Kalashnikov says its specialists used a flow-through suppressor for the first time in these variants, reducing the backflow of propellant gases into the receiver and toward the shooter's face while diminishing muzzle flash and the sound of the shot.
Russia's Kalashnikov Group has developed compact versions of its Chukavin semi-automatic sniper rifle, chambered for both the traditional 7.62x54mm cartridge and the NATO-standard .308 Win, the company's press service told TASS. The two models, designated SVCh-1 and SVCh-2, were developed on the company's own initiative rather than under a state order, according to the report.
The principal difference from the standard SVCh in current production is a shorter barrel and several other design changes, which the company says were implemented on the basis of feedback from military units using the rifle. Kalashnikov told TASS that the barrel was shortened by 170 mm without compromising accuracy at ranges of up to 800 metres. The company reports that preliminary testing has been completed under the supervision of a potential customer, and that it is now prepared to move to state trials and to establish production for both Russian and international users.
According to the press service, the rifles have drawn interest from domestic security and defence agencies, which are considering them for rapid-response teams and assault units, specifically for operations in dense urban environments and close-quarters combat. That framing is consistent with the design choices described: a shorter weapon is easier to handle in buildings and vehicles, and the company says the changes reflect what it calls changed conditions of combat.
Two technical details stand out. Kalashnikov says its specialists used a flow-through suppressor for the first time in these variants, reducing the backflow of propellant gases into the receiver and toward the shooter's face while diminishing muzzle flash and the sound of the shot. An anti-corrosion coating has also been applied to the bores and other components exposed to gunpowder residue. Both features address practical complaints familiar from suppressed semi-automatic rifles, though the company's claims about them have not been independently verified.
The commercial logic is straightforward. A second chambering in .308 Win opens the rifle to export customers who standardise on the NATO round, while the 7.62x54mm version serves existing Russian stocks. Whether that translates into orders depends on state trials and on foreign buyers willing to purchase Russian small arms, a market constrained by export controls and sanctions that the report does not address.
What is not yet known is significant. TASS gives no figures for accuracy, weight, production timelines or price, and no confirmation of any contract. The identity of the potential customer that supervised preliminary testing is not stated, nor is the number of rifles involved. The claims about performance and about agency interest rest on Kalashnikov's own account, and state trials have not yet taken place.
