7.62-mm SVD
DRAGUNOV SNIPER RIFLE

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
AND SERVICE MANUAL

2. SERVICE MANUAL

  2.1. General

  The sniper rifle and optical sight should be kept in good repair and in a ready-for use condition, which can be obtained by timely and skilful cleaning and lubricating, careful handling, proper storage, timely technical inspection and remedying of the troubles.
 

  2.2. Safety precautions

  2.2.1. To carry out training in disassembly and assembly of the rifle use blank rifles only. Training with service rifles is allowed only in exceptional cases keeping particular care when handling parts and mechanisms.
  2.2.2. Prior to preparing the rifle for firing and also prior to its cleaning and lubricating be sure that it is not loaded. During firing practice with the loaded rifle never direct the rifle to people or domestic animals.
  Firing practice is carried out in the closed shooting gallery only when the suction-and-exhaust ventilation is provided there, because powder gases, liberated when shooting, are toxic. On finishing the fire unload the rifle and set it at safe.
 

  2.3. Preparing of sniper rifle and optical sight for firing
  2.3.1.
Preparation of the sniper rifle and the sight for firing is accomplished with a view to ensure their trouble-free operation during firing.
  To prepare the rifle and the sight for firing, proceed as follows:
  a) clean the rifle;
  b) inspect the disassembled rifle and lubricate it;
  c) inspect the assembled rifle and sight;
  d) check the rifle mechanisms and parts for proper interaction;
  e) check the illuminating system and reticle illuminating set for sound condition;
  f) check the sight angle and deflection correction mechanisms for proper operation;
  g) check the screen of the sight PSO-1 for switching in and off;
  h) activate the sight PSO-1 screen.

  Directly before firing, wipe dry the barrel bore (the rifled portion and the cartridge chamber), inspect the cartridges and load the magazine with them.
  For the process of activating set the screen switching lever into position along the sight axis, put the sight in such a position in which the whole surface of the light filter is exposed to the light source, radiating ultraviolet rays.
  The reactivating time, when the screen is lit with daily scattered light, will be equal to 15 minutes, when lit with straight sun rays or with rays irradiated by an electric lamp (100 200W) at a distance of 20 cm, it will be within 7 10 minutes. Reactivation of the screen for a more longer period of time than indicated one does not increase its sensibility. Useful life of a reactivated screen is 6 - 7 days, after this period reactivation should be repeated. One reactivation is sufficient for the sight operation during 3 days (at 8-hours operation in a day).
 

  2.4. Zeroing of rifle and procedure of optical sight operation
  2.4.1.
The sniper rifle being in the service of a subunit should be zeroed. The necessity of rifle zeroing is determined by test-firing.
Rifles are subjected to test-firing:
  a) on reception of the rifle by the subunit;
  b) after the rifle parts repair or replacement, which may affect the rifle fire accuracy;
  c) in case of excessive deviation of the mean point of impact (MPI), or bullet dispersion, which does not meet the accuracy requirements. Under combat conditions the rifle accuracy should be tested periodically whenever the situation permits.
  2.4.2. The sniper rifle is test-fired by four shots, aiming thoroughly and uniformly with the aid of the open sight. Fire is conducted at the black rectangle, 20 cm wide and 30 cm high, secured on a white board, 1 m high and 0.5 m wide. The point of aim is the middle of the black rectangle bottom edge. During firing when the open sight is used the normal position of the MPI is marked with chalk or a coloured pencil by the plimb line, 16 cm above the point of aim. This point serves as the check point (CP).
  The range is 100 m, the sight is set at 3. Firing is conducted from the prone position with support. To test-fire and zero a rifle, use should be made of cartridges with ordinary bullets having a steel core. Fire is conducted with knife bayonet removed. Upon firing the shots, examine the target and arrangement of hits, determine accuracy of fire and position of the MPI. The sniper rifle fire accuracy is considered normal, if all the four hits are arranged within the circle, 8 mm in diameter.
  If the shot group does not meet the requirements, test-firing is repeated.
  If the second test results are unsatisfactory, the sniper rifle should be sent to the repair shop.
  If the shot group is found normal, determine the MPI and its position relative to the check point.
  Determination of the mean point of impact is shown in Fig. 12. The sniper rifle fire accuracy is considered normal, if the mean point of impact coincides with the check point or deviates from it in any direction by no more than 5 cm.
  2.4.3. If during test-firing the MPI deviates by more than 5 cm from the CP in any direction, the position of the front sight (as to its height) or that of its body (as to side position) should be changed accordingly. If the mean point of impact is below the check point, the front sight should be screwed in, if it is above the check point, the front sight should be screwed out.
  If the MPI is to the left of the CP, the front sight body should be shifted to the left, if to the right, shift the body to the right. The front sight body displacement by 1 mm to the side and one complete revolution of the front sight (when screwed in or out) will change the position of the mean point of impact by 16 cm when fire is delivered at a range of 100 m.

Fig. 12. Determination of mean point of impact (MPI):
1 - by consequent division of lines; 2 - with symmetrical arrangement of hits. CTn means MPI

  Repeat test-firing to make sure that the above displacement of the front sight and its body is properly done.
  After the sniper rifle has been zeroed, remove the old notch and make a new notch on the front-sight body.
  2.4.4. To zero the rifle with the optical sight attach it to the rifle and put the cheek plate on the butt. Rotate the knobs to set the sight angle knob at division 3 and deflection correction knob at 0. Perform the test-firing with the aid of the optical sight, the conditions being the same as for test-firing of the rifle with the aid of the open sight, but the check point in this case is marked at a height of 14 cm from the point of aim.
  If, as a result of the test-firing, all four hits are arranged in a circle, 8 cm in diameter, but the mean point of impact deviates from the check point by more than 3 cm, determine the deviation of the MPI and introduce the appropriate corrections into the settings of the nuts on knobs of the sight angles and deflection corrections.
  Displacement of the nuts by one division relative to the scales on the bands of the knobs in firing at 100-m range will change the position of MPI by 5 cm. To introduce corrections release screws on the knob ends by 1 1 1/2 turns and while rotating the sight angle nut and the deflection correction nut, manually, displace them by a necessary amount and tighten the screws.
  After the corrections have been introduced in the knob setting, repeat the test-firing. If, as a result of the repeated test-firing, all the four hits are arranged in a circle, dia. 8 cm, the MPI has matched with the check point or deviated from it to either side by no more than 3 cm, the rifle is considered zeroed.
  After zeroing the rifle, record the position of the MPI in the Service Log.
  2.4.5. To detect the range up to the target proceed as follows:
  Match the target image with the range-finding scale of the reticle so that the target base is on the horizontal line of the range-finding scale, and the target top point touches the upper (dotted) line of the scale without clearance.
  Take off the range-finding scale readings in the point of touching the target.
  A digit which happens to be in the point of touching determines the distance up to the target (in Fig. 13 the distance up to the target is 400 m).
  2.4.6. To deliver firing at night or in twilight turn the micro- tumbler lever to the position "BKJi" (ON).
  Sight angles and deflection correction angles are set in this case by counting clicks of the retainer from zero position. Bear in mind that the fixation of the sight angle knob is performed from "0" to "3" every whole division, i.e. every 100 m and further on till setting 10 every half-division i.e. every 50 m. The fixation of the knob of deflection corrections is effected every half division, i.e. every 0-00.5.
 
Fig. 13. Range-finding scale

  2.4.7. When working with the illuminating system it is necessary to store the set body with the section 2 RC-63 in a warm place (in the pocket of a field shirt or a sniper's overcoat).
 

