Final pictures RS SVD and findings

The SVD has a unique serial number for each gun, unlike some airsoft which uses the same number for all there guns. In the box you will find a certificate attesting to the gun's test firing and the meters per second for each shot in a 5 shot group. very nice addition to the rifle
The select lever of course has two positions, safe (up) and semi (down). The lever is almost impossible to move with the trigger finger, the grove cut in the receiver for the safe position in very deep, you have to actuality grasp the lever and pull it out a little to get it to go into the fire mode. This might loosen up with use, we will see.When the lever is in fire mode, it exposes the brass piston? and leaves an opening for random crap to enter the gun.
I am not a gear box mechanic, a man has to know his limitations, so I wont be delving into the guts of this beauty, sorry.
There is only one word for the stock and forend wood, gorgeous. Not in a grade 5 stocked Weatherby rifle sort of way. More in the , wow, this is real sort of way. It is the proper bent plywood with a very nice coat of urethane on it. Very shiny though, if I were to use it in the field, I would wrap the wood in some burlap, 1 to break up the reflection and 2 to protect it. The cheek piece is removable and you will have to remove it to use the iron sights. It is also very well done and is leather covered.
Battery is housed in the forend, it uses an 8.4 stick (ak) type. fit is good, but the 1st time you remove the wood to access the compartment it is a bear. Very tight fitting wood. No creaks or rattles out of the box.
Machined receiver and all steel and wood. I found no flaws in the bluing (paint?) or in the wood furniture.
Weight of 14.3 pounds by my scale.
20 rd test with .20 TM bb's show a muzzle velocity of 131 meters per sec (429.79) and 20 rds of .25 at 385.22.
A 10 rd group of .36 brought in 325.33.
Accuracy test will have to wait for the scope to get here, but was was keeping all of my shots in a coke can ( Dr Pepper, actuality) at a measured 120 ft.
The hop up will be left at it factory setting until longer range tests have been preformed, at a later date.
So far, I am very impressed. I myself am not much of a Soviet weapons fan, but I can see a well made gun when it is before me. Further testing will be done next week in an OPFOR setting, I will update this post when more is learned.

I guess I am going to have to come up with a rating system, one us old farts can relate to, I'll work on it.
As of now, out of 10 stars I would give this a solid 9 1/2 for first look.
Will rate again after I get a chance to field it.

www.Evike.com is showing a pre order status with shipment due in 9/1/2009
Price is 530.00USD The extra 96 rd mags are priced at 30.00 USD

www.combatsportssupply.com lists it at 619.95 and shows it in stock but they say they are sold out in the listing. Extra mags at 39.95

www.precisionairsoft.com shows it out of stock at 699.00, could not find the mag there for sale.

This gun was provided by X Caliber Tactical for review.
After heading back to TX, Jerry ( a member of "Team X Caliber) used it in an Op
here are his findings,

Here are my opinions on the Real Sword Dragunov SVD.  This was the exact same gun you reviewed earlier.

First, The issue with removing the fore grips to get to the battery can be solved fairly easily.  It get them off the first time, you have to use a heat gun on low power or a hair dryer on high.  Carefully pry the fore piece off.   The cause of this problem is that when the fore grips are clear coated, the finish gets on the metal pieces the are bent over the wood ends.  When the weapon is exposed to the heat during shipping this finish gets soft and glues the two metal pieces together.  The heat gun softens this again so the two parts can be separated.

Even after the clear coat is cleaned off, the metal pieces continue to make the cap hard to pull on and off.  I found that the best solution is to remove the metal pieces from the forward end of the grips (toward the end of the barrel).  Do not remove the metal off the other end.  After this is done, the grips ARE NOT loose.  I used the gun in an OP and had no issues with the fore grip.

Now the rest of the opinions in this report are based on one OP only and I am far from an expert as I only have one OP under my belt as well.  Yes this was my first.  Anyway, here is my opinion for what it is worth.

First, the weapon handled very well.  Even at factory settings, the weapon reached out and hit enemy combatants at greater than OP rules.  It shoots very straight.  The day was fairly still and we were in among the trees, so the wind was not an issue.  I was using .36g BBs.   I do suggest that if you are going to use the weapon spend some time working with the hopup.  Since I had to turn it completely off to chronograph the weapon before starting, I had an issue finding the setting I was thinking of using.  I would suggest finding a combination of hopup and BBs that works best for you and marking the hopup knob so it will be easy to reset later.  Other changes that I plan to make are a 130 spring and a 6.1 tightbore barrel.  I am not sure about the gears as I have not taken the gearbox apart at this time.  I will make a judgment on that after taking it apart to change the spring.

About the external aspects of the weapon, first the scope is hard to use with shooting glasses.  It would be almost impossible to use with goggles.  I would suggest that during a game, switch to a US military standard scope that you don’t have to put your eye against.  There are scope mounts that mount to the side of the receiver just like the Russian scope and provide a standard rail over the top.  This will allow you to mount any optic.  I am also going to have to find a different sling setup.  I used the Russian style sling and found that it was not practical.  I think a two point or three point would make this weapon much easier to carry all day.  This weapon is a little heavy, but that is to be expected due to the length of the weapon.  Tim stated that he would wrap the stock and fore grips in burlap or camouflage cloth to protect them.  I did not do this the first time, but I would in the future.  This time I was very careful and did not damage the finish.  I got lucky.

I really enjoyed the use of this weapon.  For a first OP this was fun and I was able to get many hits with the Dragunov.  I was depending on the Kentucky windage method to get hits, but even that will improve with the barrel and spring upgrades and more experience with the hopup. 

Thanks Jerry for your findings, it is always good to field a gun to get a better feel for it, when I do enter a field for a game, it is usually with the lightest gun I can carry, as I am old!