe, just maybe, if there is enough response, Mr. Honeycutt might decide to reprint volume one on mines, grenades, and sabotage devices.

Known officially as the Snaiperskaya Vintovka Dragunova, the Dragunov is highly sought after by both shooters and collectors. Yet only a handful have come into the country from Red China, Russia, and now Romania. What most people don’t realize is that finding and buying a Dragunov is the easy, although expensive part. If your heart is set on rimmed cartridges, see-through stocks, and punching holes far, far away, then all you need to do is open your wallet, wide, real wide. The hard part is tracking down all the odds and ends you need to let the rifle perform to its full potential. This includes Match grade 7.62X54R ammunition (I’ve seen people feed Dragunov’s junk M.G. ball that would make a Mosin-Nagant puke, and wonder why it would only group into 2 MOA!), batteries for the illuminated scope (an easy one now that Kalashnikov USA has them in stock, call 1-800-784-5677), and ten round magazines. Magazine availability for Dragunovs has been on and off but always expensive.

Recently, magazines for the Romanian FPK/PSL version of the Dragunov have come onto the market at a reasonable price, usually around $39.99. I ordered 5, danced a happy jig when the Brown truck of Happiness arrived and snapped one into my Soviet Tiger Dragunov. It locked right in and looked perfect. When I performed a function check with dummy rounds however, it refused to feed. Confused, I tried another, and another. None would work. Upon closer examination, the Romanian magazines proved to be close enough to the Soviet mags to lock into the weapon, but different enough not to work. Our happy jig turned to cursing and fist shaking. Why are they different? Who knows, but they are different.

So I sat down with one of my cohorts, Donald Heald, and we compared the Romanian magazines to Soviet built ones. We could make them work, we decided. If they were built like flimsy M-16 magazines we would have shipped them back. The Com-block countries generally made their magazines so incredibly tough though there was plenty of meat to work with. Modifying magazines is NOT something I recommend as all to often they simply won’t work. In this instance I was pleasantly surprised. The modified magazines lock in and out of the weapon properly, and they feed FLAWLESSLY!

So if you or one of your friends is wondering why those darn Romanian magazines don’t work, relax. All you need is access to a Mig welder and someone who can run it. Other than the Mig it’s just basic hand tools, and a little patience(a pizza helps too!). So follow along as we show you how to keep your Dragunov happy as we give it a taste of Romanian food it’s sure to like!

SOURCES

K-VAR
1-702-364-8880

KALASHNIKOV-USA-LTD
1-800-784-5677

Scope mounts. No matter how accurate your rifle or how precise your optics, if your scope is not mounted rock solid all is for naught. Ever since soldiers started mounting optical sights onto their rifles to successfully engage further than was possible with iron sights, the fly in the ointment has been how to properly mount them. And once mounted, how to keep them properly mounted. In his book ‘A RIFLEMAN WENT TO WAR’ H.W. McBride wrote about how he anchored a Warner & Swasey telescope onto his Ross sniping rifle, “I had to tinker up the mounting a bit to keep it from jarring loose; on my particular rifle I rusted all the screws in and spiked them with a center punch, then by ramming a thin wedge or “shim” (made from a safety razor blade) in between the sight base and its holding lug, I finally got it on so tightly I could not get it off. This “anchored” it properly and the sight thereafter worked all right.” I’m sure his method not only worked but made him right popular with his armourer.

Rifles and scopes have changed a lot from McBride’s .303 Ross straightpull with an offset mounted Warner & Swasey, but some problems remain timeless. The only country that apparently took the sniping lessons of World War I to heart was the Soviet Union. Dominated by German Scharfschutzen’s (sharpshooters) the Russians suffered dreadfully, but learned their lesson well. From 1932 to 1938 54,160 Model 91/30 Mosin-Nagant sniper rifles were manufactured. From the outset of the Great Patriotic War the Germans suffered alarming losses to Soviet snipers. In 1942 alone the Soviets produced 53,195 scope sighted sniping rifles of which the Germans reissued all they could capture. After the war the Soviets went on to produce the worlds first rifle designed from the ground up for sniping, and sniping only. Named after it’s designer, Evgeniy F. Dragunov (1920-1991), the SVD Dragunov entered Soviet service on July 3rd, 1963. With the SVD a rail mounted scope, the PSO-1, was adopted for service.

