Izhmash SV-98

Izhmash SV-98 History

The SV-98 Russian Sniper was developed to replace the venerable SVD series in some Russian establishments. While the SVD series has proven itself to be a formidable long-range sniper platform, it still retains its proven Cold War-era origins. What modern Russia needs now is a more modern system that will take into account the changing face of warfare, Russian doctrine and technological advances in the post-Cold War world.

So the SV-98 sniper rifle was born.

Design of SV-98 - Led by Vladimir Stronskiy, started in 1998. The design is based on the Izhmash Record CISM series.

After a period of evaluation, serial production followed at the facilities of Izhmash OJSC, and in 1998 the weapon was included in the inventory of Russian special forces (including special forces) and some police forces.

In appearance, the SV-98 achieves the most traditional look when it comes to sniper rifles. All the important inner working components are of course housed in the receiver. An ergonomic shoulder rest is located at the rear of the weapon, and the barrel is located in front of the receiver. The system uses a pistol grip with an integrated trigger system protected in an elongated ring. The front end is connected to the lower front end of the receiver.

The magazine inserts it along the bottom of the receiver directly in front of the trigger assembly. The shoulder rest is made of laminated plywood, has thumb holes, an adjustable butt plate and cheek ridges for comfort, and can be fitted with a carry handle. The wooden version can be replaced with a molded fiberglass shaft when ordered. An adjustable bipod is standard, as is a rear monopod.

The loops on the forearm and the butt handle the connection of the shoulder straps while traveling.

The SV-98 weighs just over 17 lbs fully equipped with the magazine, suppressor and sights. It has a base barrel length (excluding the barrel mount) of 47.24 inches and a barrel size of 25.59 inches. The barrel features a 4-slot design with a clockwise pattern that floats freely in the design. The SV-98 fits the Russian 7.62x54mm R cartridge as well as the standard 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge (0.308 Winchester) and has an effective range of up to 1,100 yards with optical sights and is designed with standard iron fittings for an effective range of 650 yards.

The weapon is fed by a 10-round spring-loaded plastic body magazine system with a detachable magazine, while the trigger pressure can be adjusted according to the operator. A Picatinny rail system is mounted on top of the receiver, allowing the use of various optics - Russian and foreign, depending on the need. The standard Russian sights for the SV-98 are the 7x power PKS-07 series sights.

In addition to the optional optics, the SV-98 features a threaded barrel that can be opened for use with various silencer systems or special muzzle brakes. The barrel and bolt of the SV-98 are cold forged, while the bolt has a rotating bolt mechanism and three locking lugs.

As a bolt-action rifle, the SV-98 relies on a hand-operated lever that must be operated by the operator. This action ejects any used cases in the firing chamber while inserting new cartridges ready to fire.

In practice, the SV-98 has proven effective in the hands of capable Spetnatz elements - especially when using 7.62x51 NATO cartridges rather than typical Russian sniper ammunition. Despite the promise of the SV-98 system, the Russian Army has not accepted the type for service, in part due to concerns about true performance specifications.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

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