It looks like there will be a new sniper rifle for the Russian military and it will go into production as expected. According to an interview by RIA Novosti with Sergei Urzhumtsev, the chief designer of Kalashnikov concern, that production for the replacement of the SVD Dragunov sniper rifle will happen in one or two years.

The interview, which was conducted when the company marked the 100th birthday of legendary Russian weapons designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Chukavin SVCh is a tactical sniper rifle, and with the main customer being the Russian Ministry of Defense as the largest buyer even with interest from various Russian law enforcement and military organisations, it will be the replacement of the SVD which was introduced in 1963 and has not seen any significant improvements over the years. He also mentioned that the rifle’s designer, Yevgeny Fedorovich Dragunov who died in 1991, will be 100 years old in February next year if he were alive. It is said the SVCh-308 is based on the SVD.

Photo: Chukavin SVCh Sniper Rifle (Sourc: Kalashnikov Concern)

First revealed in 2017, the SVCh which uses the 7.62x54 caliber, was developed using suggestions from Russian special forces soldiers. It can also be chambered with the NATO .308 Win and .338 Lapua Magnum to tap into export markets. Overall length is 1,140mm and 730mm when folded with the 410mm barrel. Magazine capacity can be 10 to 20 rounds. The barrel can also be replaced with longer barrels either 460mm or 565mm.

Depending on the round used, the SVCh can have a maximum range of 1,500 metres and has an accuracy of no more than 1 MOA at a distance of 100 metres. The rifle has an inverted U-shaped receiver and has a top rail for the whole length of the main body of the rifle for mounting optics. For Russian military use, it is able to use the existing Dragunov magazines and is a short stroke piston gas operated action and rotary bolt locking. It is fitted with folding bipod, a manual gas regulator, and ambidextrous firing controls. It can be equipped with a bipod as well as suppressor.

Whilst this revelation from the chief firearms designer of Kalashnikov Concern indicates that the SVCh may be the future official sniper rifle of the Russian Military, the Ministry of Defense has not made any official announcements yet. Is it premature to say that the SVCh is the future Russian military sniper rifle? Perhaps.