To The Gun Enthusiasts In Here.

Von Smallhausen · 12 Dec 2010 at 17:36

Are any of you aware if there is a version of the Dragunov SVD available for civilian shooters that would be compatible with UK firearms law ?

As the military model is semi-auto it is off limits for the UK so I would like to get myself a bolt action version if I can. It would have to be in a .308 / 7.62 NATO calibre and not the old Soviet 7.62x54.

Net connection is appalling today so I thought I would cheat and also see if any of the shooters here may shed some light.

JBuk · 12 Dec 2010 at 17:39

Surely there's easier ways to deal with Mackems?

Von Smallhausen · 12 Dec 2010 at 17:40

4T5 · 12 Dec 2010 at 17:42

BruceV8 said:
I have a deactivated Dragunov SVD sniper rifle with a PSO1 scope that may be for sale if anyone's interested.

from http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=760793&mid=0&i=0&nmt=Gun Ownership in the UK&mid=0

Best i could find but the post was a year ago.

Everything has been semi auto as well no single shot UK legal models i can find anyway.

Von Smallhausen · 12 Dec 2010 at 17:45

Aye, nice link and rifle there 4T5 but semi-auto is a no no in the UK. ( Law was changed after Michael Ryan / Hungerford.

Makhaira · 12 Dec 2010 at 17:48

?? Semi autos are perfectly legal in the UK, it's autos that are not.

EDIT: Oh, and the civvy version of a Dragunov is a TIGR

Swifty55 · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:00

Makhaira said:
?? Semi autos are perfectly legal in the UK, it's autos that are not.

Von Smallhausen said:
but semi-auto is a no no in the UK. ( Law was changed after Michael Ryan / Hungerford.

The massacre led to the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988,[2] which banned the ownership of semi-automatic centre-fire rifles and restricted the use of shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than two rounds. The Hungerford Report had demonstrated that Ryan's collection of weapons was legally licensed.

Snaggle · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:02

Makhaira said:
?? Semi autos are perfectly legal in the UK, it's autos that are not.

EDIT: Oh, and the civvy version of a Dragunov is a TIGR

Semi auto in .22 rimfire only

Makhaira · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:13

Bah, my bad.

If you want to shoot semi auto centres then your best bet is visiting a range abroad tbh. Whilst you do get some over here that are converted to bolt, if you have an interest in that area then you're not going to fare well in the UK.

Swifty55 · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:16

Makhaira said:
Bah, my bad.

If you want to shoot semi auto centres then your best bet is visiting a range abroad tbh. Whilst you do get some over here that are converted to bolt, if you have an interest in that area then you're not going to fare well in the UK.

Have you actually read the OP?

Von Smallhausen · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:20

Makhaira said:
Bah, my bad.

If you want to shoot semi auto centres then your best bet is visiting a range abroad tbh. Whilst you do get some over here that are converted to bolt, if you have an interest in that area then you're not going to fare well in the UK.

I shoot regularly n MoD ranges but it is always with bolt action or rifles where you have to manually reload after every shot.

I have done the fully auto thing in Nevada a few years back but being a shooter over here means you have to play the game with UK law.

As said above, semi-automatic weapons have been outlawed for over twenty years unless they are .22 calibre which is useless for the ranges I shoot at.

doofer · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:21

Don't a lot of shooters now go to France and use the Gun Clubs there just to enjoy their hobby without all the Firearms regulations that Law abiding Citizens in the UK have to endure?

setter · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:21

As there are single shot straight pull variants of weapons such as the AR15, im sure it would be possible to convert a weapon such as the dragunov, wether or not though it would be financially feasible for a uk based firm to do this is a different matter.

Makhaira · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:23

doofer said:
Don't a lot of shooters now go to France and use the Gun Clubs there just to enjoy their hobby without all the Firearms regulations that Law abiding Citizens in the UK have to endure?

France have their own crazy laws too. It's illegal to hunt with air weapons in France for instance.

Can't argue though that we do tend to have the strictest ones going.

Von Smallhausen · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:33

setter said:
As there are single shot straight pull variants of weapons such as the AR15, im sure it would be possible to convert a weapon such as the dragunov, wether or not though it would be financially feasible for a uk based firm to do this is a different matter.

It would likely be possible but reboring and rechambering a 7.62x54 weapon to standard NATO 7.62x39 and changing from semi-auto to manual would be eye watering in cost.

As for banning hunting with air weapons, I can see the logic in that from a humane point of view although I don't shoot live.

setter · 12 Dec 2010 at 18:42

There is a version chambered in 7.62x39, the tiger variant.

http://dragunov.net/tiger.html

Again though it's semi auto only. Depends on how much it would cost to convert it to single shot.

Von Smallhausen · 12 Dec 2010 at 19:00

I wouldn't bother getting one modified tbh.

For the cost of the rifle and modifying it I could probably get a Rolls Royce rifle like an AI L96 or Steyr 69 which are both bolt action as standard.

Vulcan · 12 Dec 2010 at 19:11

Von Smallhausen said:
Are any of you aware if there is a version of the Dragunov SVD available for civilian shooters that would be compatible with UK firearms law ?

Yeah, it's called a Mosin Nagant.

But seriously, no.

If in doubt though, give Oleg a shout at rusmilitary.com, if anyone knows, he will.

Out of curiosity, why would you want it chambered in .308? Purely performance?

Mark A · 12 Dec 2010 at 19:30

Can you legally use an Accuracy International AW in the UK? That is a rifle I'd love to own and shoot.

Vulcan · 12 Dec 2010 at 19:32

Mark A said:
Can you legally use an Accuracy International AW in the UK? That is a rifle I'd love to own and shoot.

Yes. AI rifles are not cheap though.