“The Russian military is set to unveil its newest secret weapon after developing a powerful sniper rifle that can wipe out targets more than TWO MILES away,” mirror.co.uk reports. “The SVLK-14 Sumrak Twilight gun can fire a bullet 1.86 miles – but now the manufacturers have bolted on a longer barrel and are using a heavier bullet to significantly extend the range. It comes as a gunman dubbed the ‘Sniper of Mosul’ picks off ISIS patrols as the jihadi group’s grasp on Mosul slips.”
The Mirror is trying to link two different stories: the new Russian gun (which doesn’t sparkle in the sun) and the presence of a deadly Iraqi (or at least anti-ISIS) sniper or snipers in Mosul. Somehow, I don’t think the Mosul sniper(s) will end-up with the SVLK-14S — although Islamic terrorists have acquired a fair amount of U.S. military hardware. With that crazy Russian reset, anything possible!
So, the gun . . .
The secret new weapon is being developed by Lobaev Arms in the western Russian town of Tarusa.
Company boss Nikolay Lobaev said: “Last year we successfully shot a target 3,400 metres (3,718 yards) away.
“Since then, we have implemented a number of innovations including making the barrel longer and the bullet slightly heavier. Hopefully, this year we will be able to set a new record.”
The team is now hoping to hit a target 4,200 metres away with the SVLK-14 Sumrak – which costs up to £26,200.
How do you say Kentucky windage in Russian? Anyway, not-so-new, not-so-secret (obvs). Here’s the 411 on the SVLK-14S from the company’s love you long time website:
The precision characteristics of this model line sound almost unreal and yes, daring. SVLK-14S rifle owners often get sub .2 MOA 5-shot groups. And all this with such powerful round as .408 Cheytac that hardly anybody can make shoot. We could.
Hitting target beyond 3km? Easy! Nice group at 2500m? Yes, with that it’s quite feasible. New world record? She can deliver.
The newer model has a carbon fiber-reinforced “sandwich” of plastic, fiberglass and kevlar that is specially designed for the powerful Cheytac round. A long aluminium alloy chassis is integrated into the stock – to provide increased firmness and stability.
TTAG has requested a T&E sample. The U.S. military? Not so much.