Military Model Scene

Title: The SVD Dragunov Rifle
Author: Chris McNab
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-5596-1

Number 87 in the Weapon series from Osprey we have the story of the Soviet/Russian SVD Dragunov rifle. An 80-page soft-cover book.
Set out in the introduction there is an indistinct line between what makes a rifle a sniper rifle, or one for a 'Designated Marksman'. It was originally designed for a Designated Marksman within a Russian infantry squad. A semi-automatic rifle makes it a bit different to many dedicated sniper rifles, which are generally bolt-action weapons. As ever it goes on to explain how the rifle and its' PSO-1 sight provided a new option, fitting in between the short ranges of much modern combat and the long range accuracy of a dedicated sniper and their precision weapons. In addition to the rifle and the telescopic sight there is also the matter of match grade ammunition which is vital for improved accuracy. It goes on to cover how the SVD and its' variants have been used not only be Russia in the years since it was first used, but also by the many nations who have bought these guns, and even those who have made their own versions of it, such as China and Iran, along with the very similar looking Romanian PSL. Combat use in Vietnam, Chechnya, Russia in Afghanistan, the Iran-Iraq war, the War on Terror and most recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which brings the story up to date. Notes on maintenance, tools, how to use it against aircraft etc, is all included.
While the debate over the Dragunov being for Designated Marksmen or Snipers is addressed, clearly many of the nations who use the Dragunov and many insurgents use it as their sniping rifle and their tactics are all featured. It is a distinctive design, with holes in the wooden stock which helped reduce the weight of the rifle. I found it an interesting read, and with the addition of the first class artwork and archive images featured throughout the book all illustrate to specifics of this famous rifle.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin