As part of Kalashnikov Concern’s new product rollout for the Russian government’s ARMY 2016 military technology conference, the company has announced a new designated marksman’s rifle, named the SVK. Earlier this year, an article in PopMech.ru showed off a Kalashnikov Concern design called “SK-16”, but an anonymous source told TFB that development of that rifle has ceased, due to problems with the design, and the new SVK will be taking its place. The SVK uses similar receiver architecture to the Kalashnikov Concern MA, also announced this week, with a steel upper receiver spine supporting a Picatinny-type rail and providing a guide rod for the operating group, as well as rigidity for the whole firearm. The rest of the receiver is made of polymer (aluminum on the prototypes), and contains the fire control group and the magazine housing.

The SVK is being introduced in two calibers, 7.62x54mmR and 7.62x51mm NATO, and rifles chambered for the former will use standard SVD magazines. According to the KC press release, the rifle uses a short-stroke gas piston, three-lug rotating bolt, and has a gas regulator with a provision for suppressed operation, all of which sounds very Dragunov.

Image source: Imgur.com

Kalashnikov’s press release states that the SVK was developed at the request of Russian special operations forces, which isn’t a surprise since the demand for a modern designated marksman’s rifle is apparently so great that Russian SF have been seen using foreign rifles like the HK417.