[Rob Ski]

SVD type from the Hungary is the interesting offering on the US market. But how this rifle really shoots? We are sharing our observations based on the extensive use of this rifle.

 

[WaM14gunner]

They are an attractive rifle and almost affordable. Almost I said. I gave it some thought, but in the end I came to my senses and decided it probably wont shoot any better than my PSL and costs a heck of a lot more money.

 

[highlandfarmer]

I am just not a fan of anything China or Russia. The M14 is my rifle - as long as she lives, i shall love no other. Lancelot said to Queen Guenevere in King Arthur flick.

 

[Rob Ski]

I am just not a fan of anything China or Russia. The M14 is my rifle - as long as she lives, i shall love no other. Lancelot said to Queen Guenevere in King Arthur flick.

Fair enough. I just love them all!

 

[Huh?]

I’ve had a lotta trigger time on SVD’s and I just luv’ em’. People tend to forget that the SVD was a STATE OF THE ART sniper rifle in 1963 (when the US Army was clunking around with M-1D’s) and it is still a first line weapon. We had a handful of SVD’s on my second contract in Iraq and banged to snot as they were they still shot well. My first SVD was an NDM-86 in .308 because there was very little quality 7.62X54R in the US. However with 168 grain Gold Medal match I was getting .5 MOA five shot groups at 100 hundred yards and I don’t blame people if they don’t believe me. The down side, and it was a HUGE one, it that it kept piercing primers thus creating a very dangerous situation (that doesn’t occur on real SVD’s). I later traded it for an FAL but subsequent to that I had access to my buddies NDM-86 in 7.62X54R and frankly I’m amazed at the ability of this rifle to get first round torso hits at 800 meters with light ball. I always get a chuckle when folks compare the SVD to the PSL because ANY magazine, Russian or Chinese will always work in an SVD but PSL’s are the most magazine finicky rifle I’ve encountered. The downside is that SVD’s are looooooooong and after carrying one for a while an M-14 feels like a carbine when you pick it up.

My buddies SVD with 1PN58 scope:

 

[WaM14gunner]

The PSL is pretty long too, but I aint humpin one around anywhere except to the range and its a short walk to the bench!

Ammo is no problem for mine, I have two cans of 7N1 to shoot and it shoots great.

 

[Huh?]

The PSL is pretty long too, but I aint humpin one around anywhere except to the range and its a short walk to the bench!

Ammo is no problem for mine, I have two cans of 7N1 to shoot and it shoots great.

My buddy found that in his SVD 7N1 didn’t shoot any better than Wolf light ball and with Wolf he didn’t have to clean it after he fired. His SVD doesn’t like any heavy bullets at all. He bought three crates of 7N1 IIRC around 2008, sat on them, put em’ up on Gunbroker and made a fortune!

 

[WaM14gunner]

My buddy found that in his SVD 7N1 didn’t shoot any better than Wolf light ball and with Wolf he didn’t have to clean it after he fired. His SVD doesn’t like any heavy bullets at all. He bought three crates of 7N1 IIRC around 2008, sat on them, put em’ up on Gunbroker and made a fortune!

My best handloads are about the same as 7N1, roughly MOA so I just shoot the 7N1 and save on work.

 

[Huh?]

SVD type from the Hungary is the interesting offering on the US market. But how this rifle really shoots? We are sharing our observations based on the extensive use of this rifle.

View attachment 511132

Unfortunately most of the guys who buy HD-18’s will probably never fire them……they will turn into objects d’ art, status symbols, and investments like the KBI SVD’s and NDM’s have.

 

[highlandfarmer]

Hello Mr. Rob Ski!

If I may ask a favor? Can you angle the targets to 45 degrees so they are not all in same plane? The 45 degree angle will make them more skinny and all at different plane and distances to give the shooter something else to configure into the shot - is my thinking.

I made a steel target hung on a long pole but at the range, we set it so the pole is at 45 degrees. The target plates be all in different distances - and the smaller ones up front.

Just my thought - let me know what you think, Rob.

 

[XM25Dweeb]

I’ve had a lotta trigger time on SVD’s and I just luv’ em’. People tend to forget that the SVD was a STATE OF THE ART sniper rifle in 1963 (when the US Army was clunking around with M-1D’s) and it is still a first line weapon. We had a handful of SVD’s on my second contract in Iraq and banged to snot as they were they still shot well. My first SVD was an NDM-86 in .308 because there was very little quality 7.62X54R in the US. However with 168 grain Gold Medal match I was getting .5 MOA five shot groups at 100 hundred yards and I don’t blame people if they don’t believe me. The down side, and it was a HUGE one, it that it kept piercing primers thus creating a very dangerous situation (that doesn’t occur on real SVD’s). I later traded it for an FAL but subsequent to that I had access to my buddies NDM-86 in 7.62X54R and frankly I’m amazed at the ability of this rifle to get first round torso hits at 800 meters with light ball. I always get a chuckle when folks compare the SVD to the PSL because ANY magazine, Russian or Chinese will always work in an SVD but PSL’s are the most magazine finicky rifle I’ve encountered. The downside is that SVD’s are looooooooong and after carrying one for a while an M-14 feels like a carbine when you pick it up.

My buddies SVD with 1PN58 scope:

Awesome specimine.

 

[Rob Ski]

Hello Mr. Rob Ski!

If I may ask a favor? Can you angle the targets to 45 degrees so they are not all in same plane? The 45 degree angle will make them more skinny and all at different plane and distances to give the shooter something else to configure into the shot - is my thinking.

