It is already being used in the area of a special military operation
A new STM-308 rifle has been developed for Russian snipers. It is designed as a more effective analogue of the time-tested regular military SVD rifle and has a number of advantages over it. For example, the novelty is lighter and allows you to confidently hit targets at a range of up to a kilometer. The first STM-308s are already in use in the military: they are supplied there in small batches by volunteers. Experts believe that the new rifle will not replace the SVD in army units, but will be in demand by special forces.
Features of the STM-308 rifle
The STM-308 sniper rifle is made in a linear layout. This means that all the mechanisms in the weapon are located on the same line.
— In the SVD, for example, the piston line is higher than the barrel line, and this causes a bending moment when firing, — a representative of the Soyuz-TM manufacturing company told Izvestia. — Here, the return mechanism and the bolt group are on the same level. When fired from an SVD, the rifle throws up, and you need to aim again. With the STM-308, you can immediately see the hit. At the same time, it has a lower mass than the SVD.
The new rifle has a caliber.308 win (7.62*51) and allows a sniper to work at a distance of 800 m, and an experienced specialist — up to 1 km.
STM-308 carbine
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Anna Selina
The weapon is equipped with an adjustable butt. A Picatinny rail is installed on top, so that the rifle can be equipped with a variety of devices.
— We have a side bracket on the SVD, on which we can put only one sight, — said a representative of the manufacturer. — Here we can put a sight and some kind of pre-objective attachment — thermal imaging or night vision. We can equip the weapon with bipods, a handle, anything. There is a thread on the barrel, and you can put a silent firing device or an effective muzzle brake.
According to the manufacturers, the STM-308 batches are purchased by volunteers for Russian snipers. Military personnel working with new weapons in the special military operation zone note their high accuracy.
The accuracy of the rifle is less than one arc minute. This means that at a distance of 100 m, the bullet hits a circle with a diameter of 29 mm, at 200 m — 6 cm, 300 m — 9 cm, etc.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
Special forces are a high—precision tool, whose fighters have their own military specialization, military expert Yuri Lyamin told Izvestia.
"They need weapons that will help them solve specific, often unique tasks," he said. — Regular army rifles may not be suitable for a number of them. Therefore, commandos often select rifles, equipment and ammunition for themselves, according to the specifics of their work. They need high-precision and convenient weapons for a particular fighter. The new rifle is a plus, as there are more options when choosing a weapon.
The effectiveness of the weapon is tested at the front
Reliability is very important for an army sniper rifle, Colonel Valery Yuryev, chairman of the Russian Paratroopers Union, told Izvestia.
— The weapon shows its effectiveness best in combat conditions, — the expert noted. — Even if the rifle does not hit five kopecks, but it does not malfunction during the battle — that's the indicator. At the front, weapons are operated in the most severe weather and climatic conditions, they are constantly subject to mechanical stress: when moving, they are beaten against the ground, equipment. It is important that the new rifle, even if accurate, does not turn out to be capricious. Weapons for anti—terrorist groups are one thing. There it is not constantly exposed. The army is different. It should not fail under any conditions.
Yuri Lyamin noted that the cartridges are of caliber.The 308 win (7.62*51) is used by NATO countries, but this should not be a problem.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Anna Selina
Image source: iz.ru
"High—class snipers all over the world prefer to use the weapons they need and no one looks at the caliber," he noted. — It is not difficult to supply a small unit with the necessary ammunition. There are special cartridges for snipers, the use of which can increase the accuracy of fire. The caliber plays a role in supplying large connections, but here the situation is different. Small batches of cartridges can be imported even under sanctions, this is not a problem. In other countries, they do the same, the main thing for special forces is to complete the task. Fighters are given freedom when choosing combat tools, trusting their professionalism, since efficiency is at the forefront.
The new microwave rifle is already in the army
In the course of its development, sniper weapons are rapidly being improved, and new samples of them appear. Izvestia wrote that the Russian army units received the first serial samples of the Chukavin sniper rifle (microwave) . It began to be developed in 2016 and was first shown at the international military-technical forum "Army-2017". Starting in 2021, a certain number of microwave ovens entered the army for trial operation. The microwave was put into service already during the SVO — in May 2023.
The weight of the Chukavin rifle without a magazine is 4.2 kg, the length with an unfolded butt and a flame extinguisher is 1170 mm, the firing range is up to 1 km. The microwave is equipped with adjustable bipods and a butt. In addition, she received a mechanism for adjusting the descent force.
Earlier, the microwave designer Andrey Chukavin said that his rifle surpasses the famous SVD: in ergonomics and accuracy of shooting, it increased by 25-30%.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Anna Selina
Image source: iz.ru
A low-noise shooting device is installed on the rifle, which muffles the sound of the shot and extinguishes the flame, which does not allow you to determine the position of the shooter.
The microwave is equipped with a Picatinny rail, which allows you to install the entire range of Russian and foreign sights on the weapon without constructive modifications.
Izvestia also wrote that intelligence and special forces units will be completely re-equipped with SVDM sniper rifles . They surpass the characteristics of the classic Dragunov rifle.
It is made of modern materials, has improved ergonomics and higher accuracy due to the weighted barrel. The novelty has the ability to quickly change the layout — install different sights, a silencer and additional equipment.
Roman Kretsul
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