Since variants of Kalashnikov’s rifle, hereafter simply referred to as AK’s, became available in the U.S. people have searched for a way to mount optics on them. And since SVD’s in different forms (TIGR’s, Chinese, .308) came into the country, and with Romanian FPK/PSL’s available, shooters have wanted to upgrade their optics. It is now possible to do both, and with excellent results. Originally the only mounts generally available for AK’s were “trash” from China. Topcover mounts that adjusted your zero for you between shots, and clunky receiver mounts that were a take off from the 91/30 Mosin-Nagant mount. Some American companies quickly caught a whiff of money to be made and turned out some horrible trash, good only for separating you from your hard earned cash. While this garbage is still out there I am very happy to say that there are also some excellent options now available for the individual desiring to put optics on their AK, or upgrade the optics on their SVD or FPK.

The Holy Grail required for properly mounting optics on a Kalashnikov is the military rail mount that attaches to the left side of the weapons receiver. SVD’s and FPK’s of course have this rail already mounted, as do many of the semi-auto AK’s now being imported. However, if your favorite shooting iron lacks this important piece don’t despair as they are cheap, readily available, and easy to mount. Both Kalashnikov USA and K-VAR carry this important piece, so properly mounting optics onto your weapon can now be a reality. The rail comes with all needed hardware and a mounting template so that anyone who is not a hazard with power tools should be able to accomplish the task.

Why bother, you might ask? Why would someone want to go through the trouble of mounting optics on an AK? Well there are several good reasons. One is that not all AK’s shoot like a bucket. The AK-74 used for testing in this article hovers around 1.5 MOA for instance. The second is that you may wish to have the option to use optics or not to at your discretion as the situation calls. The third is that you may wish to install not a scope per say but a red dot sight for quick target acquisition. And the fourth may be that while your AK shoots like a bucket you just feel like doing it. All good reasons.

To show you what is available I contacted three companies and tested what they have to offer. Product from Kalashnikov USA, K-VAR, and I.O.R. Valdada were all put through their paces. For testing purposes a Russian SVD TIGR 7.62x54R and a Romanian 5.45×39 AK-74 from Tennessee Guns were used. The AK-74 was outfitted with a stock from Ace Tech to increase the length of pull. It is without a doubt the finest stock available for an AK. Patterned after an FN-FAL sidefolder they are available in both fixed and folding versions for legality. Testing was done at 100, 300 and for the SVD, 600 yards. Ammunition for testing purposes was Wolf Performance Ammunition from Tula Arsenal and supplied by Sporting Supplies Int. Inc.

Kalashnikov USA has an extensive line available at reasonable prices. A joint partnership with Izhmash Joint Stock Company of Izhevsk, Russia they import products of Russian design and manufacture. Founded in 1807, Izhmash JSC is where Mikhail Kalashnikov and Evgeniy Dragunov’s weapons were originally manufactured so they have plenty of experience with both AK’s and SVD’s. I tested three scopes, one red dot sight, and two mounts from Kalashnikov USA.

Kalashnikov USA carries a PSO-1 variant. Adopted in 1963 with the SVD the PSO-1 is still the standard issue sniping scope in the Russian Army. With a built in mount, the whole assembly simply slides onto the weapons side rail and locks with a throw lever. A fixed 4x with a 24 mm objective, BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator), battery operated illuminated reticle, sunshade, and finger adjustable target turrets. It comes with a post reticle, as the original military reticle is not allowed to be imported. With coated lenses and an exit pupil of 6mm it does a surprisingly good job of transmitting light. The optics are very clear, and the illuminated reticle is an excellent feature that once you get used to you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. While I at first did not expect that it would actually hold a zero, I can honestly say that my PSO-1 returned to zero flawlessly no matter how many times I dismounted it. The standard scope for an SVD, it makes a nice addition to an AK, but you will want to increase your length of pull.

