Russia Keeps Producing 1963-Era SVD Sniper Rifles Despite Newer Replacement

Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern has completed its 2026 contract to supply Russian security agencies with the original 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle, or SVD, a weapon that has remained in serial production since 1963.

According to Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi on October 6, Kalashnikov announced that it had fulfilled the annual order but did not disclose how many rifles were delivered or which Russian security agency received them.

The contract covers the standard SVD rather than later versions such as the folding-stock SVDS or modernized SVDM.

Designed under Yevgeny Dragunov between 1958 and 1963, the SVD entered serial production in 1963 and remains in production more than six decades later. The semi-automatic rifle is chambered for the 7.62×54R cartridge and uses a 10-round magazine.

According to manufacturer specifications cited by Militarnyi, the SVD is designed to engage personnel and unarmored targets at ranges of up to 800 meters.

The rifle remains in use across Russian military and security units. Kalashnikov announced increased SVD production in 2024 and planned to expand output several times over in 2025, Militarnyi reported.

Russia also operates several SVD derivatives. The SVDS features a folding stock and more compact configuration, while the modernized SVDM adds a heavier barrel, adjustable folding stock, bipod, and Picatinny rail for modern optics. The less common SVDK uses the larger 9.3×64mm cartridge.

Meanwhile, Russia is serially producing the Chukavin sniper rifle, or SVCh, developed as a modern successor to the SVD. Production began in 2023, and the rifle has since been delivered to Russian forces.

Despite the introduction of the SVCh, Kalashnikov continues to manufacture the original SVD alongside its successor, keeping the Soviet-designed rifle in serial production more than 60 years after its introduction.

Russian troops have also been documented using Canadian-made Cadex precision rifles despite Western sanctions and export bans. An investigation by Global News and The Insider found that the weapons may have reached Russia through intermediaries in the US and Kazakhstan.

Help us understand what you already know

Join United24 audience survey