The Soviet Army – Books – The Official Soviet SVD Manual by Major James Gebhardt

Review by Anthony Winning:

This translation of the official Soviet SVD manual contains operating instructions for the 7.62mm Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunov – the SVD. Designed by noted firearms designer Evgeniy Fedorovich Dragunov to operate under the most extreme climactic and combat situations, the SVD was the first Russian rifle designed from scratch specifically for sniping. It was accepted into the Soviet armory in 1963 and has been copied by the Chinese, Bulgarian, Romanian and Yugoslavian militaries.

Topics include:

• purpose and combat characteristics of combat rifles
• basic components and their functions during firing
• assembly and disassembly
• construction of components, mechanisms, accessories and cartridges
• stoppages during firing and how to correct them
• maintenance and storage
• inspection and preparation for firing
• confirmation of zero and how to bring it back to normal zero and more.