Posted on 08/15/2007 2:31:21 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
A proposed contract between Russia and Venezuela that could transfer thousands of sniper rifles to Venezuela has raised concern in the United States about the potential use or regional distribution of the weapons by the socialist-inspired government of President Hugo Chávez.
The rifle in question is the latest variant of the Dragunov, a long-barreled, semi-automatic design with an optical sight. It is derived in part from the much more widely circulated Kalashnikov assault rifle.
First manufactured in 1963 for use by militaries and intelligence agencies in the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, the Dragunov and its clones have become one of the most lethal and effective weapons against American troops and their allies in Iraq.
Venezuela is negotiating a contract with Rosoboronexport, the Kremlin-controlled arms export agency, to purchase about 5,000 modernized Dragunov rifles, according to officials at Izhmash, the rifle's manufacturer. ...
Because sniper rifles are specialized infantry weapons and not typically issued to large numbers of soldiers, diplomats and military officers and analysts said, a purchase of several thousand Dragunovs would not seem to have a conventional military use for Venezuela's armed forces. ...Venezuela has long been accused of providing weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a large and heavily equipped Marxist group that the State Department classifies as a foreign terrorist organization. ...
Vladimir Farafoshin, a deputy director at Izhmash, said that the full order of 100,000 AK-103s had been delivered to Venezuela, and that Russia was negotiating the sale of "about 5,000" Dragunovs as part of a separate arms deal.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Waiting for the spin by the Putin-apogologists.
Maybe one of the lucky recipients will take aim for Chavez...
Gee, I sure hope that one of them doesn’t fall into the hands of a Hugo hater. Then on the other hand,.......
There’s such a thing on FR?!
Oh yes. Quite a few.
Russia selling to Venezuela, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah ...
I’ll take my Parker Hale 1200 in 30-06 over the Dragunov any day. Turns out (NRA lab study) that so long a gas piston mechanism, even though interrupted in stroke like the M-1 carbine, degrades accuracy greatly.
Makes a nice souvenir, tho. Manufactured in high-tech nations like Romania and Iraq. Has that sexy sinister look about it. Many military careers ruined when somebody tried to smuggle one back.
Has an illuminated scope reticle. Big deal.
Russia: Arming America’s Enemies!
...since 1962
Except it doesn't use the Kalashnikov (7.62x39) round , instead it uses the more powerful 7.62x54R round from the Mosin-Nagant.
Yeah, Dragunovs have been left booby-trapped. There was also at least one instance where the barrel was deliberately drilled just in front of the receiver. When the rifle was fired the barrel exploded.
My biggest disappointment is that I can't purchase one of these for myself.
I have little doubt that if Russia didn't sell them these guns they would easily purchase them from a different source.
Or that you can't buy Imbel FAL receivers any more.
Perhaps the US should be looking into what they might sell to the friendly neighbors of Misters Putty and Chevy.
International arms dealers—those based in the US included— couldn’t care less who their customers are. I’m not seeing much more to this story than the chance to raise a propaganda-oriented stink at Russia’s expense. Is it really that much worse than selling the best we’ve got to Saudi Arabia?
That’s the kind of world we live in...wake up and get used to it.
the barrel was deliberately drilled just in front of the receiver..... sounds more like SOP for ruski manufacture.
Wouldn’t want to go up against a Barret 50 with one of these.
The M82A1 Barrett rifle cal. 50 BMG
It’s wreaked a hell of a lot of havoc on the bad guys.
Just pray they don’t get their hands on one.
The Dragunov is whoop-ti-doo next to the Barrett.
This is mine
[IMG]http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb5/setcapt/Sig93t2Blaser.jpg[/IMG]
I guess I don’t know how to post a picture. Any help out there?
Check the latest copy of Shotgun News.These are available,not Russian mfgr.though...
My hubby gave me one of these for Valentine's Day, because nothing says I Love You like a sniper rifle!
