The Russian full-bore OSV-96 sniper rifle has been fitted with new high-precision armor-piercing single-element bullets capable of penetrating advanced armored personnel carriers (APCs) supplied by NATO countries, Alexey Matveyev of the Tula-based Central Design and Research Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weapons told reporters.
"While standard ammunition has multi-element bullets, those in the new cartridges are single-element, namely, they are made of a solid steel rod," Matveyev said.
According to him, the single-element bullet adds significantly to the reliability of the OSV-96.
This bullet is capable of hitting a light armored car at a distance of up to two kilometers, and vehicles with more serious armor from a distance of up to 1.5 kilometers.