Of interest to SVD and FPK owners is a 6x version of the PSO-1. At the extreme ranges encountered during the fighting in Afghanistan the Soviets found the PSO-1’s 4x lacking. This scope not only has increased magnification, but also a larger objective lens. Advertised as a 6x36mm the objective lens actually measures a full 40 mm and appears to be the largest lens they could utilize without a major redesign. In all other respects this scope is identical to the PSO-1. It does however have a different reticle. It uses an inverted chevron aiming point and a Zeiss style rangefinder. Optics are coated, surprisingly good, and very clear, better than my Leupolds. The BDC proved very accurate and with a 100 yard zero simply dialing the knob to “6” put me on a military silhouette at 600 yards. For me, 6x seems to be the perfect balance of magnification in a fixed power scope, even at 600 yards (at this range 4x was lacking however). For someone wanting to upgrade their SVD/FPK to more magnification and a larger objective lens without sacrificing ruggedness, durability, the illuminated reticle or BDC, this is the way to go.

Red dot sights have become very popular lately, and for good reason. Lightning fast and allowing accurate fire to be placed at reasonable ranges they work well for their intended purpose. Kalashnikov USA’s entry in this field is called the Cobra. A collimator sight, instead of having a tube it projects the aiming point onto a single lens. It has a built in mount that allows the whole unit to quickly and easily be attached or removed from the weapon. Powered by two 3-volt lithium batteries it has some outstanding features. Instead of just simply having a dot for an aiming point, the user has the option from choosing a dot, a post with horizontal stadia, or a combination of the two. Changes in reticle are accomplished simply with the push of a button. Brightness settings are changed easily and the unit has a memory feature so that when you turn it on it will automatically give you the same settings as when turned off.

Also offered by Kalashnikov USA is the PSO-2. A conventional looking 7×29 scope with a 1-inch tube, it comes with a mount. What is interesting about this scope is the reticle. Consisting of a vertical row of inverted chevron aiming points, each marked with the corresponding range. This allows the shooter to zero his weapon at 100 meters and then use his reticle hold over marks at all further ranges. Hold-over marks are given all the way out to 1100 meters.

For those of you who wish to mount their own choice of 1-inch scope they offer the MTK-75. This mount has integral rings and is angled forward to allow proper eye relief with most scopes. Sitting directly over the bore it seems to be the perfect height, not to tall so that your cheek weld goes out the window, but high enough that you can mount a scope with a 40-42mm objective bell on an AK, 56mm on an SVD. Like all the other mounts it attaches and detaches easily with the throw of a lever.

Another company that offers a mount is K-VAR. They have a wide selection of AK parts and accessories, Krinkov conversion kits, Romanian FPK magazines and mag pouches, to just scratch the surface. One of the neatest machineguns I have ever shot was an AKS-74U built on a K-VAR kit. Of interest here is their scope mount for AK’s. Extremely rugged and blocky, your receiver will flex before K-VAR’s mount does. It sports a standard Weaver rail so that you can use whatever rings you wish. Plus it’s high enough that any size scope bell, including 56mm, will fit without a problem. Mounting simply consists of sliding it onto the rail and locking it in place via a lever. Like the Soviet military mount, it is adjustable for a perfect fit to each individual weapons rail quickly and easily.

The last mount tested is from I.O.R. (Industry Optic Romania) Valdada. Almost unknown in the U.S., I.O.R. has been manufacturing precision optics since 1936. A supplier of optics to elite Warsaw Pact units, I.O.R.’s product line of state of the art military and hunting scopes and binoculars is now available through Valdada in the United States. Utilizing glass for their lenses manufactured in Germany these precision optics compare with anything Schmidt undt Bender, Zeiss, or Leica manufacture. In a phone conversation with Valdada’s president Valentine Leatu, he mentioned that although they don’t advertise it they also carry mounts for SVD’s, AK’s, and FPK’s. Like everything else they make I quickly noticed that their mount is very well thought out, well made, and rugged. Slightly offset to the left, this mount is very low to the bore, just barely high enough to allow the weapons top cover to be removed for maintenance. It features a rail that accepts both Weaver or Stanag rings for your convenience. No cheap junk here, this mount is definitely mil spec. Either mounted on the AK-74 or my SVD this mount proved to be an awesome performer.

