Ammo for SVD Tiger?

Kable

Private
Minuteman
May 1, 2011
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I just bought an SVD Tiger and need to get some 7.62x54r for it. I'm looking for recommendations for cheap ammo that won't ruin my gun for plinking, maybe something else for hunting, and something I can try and shoot small groups with.

Any suggestions?
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

If you can find it... Russian 7N1 or 7N14 7.62x54R. It's light ball 7.62x54R that was designed for use in the SVD Dragunov. Not cheap. Standard ammo is cheap... as long as you stay away from corrosive, shoot a few brands and see what gives tollerable accuracy.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

Trial and error. Buy various boxes of surplus and regular 54R and test it out. Tiger should be fine with heavy ball but I'd stay away from the 203grain crap.

As far as hunting ammo goes the best I found was PRVI 150gr soft points.

Just keep in mind that russian ammo (ie, wolf, brown bear blah blah) is usually dirty and the surplus stuff is corrosive so you will need to field strip the rifle and clean it after every range trip.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

Winchester has a line of ammo called metric calibers, I beleive it is also made by privi for them, it says made in the czheck republic,it may be by selier bellot, I am not sure. But it is pretty good stuff.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

Shoot anything you want through it. Its a crap cartridge to reload, I don't recommend reloading unless you are familiar to using fillers. The 7n1 would be the only ammo I would shoot through it. Their is a guy selling some sort of SVD or PSL on the firearms threads he has 2 cases of 7n1 for sale with his rifle perhaps ask him. 7n14 I thought was pretty rare and I never seen it anywhere in the states for sale. Limit yourself to bullets weighing 155 grns and under. The actions on these rifle are very weak and the old surplus heavy ball will damage them after repeating fire.(If you have a stamped receiver) Do not use surplus ammo from any belts, like what they use for the PKM. This ammo is also bad, high pressure. If the ammo looks old make sure you use a bore cleaner that has ammonia in it.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

This is a SVD NOT the Romak that shoots the 7.62x54r. You can shoot what ever wieght bullet out of it you want. It will not hurt it. The SVD is a total differant design than a lengthened AK such as the Romaks. And they can be very accurate if you reload. The 174gr Sierra HPBT is an awsome bullet to use.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

I would say shoot everything you can get your hands on. Something will shoot good. Too bad the Gov. said the SVD could not be importated. The Tiger model you have does not have some of the fetures that make the SVD a decient rifle. I reload for a 91\30 and with that 1939 rifle I have gotten some nice groups if you want to call them groups. Many 2 inch groups at 100yds. You may just be plesently surprised in what kind of accuracy you can get with your rifle. Granted the SVD line was for shooting people not rifle competition. So just rememeber it is not a tack driver. Other than that shoot it and have fun.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

7N1 gave me the best results. I have seen it on the web but don't remember where? I will pm you if I find it again. keep an eye on the mount on your rifle mine wore funny and lost accuracy fast. Enjoy the tiger and ignore the its not a svd comments. It is in fact an svd from the same assembly lines. Congrats on a nice boom stick.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

You can shoot quite a variety of ammunition through your Tiger. Surplus can be a gamble (age, storage temperatures, powder degradation), but there is quite a selection of modern-made ammo to choose from. The 7N1 sniper grade ammunition is made at Novosibirsk (188 on military cases), and is the source of some of the Wolf brand 150 grain ammuntion. CAUTION: check to see if your firing pin has a spring, or if it is just "floating" within the bolt. The spring is necessary for using "civilian" primers, to prevent slam-fires. If you choose to reload for it, the Sierra 174 MatchKing in 0.311 works very well. Brass choices: Seller & Belloit, Winchester (probably Yugoslavian in origin), Lapua (expensive, but pretty...). I prefer the CCI No.34 "mil-spec" primers for the floating firing pin. VV N140 works great.

