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Kalashnikov gunmaker to launch production of new sniper rifle in 2020

The Lebedev handgun is in serial production, according to the developer

Mikhail Kalashnikov AP Photo/Jens Meyer

Mikhail Kalashnikov

© AP Photo/Jens Meyer

MOSCOW, November 27. /TASS/. The Kalashnikov Group gunmaker plans to launch the production of a new SVCh sniper rifle next year, Group CEO Dmitry Tarasov said on Wednesday.

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"Today it is very important to timely start the production of items. For example, last year, Izhmash [part of the Kalashnikov Group] timely launched the production of AK-12 assault rifles. Next year, this will, indeed, be the SVCh for the 7.62 x 54 mm round while the Lebedev handgun is already in serial production," the Kalashnikov Media quoted him as saying.

The Chukovin semi-automatic sniper rifle (abbreviated as the SVCh in Russian) has been developed for the 7.62 x 54 mm and 7.62 x 51 mm rounds (the latter is also known as the .308 Win cartridge). In its 7.62 x 54 mm caliber, the SVCh is compatible with the magazines from the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle).

The Kalashnikov Group, the maker of the renowned AK-47 assault rifle, is Russia’s major producer of combat automatic and sniper guns, guided artillery shells and a broad range of precision weapons.

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