I made a steel target hung on a long pole but at the range, we set it so the pole is at 45 degrees. The target plates be all in different distances - and the smaller ones up front.

Just my thought - let me know what you think, Rob.

Man, look at that target from 610 yds...this is already small target...look how they look through the scope (next picture). With those low power scopes, it's hard to get them already...

 

[Rob Ski]

I’ve had a lotta trigger time on SVD’s and I just luv’ em’. People tend to forget that the SVD was a STATE OF THE ART sniper rifle in 1963 (when the US Army was clunking around with M-1D’s) and it is still a first line weapon. We had a handful of SVD’s on my second contract in Iraq and banged to snot as they were they still shot well. My first SVD was an NDM-86 in .308 because there was very little quality 7.62X54R in the US. However with 168 grain Gold Medal match I was getting .5 MOA five shot groups at 100 hundred yards and I don’t blame people if they don’t believe me. The down side, and it was a HUGE one, it that it kept piercing primers thus creating a very dangerous situation (that doesn’t occur on real SVD’s). I later traded it for an FAL but subsequent to that I had access to my buddies NDM-86 in 7.62X54R and frankly I’m amazed at the ability of this rifle to get first round torso hits at 800 meters with light ball. I always get a chuckle when folks compare the SVD to the PSL because ANY magazine, Russian or Chinese will always work in an SVD but PSL’s are the most magazine finicky rifle I’ve encountered. The downside is that SVD’s are looooooooong and after carrying one for a while an M-14 feels like a carbine when you pick it up.

My buddies SVD with 1PN58 scope:

This is so true. When Soviets released SVD package in early 60s, it was jaw dropping. Scope, reticle, rifle - all was an absolutely top notch. One thing people don't understand too, SVD is not a target rifle. This isn't great rifle for killing paper at 100yds for groups...no, this rifle was designed to eliminate human size targets at the long ranges and it's pretty darn good at it...

 

[twobyfour]

This whole HD-18 drama on theakforum...Woof. If yall haven't heard, this particular rifle being imported caused a bunch of hurt feelings and created a very sour taste in the ak-47 enthusiast community.

 

[WaM14gunner]

Good vid and good shooting Rob!

 

[Huh?]

This whole HD-18 drama on theakforum...Woof. If yall haven't heard, this particular rifle being imported caused a bunch of hurt feelings and created a very sour taste in the ak-47 enthusiast community.

You mean you weren’t willing to pay $1,000,000.00 for an HD-18 sold by Copper Custom on Gunbroker? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[Huh?]

This is so true. When Soviets released SVD package in early 60s, it was jaw dropping. Scope, reticle, rifle - all was an absolutely top notch. One thing people don't understand too, SVD is not a target rifle. This isn't great rifle for killing paper at 100yds for groups...no, this rifle was designed to eliminate human size targets at the long ranges and it's pretty darn good at it...

My NDM-86 in .308 had that infrared detection filter in it (like all good ld timey PSO-1 scopes did). I had it resting on a sand bag on the bench and when I moved my range bag I bumped the stock which caused the rifle to start slipping off the bag. I grabbed the rifle just before it was about to crash to the concrete deck. Relieved that I saved it I picked it up to shoot another string and saw that my field of view in the scope was completely black and I started to freak out, “OHHHHHHHH sh*t! My scope is busted!!!🤬🤬🤬” I started fiddling with the PSO-1 and much to my relief discovered that when I grabbed the rifle I accidentally dropped down the IR filter. Danke gott…..

 

[highlandfarmer]

Thank you for setting me straight, Rob Ski! YOu do wonderful work out there - I really appreciate what you do for many of us.

God Bless you many times.

 

[Huh?]

Thank you for setting me straight, Rob Ski! YOu do wonderful work out there - I really appreciate what you do for many of us.

God Bless you many times.

Ski is one of the few video weapons guys I bother to watch. Well, that not true-rather he’s one of the few I watch wherein my primary purpose isn’t rolling my eyes and leaving snarky comments. Why? Cuz’ I just can’t stomach these goofs who’ve never been a grunt running their mouths about military small arms and tactics like they actually know what hell they’re talking about. Larry Vickers is another dude who has rock solid creds. But I swear, these LARPers, wannabees, influencers, and video tactical Multicam MOLLE models who strut around in their free unscuffed gear who’ve never been dirty or deployed spewing tactiCOOL schiesse make me gag. That’s what struck me about Ski’s HD-18 video: not only is he shooting it, he actually camouflaged it!!!

 

[brianns]

Hello Mr. Rob Ski!

If I may ask a favor? Can you angle the targets to 45 degrees so they are not all in same plane? The 45 degree angle will make them more skinny and all at different plane and distances to give the shooter something else to configure into the shot - is my thinking.

I made a steel target hung on a long pole but at the range, we set it so the pole is at 45 degrees. The target plates be all in different distances - and the smaller ones up front.

Just my thought - let me know what you think, Rob.

Another consideration for safety is that you want the projectiles to hit as flat as possible so they can have the best chance of losing the most energy without glancing off into someone else's property. I figure most people may not have the luxury of an expanse of property all around to where that's not a concern. Also some managed ranges require people's steel targets to angle a bit down, like about 10-12 degrees so the projectiles debris is directed downward. You have to weld on a stand off to your chain so it cants the steel target off of plumb as it hangs.