The new sniper rifle, which could replace the Dragunov model, has been developed and sent to the battlefield. What are the characteristics of the STM-308 rifle?
The STM-308 features an in-line arrangement, in which the main mechanisms of the weapon are located on one line.
"In the Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD), the piston line is higher than that of the barrel, which causes a bending moment during shooting. In the STM-308, the return mechanism and the bolt group are on the same level," a spokesperson for the Soyuz-TM manufacturing company told Russian media.
He added that the new rifle is lighter than the 4.3-kg SVD and makes it possible to see the results of shooting immediately thanks to weaker blowback than the SVD’s.
The new rifle is fitted with an adjustable buttstock and a Picatinny rail that allows for the installation of various sights, bipods or an additional handle. The rifle also supports the installation of alternative muzzle devices.
The STM-308’s shooting accuracy is less than one angular minute, which means that at a distance of 100 meters the rifle’s bullet hits a circle with a diameter of 29 mm, a fact that has already been appreciated by Russian sharpshooters on the front line.