If the heading said: Russia selling new Remington 700 sniper rifles to Venezuela, I would be worried. These semi-auto rifes are not as accurate as a good deer/elk rifle. But better than an AK47, and thats not saying much. I like the AK, it is very reliable, just not very accurate.
I beg to differ - the Draganov is a serious rifle.
I carried one for years, and it was one of the best, short of the BMG.
Your husband is obviously a man of taste and distinction...
I disagree with your comparison. 30-06 is x63 and the Dragonov is x54. Much closer to a 309 than a 30-06. I'll go up against the Dragonov with my Savage 111F 30-06 and out shoo it every time.
Dang! 309 = 308
Whatever it takes.
Your Savage is more accurate ... with the accu-trigger mod. But this is also a 10 shot semiauto. That’s pretty handy to have.
Yeah, that trigger is SWEET!
I wouldn't pooh-pooh it too much because the Dragunov is a fine piece of ordnance, but I have to suspect this is a case of a kid with a new credit card in a toy store. 24 Sukhois? Come on, Huey...
Fair enough. It is 2723 fps with 152 grain vs. 2910 with 150 or 2700 with 180 grain from a 30-06. The heavier 06 would handle wind a lot better. But either it dangerous to long range and will penetrate body armor, and in that respect both are an entirely different order of threat than a basic AK.
Lucky you !
Hmmm...maybe time to take a shopping trip. I would love a real dragunov.
There were *only* 5K of these things (sniper rifles) in the order. The 100K was AK-103s. I don't know what Chavez could do with 100,000 Draganuvs. I doubt there are that many sniper rifles in the US Army...although if one counts every M-14 type as a sniper rifle, then there might be
In fact the Dragonov is used more like a designated Marksman's rifle than as what we would think of as a sniper's
AK-103
It's in 7.62x39, same as the old AK-47, no longer used by the Russians, rather the 5.45x39 that they now use. The Draganov is 7.62x54R, comparable to our 30-06, the Brit .303 or the German 8 mm Mauser. The 7.62x39 is more comparable to our 30-30, although it retains it's velocity better. The 5.45x39 has somewhat comparable ballistics to our .223/5.56x41. (sort of intermediate between the old and new versions thereof).
Well, the Saudi *government* hasn't been threatening its neighbors, or the US. Chavez is continuing to do both. Little Hughie is going to open that big yap one time too many, and the USMC, or a slice of it, will close it for him.
Reports Of Sale to Iran Su-30s [Fighter Bombers] Rattle Israelis
Geostrategy Direct | 8/15/7
Posted on 08/15/2007 6:22:58 PM EDT by hardback
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1881723/posts
Length of the cartridge is a secondary consideration. The 7.62x54R throws a 9.6 grams bullet at 827 mps. The 7.62x51 throws a 9.4 grams bullet at 840 mps. Very comparable indeed. WW-II M2 ball 30-06 threw a 150 grain (9.7 grams) at 2700 fps (823 mps). All very comparable. Earlier 30-06 cartridges (pre Garand) threw a 170 grain bullet at 2640 fps and some modern "sporting" loading are comparable. However the 30-06 can be loaded heavier and/or faster than the .308.
A concept we are adopting by dragging old M-14s out of retirement. Those that the "we loathe the military and the Second Smendment" Clinton administration didn't send off to Captain Crunch.
OTOH, I sure wish I had one. Originals are worth a fortune.
I roll my own 30-06 with 165 grains doing 3200+ fps. This sorta my ‘make bullets go fast’ gun. :)
If your running a 165 down the tube of an 06 at 3200 FPS your a bit over max chamber pressure. I roll my own and build a few long range comp rifles each year. I’m a gun smith. Be careful and find some sane loads in one of the many reloading manuals. Your fingers and eyes don’t need to be sacrificed. Metal fatigue is a accumulative situation. You can run things hot until you destroy the integrity of the metal of the action. Then one of the rounds that is just like all the others you have “rolled” will cause a huge failure.
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