A&K SVD Review

A&K SVD Review (Bolt Action) by Joker

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. REAL STEEL HISTORY
2. FIRST IMPRESSIONS
3. GUN SPECIFICATIONS
4. THE BASICS
5. FEATURES / SCOPE
6. HOP-UP
7. MAGAZINE
8. PERFORMANCE
9. ACCURACY
10. PROS & CONS
11. CONCLUSION

1.
Dragunov Sniper Rifle from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“The Dragunov sniper rifle (formally Russian: Снайперская винтовка Драгунова, Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova (SVD), literally "Dragunov's sniper rifle") is a semi-automatic sniper rifle chambered in 7.62x54mmR and developed in the Soviet Union.
It was selected as the winner of a contest that included three competing designs: the first was a rifle designed by Sergei Simonov (known as the SSV-58), the second design, a prototype designated 2B-W10 by Alexander Konstantinov, and the third rifle, the SVD-137, a design submitted by Yevgeny Dragunov. Extensive field testing of the rifles conducted in a wide range of environmental conditions resulted in Dragunov’s proposal being accepted into service in 1963. An initial pre-production batch consisting of 200 rifles was assembled for evaluation purposes, and from 1964 serial production was carried out by Izhevsk Mechanical Works.
Since then, the Dragunov has become the standard squad support weapon of several countries, including those of the former Warsaw Pact. Licensed production of the rifle was established in China (Type 79 and Type 85) and Iran (as a direct copy of the Chinese Type 79).”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragunov_sniper_rifle

2.

I must admit that my first impressions of this airsoft weapon are a little biased. I am a huge fan of the AK series of weapons as many of you know. This was also not only a gift from my fellow IMPACT team members and other friends as well, but it was a big surprise. It was purchased from Crazy Cromag's Airsoft Emporium. And it was given to me right before IMPACT’s ACT NOW Noob Day.

The box it was stored in was just your normal cardboard box, no writing or logos or anything. As soon as I saw the flash hider as I was opening it I immediately knew that it was the SVD, and I was pleased to say the least.

My particular SVD does NOT have the normal black plastic grips that it normally comes with. It was installed with the real wood kit. In my opinion it adds the touch of old school and realism and is well worth the money. The wood makes it very pleasant to look at, don’t get me wrong I do like the black as well. But if I had to choose I would pick the wood grips over the black plastic any day.

It felt heavy and very solid. This thing is very well built and built to last. It is all metal and wood that stays in place and does not move unless you need it to. The few markings it has are well done. I did not get the chance to weigh it but it feels very hefty, for a bolt action it has some weight to it.

3.

Manufacturer: A&K
Muzzle Velocity: 400 - 420 FPS (With .20g BBs)
Magazine Capacity: ~250 rounds
Package Includes: gun, magazine
Gun Weight: ~7 pounds
Gun Length: 47 1/2 inches

4.

There is not much to explain here. This is about as simple as a weapon can get. Once you fill the mag and wind it up place it in the gun. It rocks into place just like any other AK mag. You then place the fire selector switch from safe into fire mode, and then pull back the bolt on the right side to cock it. Then all that is left is to aim and fire. Then repeat.

5.

My SVD did NOT come with a scope. But it does have the “rails” on the side for the scope mount and scope to attach to. The scope can be purchased separately for about $150. There is also a removable cheek rest if you choose not to use a scope. The iron sights on the SVD are the exact same adjustable ones found on other AK models.

6.

The Hop Up is the blue cylinder behind the bolt. To adjust the Hop Up you must remove the dust cover and use a hex key. To remove the dust cover you have to push down the lever behind the bolt on the right side then pull it off. There are three holes and the one you want to adjust is the middle one.

7.

The magazine is simply a high capacity mag. It holds roughly 250 rounds and requires you to wind it up. The mag release is about the same as any other AK and you remove and insert the mag about the same as you would any other AK.

8.

Being a bolt action this SVD’s performance is going to be some what consistent (or as consistent as an airsoft gun gets). There are very few moving parts meaning that there is a less likely chance for something to break or fail. And because this is not an AEG you are at a slight disadvantage as far as fire power, you don’t have semi auto or full auto. But out of the box you can expect this SVD to shoot around the 400 FPS range. This SVD also uses regular AEG springs, so if you ever what to upgrade you don’t need to use a special spring.

9.

Now this part of my review is a little tricky for a few reasons. One being accuracy is not just a test of the gun but also the shooter. And some people are better shots then others so results may vary. Another reason this is tricky is because I was testing with .20g BBs. For the FPS this gun is shooting at out of the box I should be using at least .25g BBs. That being said the target was about 115 feet away. I was shooting at a cardboard box that was 13 inches wide and 26 inches tall and sitting on the ground. I was shooting in a seated position. The wind was very minimal at the time of my shots, so I doubt that had any affect on them. I managed to hit my target 11 times out of about 25 shots. In order to hit my target I had to aim extremely low. Again I did not adjust the Hop Up, as this was an out of the box test. And I used .20g BBs which were way to light. The shots did not seem to veer right or left very much, the over hop seemed to be the only issue. But over all I am pleased with the results.

Before

After

10.

The Cons of this SVD are dependent on how you look at things. Some may say that being a bolt action is a con because it limits your rate of fire and renders you some what useless on the battlefield. The SVD is also a little front heavy making aiming for long periods of time slightly difficult. This thing is also very long, which makes maneuvering through the woods a little tricky. There is also a lack of accessories for this weapon. Meaning, in my opinion you can’t put just any scope on this gun. Also things like bi-pods and special grips or stocks are just not available for the SVD. Unlike other clone SVDs this one does not take regular AK mags, because the real SVD does not either. So your other AK mags are useless, not that you will need them. What you see is what you get.

The Pros of this SVD are the intimidation factor. The AK is well known for being the “outcast” and the “bad guy” of the bunch. So the SVD just adds to that legend with accuracy and stealth. The real wood kit is a great touch. The mag capacity illuminates the need to purchase more mags, which is good due to the fact that it does not take regular AK mags. This gun is less likely to break compared to your average AEG. Being a bolt action also means no buying or charging batteries. You can just grab the gun and go. Very few moving parts, which also means low maintenance. Very solid and well built weapon. And with the proper weight of ammo it can be very accurate in the right hands.

11.

My conclusion is that I love this weapon. Not just because it is an AK variant but because it is solid and performs as it should. In the right hands of a well trained sniper this weapon could do some serious damage on the battle field. This is also one of the best bangs for your buck as far as I am concerned. I don’t recommend beginner snipers use this as their first weapon as there are others out there that are cheaper to learn the ropes from. But if you are not a noob to the role of sniper then this would make a great addition to your collection. All things considered I would give this SVD 9 out of 10. I hope this review has been informative and helpful.

~Joker out….

Team Roster

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