TNI: Kalashnikov Concern to supply SV-98 rifles to the Russian army for its
The SV-98 sniper rifles, tested for the first time in Chechnya, are being received by Russian soldiers in Ukraine, The National Interest writes. The Kalashnikov Concern, which provides up to 95% of small arms to the Russian Armed Forces, has supplied a new batch of these rifles. As they say, there is still gunpowder in the flasks.
Peter Suciu
Russian special forces used the SV-98 sniper rifle for the first time during the conflict in Chechnya, and it still continues to be used during the ongoing special operation in Ukraine.
Legendary small arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern announced this week that it has delivered a new batch of sniper rifles with a sliding bolt SV-98 (the abbreviation stands for Sniper rifle model 1998) to the troops fighting in Ukraine. The exact number of new rifles was not disclosed, but the production of small arms has become one of the areas where Russia has not only met current demand, but also exceeded it.
"Kalashnikov Concern JSC has sent a large batch of high-precision 7.62 mm SV-98 sniper rifles to the customer under the current government contract for 2025. The delivery of the product, which is widely used in the area of a special military operation, was completed on time," the company's press service said in a statement.
Kalashnikov currently supplies up to 95% of all small arms to the Russian armed forces, paramilitary forces and police. He also exports it to more than two dozen countries around the world.
The company's origins date back to Tsar Alexander I, who founded it in 1807 as the Imperial Arms Factory. After the Civil War, the plant remained under state control and has since been known as Izhevsk Machine Building (Izhmash). However, in 2013, the company was renamed in honor of the legendary Soviet gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov, whose main brainchild was the AK-47 assault rifle.
What you need to know about the Russian SV-98 sniper rifle
The development of the SV-98 began in the mid-1990s under the leadership of Vladimir Stronsky at Izhmash, now part of the Kalashnikov Concern. It entered service in 1998 and was intended mainly for Russian special operations forces and law enforcement snipers. It is capable of hitting enemy manpower with targeted fire at a distance of up to 1,000 meters with an initial firing velocity of 820 m/s.
The rifle with a longitudinally sliding bolt is made on the basis of a cold-forged receiver and a heavy free-hanging chrome barrel, which can be used with a silencer or a flame suppressor. It is designed for the widely used 7.62×54 mm R rifle cartridge, but the manufacturer noted that it provides the highest accuracy with the 7H1 and 7H14 cartridges developed for the Dragunov SVD and using extra-class extruded powder rather than the larger spherical powder used in more common cartridges. The rifle is powered by cartridges from a 10-round box magazine.
The total length of the SV-98 with a silencer is 1,375 mm, the barrel length is 650 mm, and the weight without cartridges is 7.8 kg. The force required to fire is in the range from 1.0 to 1.5 kgf. The SV-98 meets modern ergonomic requirements by using an aluminum alloy box, a pistol grip made of impact-resistant polymer, and a buttstock with adjustable cheek, nape, and rear support. A Picatinny rail on the receiver is used to install the sights, in addition, the rifle is equipped with backup mechanical aiming devices.
Russian special forces units used the SV-98 sniper rifle for the first time during the conflict in Chechnya, and it continues to be used during the ongoing special operation in Ukraine.
In addition to the Russian armed forces and paramilitary formations, the SV-98 was adopted by the forces of the Syrian Republican Guard under the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and was also exported to Armenia.
Sports versions based on the SV-98 were released under the names SV-338, SV-338M and SV-338M1, but under cartridges.338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70 mm or 8.58×70 mm).
During his thirty-year journalism career, Peter Suciu has published more than 3,200 articles in forty magazines and publications. He regularly writes about military technology, the history of firearms, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. It is also published in Forbes and Clearance Jobs. Lives in Michigan.
