The SVD Dragunov was the Soviet marksman's rifle that finally replaced the failed attempt to issue the SVT-40 as a precision rifle. It was introduced in 1963, after about 5 years of development, and its scarcity in the United States has led to the development of a loyal and dedicated group of admirers. This, of course, has led to much spirited debate about the relative merits of the different variations of the SVD which have been imported into the US. Today, we will look at three in detail: a genuine Soviet military-issue SVD, a commercial Tiger SVD made in Russia, and a commercial Chinese NDM-86 in 7.62 NATO caliber (a commercial version of the Chinese Type 79/85 military rifle).

While these rifles really have negligible differences in actual shooting and handling performance, they do differ in some details. Specifically:

- firing pin
- gas regulator
- trigger mechanism (safety sear & disconnector)
- bolt machining
- mainspring and top cover
- receiver lightening cut(s)

Enjoy the video, and see the differences for yourself!