I also tested three scopes from Valdada that will be of particular interest to AK/SVD owners. They offer two fixed 4x scopes with straight 30 mm tubes, BDC’s, Tritium illuminated military reticle with range finder, and matte finish. One is calibrated for the 7.62x54R/7.62 Nato and the other is calibrated for the 5.56/5.45’s trajectory. They both feature the Soviet military SVD reticle and the rangefinder is calibrated for a standing person out to 1000 meters. Of extremely high quality I tested one on my AK-74 out to 300 yards with excellent results. Also of interest to someone looking for a true Tactical scope for their SVD/FPK is Valdada’s 2.5x10x42. With optics that put my Leupold on the trailer, handsome good looks, and flawless performance at 600 yards this is simply an incredible scope. The clarity is good enough to allow you to easily spot .30 caliber holes at 300 yards. A modified mil reticle is utilized allowing ranging of a 6 foot figure past 1000 yards. The mil marks can be used for hold over points out to 1000 yards. Adjustment repeatability is flawless. I could go on and on, suffice to say you will be hearing a lot about Valdada and I.O.R.’s scopes in the future.

Throughout testing I was extremely impressed with the quality of the Wolf Performance Ammunition and I recommend it highly, it is definitely a cut above. Both their FMJ and HP 5.45×39 loads shot extremely well. High quality 7.62x54R ammunition is extremely hard to come by and I was incredulous when their soft point hunting ammunition shot into 3/4 of an inch at 100 yards. For someone looking for reloadable 7.62x54R I highly recommend Sellier & Bellot’s 180 grain FMJ. Inexpensive and reloadable it shot sub-MOA at 600 yards. I have had very poor results from their soft point load however. I also cannot say enough about Ace Technology’s AK stock, it simply must be experienced to be appreciated.

If you intend on putting optics on your AK do it the right way, the way the Soviet military did. There is no excuse for using cheap junk that uses the pistol grip or top cover to hold your scope onto the weapon. If the military rail will securely hold a huge Night Vision Device it will hold your scope. I have found all of these companies to be excellent to deal with from a customer’s point of view. Decide what your needs are and give them a call.

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to R&D Outfitters of Warren, Maine for allowing us the use of their 600 yard range during renovations, it was greatly appreciated. Also thanks to Gabe Sende of THE RUSSIAN STORE for providing the uniforms and field gear used in the photo’s and Paul J. Martin (The Red Rifle Man) for allowing us to pick his brain and Jim Mcloud for letting us shoot his Krinkov and RPD.

References:

A RIFLEMAN WENT TO WAR
by H.W. McBride,
Lancer Militaria, Mt. Ida,
Arkansas 1987.

THE GERMAN SNIPER
1914-1945
by Peter R. Senich,
Paladin Press,
Boulder, Colorado 1982.

SOURCES

KALASHNIKOV-USA-LTD
1-561-337-3398
(Scopes, Mounts, Rifles, Shotguns, Target Rifles, Parts, More!)

I.O.R. VALDADA
1-970-879-2983
(Scope Mounts, Tactical Scopes, Hunting Scopes, Binoculars, Rings)

K-VAR
1-702-364-8880
(Scope Mounts, Parts, Accessories, Krinkov kits)

SPORTING SUPPLIES INT. INC.
1-714-635-4246
(Wolf High Performance Ammunition)

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
1-503-887-6921
(Sellier&Bellot Ammunition)

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY PUBLICATIONS
1-703-221-4339
(English Translation of Soviet SVD and other Russian Weapon Manuals)

TENNESSEE GUNS
1-423-577-1939
(Pre-Ban style AK-74’s, Guns, Ammo, More)

ACE LTD
1-530-346-2492
(U.S. made Pre and Post Ban AK Stock Conversions)

THE RUSSIAN STORE
1-818-999-1257
(Soviet Uniforms, Gear, Medals, More)