A good link: http://dragunov.net/rifles.html

I hope that this helps.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tomme boy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is a SVD NOT the Romak that shoots the 7.62x54r. You can shoot what ever wieght bullet out of it you want. It will not hurt it. The SVD is a total differant design than a lengthened AK such as the Romaks. And they can be very accurate if you reload. The 174gr Sierra HPBT is an awsome bullet to use. </div></div>

I was thinking this was one of the stamped receivers, this is a milled receiver like the Dragunov, and can handle the heavier rounds. I have only dealt with the PSL, and other variants when I was overseas and they where all garbage. Here is a good write up about the Tigr internals:

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55662
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: frankythefly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shoot anything you want through it. Its a crap cartridge to reload, I don't recommend reloading unless you are familiar to using fillers. The 7n1 would be the only ammo I would shoot through it. Their is a guy selling some sort of SVD or PSL on the firearms threads he has 2 cases of 7n1 for sale with his rifle perhaps ask him. 7n14 I thought was pretty rare and I never seen it anywhere in the states for sale. Limit yourself to bullets weighing 155 grns and under. The actions on these rifle are very weak and the old surplus heavy ball will damage them after repeating fire.(If you have a stamped receiver) Do not use surplus ammo from any belts, like what they use for the PKM. This ammo is also bad, high pressure. If the ammo looks old make sure you use a bore cleaner that has ammonia in it. </div></div>
I have never had a problem reloading this caliber, what are you referring to as "fillers"? 174 grn matchkings give good results with varget powder.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sniperhandle</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: frankythefly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shoot anything you want through it. Its a crap cartridge to reload, I don't recommend reloading unless you are familiar to using fillers. The 7n1 would be the only ammo I would shoot through it. Their is a guy selling some sort of SVD or PSL on the firearms threads he has 2 cases of 7n1 for sale with his rifle perhaps ask him. 7n14 I thought was pretty rare and I never seen it anywhere in the states for sale. Limit yourself to bullets weighing 155 grns and under. The actions on these rifle are very weak and the old surplus heavy ball will damage them after repeating fire.(If you have a stamped receiver) Do not use surplus ammo from any belts, like what they use for the PKM. This ammo is also bad, high pressure. If the ammo looks old make sure you use a bore cleaner that has ammonia in it. </div></div>
I have never had a problem reloading this caliber, what are you referring to as "fillers"? 174 grn matchkings give good results with varget powder. </div></div>

+1 on this, I routinely reload for this caliber with 0 issues. Again Varget works very well for me as do .311 Sierra hunting bullets at 150gr for a PSL I get ~1moa 5shot with this setup all the way to 600yds.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VYD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Your Tiger is NOT an SVD and never was. </div></div>

Actually, it uses the same milled receiver and short stroke piston operation as the SVD.

The Tiger is not and never was a Romak or AK variant.
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

I have found that the Steel cased Czech ammo that comes in a turquoise box with a silver diagonal stripe seems to give better than average accuracy. It used to shoot 1.25 inches at 100 yards out of my Sako Mosin-Nagant. Damn, that cheap ugly stick could shoot! It is one of the few firearms I regret not keeping.

I don't believe in becoming too attached to any firearm, as I see them as very useful tools. I like all fine tools, and have different hammers, rifles, saws, screwdrivers and so on. And they come and go. I wish I had kept that ugly Mosin Nagant though.

After reading the Finnish governments requirements for accuracy before they would accept a rifle into service, I was shocked. It amounted to around 3 inches at 300 yards with ball ammo and iron sights!
 
Re: Ammo for SVD Tiger?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Harlikwin</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sniperhandle</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: frankythefly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shoot anything you want through it. Its a crap cartridge to reload, I don't recommend reloading unless you are familiar to using fillers. The 7n1 would be the only ammo I would shoot through it. Their is a guy selling some sort of SVD or PSL on the firearms threads he has 2 cases of 7n1 for sale with his rifle perhaps ask him. 7n14 I thought was pretty rare and I never seen it anywhere in the states for sale. Limit yourself to bullets weighing 155 grns and under. The actions on these rifle are very weak and the old surplus heavy ball will damage them after repeating fire.(If you have a stamped receiver) Do not use surplus ammo from any belts, like what they use for the PKM. This ammo is also bad, high pressure. If the ammo looks old make sure you use a bore cleaner that has ammonia in it. </div></div>
I have never had a problem reloading this caliber, what are you referring to as "fillers"? 174 grn matchkings give good results with varget powder. </div></div>

+1 on this, I routinely reload for this caliber with 0 issues. Again Varget works very well for me as do .311 Sierra hunting bullets at 150gr for a PSL I get ~1moa 5shot with this setup all the way to 600yds.
</div></div>


^^X3^^

Since when is the 7.62 x 54R a "crap" cartridge?
I get sub 3" groups at 200+ meters with the 174 SMK's and Varget as well...out of a MN sporter...