I got to shoot my friends Dragunov rifle this weekend and I was very disapointed with the accuracy. I shot several different brands of ammo including some commercial ammo and the accuracy ranged from 5" to 7" with all brands (best 3 shot group was 4 1/2") at 200 yards. Is this "typical" for Dragunov or is this particular one a lemon? When I shot the Savage rifle I was getting consistant 2"-3" at same distance. While I didn't expect it to perform to a level of highly tuned Remington I did expect it to perform better than this.
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How Accurate Are Dragunov Rifles?
- Thread starter taco
- Start date
internetfish
New member
I myself have shot a couple of Dragunovs in the last couple of years, and while my experience was not as disappointing as your own, they are not superbly accurate rifles. I experienced 3" groups at 200 meters and was satisfied with that performance. Would I buy one? No, probably not...but they are great pieces to shoot.
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
Tactical Shooter ran a series of articles on the SVD over the last couple of months. The accuracy was (IIRC) pretty good. The author made the point that there is match/sniper grade ammo for the rifle. He had a case of the Russian match grade and acheived 1.5 MOA or a bit better.
Giz
Giz
Steve Smith
New member
Most should shoot 1-1.5" groups at 100 yds with a little load testing. Most Kalashnikov variants like the Hirtenberger ammo the best.
Savage rifles are well known for accuracy anyway, and 99.9% of semi-autos won't match a bolt action's accuracy anyway. I'd say that the Dragunov with more load testing would perform really well for a semi-auto, but none will compete consistently with bolts.
There are certainly some concessions when choosing a semi-auto, but there are concessions with bolts too. It depends on what you want the rifle to do.
[This message has been edited by Frontsight! (edited September 06, 2000).]
Savage rifles are well known for accuracy anyway, and 99.9% of semi-autos won't match a bolt action's accuracy anyway. I'd say that the Dragunov with more load testing would perform really well for a semi-auto, but none will compete consistently with bolts.
There are certainly some concessions when choosing a semi-auto, but there are concessions with bolts too. It depends on what you want the rifle to do.
[This message has been edited by Frontsight! (edited September 06, 2000).]
Mike Irwin
Staff
Drags are not particularly accurate rifles, especially by Western standards.
Also, the rifling is apparently optimized for use with "heavy ball" ammo of, I believe, 202 grains. The lighter stuff will work, but it won't be as accurate.
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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
Also, the rifling is apparently optimized for use with "heavy ball" ammo of, I believe, 202 grains. The lighter stuff will work, but it won't be as accurate.
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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
If it wasn't silver tipped it, wasn't the sniper stuff (Which is a 147 gr light ball ammo) The Dragunov and all its clones had a specific ammo developed for use in them and it was the silver tipped stuff
All the other surp stuff, gee who knows, some is machine gun ammo, some is heavy ball (174 thu 186 grains) in brass or steel cases.
I would say the results you had with the rifle was some what less accurate than mine.
All the other surp stuff, gee who knows, some is machine gun ammo, some is heavy ball (174 thu 186 grains) in brass or steel cases.
I would say the results you had with the rifle was some what less accurate than mine.
The things just don't have the tolerances to be all that accurate. Too many variables. I've got one rifle that'll consistently shoot under a quarter inch. Then there's my .22-250, which will consistently do a third... My .308 will consistently do a half. And my .243 will shoot 3/4". What do they all have in common? They're all bolt guns. My AR is lucky to shoot around an inch, and my AK isn't shot past 50 yards, since I like to keep all the shots on the target...