  2.5. Technical condition inspection, troubles and remedies
  2.5.1.
To check the rifle for good condition, as well at to set its further ready-for-use condition periodically inspect the rifle.
  During inspection make sure that all the rifle parts are present and the external parts are free of rust, dirt, dents, scratches, nicks, chipping and other damage, since they may interfere with the normal operation of the rifle mechanisms and the optical sight.
  Besides, check condition of the lubricant on the rifle parts visible without disassembling the rifle. Make sure that the magazines, the knife bayonet, the accessories, the slip cover for the optical sight, the carrier for the optical sight and magazines, as well as the bag for SPTA are not missed, make sure that there is no foreign matter in the barrel bore.
  Check the parts and mechanisms for proper operation. When checking the operation of the rifle parts and mechanisms, release safety lock, retract the bolt support by the reloading handle all the way back and release it; the bolt support should be stopped in the rear position by the bolt catch.
  Detach the magazine, slightly retract the bolt support by the handle and release it; the bolt support should energetically return to the front position. Set the rifle at safe and press the trigger; the trigger should not move rearward completely, and the hammer should remain cocked.
  Release safety lock and press the trigger; a click should be heard, which is indicative of the energetic blow delivered by the hammer against the firing pin.
  Set the rifle at safe again and attach the magazine; the bolt support should not move backward, the safety lock should be reliably retained in the required position.
  Check the feed of cartridges into the cartridge chamber, extraction and ejection of fired cases (cartridges). Fill the magazine with dummy cartridges, attach it to the rifle, and without pressing the magazine latch, try to detach the magazine with the effort of the hand, the magazine should freely enter the opening of the receiver and should be securely retained by the magazine latch.
  Reload the rifle several times, the dummy cartridges should be fed, without any delay, from the magazine into the cartridge chamber and rushly extracted from the receiver outward.
  When checking the condition of the optical sight, make sure that the objective and eyepiece lenses are not broken. Check to see that the knobs rotate smoothly and are reliably fixed in the required position, they are free of play; the sight is free of play and the clamping screw reliably secures the sight on the rifle; the reticle illuminating set is in sound condition; to this end, fit the cap onto the objective, switch on the tumbler switch and look into the eyepiece (if the illuminating set is in good repair, the reticle is seen distinctly; if the reticle is not seen, replace the cell or the electric lamp).
  If the sight is not free of play or the handle guiding lug does not enter the recess in the bracket, with the sight reliably secured on the rifle, adjust the clamping screw.
  To this end, detach the sight from the rifle, press the slide to the handle (compress the spring) and screw the clamping screw adjusting nut in or out.
  Inspect cartridges before firing. When inspecting the cartridges, make sure that the cartridge cases are not bent and free of rust, the bullet does not play in the cartridge case mouth; the primer is free of verdigris and cracks, no setback of the primer occurs; are there some dummy cartridges among live cartridges or not. All the defective cartridges are to be transferred to the depot.
  2.5.2. All defects of the rifle, the optical sight, magazines and accessories should be immediately eliminated. If there is no opportunity to eliminate the troubles in the subunit, transfer the rifle (the optical sight, magazines, accessories) to the repair shop.
  2.5.3. Careful handling the rifle and proper care of it provide reliable, trouble-free operation and long service life of sniper rifle parts and mechanisms. However, in case of clogging and wear of rifle parts and mechanisms and in case of careless handling the rifle or in case of cartridges damage, stoppages in fire may occur.
  If during firing stoppages occur, reload the rifle, for which purpose energetically retract the bolt support by the handle, release it and proceed with firing.
  If the stoppage is not eliminated, determine the cause of the trouble and eliminate the stoppage as instructed in the Table No. 2.
Table No. 2
TroubleCauseRemedy
Cartridge not fed into chamber. Bolt in front position, but no shot fired (no cartridge in cartridgechamber) Dirty or faulty magazine. Faulty magazine latch Reload the rifle and proceed with firing. Replace the magazine, if stoppage is repeated.
Transfer the rifle to the repair shop, if the magazine latch is faulty
Misalignment of cartridge. Cartridge with its bullet rests on barrel breech face, moving parts stop in middle position Bent guiding lugs of magazine side walls Holding the bolt support reloading handle, remove the misaligned cartridge and proceed with firing. If the stoppage is repeated, replace the magazine.
Misfire. Bolt in front position, cartridge in cartridge chamber, hammer released, no shot fired Faulty cartridge.
Faulty firing pin or firing and trigger mechanism, dirty or thick lubricant
Reload the rifle and proceed with firing.
If stoppage is repeated, inspect and clean the firing pin and the firing and trigger mechanism; if they are broken or worn, transfer the rifle to the repair shop
Fired case fails to be extracted.
Fired case in cartridge chamber, the next cartridge with its bullet rests on fired case, moving parts are in middle position
Dirty cartridge or dirty cartridge chamber.
Dirty or faulty extractor or its spring
Retract the bolt support reloading handle, and holding it in the rear position, detach the magazine and remove the misaligned cartridge.
Extract the fired case by the bolt or by the cleaning rod and proceed with firing. If the stoppage is repeated, clean the cartridge chamber.
Inspect and clean the extractor, then proceed with firing. If the extractor is faulty, transfer the rifle to the repair shop
Fired case stuck or fails to be ejected.
Fired case is not ejected from receiver, it is in the receiver, in front of bolt or rammed by the bolt into cartridge chamber again
Dirty friction parts, gas passages or cartridge chamber
Dirty or faulty extractor
Retract the bolt support reloading handle, remove the fired case and proceed with firing.
If the stoppage is repeated, clean the gas passages, the friction parts and the cartridge chamber.
If the extractor is unserviceable, transfer the rifle to the repair shop

 
 

2.6. Disassembly and assembly of rifle


CONTENTS


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