Russia’s “Domestic” Sniper Ammo Turns Out to Be Packed With US and Finnish Components

A Russian weapons manufacturer supplying the military with sniper rifles has begun producing ammunition using US-made and Finnish components, including precision bullets and cartridge cases.

According to The Insider on September 14, Russian arms manufacturer Promtekhnologiya, which produces weapons and ammunition under the ORSIS brand, has supplied Russian forces with factory-assembled sniper cartridges containing components made by US companies Hornady and Peterson, as well as Finland’s Lapua.

The findings indicate a shift from earlier cases in which Russian troops were documented using complete imported cartridges or ammunition assembled outside regular factory production. Promtekhnologiya is now reportedly receiving enough foreign components to incorporate them into ammunition manufactured at its own facilities.

The Insider reported that Russian snipers received .308 Winchester ammunition for ORSIS rifles assembled with Peterson cartridge cases and 178-grain Hornady BTHP Match/OTM bullets, weighing 11.53 grams each.

Where US components were in short supply, Promtekhnologiya reportedly turned to Lapua Scenar bullets manufactured in Finland. Those cartridges were assembled with Russian-made Irbis 570 powder and cases marked ORSIS.

Testing cited by The Insider showed the ammunition producing groups of around 0.5 MOA at 300 meters, equivalent to a spread of roughly 4.5 centimeters.

The latest findings build on an earlier investigation by The Insider, which found that more than 10 million bullets manufactured in NATO countries entered Russia between March 2022 and February 2024. Among them were precision projectiles in calibers such as .338 Lapua Magnum and .375 CheyTac, commonly used for long-range shooting.

The Insider also identified indications that some American components reached Russia through European countries. In June 2022, Russian company IF Tetis registered a batch of Hornady bullets whose testing documentation had been issued by Finland’s Lapua Test Shooting Lab.

Earlier, Ukraine’s military intelligence identified 5,816 foreign-made components in 202 Russian weapons systems, including missiles, drones, and armored vehicles, highlighting Moscow’s continued reliance on foreign technology despite international sanctions.

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